Grammy award winning bassist Phil Palombi is "one of the most sought after bass players in New York", according to Steely Dan tenor saxophonist and renowned jazz musician Walt Weiskopf. Since moving to New York City in 1997, bassist Phil Palombi is slowly but surely moving through the ranks of the New York Jazz elite. His resume now includes recordings and/or performances with Michael Brecker, Billy Hart, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Etta Jones, Maynard Ferguson, Chris Potter, Rich Perry, Curtis Stigers, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Lew Tabackin, Chucho Valdes, Mark Turner, and The Village Vanguard Orchestra to name a few. Author of Scott LaFaro- 15 Solo Transcriptions, in which he transcribed all of Scott LaFaro's bass solos from the Bill Evans recordings Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby. Phil recorded the tribute CDRE:Person I Knew - A Tribute to Scott LaFaro in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of LaFaro's untimely death. The 12 track recording features piano legend Don Friedman and drum great Eliot Zigmund. Phil was granted access to LaFaro's 1925 Prescott bass for the tribute, which helps to make this a very special recording. In addition to performing, Phil also has a passion for teaching that includes presentations at the International Society of Bassists convention in 2005, 2007, and 2009, numerous master classes at colleges around the world (most notably Eastman School of Music), and four articles written for Double Bassist Magazine. www.PhilPalombi.com
Guitarist Tony Romano has been a vital part of the New York City music scene for over twenty years. Just Jazz Guitarmagazine wrote “His tone is beautiful and soulful, and his remarkable technique is a servant to his rich musical imagination and broad harmonic palette.” With a wide range of playing styles, Tony has toured worldwide and performed and recorded with many notable Latin, Jazz, Pop, and Broadway artists, including Randy Brecker, Joe Locke, Joe Bataan, Dave Valentin, Candido Camero, Yomo Toro, Joel Frahm, Brit Woodman, Steve LaSpina, Paul Bollenback, Stanley Jordan, Debbie Gibson, Alex Gemignani, Chuck Cooper, and Frank Wright. Tony’s guitar work can be heard on all 52 episodes of the BBC series 3rd & Bird. He has also performed for the Discovery Channel miniseries Going, Going, Gone! as well as on NPR Broadcasts, and has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, Telemundo, and the ABC Morning Show. Tony is adjunct faculty at Five Towns College, and a Teaching Artist for the Kupferberg Center at Queens College. www.TonyRomanoMusic.com
Eric Halvorson has collaborated with such jazz artists as Dave Liebman, Dave Stryker, Joe Locke, Bruce Barth, James Moody, R n' B legend Ben E. King, and blues icon Pinetop Perkins to name a few. He has toured internationally with vocalist Ute Lemper. Festival appearances include the Montreal Jazz Festival, Norwich Music Festival (UK), Silda Jazz (Norway), Radio Classica (Chile), Cork Jazz Festival (Ireland), Festival de Jazz (Colombia), Bayreuther Jazz Festival (Germany), Kaunas Jazz Festival (Lithuania) and the Iowa City Jazz Festival. He has performed at New York City's top venues including Lincoln Center, Town Hall and jazz venues Iridium, Blue Note, Smoke and Birdland to name a few. Eric plays PAISTE cymbals exclusively. www.EricHalvorson.com