For well over a decade, Don Byron has been a singular voice in an astounding range of musical contexts, exploring widely divergent traditions while continually striving for what he calls “a sound above genre.” As clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and social critic, he redefines every genre of music he plays, be it classical, salsa, hip-hop, funk, rhythm & blues, klezmer, or any jazz style from swing and bop to cutting-edge downtown improvisation. He has been consistently voted best clarinetist by critics and readers alike in leading international music journals since being named “Jazz Artist of the Year” by Down Beat in 1992. Acclaimed as much for his restless creativity as for his unsurpassed virtuosity as a player, Byron has presented a multitude of projects at major music festivals around the world, including recent performances in Vienna, San Francisco, Hong Kong, London, Monterey, New Zealand, and on New York’s Broadway.
Bassist/composer Jay Anderson is among the most versatile and respected jazz artists performing today. He has performed/recorded with a wide range of jazz artists including Woody Herman, Carmen McRae, Michael Brecker, Paul Bley, Bob Mintzer, John Abercrombie, Dave Liebman, Joe Sample, Maria Schneider, Stanley Cowell, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Vic Juris, Red Rodney, Ira Sullivan, Mike Stern, Anat Cohen, Toots Thielemans, Kenny Wheeler, Jay Clayton and non-jazz artists like Oswaldo Golijov, Dawn Upshaw, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Robert Spano (Atlanta Symphony), Michael Franks, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Terre Roche, Chaka Khan, Michel Legrand, Allen Ginsberg, and Celine Dion. He has been featured on over 400 recordings, seven of which have received the Grammy Award . He has conducted clinics around the world and is a Professor of Jazz Bass Studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Jay currently co-leads the critically acclaimed group BANN featuring Seamus Blake, Oz Noy and Adam Nussbaum.
Nate Radley is Brooklyn-based guitarist and composer who leads his own group, can be heard with a variety of collaborative projects, and works as a sideman in numerous bands both in the New York area and around the world.
Nate’s most recent CD is entitled “Morphoses” and was released in 2014 on Fresh Sound/New Talent. The album features a broad set of influences from jazz to rock to country. In addition the album features Nate on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and lap steel. Joining Nate on this project are long time collaborators Loren Stillman on saxophones, Matt Pavolka on bass, and Ted Poor on drums.
Nate’s previous releases are 2013’s “Carillon” on Steeplechase with Chris Cheek on saxophone, Matt Clohesy on bass, and Ted Poor drums; and 2012’s “The Big Eyes” on Fresh Sound/New Talent with Loren Stillman, Pete Rende on keyboards, Matt Pavolka, and Ted Poor.
Nate also performs with a variety of collaborators based in New York city. The bands he performed and recorded with include the Loren Stillman Quartet, Alan Ferber nonet, Sean Smith
