"Multi-intrumentalist, composer, producer and performer Boris Hauf plays saxophones, flutes, synths, organ, various computer-based applications, cymbals, bells, rudimentary guitar and sings. He composes for large and small ensembles, performance artists, film, radio, soloists, video and installation art. More than 40 releases on vinyl, CD, tape and online. He initiated and curated the annual composition festival Chicago Sound Map in Chicago and the concert series Playdate in Berlin and lectures at the University of the Arts in Berlin. Hauf tours worldwide in a variety of bands, ensembles as well as in various performative contexts and if necessary as a solo artist. Current bands include Owl & Mack, Postmarks, Next Delusion, The Peeled Eye. As performer and composer he collaborates closely with Choreographers Christina Ciupke, Martin Nachbar, Karen Christopher and many others with in the performance context. He owns and runs the independent record label shameless and lives in Berlin, Germany."

"Keefe Jackson, saxophonist/clarinetist/improvisor/composer, arrived in Chicago in 2001 from his native Fayettevile, Arkansas. He performs regularly in the U.S. and in Europe with many musicians including Pandelis Karayorgis, Tomeka Reid, Tim Daisy, Dave Rempis, Jeb Bishop, Jason Roebke, Jason Adasiewicz, Mike Reed, Jason Stein, Josh Berman, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Frank Rosaly, Oscar Jan Hoogland and Marc Unternaehrer. He has also appeared with Michael Moore, Ab Baars, Michiel Braam, Satoko Fujii, and Anthony Coleman. Bill Meyer (Chicago Reader): "...the impeccable logic of his lines and the richness of his tone leave you wanting more... Jackson's high-register squiggles and coarsely voiced, rippling runs push the limits of the tenor's tonal envelope." Frank van Herk, de Volkskrant (Amsterdam): "[Jackson] has an old-fashioned, warm-woolly sound, and a feeling for melodic lines that take their time in unfolding." He has been mentioned in the DownBeat Critics Poll in the Rising Star Tenor Saxophone category. Recordings are available on Delmark and Clean Feed Records."

"Jason Stein was born in 1976 and is originally from Long Island, New York. Stein is one of the few musicians working today to focus entirely on the bass clarinet as a jazz and improvisational instrument. He studied at Bennington College with Charles Gayle and Milford Graves, and at the University of Michigan with Donald Walden and Ed Sarath. In 2005, Stein relocated to Chicago and has since recorded for such labels as Leo, Delmark, Atavistic, 482 Music and Clean Feed. Stein has performed throughout the US and Europe, including performances in festivals in Lisbon, Cracow, Utrecht, Barcelona, Debreccen and Ljubljana. He has had the opportunity to perform with a number of exciting local and international musicians including: Michael Moore, Jeff Parker, Oscar Noriega, Rudi Mahall, Ken Vandermark, Rob Mazurek, Jeb Bishop, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, Urs Leimgruber, Pandelis Karayorgis, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Tony Buck, Eric Boren, Kent Kessler, Tobias Delius, Michael Zerang, Michael Vatcher, Peter Brotzman, and Wilbert DeJoode."

"Frank Rosaly (Francisco Javier Rosaly Amoros Rosello - b. 5/30/74 Phoenix, AZ) is a drummer and composer living in Chicago. He has been involved in the improvised and experimental music community since 2001 where he has become an integral part of Chicago's musical fabric, navigating a fine line between the vibrant improvised music, experimental, rock and jazz communities. He contributes much of his time to performing, composing, teaching, as well as organizing musical events, while also touring regularly domestically and internationally.

