Anthony E Nelson, Jr.

Born: March 16, 1977

To dedicate a life to the construction and deliverance of music requires not only a tremendous commitment, but also an unparalleled passion for creativity. To wield notes and string them into a breathtaking arrangement of sound and inspiration is a gift that must be perfected daily. With each song created, each note pulled from an arsenal of musical brilliance, musician, composer and arranger, Anthony Nelson, Jr. ignites fans with his melodic originality. Fusing together jazz’s classic tranquility, gospel’s spirituality, funk’s rougher edges and neo-soul’s undeniable velvet ease to produce a sound unlike anything on today’s shelves. A saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist and bass clarinetist, Nelson is blessed with an inherent talent that is boundless in its ability to reach across generational and genre lines.

Sam Sadigursky

Born: April 17, 1979

Since moving to New York in 2002, Sam Sadigursky continues to make a mark as both a leader and sideman across a broad spectrum of musical landscapes. His series of four albums of original music based on poetry and text for New Amsterdam Records, entitled The Words Project, have been acclaimed internationally. Noted music critic Steve Smith called them “compelling and touchingly intimate… that rare anomaly: a jazz-and-poetry record that sounds utterly natural and convincing“ and went on to name Sadigursky’s debut album as one of Time Out New York’s top ten albums of 2007, and the New York Times has called them ”gracefully high-minded explorations of poetic form.” Following the 2015 release of his latest album, Follow the Stick, he was named a rising star on clarinet in the Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll, on which he has continued to appear annually. Since 2022, he has released five volumes of music with accordionist and multi-instrumentalist Nathan Koci called The Solomon Diaries for Adyâropa Records.

Andy Tangborn

Born: 31, 1958

Carlos Ferreyra

Born: March 6, 1987

Carlos Ferreyra is a Woodwind specialist based in Kansas City, MO, and has brought his versatile musicianship to audiences in the KC area since 2010. With a broad interest in traditions ranging from classical European and Indian to funk and the folk music of his native Uruguay, Carlos finds his most personal expression in jazz. Drawing inspiration from the great standards of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis, he has honed his craft while residing in Kansas City and New Orleans, two pillars of jazz history and tradition, through studies at Missouri Western State University, and internationally during a residence in Spain.

The Dorsey Brothers

The Dorsey Brothers, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, were influential American musicians and bandleaders who played pivotal roles in the swing era of the 1930s and 1940s. After initially performing together in various orchestras, including that of the Paul Whiteman (known as "The King of Jazz"), they formed their own bands in the late 1930s. Tommy, a virtuoso trombonist, and Jimmy, a talented saxophonist and clarinetist, each led successful ensembles, with Tommy's band renowned for its smooth, polished arrangements and Jimmy’s for its more vibrant, jazz-infused style. While they eventually parted ways professionally, both enjoyed prominent solo careers—Tommy in the big band world and Jimmy in jazz

Steve Treseler

Born: July 17, 1981

Steve Treseler is an award-winning Seattle-based saxophonist, composer, and innovative leader in teaching improvised music. Hailed by Earshot as a “firebrand of the tenor saxophone,” DownBeat calls his music “beautifully crafted...whether free, through-composed, or somewhere in between.” Steve performs and leads improvisation workshops throughout North America and Europe, performing at Birdland, Blue Note Hawaii, and live on NPR’s Jazz Night in America.

Treseler’s bold and collaborative approach to improvised music began to take shape during his early adolescence in Edmonds, WA immersed in the hypnotic rhythm of Seattle’s grunge scene. He started playing clarinet in a public school band program, adding tenor saxophone in middle school. Throughout his high school years, Steve was obsessed with the spontaneity and virtuosity of classic jazz recordings. He began composing original music and performed at festivals up and down the West Coast with a youth trad jazz band. Treseler’s musical voice crystallized during his studies at New England Conservatory in Boston, where he was exposed to group improvisational techniques and the mentorship of jazz legends Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Brookmeyer, and George Garzone.

