"James Arnold Bennington (born May 22, 1970 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American jazz drummer and avant-garde musician based in Chicago, Illinois.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, 1970 James Bennington lived in Detroit, Michigan until 1978 when he relocated to Houston, Texas. He began music studies on clarinet while attending Elementary School, switching to drums at age thirteen, Bennington's experience has come from private study, marching and concert bands both middle and high school, work as a sideman, and as a band leader with his group, Colour and Sound.

Early musical experiences include participation in several jazz and blues sessions in Texas (late 1980s and early 1990s). Bennington studied with Elvin Jones ten years beginning in 1994 and served as band manager / drum tech, from 2000Ð2002 (tours U.S. and Europe).

Residence on West Coast from 1998-2006. Residence in Chicago 2006Ðpresent. Bennington has performed throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and South America. He has played and recorded in the jazz and improvised music communities for over a quarter of a century. In Chicago he has been an active contributor to the music scene playing extensively with Ed Schuller (Bassist), Brian Smith (Bassist), Fredrick Jackson Jr. (Saxophonist), Samuel Hasting (guitarist), Jim Baker (piano), Mike W Harmon (bassist), Davi Priest (bassist), Steve Cohn (Pianist), Dustin Laurenzi (Saxophonist), Ben Schmidt-Swartz (Saxophonist), and Artie Black (Saxophonist) among many others.

Most notably, Bennington was a featured performer at the 30th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival, Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge, and the Tampon-Galerie in Paris (France, 2008). Bennington is proudly endorsed by Dream Cymbals and Gongs, Inc.."

"Fred Jackson Jr. was born in 1974 in Fort Worth, Texas. Although I did not come in a musical family, my family helped to craft me as a musician with their vast music collections. I heard every American genre, sitcom music on tv, etc growing up. I was attracted to the film scores in movies. I loved the way it brought out the characters in the stories.

I started on the saxophone in the seventh grade. My band director Brian Standridge at Paul Lawrence Dunbar Middle School saw my talent and worked with me. Then he turned me on to Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins and Duke Ellington then I was hooked. I vowed to follow the path of Jazz. My life would mirror the story of Jazz and it's migration. Which is the Great Migration in the United States. My first stop was Weatherford, Texas. I played big band music. The music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Thad Jones. At Weatherford Junior College I would be under the direction of Tom Burchill. I met a lot of the musicians that went to the historic Dallas Arts Magnet who cultivated the talents of some of the great talents of the area. Roy Hargrove, Fred Sanders, many others. FredJacksonMic.jpeg

I went to Southern University, Baton Rouge and had the opportunity of studying with the world renown jazz clarinetist Alvin Batiste. I became the first graduate of his AA in Jazz studies. I spent two years with "Bat" most of the time it was one on one. (We shedded on his Mitotic Music concepts) I also studied a lot of Coltrane during this time. I also studied Counterpoint and Compositions from Dr Charles Lloyd. I also became a member of Phi Mu Alpha / Mu psi Spr '95. (HBCU). It should be noted that while in Louisiana I shared the stage with many great musicians and artists. All of my brothers of Phi Mu Alpha/ Mu psi, also Kafele Bandele, The Mike Foster Project (Brass Band), Troy Davis, Mark Whitfield, Lashawn Gary, Roland Guerin, Donald Edwards, Nicholas Peyton, Brice Winston, Alvin Batiste, Doja Composure (hip hop band before The Roots haha), Quamon Fowler, Wes Anderson (taught me lessons), many others. I used to run a jam session at M's Cafe in Baton Rouge owned by Ms Marian Prichard. My sessions used to have the cats from New Orleans come out. (professionals too) Nicholas Peyton set in on piano. Changed my perspective on things, I knew I had to learn piano.

After I received my Bachelors from S. U. In 1999, I moved to Chicago. I jumped into the scene right away. The first places where I stopped were, The Apartment Lounge (Von Freeman and the Velvet Lounge (Fred Anderson. From these two establishments I met all the cats first of which was Vincent Davis. I lived on the north side first, then Logan, then the Westside, then The Southside for most of the time. The whole time playing Jazz with Maggie Brown, Magic Carpet, Jimmy Bennington, Carrazz / Pati, Crosswinds, Corey Wilkes, Vincent Davis (in da basement), Harrison Bankhead, Avreeayl Ra, Perry Wilson (mentored me), Fred Anderson (we shedded together). Saalik Zyiad, AACM and so many more.

