Hailing from Columbus, Indiana, Brian started playing the bass at age eleven. His playing won him several awards throughout high school, including the prestigious Louis Armstrong Jazz award. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to attend Musicians Institute. There he received his Bachelor's Degree in Music and also won the outstanding student of the year.

 

Since graduating, Brian has performed a diverse range of live shows as well as recording sessions. His playing spans the musical spectrum from jazz to rock and everything in between. Brian plays all types of basses, from a standard four string to a six string fretted and fretless. He also plays upright bass and cello.

 

Some of the artists he has toured and/or recorded with:

Jason Isbell, Robben Ford, Christopher Cross, Miranda Lambert, Anderson East,Sturgill Simpson, Zac Brown, Jamey Johnson, Ben Hoffman, Shooter Jennings, Dolly Parton, Lindi Ortega, Amanda Watkins, Kristen Diable, Holly Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Miss Willie Brown, Rich Robinson (Black Crowes), Secret Sisters, Katherine Mcphee, Sara Bareilles, John Scofield, Greg Adams, Natalie Cole, Minnie Driver, East Bay Soul (Ripa Records), Four Tops and the Temptations

 

Brian was on staff at the world famous Musicians Institute (MI) for ten years. There he taught private lessons and live playing workshops covering all styles of music. He has taught clinics and performance seminars in Japan and South Korea for MI. You can even catch Brian on screen playing upright bass in the 2003 movie "A Mighty Wind" starring Christopher Guest. He was the house bass player for VH1's, The Making Of The Partridge Family in 04'.

 

Brian is currently based in Nashville TN and keeps a busy schedule of recording and touring.

Based in Paris area France, Since 1988 he performed in various styles of music including latin music, pop, world music, jazz... He’s currently touring with Charles Aznavour and Christopher Cross.

 

He toured and recorded with Tully MARQUEZ, Rob MC CONNEL, Cheik TIDIANE SECK, Mario CANONGE, Etienne M’BAPPE, Orlando POLEO, Roberto FONSECA, Ostinato, Dany BRILLANT, IMUVRINI, Julie ZENATTI, Lara FABIAN, Marc BERTHOUMIEUX, Frank MCCOMB, Sergent GARCIA, ARTURO SANDOVAL, Richard GALLIANO, Olivier KER OURIO, Eddy LOUISS, Jimmy DROUILLARD, Jean Marie ECAY, Charles PASI, Dominique FILLON, Thierry FANFANT, Tricia EVY, Jean Felix LALANNE, Robben FORD, Larry CARLTON, Ron THAL, John JORGENSON, Paul PERSONNE, James MORRISON, Charles AZNAVOUR, Richard BONA, Christopher CROSS...

Peter Bay became Music Director and Conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra in 1998. He is also Music Director of the Hot Springs Music Festival in Arkansas, and Conductor of the Big Sky Festival Orchestra in Montana.

 

Maestro Bay has appeared with nearly eighty different orchestras including the National, Chicago, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, Syracuse, Tucson, Virginia, West Virginia, Colorado, Hawaii, Jacksonville, Richmond, Sarasota, Alabama, Arkansas, Canton, Eugene, Fort Worth, Springfield, Chattanooga, Bochum (Germany), Carinthian (Austria), Lithuanian National, and Ecuador National Symphonies, the Minnesota and Algarve (Portugal) Orchestras, the Louisiana, Buffalo, Rhode Island, Tulsa, Fort Wayne, Reno and Las Vegas Philharmonics, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eastman (Argento's Postcard from Morocco) and Aspen (Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe) Opera Theaters, and the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center. Summer music festival appearances have included Aspen (CO), Music in the Mountains (CO), Grant Park and Ravinia (IL), Round Top (TX), OK Mozart (OK) and Skaneateles (NY).

 

Peter is the primary conductor for the ASO’s performances with Ballet Austin. He made his Austin Opera debut in January 2002 with André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire, and conducted La Traviata in November 2002, Turandot in November 2003, and The Marriage of Figaro in April 2005.

