"Joe McPhee, born November 3,1939 in Miami, Florida, USA, is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, improviser, conceptualist and theoretician. He began playing the trumpet at age eight, taught by his father, himself a trumpet player. He continued on that instrument through his formative school years and later in a U.S. Army band stationed in Germany, at which time he was introduced to performing traditional jazz. Clifford Thornton's Freedom and Unity, released in 1969 on the Third World label, is the first recording on which he appears as a side man. In 1968, inspired by the music of Albert Ayler, he took up the saxophone and began an active involvement in both acoustic and electronic music.

His first recordings as leader appeared on the CJ Records label, founded in 1969 by painter Craig Johnson. These include Underground Railroad by the Joe McPhee Quartet (1969), Nation Time (1970), Trinity (1971) and Pieces of Light (1974). In 1975, Swiss entrepreneur Werner X. Uehlinger release Black Magic Man by McPhee, on what was to become Hat Hut Records.

In 1981, he met composer, accordionist, performer, and educator Pauline Oliveros, whose theories of "deep listening" strengthened his interests in extended instrumental and electronic techniques. he also discovered Edward de Bono's book Lateral Thinking: A Textbook of Creativity, which presents concepts for solving problems by "disrupting an apparent sequence and arriving at the solution from another angle." de Bono's theories inspired McPhee to apply this "sideways thinking" to his own work in creative improvisation, resulting in the concept of "Po Music." McPhee describes "Po Music" as a "process of provocation" (Po is a language indicator to show that provocation is being used) to "move from one fixed set of ideas in an attempt to discover new ones." He concludes, "It is a Positive, Possible, Poetic Hypothesis." The results of this application of Po principles to creative improvisation can be heard on several Hat Art recordings, including Topology, Linear B, and Oleo & a Future Retrospective.

In 1997, McPhee discovered two like-minded improvisers in bassist Dominic Duval and drummer Jay Rosen. The trio premiered at the Vision Jazz Festival in 1998 but the concert went unnoticed by the press. McPhee, Duval, and Rosen therefore decided that an apt title for the group would be Trio X. In 2004 he created Survival Unit III with Fred Lonberg-Holm and Michael Zerang to expand his musical horizons and with a career spanning nearly 50 years and over 100 recordings, he continues to tour internationally, forge new connections while reaching for music's outer limits."

"Born in Warwick, Rhode Island on September 22nd, 1964, Ken Vandermark began studying the tenor saxophone at the age of 16. Since graduating with a degree in Film and Communications from McGill University during the spring of 1986, his primary creative emphasis has been the exploration of contemporary music that deals directly with advanced methods of improvisation. In 1989, he moved to Chicago from Boston, and has worked continuously from the early 1990's onward, both as a performer and organizer in North America and Europe, recording in a large array of contexts, with many internationally renowned musicians (such as Fred Anderson, Ab Baars, Peter Brötzmann, Tim Daisy, Hamid Drake, Terrie Ex, Mats Gustafsson, Devin Hoff, Christof Kurzmann, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Joe McPhee, Paal Nilssen-Love, Paul Lytton, Andy Moor, Joe Morris, and Nate Wooley). His current activity includes work with Made To Break, The Resonance Ensemble, Side A, Lean Left, Fire Room, the DKV Trio, and duos with Paal Nilssen-Love and Tim Daisy; in addition, he is the music director of the experimental Pop band, The Margots. More than half of each year is spent touring in Europe, North America, and Japan, and his concerts and numerous recordings have been critically acclaimed both at home and abroad. In addition to the tenor sax, he also plays the bass and Bb clarinet, and baritone saxophone. In 1999 he was awarded the MacArthur prize for music."

"Guitarist and Improviser, Andrew Clinkman grew up just outside of Chicago, and is currently pursuing a BM in Jazz Guitar at the New England Conservatory of Music where he is a student of Joe Morris and Anthony Coleman. Clinkman has also studied in the Chicago area with Jeff Parker and Dave Miller, among others. He is currently an active member of Cowboy Band and Angkst as well as the Fatum Brothers Jazz collective."

"Guitarist and composer Steve Marquette (b.1987) moved to Chicago in 2006 where he pursued his passion for music at Depaul University (BM '10). There, he studied under Bob Palmieri and augmented his formal education by studying composition and improvisation with Ken Vandermark, Jeff Parker and Mars Williams. Since completing school Steve has been an active member of Chicago's thriving free jazz and improvised music community where he regularly leads his own quintet and performs in groups including luminaries Jeb Bishop, Keefe Jackson, Steve Hunt, Guillermo Gregorio, Daniel Thatcher, Brian Sandstrom, Anton Hatwich, Jaimie Branch, Nick Mazzarella and Lucas Gillan. In addition to his Chicago collaborators, Steve has found creative ground with New Orleans musicians Brad Walker, Marcello Benetti, Jeff Albert and Jesse Morrow, comprising his latest quintet. A long time advocate of music education, Steve operates his own guitar studio."

"At the age of 20, Macie Stewart has already had her first national television appearance on Conan O'Brian, played legendary festivals such as Lollapalooza and Coachella, and received a write up in Rolling Stone and the New York Times. This is just the beginning for her. She started playing classical piano at the age of three and found that music was her biggest passion. Known for her skills as a versatile keyboardist, she is also a singer, songwriter, violinist, and guitar player.

At the age of 15 Macie began playing in the Chicago band Kids These Days. Their diverse sound spanned between Jazz, Rock, Hip-Hop, and many other genres to create something unique and ear-catching. KTD brought the band recognition from many big names such as Questlove, George Clinton, and even Jeff Tweedy who helped produce their debut "Traphouse Rock"

Macie Stewart currently resides in Chicago where she plays gigs and teaches regularly. These days she finds herself playing with her own musical projects such as Sikiyadigo and her main focus, Marrow. She often plays venues around Chicago, and regularly teaches individual piano and violin lessons as well as ensemble classes."

Phil Sudderberg is a Chicago drummer, know for the band Marker with Ken Vandermark, Vibrating Skull Trio, Wei Zhongle, Grandkids, Dave Rempis / Peter Maunu / Aaron Zarzutzki / Phil Sudderberg, Barn Duet, &c.