"Saxophonist and composer Nick Mazzarella has been a consistent presence in Chicago's music scene since the early 2000s, and his regular performances there represent an aesthetically unique contribution to the city's rich jazz and improvised music culture. His working trio and quintet have served as the primary vehicles for his endeavors as a composer and leader, while as a collaborator or sideman he has performed and recorded with such artists as Tomeka Reid, Makaya McCraven, Hamid Drake, Joshua Abrams, and Rob Mazurek. He has released recordings as a leader on Nessa Records, Clean Feed Records, and the International Anthem Recording Company imprint, among others, and has performed throughout the United States and Scandinavia. Mazzarella also curates two concert series: the Anagram Series, presented weekly at Elastic Arts in Chicago, and the Ratchet Series, presented monthly at Cafe Mustache in Chicago."

"Tim Stine has studied guitar with Glenn Ginn and Jim Smith. Tim stayed close to his home in Fargo, North Dakota to earn his undergraduate degrees. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Arts degree, Tim joined the faculty of North Dakota State University, where he taught as an adjunct guitar instructor. Tim then went onto Cincinnati where he recently received his Masters of Music in Jazz Studies from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Since moving to Chicago in 2008, Tim has been very active performing and composing music in the city's thriving jazz scene. Tim leads his own trio, the Tim Stine Trio, and performs with various other groups including a trio performing the music of piano great Herbie Nichols. The Tim Stine Trio recently recorded an EP available at timstinetrio.bandcamp.com . Tim has lead bands at many of the city's finest creative music venues including Constellation, the Rachet Series at the Skylark, the Hungry Brain and as part of an on-going series for music curation service Uncanned Music. Other notable performances include a in-studio performance broadcast live on Northwestern's Radio Station WNUR, a residency in April of 2014, and a record release show with Alysheba, a band run by Glencoe School of Music's saxophone instructor Andy Oberhausen. Tim has held several long-term engagements in the Chicago area including at the Tasting Room,Woodlawn Tap and the Lotus Bar."

"Chicago based bassist/composer and bandleader, Matt Ulery, has developed an instantly recognizable sound. Known for his sweeping lyricism, unconventional phrase structures, expressionistic emotionalism, Ulery's music, from small, diverse chamber ensembles to full orchestras, is informed by the entire spectrum of jazz, classical, rock, pop, and folk- specifically American, South American, Balkan, and other European folk styles. He has been performing for 20 years on upright, electric, and brass basses.

For a decade, Ulery has been the leader of his own groups and frequent collaborator. Ulery has produced and released 7 critically acclaimed albums of all original music under his name including his most recent double album, "Festival," on his label, Woolgathering Records.

Ulery earned a Master of Music degree at Depaul University and Bachelors degree in music composition at The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and has played in bands with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Fareed Haque, Howard Levy, Patricia Barber, Goran Ivanovic, Jeff Parker, Zach Brock, Jimmy Chamberlin, Makaya McCraven, Marquis Hill and countless others. As a composer, Ulery has collaborated with ensembles such as Eighth Blackbird, New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, and Wild Belle.

When not touring parts of the U.S. and Europe, Matt appears regularly in the Chicago area music venues and has performed with his own groups at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Chicago Orchestra Hall, Millennium Park Pritzker Pavillion, Chicago Cultural Center, The Krannert Center, Jazz Showcase, The Metro and countless other fine music listening rooms. In addition to performing, recording, and writing, Ulery is on faculty at Loyola University Chicago and gives masterclasses and clinics nationwide."

"Quinlan "Quin" Kirchner (born December 14, 1981) is an American jazz and improvisation musician (drums, percussion).

Kirchner received lessons from the age of ten at the Academy of Movement and Music and Merit Music Program of Chicago. With a scholarship from the Basin Street Scholarship, he studied at the University of New Orleans at age 18 with Ricky Sebastian, Jason Marsalis, Troy Davis and Johnny Vidacovich. He earned a bachelor's degree in jazz studies and worked in New Orleans u. a. with Jeff Albert, Irene Sage and Ed Petersen. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Kirchner moved to New York City, where he received his master's degree at the Manhattan School of Music under John Riley graduated before returning to Chicago. There he works since then u. a. with Jeb Bishop, Daniele D'Agaro, AJ Kluth, Greg Ward, Dave Rempis, Matthew Golombisky and the formations flashing., From Beyond (inter alia with Katherine Young, Tim Haldeman), Zing!, Lucky 7s and Elliot Bergman's NOMO. In Germany, Kirchner joined Georg Gräwe and Tobias Delius as part of RUHR.2010 - European Capital of Cultureon. In the field of jazz he was involved between 2006 and 2012 in five recording sessions."