Chris Thomas King is a New Orleans Grammy Award-winning musician and actor who is initially known for his audacious fusion of blues and hip-hop. King reached a whole new audience with his film debut in the Coen Brothers film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, not only appearing on the award-winning soundtrack, but establishing himself as a serious dramatic actor as well.

King is the son of respected Louisiana bluesman and club owner Tabby Thomas, and began playing trumpet and guitar at an early age. He is the only blues artist to have a major impact on hip-hop music. King’s influence on artists such as NAS, Bubba Sparks, Common, Mos Def, Kanye West, Cowboy Troy, and others has brought the sound of the blues to the hip-hop generation.

Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the greatest musicians in jazz history,” saxophone giant Joe Lovano has distinguished himself for three decades as a prescient and path-finding force in the area of creative music. He has earned praise not just for his compelling saxophone tone and improvisational ability, but also for his forward-thinking presentation of new musical ideas and ensemble concepts.

Lovano’s career is immense. After attending the Berklee School of Music he traveled the “Chitlin circuit” and eventually started playing with Woody Herman’s band in 1976 and in 1980 with the Mel Lewis Orchestra. In 1981, Lovano began his musical journey with Paul Motian and Bill Frisell, a relationship that has lasted over 20 years. From 1989 to 1993 he played with the John Scofield Quartet, gaining more international attention. He signed to Blue Note Records in 1991, and has since been leading his own groups, producing nearly twenty-five recordings as a leader and becoming one of the great jazz artists of our time. He is frequently found on critic’s “best of” lists and continues to top jazz charts. As the Village Voice proclaimed, “Move over Pavarotti, the great Italian tenor around today isn’t Luciano, but Lovano.”

Acoustic Alchemy is an English band centering around two guitarists, Nick Webb and Greg Carmichael. Webb studied jazz guitar at Leeds College of Music, and Carmichael focused on classical guitar at the London College of Music. The duo initially worked for Virgin Airlines, providing in-flight music on trans-Atlantic trips, and were shortly signed thereafter to MCA.

The group recently lost Webb to cancer, and has released two albums in his absence. The 2005 release,American/English, marks the twenty-year legacy of the group. Carmichael added guitarist Miles Gilderdale to the lineup, replacing Webb but maintaining the group’s signature style that features two nylon string guitars.

Acoustic Alchemy continues to top the Adult Contemporary charts with their easy-listening jazz style that traverses the globe.

Over a career of jazz, R&B, and crossover recordings, husband-and-wife duo Tuck & Patti have produced a remarkable amount of music, especially considering that they rely on the textures of only guitar and voice.

Tuck Andress was born in Oklahoma and studied classical guitar at Stanford University before traveling to Las Vegas to audition for a show band in 1980; also there was Patti Cathcart, a San Francisco native who was classically trained in the Bay Area. The two hit it off immediately, and began to perform as a duo aroundCalifornia beginning in 1981.

They were married in 1983, but resisted recording contracts so they could cement their unique sound. Finally, in 1987, Tuck & Patti signed to Windham Hill Jazz, recording albums for the label in 1988 (Tears of Joy), 1989 (Love Warriors), and 1991 (Dream).
Tuck Andress also released several solo albums for Windham Hill, and the duo signed to Epic in 1995.

The guitar/vocal duo recently celebrated their 28th year of playing together and their 25th year of marriage.

Born into a family of musicians and influenced by Brazilian pop and the music of her native Argentina, Gabriela Anders spent much time in America soaking up jazz and R&B sensibilities, all of which inform her singing.

The daughter of a jazz saxophone player, Anders studied classical guitar while a child but moved to piano study at a Buenos Aires conservatory. She spent much time in New York as well, soaking up the music of tenor specialists John Coltrane, Stan Getz and Dexter Gordon. She also studied with Don Sebesky and began singing with Grover Washington Jr., and Tito Puente while going to college.

Anders unique marriage of pop, Latin and jazz resulted in her 1999 debut album Wanting, that features ten original songs. The album earned critical acclaim by Vogue, People and other publications, describing her music as “exotic and bold”, “wonderfully soulful”, and “one of the most distinctive new voices to hit the music scene in years”.

Her fourth release, Last Tango in Rio (2004), is a collection of songs closely associated with Billie Holiday, but uniquely transformed by Anders’ interpretation and orchestration.