 

Other positions held by Mr. Bay have included Music Director of the Erie Philharmonic, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Festival (CO), Britt Festival Orchestra (OR), and four different conducting posts with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony in Virginia. Bay and the Austin Symphony Orchestra with pianist Anton Nel have released a critically acclaimed CD of Edward Burlingame Hill’s music on the Bridge label. Gramophone magazine states “The performances advocate brilliantly for Hill. Bay and his Austin players are crisp and warm in the symphony, and they collaborate with pinpoint vitality with pianist Anton Nel.” With the Richmond Symphony he recorded the US premiere performance of Britten’s The Sword in the Stone for Opus One Records. Voices, featuring the percussion ensemble NEXUS and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, is available on the Nexus label.

 

A native of Washington, DC, Mr. Bay is a graduate of the University of Maryland and the Peabody Institute of Music. In 1994, he was one of two conductors selected to participate in the Leonard Bernstein American Conductors Program. He was also the first prize winner of the 1980 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Young Conductors Competition and a prize winner of the 1987 Leopold Stokowski Competition sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra in New York. In July 2012 he appeared in Solo Symphony, a choreographic work created for him by Allison Orr of Forklift Danceworks. Peter can be seen conducting the Barton Strings in “Christopher Cross and Friends” PBS broadcast and DVD recorded at the Moody Theater. He conducted the Hanan Townshend score for the 2016 film “The Vessel.”

 

Peter was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame in May 2016. He is married to soprano Mela Dailey and they have a son Colin.

Keith Carlock is a professional drummer currently residing in New York City, NY and Nashville, TN.

He has recorded and/or toured with such musical luminaries as John Mayer, Sting, Steely Dan, James Taylor, TOTO, Christopher Cross, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Diana Ross, Faith Hill, The Blues Brothers Band, Mike Stern, Leni Stern, David Johansen and the Harry Smiths, Richard Bona, Chris Botti, Wayne Krantz, Rudder, Harry Belafonte, Oz Noy, Larry Carlton, Clay Aiken, Rascal Flatts, Paula Abdul and Grover Washington, Jr, to name a few.

Keith was recently voted number 1 Pop drummer, number 1 Fusion drummer, and number 1 Best All-Around drummer in Modern Drummer’s 2009 Readers Poll and would like to thank all that voted!

Keith’s first ever instructional DVD is now out with Hudson Music! It’s entitled “Keith Carlock- The Big Picture: Phrasing, Iimprovisation, Style, & Technique, and you should get your copy now!!!

Travis Carlton started playing the bass around thirteen years old. He started on guitar a few years earlier playing mostly blues and rock, but soon gravitated towards the bass. During his high school years in Lebanon, Tennessee, Travis started playing bass in local rock bands. Around fifteen he started listening to more jazz and funk discovering music from The Meters, Bootsy Collins, Miles Davis, Herbie Handcock, Jimmy Smith, ect. In 2001 after a vist to califonia to see family, Travis decided to go to the the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. There he took lessons for the first time on bass studying with great teachers such as Dave Keif, Ernest Tibbs, Putter Smith and Carl Schroder among others. Shorly after graduateing, Travis started playing bass for his father (Larry Carlton) on the road, who he is still curently touring with. Travis also toured with Sara Barellies in the spring of 2003 opening for Maroon 5. Travis has also gotten to play with Greg Mathieson, Jeff Babko, Toss Panos, Billy Kilson, Greg Bissinett, Mike Landau and Jr. Robinson.

Award-winning songwriter/singer and multi-instrumentalist, Mary Sue Englund lives to create music and art. A Minnesota native, this passionate tunesmith has penned five full-length albums to date, flavored with lyrical folk rock and Americana essences. 

Englund has toured as a vocalist, pianist, guitarist and violinist for country and pop artists Deborah Allen, Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, and Jeff Carson. 

Englund is the author of the inspirational book, “I AM A WOMAN,” a companion to her song of the same name (written with Thom Shepherd), which has been performed worldwide by multitple artists, and her book has been celebrated and distributed throughout the U. S. Englund tours her “healing concerts” in theaters, hospitals, prisons, or in house concert venues. When she is not touring, you can find her performing downtown in Nashville, TN with her beloved band, “Joyful Noise.” Englund also enjoys designing albums, and logos and branding for record labels and publishing houses. Her clients include Manhattan Transfer, Tom Jones, Kenny Loggins, Heart, Ann Wilson, Taylor Swift, and Charlie Daniels.

