Music is a unifying experience that the world shares. It is what unites us and makes us live in the moment together. We believe our mission is to share this experience with our community by providing access to the schooling, culture, creation, and performance of this art form.

Kainga Music established its non-profit corporation 501(c)(3) in 2014 with a mission statement Creating Music, Uniting People, Building Communities. Music is uplifting, healing, and gives the opportunity for starting and strengthening the bond between people of different backgrounds, genders, and ages. The featured instrument in the school, the steel pan, is played throughout the country of origin, Trinidad & Tobago, in community centers called “Panyards” that welcome the variety of members in the surrounding neighborhoods to find a common place and common voice. 

Kainga Music’s Founder, Keli Ross-Ma’u, has a vision for the school to be modeled more like a Panyard. Keli chose the word “Kainga” from his Tongan heritage, which means “extended family,” to help embody the intention of community-building as the core goal of Kainga Music. Our music school has a focus on learning and performance of music as an extension and expression of that shared bonding experience between the students and audience members alike.

Antonio Econom is a San Diego-based drummer and bandleader whose career spans jazz, funk, soul, blues, rock, afrocuban, and beyond. He has built an extensive performance career, sharing the stage and collaborating with artists including Drake Bell, Maggie Koerner, Jo James, Stacy Antonel, Wayne Krantz, B-Side Players, William “Spaceman” Patterson, Jason Arce, and Eli Menezes.

An established presence in Southern California's music scene, his credits also include Whitney Shay, Laura Chavez, Mercedes Moore, Stacy Antonel, Lauren Leigh, Will Stucky, Maracuyá, Marelle, The Beard & The Bird, Farm Truck, Brianna Grace, The Wildcards, and Chloe Lou, among others.

Beyond his work as a sideman, Antonio leads Bulbancha YaYa, exploring the intersections of New Orleans musical traditions, contemporary jazz, funk, and Mexican folkloric music.