In 2010 I became a member of AACM. Also around this time I went to Poznań, Poland on a "Made in Chicago'' tour. First time I traveled to Germany was with the AACM New Generations ensemble (under the direction of Ben Lamar Gaye). I was in the first inaugural band of "The Bridge'' that played at the MCA in 2010. Since then because of the Bridge I have been to France many times. (I've also toured France in 2017 with that same ensemble Ste.) I went back to school in 2012 - 14 and received my Masters in Jazz studies from DePaul where I studied with Mark Colby, Dr Dana Hall, Dr Robert Lark, Tom Matta (composition) and many other professors. I have always been a student of music. Also I studied extensively the music of the African diaspora for ten years, mainly the North and west. Magic Carpet allowed me the opportunity to study music from all over the world. I've had the honor of performing with some of Ethiopia's finest vocalists and musicians. Abonesh Sedinew, Tigist, Teddy Akililu and many others. I've also performed and studied the music of the Middle East. Chicago has allowed me to play all types of music from House, Funk and many other genre.

I've been teaching pre - k - 8th grade since 2015 at St Symphorosa and St Mary's Star of the Sea School. Currently I'm working with a Sitarist (Shanta Nuerulla of AACM) and my Erudition Project. My newest venture is Spacetonic Music (Music publishing label since 2017).

I was recently awarded the 2020-21 "Fresh Works, New Voices" grant from the Jazz Institute of Chicago. This grant will be an opportunity to make a documentary and an album of original compositions.

Now I'm back on the north side of Chicago still studying, still writing and still teaching. My life is has been a total dedication to Music.

Dean of the AACM School."

"Artie Black is a saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, and educator based in Chicago. He co-leads the group Black Diamond, an ensemble that has been actively performing and touring since 2012. Artie can also be heard in groups led by drummer Gustavo Cortiñas, bassist Matt Ulery, trumpeter Alexander Massa, guitarist Jeff Swanson, trombonist Luke Malevicz, drummer Greg Artry, and many others in Chicago's creative music scene. His newest projects are a collaborative trio with bassist / vocalist Katie Ernst and guitarist Matt Gold; and an apprenticeship and collaboration with Indian tabla master Sandip Burman.

Originally from Butler, Pennsylvania, Artie was first inspired to pursue a career in music through lessons with Dr. Terry Steele, professor of saxophone at Slippery Rock University. Artie graduated with a degree in music education from Messiah College in 2010, and during his undergraduate years he was a student of saxophonist Tim Warfield, Jr. Artie continued his studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, earning a Master's degree in Jazz Studies in 2012. At Indiana, Artie studied saxophone with Tom Walsh and worked as an Associate Instructor with legendary jazz educator David Baker.

Artie moved to Chicago in 2012, where he quickly established himself as an important part of the creative music scene. He has appeared at the Chicago Jazz Festival, Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and as a part of the Next Gen Jazz Series, and has played as a leader and sideman at The Green Mill, Andy's Jazz Club, Jazz Showcase, Constellation, and hundreds of other venues. Recent highlights include a weeklong tour and recording with his group Living Bridge, and a series of performances and workshops with Steve Coleman's Five Elements.

In addition to his passion for performance, Artie is fascinated by the learning and teaching process. He currently serves as adjunct professor of saxophone at Wheaton College, and also teaches at Trinity Christian College. Since 2013 Artie has worked as a teaching artist with Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. His goal as a teacher is to inspire his students to find joy through learning for themselves."

"Chicago saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi has developed a distinctly personal approach to improvisation and composition that has garnered the attention of the city's creative music community. Recognized for his "offbeat approach to articulating harmonies and constructing melodies" (NextBop), Laurenzi's music is inspired and informed by jazz, folk, improvised music, and contemporary classical music. His inventive improvisational sensibilities have made him a sought-after musician in many circles of Chicago's vibrant music scene.

Laurenzi has been a leader/co-leader of his own projects, Twin Talk, Snaketime, and Natural Language, as well as a member of Matt Ulery's Loom/Large, the Quentin Coaxum Quintet, and Katie Ernst's Little Words, among others. He has released several albums featuring his original compositions, including Twin Talk's 2019 release Weaver, praised by PopMatters as "inventive and exhilarating." Laurenzi has toured extensively with Grammy award-winning artist Bon Iver, with performances at Coachella Music Festival, Primavera Sound, and the Hollywood Bowl, among others. He also appears on the band's critically acclaimed 2016 release 22, A Million.

Laurenzi earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies and a Performer's Certificate from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music in 2011. He has performed/recorded with Jeff Parker, Matt Ulery, Russ Johnson, Jeff Hirshfield, Corey Christiansen, This Is The Kit, the Dave Lisik Jazz Orchestra featuring Tim Hagans, and has recently been featured at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Center."

Mike Harmon is a Chicago bassist, known for hiw work with Dustin Laurenzi, and his quartet with guitarist Greg Tuohey, pianist Dan Pierson and drummer Matt Carroll. He also performs with drummer Jimmy Bennington, and the trio of Avreeayl Ra, Mike Harmon, Dan Pierson.