For more information, visit www.marysueenglund.com and bludesignconcepts.net

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Mitchel began playing piano at age 7. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music, Mitchel began touring with some of the giants of jazz, such as Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, John McLaughlin and Wayne Shorter. He also was a top NY session musician on piano and keyboards for many years.

 

He has recorded 14 CD’s as a leader and played on countless others as a co-leader and sideman. A partial list of his recorded work can be found here.

Currently Mitchel performs frequently with his band in the Los Angeles area.  

 

Mitchel also is a composer of note, having scored two films and written numerous TV commercials. His jazz compositions have been recorded by Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, and many others. He currently writes for CBS television and is working on an large orchestral work. Mitchel is always thrilled to play with Christopher when their schedules align.

Please check out mitchelforman.com to hear some of his work.

Bassist John Fremgen has performed with many jazz and rock artists including Christopher Cross, Butch Miles, PJ Olsson, Kirk Covington, Libby Kirkpatrick, Jamie Findlay, Abra Moore, Shelly Berg, Mitch Watkins, Rick Margitza, Gary Foster, Leni Stern, Ernie Watts, Tony Campise and Larry Koonse. He is an associate professor at The University of Texas where he teaches jazz improvisation, jazz theory, jazz history, jazz bass and directs the AIME ensemble. He has performed and taught across the USA as well as Switzerland, Russia, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, Guatemala, Italy and Holland. He records for the Viewpoint record label with which he has released three solo CD’s, Meanwhile, Pieces of String and If Not Now, featuring Peter Erskine, Mitch Watkins and Shelly Berg. He has also played as a sideman on many recordings, including the critically acclaimed PJ Olsson releases Words For Living and American Scream on Sony/Columbia Records.

Sean Giddings is a pianist, singer/songwriter, and producer from Kansas City. He currently resides in Austin, Texas where he can be found as a regular collaborator with Christopher Cross, Cory Morrow, Alejandro Escovedo, Mitch Watkins, Carson McHone, Ephraim Owens, and Tameca Jones. Sean is an in-demand studio musician, both as a sideman and as producer. He has released four of his own records under the name Fall River Footmen. As a sideman, Sean has had the opportunity to perform alongside many jazz legends, including James Carter, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Lynn Seaton, Ed Soph, Tatiana Mayfield, and Lyle Mays.

David Hughes was born and raised in Sweden but is now based in Los Angeles, California. After studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Hughes left for LA and a stint at the Bass Institute of Technology, BIT.

 

David received his first important break when Wayne Henderson of the legendary Jazz Crusaders asked him to join the band. Other credits include Chaka Khan, Melissa Etheridge, Burt Bacharach, Connie Stevens and Ray Manzarek of the Doors. He has played on countless sessions for TV shows such as Baywatch and for films such as Old School, in which he also appeared.

 

A composer since he was old enough to reach the piano keys, the release of Hughes debut CD Swoosh united his greatest passions - composing and performing. With the release of Foreign Shores he achieved a new musical level, with more complex compositions and live, interactive performances. Cruising Along Hughes straddles the pop and jazz genres and focuses on melodic tunes, using improvisation as a flavor rather than as main ingredient. Hopeful Romantic puts the focus on Hughes’ bass guitar with plenty of room for his fretless and fretted basses to soar. A new album is in the works and will feature vocals on many of the tunes.

 

Currently Hughes fills his schedule touring and recording with David Benoit, Christopher Cross, Tim Weisberg, the Orchestre Surreal, the Budman/Levy Orchestra and with recording sessions and local performances spanning jazz to rock and classical music. When he has time off, he likes to compose and ride his bike or ski in the SoCal mountains and sail in the Pacific Ocean.

 

You can visit David at swedebass.com and at CD Baby.

