Marc Smason

Born: June 18, 1951

Trombonist/vocalist/composer, Marc Smason learned to sing as a child in Texas and studied classical trombone in Seattle and Los Angeles with Stu Dempster, Julian Priester, Ken Cloud & Slide Hampton. Voice with Jay Clayton (jazz), Yo Jin Chong (Korean) & Ki Wasitodipuro (Javanese). B.F.A. - California Institute of the Arts and a member of International Federation of Musicians - local 76-493. Marc has taught private lessons and workshops throughout his career. He has performed around the world with such luminaries as the Funk Brothers, Benny Green, Baby Gramps, Andy Statman, Big Joe Turner, Perry Robinson, Sam Shepard, Julian Priester, Sonny Simmons, Jeff Johnson and the Ivar's clams

Marley Edwards

Born: July 22, 1994

Jazz Bassist, Composer, and Bandleader from the SF Bay Area. Born in Palo Alto, CA in 1994, and raised in Redwood City, CA. His music foundation started with Piano and Trumpet, before moving on to Electric bass and then Double Bass. His earliest musical influences include James Jamerson, Paul Chambers, Jaco Pastorius, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis. Marley Edwards studied music and composition formally; 4 years as a Music Major at the College of San Mateo and 4 years at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, CA, receiving a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies in June 2019. He studied with musicians such as Erik Jekabson, John Santos, Frank Martin, Steve Erquiaga, Dann Zinn, Mike Gallisatus, Chuck Mackinnon, John Gove, Mike Zilber, Alam Kahn, Edward Simon, among others

Aubrey Johnson

Born: 1985

Aubrey Johnson is a New York-based vocalist, composer, and educator who specializes in jazz, Brazilian, and creative contemporary music. Aubrey teaches in the jazz programs at Montclair University, Queens College, and in the voice department at Berklee College of Music. She has performed and/or recorded with Billy Childs, Jimmy Cobb, John Patitucci, Janis Siegel (Manhattan Transfer), John Zorn��s Mycale Vocal Quartet, Fred Hersch, among many others. Aubrey recorded on Bobby McFerrin��s 2010 Grammy-nominated release, ��VOCAbuLaries��, Arturo O'Farrill's 2020 Grammy Award- winning album ��Four Questions��, and on Lyle Mays�� 2021 Grammy Award-winning recording ��Eberhard��

Jaana Narsipur

Born: January 4, 1971

Jazz vocalist Jaana Narsipur has just released a new album, "Better Than Anything," which is a tribute to the bebop and hard bop masters Bob Dorough and Horace Silver. "Better Than Anything" features original arrangements (all by Jaana Narsipur) of Dorough and Silver��s classic swing and groove tunes, as well as beautiful lesser-known gems from these jazz masters. The album shines with a stellar cast of New York based musicians including drummer Joe Abba (John Scofield, Gene Pritzker), pianist Cary Brown (Sloan Wainwright, Levon Helm), and violinist Ludovica Burtone (Danilo Perez, Jon Batiste). Jaana has been performing and teaching in New York for the last 12 years

Phillip Haynes

Born: June 15, 1961

A veteran artist based in New York for 25 years, Phil Haynes is featured on more than 85 LP, CD, and DVD releases by numerous American and European record labels. Haynes’ debut, The Paul Smoker Trio’s QB with Anthony Braxton, was named the #1 recording of 1985 by esteemed critic Kevin Whitehead. The international media have compared his drumming to masters Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes and Elvin Jones, and his compositions to Duke Ellington, Charles Ives, Charles Mingus and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. His performances were recently noted to be “The perfect middle between tradition and avant-garde, between power and sophistication, between accessibility and adventure. . . standards with a new sense of drama, dynamics, and true moments of fun.”

Edward Partyka

Born: August 23, 1967

Ed Partyka is an arranger, composer, conductor and educator specializing in large ensemble jazz music. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he earned a BA degree from Northern Illinois University before moving to Germany in 1990. He completed a master's degree in jazz trombone at the Musikhochschule in Cologne, where he was also a member of the G.E.M.A. Jazz Composers Workshop under the direction of Bob Brookmeyer.

He was recipient of the 2000 “A.S.C.A.P. / I.A.J.E. Commission Honouring the Centenary of Louis Armstrong”. He was 1st prize-winner of the 1998 “NDR Musikpreis” (Hamburg), 1st prize winner of the Jazz Composers Alliance 1998 Julius Hemphill Composition Awards (Boston) and finalist in the 1996 HR Emerging Composers Competition (Frankfurt).

Joan Cartwright

Born: December 7

Joan Cartwright has toured five continents and 16 countries including the U.S.A., eight European countries, Brazil, Jamaica, Mexico, Ghana, Gambia, South Africa, China, and Japan, with her swinging brand of jazz and blues. She is a composer and her book, IN PURSUIT OF A MELODY contains 40 songs and lyrics to standard songs: "A Night in Tunisia" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Blue Bossa" by Kenny Dorham, "Tune Up" by Miles Davis and "Bessie's Blues" by John Coltrane. Joan's book also contains two lectures that she's given to over 5,000 children and college students, in U.S., Switzerland, Sicily, China and Japan: WOMEN IN JAZZ and SO, YOU WANT TO BE A SINGER? Her workshops are dynamic and educational, highlighting the pitfalls and benefits of the music business

Dr. Joan Cartwright

Born: March 12

Amazing Musicwomen Ensemble Jazz Vocalist/Historian Joan Cartwright and her ensemble trace the origins of Jazz from the West Coast of Africa to the clubs of Harlem. This presentation highlights the life, times and tunes of America��s premiere Blues and Jazz Women from Bessie Smith to Betty Carter and beyond. Selections include compositions of Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Cole Porter, Norman Mapp and Joan Cartwright. (1-2 hours)

Bill Stieger

Rob Duguay

Born: October 5, 1982

Rob Duguay lives in Queens, New York and performs regularly around the New York City tri-state area, leading multiple groups including SONGEVITY, Low Key Trio, and "The Outernet".  His latest group The Outernet is dedicated to performing and arranging the music of his youth for small group normally using trombone, trumpet, bass and drums.  The group begs the question, "What music or poetry or movies or people will still be in your life when the internet is no longer funcional?  Who is in YOUR outernet?"

SONGEVITY, his 'concert' band usually involving grand piano has featured a large list of fine musicians including Steve Wilson, Abraham Burton, Mark Gross, "Ku-umba" Frank Lacy, Justin Kauflin, and more.  Rob has been on call from top drummers such as Chip White, Winard Harper, and Chris Brown.  Aside from performing, Rob stays busy in the music community by teaching private music lessons, composing original music, and booking jazz events both private and at NYC clubs. Rob also acted as a New York correspondent for TSF Jazz Radio in Paris, France, and is the artistic director for About the Swing, a non-profit that brings jazz events to schools throughout the NYC area. In 2015, Rob became president of KEYED UP!, a non-profit organization that helps venues to sponsor jazz programs and create work for hundreds, if not thousands, of musicians.