Coach Matlawe is another of the South African Disabled Musicians Association music talent search discovery.

He was born in Ikageng Township in Potchefstroom in the North West Province and suffered from polio at the age of three years. He managed to overcome this disability and attended school up to secondary level.

He started singing at school and he became a member of the church choir. His love for gospel music led him to compete in various competitions and with those successes; he was able to release many gospel albums. He continues to perform around South Africa.

Song sample and CD available at: Insight Music Record Company

Few entertainers have ever commanded such depth of artistry in every medium. Fewer still have been rewarded with Broadway's coveted Tony Award (Best Featured Actress in a Musical - The Wiz), nominated for the London Theater's West End equivalent, the Laurence Oliver Award (Best Actress in a Musical - Lady Day), won 2 Grammy® Awards (1998's Best Jazz Vocal Performance and Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal for "Cottontail" - Slide Hampton, arranger - "Dear Ella"), and France's 1998 top honor Victoire de la Musique (Best Jazz Vocal Album).

Dee Dee Bridgewater captured the hearts of audiences worldwide in The Wiz with her signature song, If You Believe. According to Nick Ashford of 'Ashford and Simpson', Dee Dee's rendition "personified a generation and gave us all hope."

Named Ambassador to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in October 1999, Dee Dee joined the battle against world hunger. Appealing for international solidarity to finance global grass-roots projects, the FAO's Ambassadors aid in developing self-reliance in long-term conservation and management of sustainable agriculture, rural development and the conservation and management of natural resources.

Official website: www.deedeebridgewater.com

Winning Channel 4's Operatunity (Belfast, Northern Ireland) has made Denise Leigh a household name and brought many exciting opportunities with it. She has performed at venues such as The Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace (for members of the royal family, including the Queen) and with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic, The BBC Concert Orchestra and the London Handel Players, to mention a few. In 2004, she reunited with the English National Opera in a special oratorio titled For The Public Good, in a role written specifically for her.

Official website: www.deniseleigh.com

Evelyn Glennie is the first person in musical history to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist.

Evelyn gives more than 100 performances a year worldwide, performing with the greatest conductors, orchestras, and artists. For the first ten years of her career virtually every performance she gave was in some way a first.

Her diversity of collaborations have included performance artists such as Nana Vasoncelos, Kodo, Bela Fleck, Bjork, Bobby McFerrin, Sting, Emmanuel Ax, Kings Singers, Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Fred Frith.

Official website: www.evelyn.co.uk

For more: Click to go to MySpace

Justin Hines, whose Orange Lounge Recording debut album, Sides, gave him a number 1 single on iTunes ("Wish You Well"), has the capacity to touch the best in everyone with his music.

Justin tries to encourage people to find the beauty in the darkest situations and to find the wisdom to see hope shining through in all things. His sound is lean, contemporary and authentic and he writes with a grace and maturity far beyond his years.

There is extraordinary innocence, earnestness and wisdom in his music and an astonishingly positive attitude that has led to widespread praise for Justin as an amazing artist and an extraordinary human being.

Official website: www.justinhines.com

Kitorah's passion for music is evident in the variety of music formats in which she can perform but her career choices are Pop, Alternative and Contemporary music. She released her first solo album, "Love   Payne" in the fall of 2007 and her first single, "Love Like Mine" was produced by Deekay Music / Pop City, "Hit" producers for the British boy group, BLUE.

Kitorah is the co-writer of IPAFA's theme song "Make Them Believe" which she performed during the "Samsung's Marriage of Excellence" Tour.

For more: Click to go to MySpace

Following the family tradition of musicians, Levon's musical experiences range from recording, composing, producing and touring. He has released three solo CDs (with featured grammy award winners including John Patitucci, Paquito D'Rivera, and Bernard Purdie, and Alain Caron) and has played on over 100 commercially released recordings from Canadian Idol to India's renowned Hariharan. He has composed for the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, as well as created soundtracks for filmmakers, such as Atom Egoyan and environmentalist David Suzuki.

Levon Ichkhanian has toured throughout Canada, the US and Europe, both with his own world/jazz group, as well as with the likes of Peter Murphy of Bauhaus fame and A.R. Rahman. Levon was also an orchestra member in the Lord of the Rings, 3 Mo' Divas and Spamalot stage productions.

Levon is an avid explorer of improvisation, which forms the basis for his workshops, master classes and published articles. He has been the cover feature in numerous music magazines. In addition to the acoustic and electric guitars, Levon plays world string instruments, including the Oud, Banjitar and Bouzouki.

Official website: www.levonmusic.com

Ma Li and Zhai Xianwei entered a modern dance competition on Chinese television. Ma has one arm and Zhai has one leg. They performed gracefully and beautifully and legitimately beat others in the competition.

Ma Li was a dancer who had trained from the time she was a little girl. She lost her entire left arm in an accident. She heard of Zhai, in his 20s, who had lost a leg in an accident.

After much persistence, she persuaded him to dance with her. He had never danced. And to dance with one leg? He reluctantly agreed and theirs has been a successful partnership ever since.

Click to watch YouTube video: "She without arm, he without leg - ballet - Hand in Hand" (CCTV-9)

Pianist Oliver Jones is one of Canada's finest musicians. His career also intertwines with the proud history of jazz in his native Montreal, the thriving city that in its heyday also produced Oscar Peterson, Oliver's lifelong friend and continuing inspiration.

For more information:
Go To "Justin Time Records"

C.O.E.D., the all-girl band formed by world-renowned percussionist and entertainer Sheila E. in 2006, features Rhonda Smith on bass and Kat Dyson on guitar.

Individually, they have toured with such artists as Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams, Justin Timberlake, Macy Gray and Seal.

Best known for hit singles such as "Glamorous Life" and "Love Bizarre", Prince introduced Sheila E. as his favourite protégé.

Kat Dyson was lead guitarist and band member for Prince and The New Power Generation during the Jam of the Year and Emancipation tours.

Bass guitarist, composer, performer and Juno Award winner, Rhonda has toured and recorded with Prince for 10 years and was the former bass player for Martin Short and Wayne Brady's daytime variety shows.

Official website: www.sheilae.com
Official website: www.thecoedband.com

The New York-born artist's three albums for Arista Records, Tell It To My Heart, Can't Fight Fate, and Soul Dancing, produced twelve Top 20 singles, among them the chart-topping "Love Will Lead You Back." Over the course of her career, Taylor Dane has sold more than 75 million albums and singles worldwide, garnering three Grammy nominations along the way.

"I've always had a very passionate and large voice," says Taylor, adding that she grew up on rock bands like the Beatles, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Bad Company. "But the moment I heard Al Green and Marvin Gaye, it was all over."

Official website: www.taylordayne.com

A "master musician", an "incredible genius", and "totally awesome" are just of few of the words used to describe Tony DeBlois.

This 34 year old has been a professional musician for 25 years. His life inspired the CBS Movie of the Week "Journey of the Heart" which is licensed in 56 countries around the world. He has made documentaries for television in Rome, London, Australia, and Japan.

He has been playing the piano since age two. Besides piano, Tony enjoys playing the organ, harmonica, guitar, harpsichord, English hand bells, violin, banjo, drums, saxophone, clarinet, ukulele, mandolin flute and trumpet.

For Tony, there are no "roadblocks" but mere obstacles to be cast aside or skirted. His favourite phrase seems to be, "I haven't learned that yet."

Official website: www.tonydeblois.com

Chosen to perform at both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing Games, this young choir will join Oliver Jones in his tribute to Oscar Peterson and will take part in the closing number as they perform "Make Them Believe" with Kitorah.

Official website: www.cisb.com.cn