A partial list of his other performance/recording credits includes work with Andre Hayward, Dr. James Polk, Mike Flanigan, Kevin Lovejoy, Eric Johnson, Van Wilks, Kat Edmonson, Hailey Tuck, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kirk Whalum, Bob Durough, Carmen Bradford, Peggy Stern, Beto y los Fairlanes, Mose Allison, Tony Campise, Steve Allen, Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles, Mark Hallman, Suzi Stern, Gabriel Santiago, Kellye Gray, Paul Glasse, Rich Harney, Tina Marsh and the Creative Opportunity Orchestra, and the University of Texas Jazz Orchestra

Wes Little is one of Nashville’s most adaptable and multi-faceted drummers, as well as a top flight arranger, producer and songwriter. Formally trained in performance and composition at the Manhattan School of Music and shaped by years of studio and stage work with major acts from across the spectrum, Little brings complete musicality to every kind of gig. Currently in the band of guitar great Robben Ford, Little has also performed or recorded with Christopher Cross, Chuck D, Stevie Wonder, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, John Legend, Melissa Etheridge, Michael and Randy Brecker, Delbert McClinton, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. He works regularly in New York and Nashville as a live and session drummer.

 

Jewelee, also known to her friends as “JP”, is a singer and songwriter residing in Nashville, TN.

Influenced by diverse artists such as One Republic, Beyoncé, Tori Kelly, India Arie, Frank Ocean and soulful standouts Adele and Etta James… JP says, “Its always about lyric and melody… Always!”

Her debut album “Look Inside My Soul” convey life’s experience with stark transparency and are woven with heartfelt thought and emotion. She stirs the soul, and her personality leaves the lasting impression of what true style and artistry should look like. 

You can find JP’s debut album “Look Inside My Soul” on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. 

Marcia Ramirez is a singer/songwriter from Nashville, TN. As a singer, she has performed as a background vocalist on many albums and is currently an in-demand demo/session singer. She has toured as a singer/multi-instrumentalist with a long list of well-known artists, including Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, Rodney Crowell, Tanya Tucker and Henry Lee Summer. As a songwriter, she has had cuts by Jo Dee Messina, Brandon Rhyder, Rachel Williams, Melinda Schneider, Britt Savage, Tara Oram and many others.

 

Marcia has released 4 cd’s, her latest being the EP “Beautifully Lived” on Barefoot Jack’s Records…. you can purchase and or download all of Marcia’s cd’s on iTunes or cdbaby.com.

 

Kevin Reveyrand has been participating to many musical projects as a bassist, upright player, composer and arranger.

 

As a very versatile musician, he has been performing for the last twenty years at the most prestigious venues of the world in different contexts, jazz, world music or pop music and is often called up to play in studio sessions.

 

For the last 10 years kevin has been playing with Charles Aznavour, Christopher Cross, Maurane, Billy Cobham, Souad Massy, Ivan Jullien, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Mike Stern, Nguyen Le...

He is also working on a instrumental album.

 

The numerous tours he worked for have brought him around the world...

 

World songs - Kevin Reveyrand

Keyboardist, composer, Mike Ricchiuti is an emerging artist with a refreshing contemporary approach to his playing and writing. Mike’s playing, while grounded in the jazz piano tradition, draws upon a wide variety of influences from pop to soul and funk, giving him an eclectic voice as a keyboardist/writer.

 

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Mike grew up on Long Island, and began taking piano lessons by the age of 7. As a young boy he studied classical music but Billy Joel was his musical hero. In his late teens Mike discovered jazz piano and decided to enroll at Berklee College of Music. In the fall of 1986, Mike left for Boston and discovered a whole new world of music. In 1991 he returned to NY to embark on his career, while continuing to study with Fred Hersch and Kenny Werner.

 

Most recently Mike has been touring with Grammy award winning singer Patti Austin as her pianist and musical director, as well as shows with the amazing singer songwriter, Christopher Cross.

 

In 2010, Mike performed with Sting on NBC’s “The Today Show” and CBS’s “The Early Show”, playing piano as part of a 45-piece orchestra promoting Sting’s “Symphonicity” tour. Other recording/performing credits include Harry Connick Jr, Jonatha Brooke, Chuck Loeb, Randy Brecker, Bob James, Michael Brecker, Chris Botti, Peabo Bryson, Will Lee, Steve Gadd, John Patitucci, James Ingram, David Foster, and Gloria Estefan.

