Lew Stone

Born: May 28, 1898

Lew Stone was a prominent British bandleader, pianist, arranger and composer during the 1930s and 1940s, known for writing sophisticated arrangements for various dance bands (including his own) and popularising American jazz rhythms in Britain's own swing era. Although his name isn't as widely known today as that of, say, Jack Hylton's, some of his songs are still popular today, partly thanks to the television series Pennies from Heaven.

Carroll Gibbons

Born: January 4, 1903

Carroll Gibbons was a distinguished American-born pianist, bandleader and composer who became a defining figure in British Dance Band music during the 1930s and '40s. Best known for his elegant work with the Savoy Hotel Orpheans, Gibbons brought a refined jazz sensibility to popular music, blending American influences with a uniquely British charm. His smooth arrangements, stylish piano playing, and keen ear for melody earned him acclaim both in the UK and abroad. Gibbons also composed several enduring tunes, including “A Garden in the Rain”, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of light jazz and popular standards.

Arnab Sengupta

Born: September 22, 1977

Arnab Sengupta is a contemporary singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in Bangalore, India. With a musical journey spanning over three decades, Arnab’s work stands at the confluence of lyrical sensitivity, jazz-rooted sophistication, and deeply personal storytelling.

Drawn to music with quiet intensity from a young age, Arnab immersed himself in the study of Western contemporary styles—particularly jazz—long before he began writing his own songs. By 2006, after years of listening, transcribing, and honing his craft, he began composing original work that fused instinct with introspection.

Halie Loren

Born: October 23

Halie Loren is an international, award-winning jazz singer/songwriter. She brings a fresh and original perspective to time-honored musical paths, channeling her innate understanding of connectedness across musical boundaries to forge bonds with diverse audiences in North America, Asia, and Europe. Her multi-genre and multi-lingual musical blend across her ten albums to-date has earned several national and international awards in multiple genres as well as significant critical and chart success along the way, with her albums consistently reaching #1 on the Billboard Japan, iTunes (Canada and Japan) and Amazon jazz charts.

Michael Clement

Born: February 24, 1994

Michael Clement is a pianist and composer known for his versatility in jazz, contemporary, and cinematic music. A UNT One O’Clock Lab Band alumnus, he was featured on the band's acclaimed album Lab 2019 and has performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, including programs featuring film scores and guest artists such as Capathia Jenkins and Take 6. His musicianship has earned him First Prize at the Ravenscroft International Jazz Piano Competition and the Yamaha Award at the American Jazz Pianist Competition. An in-demand soloist and sideman, Clement is recognized for his expressive touch, deep rhythmic sensibility, and storytelling approach to improvisation.

Yumi Ito

With her voice, Yumi Ito creates worlds far beyond all boundaries. The Polish-Japanese-born Swiss is considered one of the most outstanding representatives of vocal improvisation and moves effortlessly between genres and her roles as a singer, pianist and composer. Ito's own music is correspondingly diverse, a veritable ocean of art-pop, jazz and neoclassical music. Based on countless concerts and tours, the musician acts like a Zen master, clear, reflective and with a uniquely powerful energy. Milestones in her career include performances at the Blue Note New York, Montreux Jazz Festival, tours in Asia, South America, Europe and five released albums as a band leader, most recently the critically highly acclaimed Ysla (2023 via enja yellowbird records).

Uriel Pascucci

The Argentinian pianist Uriel Pascucci is laureate of international piano competitions. During 2021 he has released a CD Album with piano works by Beethoven, Mussorgsky and one of his own compositions through iMD-classics label. In addition, he has recorded a transcription for solo piano of a tango by Astor Piazzolla to tribute the centenary of this great Argentinian composer. He frequently premieres recordings of his own compositions. Uriel Pascucci's recordings are available to listen on the main digital platforms.

Uriel Pascucci has performed several concerts and tours in Argentina, United States, France, Spain, Italy, England, Austria, Switzerland and Germany, including a London Debut concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Elgar Room, in England, as well as performances at the Auditorio Juan Victoria in San Juan, the Teatro Independencia in Mendoza, Argentina, the Petit Palau at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Spain, the Mozarthaus Vienna in Austria and the Historisches Kaufhaus Freiburg in Germany. He has performed in the “Young Talents” Cycle of the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo´s Orchestra (OSUNCuyo), in Argentina, at the concert cycles in Barcelona held by the Center of Piano Studies (“Centro de Estudios Pianisticos” - CEP), at the 2nd Cycle of Argentinian Performers (“2do Ciclo Musical de Intérpretes Argentinos”) in Madrid, Spain, at the concert cycles in Museum Manuel De Falla in Argentina, the Wesley Series in Bella Vista and at the NWA Classical Piano Concert Series in USA.

Tom Nazziola

The music of Grammy®-nominated composer Tom Nazziola has been featured on virtually every medium in the world of composition.From "live film music" to choral and orchestral pieces, his work has been performed in France, Ireland, Slovenia, Guatemala, Croatia and throughout the United States—as well as broadcast nationally and internationally on radio and television. His music has been performed by several ensembles including: Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Bang on a Can, Eastman Percussion Ensemble, VocalEssence, New York University Percussion Ensemble, Cantori NY, and the New Jersey Youth Symphony among others. His highly praised film score for "The Golem" was featured on John Schaefer’s "New Sounds" (WNYC); his compositions have also been aired on NBC, ABC, ESPN, BET, and CBS. In addition to composing, he is also the musical director and composer for The BQE Project, a celebrated New York-based chamber ensemble known for its original compositions performed live-to-film throughout the world.

Walter Baco

Baco is an artist, active in several art movements. Living in Vienna, he works as a pianist, composer, author, creator of radio dramas, director and conducts a dance theatre company (Carousel Theater). He creates timeless art for savourers, beyond all fashions and styles. Baco has been composing since the age of five - yet hardly using music paper, he simply improvises. He gains inspiration out of every moment, living in and from the flow. During live-performances he often combines several art movements to one holistic experience. Besides commissional compositions for TV, film and stage he also realises cooperations with companies, the media, communities and institutions and is engaged in social and peace activities. Several times Baco has already been working as Artist in Residence and is invited to play concerts and guest performances on various official occasions.The artist has written several books and has released audio books as well as music CDs.

Giovanni Vannoni

Giovanni Vannoni is a pianist and composer born in Greve in Chianti in 1992. He began his piano career in 2013 with a concert at the Teatro del Sale in Florence. Over the following years, he played with various jazz ensembles, participating in several festivals and events. His interest in exploring new musical languages led him to collaborate in 2019 with composer and guitarist Davide Martiello for the Florentine electronic music festival "Diffrazioni".

In 2016, he graduated in jazz piano from the Siena Jazz University Academy, under the guidance of masters Stefano Onorati and Paolo Birro. In 2017, he began collaborating with guitarist Krishna Biswas, leading to the release in 2022 of the album "Piccola Impresa Irregolare," which was mentioned in Musica Jazz's TOP JAZZ 2022. The same magazine recognized Giovanni Vannoni among the new talents.