Today, Treseler is embedded in the jazz and creative music scene in the Pacific Northwest, performing with the Jim Knapp Orchestra, Johnaye Kendrick, Jay Thomas, and as a leader in his own notable groups. Treseler’s projects as a leader include collaborations with the lauded trumpeter Ingrid Jensen: Center Song, which reached #53 on the JazzWeek Radio Charts, and Invisible Sounds: For Kenny Wheeler on Whirlwind Recordings, which was named one of DownBeat's best albums of 2019 and praised by the New York Times as “lyrical and songlike, whether moving at a quick clip or drifting as slowly as cloud cover. . .a standout album.” His sixth album, The Grind with In Motion Quartet, will be released in early 2025.

Embracing eclectic sounds beyond jazz, Treseler collaborates with songwriters Damien Jurado and Lacey Bown, layering woodwind textures to their poignant storytelling. He explores experimental sonic worlds with Scrambler Soundpainting Ensemble, a multidisciplinary artist collective, and Radiant Fields, a solo project for saxophone and electronic effects.

As a teaching artist, Treseler is the founder of Infinite Improvisation, offering community-centered workshops and retreats that draw from improv theater games, conducted improvisation, and the aural tradition of jazz. Seattle JazzED calls his workshops, “revolutionary. . . Steve is an expert at teaching improvisation in a fun, encouraging way.” Steve has led workshops and artist residencies throughout the U.S. and Europe, including at Berklee College of Music, Hawaii’s Pacific Music Institute, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and in the Austrian Alps with Più Piano. Steve is the author of two instructional books, the #1 Amazon Bestseller Creativity Triggers for Musicians (2017) and The Living Jazz Tradition: A Creative Guide to Improvisation and Harmony (CMA Press, 2014), used in music schools worldwide.

Treseler graduated from New England Conservatory with a distinction in performance and was named “Outstanding Jazz Soloist” in the DownBeat Student Music Awards. He holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies and Improvised Music from the University of Washington where he was a teaching assistant for groundbreaking trumpeter Cuong Vu.

Treseler is a Conn Selmer performing artist.

Doc Stewart

Born: November 26, 1960

Chris “Doc” Stewart is a retired ER doctor from the Mayo Clinic who now performs regularly with the his own group as well as several other local groups in the Phoenix area. A multi-instrumentalist, he plays saxophone, flute, and clarinet in a variety of musical genres. His chart-topping recordings include “Phoenix” (2005) and “Code Blue” (2016).  Jazz critic Leonard Feather wrote: “The lead alto saxophonist, Dr. Chris Stewart, practices emergency medicine for a living, but leads the reed team flawlessly.” Doc Stewart has recorded with groups and artists such as Louis Bellson, Woody Herman, Wayne Bergeron, Toni Tennille, Matt Catingub, the Phoenix Symphony, and many others

Fraser A Campbell

Born: May 18

Saxophonist and Composer originally from Perth, Scotland.

Bogart

Chris Greco

Born: July 19, 1959

Award-winning composer and performer Chris Greco has followed a path in music of discovery and accumulation. He has composed and performed a broad and diverse range of jazz music, classical chamber, and concert hall music. He draws from the music traditions of the past and the present within the worlds of jazz, non-western music, twentieth century music, American popular music, and the classical music traditions.

As a composer and multi-instrumentalist Greco's development was shaped in Los Angeles. Guided by a broad approach he explored a variety of jazz styles, groups, and changing instrumental formats; duo, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, and large ensembles. A significant contributor to the mainstream modern/post-modern, and mixed-genre jazz culture of Los Angeles in the '80s and '90s Greco released three recording projects on gwsfourwinds records that represent his broad view and the multi-style directions he explored with jazz-based music.

Chris Greco is a professor of music at Benedictine College. He composes in cycles, maintains an active cyclical performance itinerary, and continues to pursue his broad interests that are woven within a professional life of composing, performing, teaching, research, and recording in jazz, classical, and electronic music.