Mary Ann Hurst, vocalist -- born in Long Island, New York and raised in US, Europe and Asia. She’s performed in musical theatre, jazz performance, symphony chorus, college/church choirs. Her initial exposure to jazz came via her WWII parents’ album collection. Key moments that developed an interest in jazz include listening to Duke Ellington in Marseilles, France under the stars by the sea, watching “Satchmo” perform, seeing Ella live several times, and meeting jazz luminaries throughout the years: Clark Terry, Michel Legrand, Grady Tate, Quincy Jones. She’s taken workshops with Barry Harris, Sheila Jordan, Mili Bermijio, Jay Clayton, Kurt Elling, and others. For several years her focus was on building positive China-US relations through education and arts exchange programs. She collected and translated Chinese folksongs while living in Beijing and later recorded the cd "Chinese Folksongs in a Jazz Mode" with Texas' top jazz musicians while living in San Antonio. She has 3 other cds available on cdbaby.com. Dick Goodwin -- piano, trumpet and scat: Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina, recipient of USC's prestigious Educational Foundation Award, Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Individual Artist winner -- the highest honor awarded in the arts by the State of South Carolina -- has received a number of writer awards from ASCAP . He initiated and ran the University of Texas jazz program where he taught composition and theory and was band director in the US Coast Guard. In addition to his professorial career, he is a composer / arranger / performer / studio producer. He leads the Dick Goodwin Quintet and Dick Goodwin Big Band, is a Yamaha Artist, and has written hundreds of works -- from jingle to opera, jazz band to symphony orchestra. Jim Hall –- drums: Distinguished Professor
Emeritus of Music and former coordinator of the Percussion program at the University of South Carolina School of Music in Columbia, S.C. His Master of Music Education degree is from The University of North Texas where he was a member of the famed One O’Clock Lab Band. He was percussion instructor and director of jazz ensembles at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas and principal timpanist with the South Carolina Philharmonic South Carolina Chamber Orchestra and the Columbia Lyric Opera for twelve years. Widely known for his drum set artistry, Jim has performed with entertainers Rich Little, Bob Hope, Barbara Eden, and Red Skelton and with jazz luminaries Marian McPartland, Bill Watrous, Tom Scott, and Billy Eckstine. Rick Stone -- guitar: Robert Silverstein of 20th Century Guitar magazine calls Rick Stone "one of the finest straight-ahead guitarists on the current NYC jazz scene." His recordings "Blues For Nobody," "Far East" and "Samba de Novembro" receive significant national airplay and critical acclaim. He’s performed at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, the Blue Note, the Smithsonian Institute, Kennedy Center. His own groups have included stellar line-ups including Kenny Barron, Barry Harris, Ralph Lalama, and Eric Alexander. As a sideman he’s worked with blues singer Irene Reid, saxophonist Eric Person, and swing clarinetist Sol Yaged. He teaches jazz guitar at Hofstra University, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and the Jazzmobile Saturday Workshop Program. For an extensive cover story on Rick, see the August 2007 issue of Cadence Magazine. Reggie Sullivan -- bass: acoustic and electric bassist residing in Columbia, South Carolina. He performs regularly throughout the Southeast specializing in jazz, rhythm and blues, latin, gospel and pop. His performance resume includes concerts with Marion Mcpartland,Yuseef Latiff, Wycliffe Gordon and Olivia-Newton John. His Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance is from the University of South Carolina. See www.themusicmatters.net for more information on Reggie.