Massimo de Majo

Born: July 8, 1957

"Drummer Massimo de Majo would have little difficulty measuring up to New York's best." Scott Yanow

Massimo de Majo is a percussionist, an educator, and probably one of the most well-kept secrets in European Jazz. Never indulging in self-promotion, Massimo has often taken directions that have radically changed his career, so - while not widely known by the general public - he's highly regarded by his peers as a true artist and "a musicians' musician".

Italian, born in Rome in 1957, he has spent most of his career abroad, performing with some of the most influential jazz artists in Europe, the U.S.A., Scandinavia, and Japan. During the last thirty years, focusing mostly on performing and teaching, Massimo has also composed for theatre, contemporary dance, video, sound design, and installation art.

Hamza El Din

Born: 1929

Hamza El Din is considered the father of modern Nubian music. He was born in Toshka, Nubia, Egypt. Hamza studied at King Fouad University (now the University of Cairo), then enrolled in the Popular University and at Ibrahim Shafiq's Institute of Music (Shafiq was renowned as a master of Arabian music and of the Muwashshah rhyme forms). Following graduation, he continued his studies at the King Fouad Institute for Middle Eastern Music, mastering the oud. Later, with an Italian government grant, he studied Western music and classical guitar at the Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome. Next he emigrated to the U.S., where he lived and worked as a recording and concert artist, and taught as an ethnomusicologist in several American universities, including the University of Ohio (Athens), the University of Washington (Seattle) and the University of Texas (Austin)

Erkan Sonmez

Born: November 1, 1989

Istanbul-based drummer and composer Erkan Sönmez started playing drums in his childhood. He successfully graduaded from the percussion (drums) department of Modern Music Academy and completed the 'CRR Jazz Composition Academy' program. For many years, he shared the stage with master artists and groups of classical, pop and jazz genres such as Enbe Orchestra, Levent Yüksel, Serdar Öztop, Erdem Sökmen, Güç Ba?ar Gülle. Between 2015 and 2020, he played drums and percussion in Erdem Sökmen Quartet and Quintet projects. While he continues to actively play with Cem Çat?k Trio; He released his first album, which he calls 'Habitat', consisting entirely of his own compositions and arrangements, in 2024.