 

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Stephcynie (stef-sih-nee) and her sound are both appropriately larger than life. Engaging her upbeat energy while keeping her commitment to full transparency, Stephcynie's music reflects real life issues that resonate with a universal audience. Her smoky, enchanting tone encapsulates her refreshing take on R&B, yet remains true to her musical roots. Citing influences from John Mayer to Stevie Wonder, she is eager to bring substance filled music back into a commercial light. Her mission is to reestablish the popular standard by embracing music with a message and authentic production. Having sung on records ranging from the infamous Kid Rock to rising pop-country star Lauren Alaina and having performed with artists as notable as the legendary John Oates & Grammy winner Maren Morris, Stephcynie certainly breaks boundaries.

 

Her unique vocal style is the result of her classical training at Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), whose Alumnae includes, Grammy Award-winning artists, Beyoncé, Robert Glasper and Brian Michael Cox. Upon graduating high school she continued her music studies in jazz at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, NY, where she became the first vocalist to win the school’s coveted Beacon Scholar Award.

 

Stephcynie has released two projects to date, Contagious Love (EP) and Mr. Edwards (LP) which are both available on all digital outlets. She is set to release her third project, I Don't Love You in the summer of 2018. For more information about Stephcynie and her coming projects please follow her on all social media platforms @stephcynie and visit her website: www.stephcynie.com.

Born in Finland, educated in the US and Japan, Andy Suzuki's multicultural background has shaped all aspects of his musical universe. From Jazz to Classical, Pop/R&B to World music, this self proclaimed "citizen of Earth" is a strong believer in the power of cross pollination.

 

A few of the artists he has performed and/or recorded with are Dave Brubeck, Christopher Cross, Al Jarreau, Michael McDonald, Jan Garbarek, Oscar Castro-Neves, David Benoit, Michael Franks, Trilok Gurtu, Marcus Miller. For a further peek into Suzuki's sphere, including his three solo jazz CD's, please click the link below.

 

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Evolution and a fiercely open-minded approach to composition are the hallmarks of saxophonist Justin Vasquez. His writing, filled with surprises and twists, crosses boundaries of jazz, contemporary, country, classical, and singer/songwriter aesthetics. His sound, aggressive and muscular, bears the lineage of greats like Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Kenny Garrett and Michael Brecker yet is immediately identifiable. He obtained a B.M. in jazz performance from the University of Texas in Austin 2005. Recipient of ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award in 2009. Justin has recorded/toured/performed with a wide variety of musicians including Randy Brecker (Brecker Brothers), Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Manhattan Transfer, Bob Brookmeyer (Stan Getz), Dave Liebman (Miles Davis), Tom Harrell, Gerry Gibbs, VV Brown, Gretchen Parlato, Janek Gwizdala, Jojo Mayer.

Six-time Grammy® nominated German-born composer/arranger/conductor CHRIS WALDEN has scored more than 40 feature and TV films, and has written more than a thousand orchestral and big band arrangements for artists including Diana Krall, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Aretha Franklin, Paul Anka, Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, Barbra Streisand, and orchestras like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops, and many more. He has worked closely with producers David Foster, Tommy LiPuma, and Phil Ramone.

 

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Doug Yowell is a drummer/ percussionist/ programmer who has been touring the world for the last 15 years with artists that include Joe Jackson, Suzanne Vega, Duncan Sheik, Christopher Cross, Sharon Corr (of The Corrs), Ari Hest. Doug has been living in New York and working as a session drummer for over 20 years with album credits that include, Michael McDonald, Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Judy Collins, Glen Hansard, Suzanne Vega, Duncan Sheik, Lenka, Misty Boyce, Eros Ramazzotti, Jimena Sariñana and many more (see discography). Performed live with countless artists including Lana Del Rey, Oz Noy, Laura Pausini and many more. Performed on TV’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman. Concert touring has included festivals such as Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, North Sea Jazz, Montreux Jazz, Poori Jazz. While touring with Suzanne Vega they have opened for David Bowie, Sting, The Police, Bob Dylan, Jethro Tull.

 

Having studied Jazz with legendary drummer, Peter Erskine at 16 years old, his foundation and roots can be heard in his wide range of genres that he performs and records in.

 

For more information go to www.dougyowell.com

 

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