Straight Ahead

Out of Detroit's lively jazz scene, which has produced some of the best musicians in the world, comes the ground breaking all female jazz group, Straight Ahead. A group of strong, inventive instrumentalists and vocalists, they have shown themselves to be powerful and imaginative composers and arrangers.

Widely recognized for their eclectic and soulful approach to creating music, the Straight Ahead sound ranges comfortably from mainstream jazz R&B ballads, avant-garde to Brazilian funk. Their live performances are a dynamic celebration of power and joy. The ladies delight in changing textures, moods, and tempos and love to throw in the occasional musical joke!

Andrew Kushnir

Born: November 1, 1989

Andrew Kushnir is a Brooklyn-based jazz drummer and co-leader of the group Straight Up! alongside guitarist Reed Miller. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, he began his musical studies with drummers Michel Berthiaume and Jim Doxas.

From 2012 to 2015, Andrew attended Berklee College of Music, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Performance. In 2017, he completed a Master of Music in Instrumental Performance with a focus on Jazz Studies at NYU. Since then, Andrew has become a staple of the New York City jazz scene, performing regularly as both a bandleader and sideman.

Rachel Spencer

Born: 1995

Rachel Spencer, a versatile and engaging trumpeter, is an in-demand trumpeter based in Austin, Texas. Her career thus far spans various genres and ensembles, including but not limited to: Straight-ahead jazz, funk, hip hop, commercial, and orchestral playing, as well as extensive experience in musical pit orchestras. Notable for her stylistic prowess and expressive tone, she has toured internationally and shared stages with renowned musicians like Graham Reynolds, Peggy Stern, Nikki Glaspie and Andre Hayward, to name a few. In Austin, she has regularly performed as a leader and a side musician in the cities top music venues including but not limited to: Monks Jazz Club, The Elephant Room, Parker Jazz Club, Antones, The 04 Center, Emo's The Continental Club, The Electric Church, Mohawk, Half Step, The Long Center, and SXSW showcases, among others.

Mitch Towne

Born: September 17

Ever since Jimmy Smith emerged on the national scene in 1956, performing exciting versions of blues, ballads and standards, the Hammond B-3 organ has been a major instrument in jazz. Scores of organists have emerged since then who play variations of the Jimmy Smith style.

Mitch Towne, while acknowledging his historic predecessors, sees the organ as much more than just being a soulful instrument used to play grease-filled blues. “I feel that the organ is somewhat marginalized in jazz and that there is so much more to the organ than being thought of as a bluesy r&b soul/jazz type of instrument. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to perform mostly originals on my new recording, Refuge. This record is in the jazz tradition rather than just the jazz organ tradition because, in addition to the great organ players, I’m also inspired by Kenny Garrett, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock.” On Refuge, his recording debut as a leader, Mitch Towne teams up with his regularly working trio (guitarist Tetsuya Nishiyama and drummer Jeffery Johnson) to perform six of his wide-ranging originals plus a Kenny Kirkland piece. Refuge introduces Towne’s creative talents to a wide audience and displays the great potential of the organ.

Kyle Cervantes

Kyle Cervantes resides in Denver, CO as a robust, active, saxophonist. He is both a bandleader, and has collaborated with many notable groups in Colorado, including: The Denver Jazz Orchestra, The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Sarah Mount & the Rushmores, and The Academy Jazz Ensemble. Currently, Kyle is touring with the world famous Glenn Miller Orchestra as their baritone saxophonist. He has also had the pleasure of sharing the stage with musicians such as Adam Nussbaum, Randy Brecker, Bob Shephard, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Kyle is a former member of UNC's Downbeat award-winning Lab I, and travelled the world as a cruise ship musician before settling back down in the front range.

Jose Bevia

José Beviá graduated from the Valencia Conservatory of Music where he studied classical piano with José Luis de Prado; Berklee College of Music, and Florida State University, where he earned a Doctorate of Music Degree in Music Theory and Composition.

Mr. Beviá studied composition with Ladislav Kubík and Mark Wingate, and jazz piano with Marcus Roberts and Bill Peterson. He has also participated in composition seminars with Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ellen Zwilich, jazz composer Bill Holman, and has been a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop (2006-2009), where he studied with jazz composers Michael Abene, Jim McNeely, and Mike Holober. He has also attended the 2012-2013 American Composers Orchestra Jazz Composers Institute at UCLA and Columbia University, directed by George Lewis.

Tomas Martinez

Born: October 16, 1999

Tomás Martínez is a jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator from Buenos Aires, Argentina, known for his vibrant bebop style, unique personal voice and expressive sound. A leading voice of his generation in South America, he is now forging an exciting path on the international jazz scene.

He has studied with legendary figures such as Charles McPherson, Bob Mover, George Coleman, and Grant Stewart, and received formal training at both the Conservatorio Superior de Música Manuel de Falla and the Tribeca Jazz Institute in New York.

In 2025, Martínez recorded his debut album as a leader, In Good Company, at the iconic Rudy Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey, alongside Michael Weiss, David Wong, and Kenny Washington. Produced by Chris Byars—who described him as “the finest alto saxophonist of his generation”—the album features original compositions and arrangements deeply rooted in the jazz tradition.

June Cavlan

Born: September 5, 2001

June Cavlan is an award winning Jazz vocalist based in New York City. June’s unique and charismatic interpretations of works from the Great American Songbook are inspired by legendary vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn, and Barbra Streisand. June’s debut effort, “A Portrait of June”, not only showcases her immense vocal prowess but also her skills in arranging, composing, and vocal improvisation. June can be seen performing in and around New York City and also in her hometown of Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. With various projects in the works, her rising vocal jazz trio The Sunhouse Singers (Joie Bianco and Kate Kortum), and her blossoming relationship with her label, La Reserve, June Cavlan breathes new life into this timeless and beloved art form.

M��va's Journal

Active since: 2023

Méva’s Journal is a fresh hard bop outfit in the Brisbane Jazz scene, modeled off of the late 50's/60's ‘hard bop’ ensembles. 

The band is led by Evan J. Evans, a Brisbane drummer currently studying a Bachelor in Jazz performance at the Jazz Music Institute, who has written all the music for the band. 

The music is based heavily in the early era of hard bop, taking heavy influence from more angular bebop composers like Thelonious Monk. The band features Tyger Middleton on Tenor Saxophone, Chris James on Alto Saxophone, Jordan Stitt on Piano and Alex Askew on Double Bass.

Spencer Zweifel