Jerry Vivino:

Jerry Vivino was the son of Emily and Jerry Vivino Sr., on January 8, 1954 in Paterson, New Jersey. The Vivino family was a constant source of music and art throughout Jerry’s childhood, and into his teens. Jerry was influenced by his parents and was exposed to Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. Floyd Vivino, his older brother, loved Louie Prima as well as great swing and jump music from the 30’s to the 40’s and 50’s. Jerry discovered that he liked listening to many types of music. He even enjoyed symphonic music. His favorite composers were Debussy, Stravinsky and Leonard Bernstein. He tried to learn guitar at the tender age 7 but failed. (That would have been reserved for another family member). His third grade teacher gave him a recorder for soprano at the age of nine. Within two or three weeks, he was proficient with the instrument. His parents noticed his progress and Jerry began clarinet lessons at the age of 10. He was able to quickly learn classical clarinet and studied with Ray Gerrard and Frank Vivino (his father’s cousin). When Jerry was 14 years old, he purchased his favorite Jethro Tull album, “This Was” and still has it today. Al Kooper’s original Blood Sweat and Tears was also a favorite of his, and their first album, “Child Is Father To The Man”, was his favourite. Jerry actually wore all three of Chicago’s original albums. Elton John and James Taylor were his favorites back then, as well as Sly and Family Stone. Jerry loved R a lot.

Tomoko Ohno:

Tomoko Ono is a jazz pianist from Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from the Faculty of Law at Rikkyo University before pursuing jazz studies at William Paterson University in New Jersey, where she studied under pianist Harold Mabern and bassist Rufus Reid. After her studies, she began performing at jazz clubs in New York and other cities, releasing her CD debut "Powder Blue" in 1997. Over her career she has performed alongside prominent jazz musicians including Wynton Marsalis, Joe Henderson, and Benny Golson. Based in New Jersey, she performs regularly with the Jay Leonhart Trio at Birdland in New York.

Rodney Jones:

Jones started playing the guitar at age six. In 1976, at the age of twenty, he began touring with Dizzy Gillespie. His first solo album, The Liberation of Contemporary Jazz Guitar, was released by Strata-East in 1977. In 1989, Jones joined the Maceo Parker Band for three years. In 2001, he was hired as a professor at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. In 2007, he joined the faculty of The Juilliard School as a professor of jazz guitar studies. Jones also served as the staff guitarist for the Rosie O’Donnell Show from 1996 to 2002 and the house guitarist for Showtime at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem for nine years. Jones has written commercials and has had more than 125 compositions recorded. Jones is the owner of New Tide Music, Inc., and has led jazz workshops and master classes worldwide. Jones has toured internationally and performed and recorded with James Brown, Lena Horne, Quincy Jones, Elvin Jones, Kenny Burrell, Stan Getz, Christian McBride, Stevie Wonder, and others. Also, he served as musical director and producer for Lena Horne, Ernestine Anderson, Gloria Lynne, Ruth Brown, and more. Jones’s albums have been released by Timeless, MusicMasters, Minor Music, Blue Note, HighNote, Savant, 18th and Vine, and his own label. His discography includes Articulation (1978), When You Feel the Love (1981), Friends (1981), My Funny Valentine (1983), The Unspoken Heart (1992), The “X” Field (1996), Right Now (1996), The Undiscovered Few (1999), Soul Manifesto (2001), Soul Manifesto Live! (2003), Dreams and Stories (2005), A Thousand Small Things (2009), The Journey of Soul (2013), The Resonance of Love (2012), and The Beloved (2017). His book Hip Guitar Lines: The Lines, Fingerings, and Ideas That Will Transform Your Playing was published in 2020.

Jay Anderson:

Bassist/composer Jay Anderson is among the most versatile and respected jazz artists performing today. He has performed/recorded with a wide range of jazz artists including Woody Herman, Carmen McRae, Michael Brecker, Paul Bley, Bob Mintzer, John Abercrombie, Dave Liebman, Joe Sample, Maria Schneider, Stanley Cowell, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Vic Juris, Red Rodney, Ira Sullivan, Mike Stern, Anat Cohen, Toots Thielemans, Kenny Wheeler, Jay Clayton and non-jazz artists like Oswaldo Golijov, Dawn Upshaw, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Robert Spano (Atlanta Symphony), Michael Franks, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Terre Roche, Chaka Khan, Michel Legrand, Allen Ginsberg, and Celine Dion. He has been featured on over 500 recordings, seven of which have received the Grammy Award. His original recordings  “NEXT EXIT” (DMP),  “LOCAL COLOR” (DMP), and "DEEPSCAPE" (Steeplechase) have received critical acclaim both in the U.S. and abroad. Jay has conducted clinics around the world and is a Professor of Jazz Bass Studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City and New Jersey City University.

Adam Nussbaum:

Adam Nussbaum's played with a virtual "Who's Who" in the jazz world. Longtime associates have included: John Abercrombie, Michael & Randy Brecker, Eliane Elias, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Vic Juris, James Moody, John Scofield, Joe Sample, Ohad Talmor, ‘Toots' Thielemans, Kenny Wheeler & NHØP, as well as freelancing with prominent artists of every generation, being a major asset no matter where he appears. Nussbaum has recently formed the Lead Belly Project.  He has also joined forces with other musicians to form such groups as “BANN” w/Seamus Blake, Jay Anderson & Oz Noy, “We3” w/Dave Liebman & Steve Swallow, "The Impossible Gentlemen" w/Gwilym Simcock, Steve Rodby & Mike Walker, “The Nuttree Quartet" w/John Abercrombie, Jerry Bergonzi & Gary Versace and "The ZZ Quartet w/Ratko Zjaca, Simone Zanchini & Martin Gjakanovski. He's been on hundreds of recordings, including the Grammy winning "Don't Try This At Home” recorded with Michael Brecker.