Frank is currently active in many projects throughout Chicago as well as New York and in Europe. Some groups include Bobby Bradford/Frode Gjerstad Quartet, Matana Robert's Chicago Project, Rob Mazurek's Mandarin Movie, The Rempis Percussion Quartet, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten Quintet, Scorch Trio, Nicole Mitchell Ice Crystal Quartet, Jason Stein Quartet, Jeff Parker/Nels Cline Quartet, Josh Abrams' Natural Information Society, Fred Lonberg-Holm's Valentine Trio, Keefe Jackson's Project Project, The Fast Citizens, The Jeb Bishop Trio, Jason Adasievicz's Rolldown, Jorrit Dijkstra's Flatlands Collective, Chicago Lucern Exchange, Hearts and Minds, Slow Cycle, Outskirts, Darren Johnston's Chicago Quintet, Anchor and others."

"Steven Hess (b. 1969); Drums, Percussion, Electronics/

Steven Hess currently resides in Chicago where he probably best known as the drummer for the experimental/industrial metal band, LOCRIAN (Relapse Records), and the instrumental trio, RLYR (Magic Bullet Records), percussionist for the ultra-minimal electro-acoustic group, HAPTIC, as well as a member of, CLEARED (Immune Recordings), the Vienna/Chicago trio, INNODE (Editions Mego), and the monster jazz sextet NEXT DELUSION (Clean Feed/Shameless) fronted by the Berlin reedsman, Boris Hauf. He is as equally comfortable performing in the improvised / experimental community as he his playing in the vibrant metal/noise scene happening in Chicago (and worldwide). He can be heard on many recordings, which include releases on labels such as, Relapse Records, Profound Lore, Kranky, Utech Records, Type, Thrill Jockey, Immune Recordings, Clean Feed, and many others. He has performed live in quite a few places throughout North America, Europe and Japan.

He has collaborated/recorded/performed with the likes of:

Fennesz, Pan•American, Anjou, Sylvain Chauveau, Stefan Németh, Mamiffer, Robert Hampson, David Daniell, Helge Sten (aka Deathprod), Martin Seiwert, Frank Rosaly, Machinefabriek, Jon Mueller, Dave Rempis, Christopher McFall, Jason Stein, Jenks Miller, Tony Buck, Boris Hauf, Glenn Kotche, Reto Mäder, and Michel "Away" Langevin, amongst numerous others.

He's performed internationally at Skaņu Mežs (LV), Roadburn (NL), Transmissions Festival (IT), Mutek Festival (CAN), Adventures In Modern Music - Presented by the WIRE (US), TodaysArt Festival (NL), Unsound (POL), DudeFest (BE), Interpenetrations Festival (AT), Dis-Patch (Serbia), Decibel Festival (US), Kontracom 06 (AT), Musikprotokoll (AT), CTM Berlin (DE), Musique Action Festival (FR), NXNW (US), SXSW (US), DNA Festival (US), Chicago Sound Maps 2010 (US), Hopscotch Festival (US), Interzone Festival (Serbia), Framework Festival (DE), Substrata (US), Denton 35 (US), Utech Records Music Festival (US), Boomslang (US), and has toured throughout North America, Europe and Japan."

"Michael Hartman is an improviser and composer currently living in Chicago, USA releasing and performing music as a solo artist, in various collaborative efforts, and as a member of TV Pow and Television Power Electric. Other projects include duo works with Boris Hauf, Dimes, and The Funf. Hartman was a founding partner of the now completed record label, Gentle Giant Records and currently runs the label Kuro Neko Music with his wife and partner Junko Okada (DJ JunkRoc).

Influenced by everything from American country music and international techno to the sounds of his urban environment Hartman explores and embraces future electronics, free music, soundscapes and contemporary compositions. His portfolio includes recorded works, sound installations, music for dance, and live performances that utilize synthesizers, samplers, drums and percussion, electronics, multi-track editing tools, and surround sound speaker systems.

Hartman also organizes and curates festivals (including Chicago Sound Map with Boris Hauf), performance series (including Decomposure at Deadtech) and the occasional tour.

Hartman has performed and recorded as a member of TV Pow, as a solo artist, and with many wonderful musicians, dancers, and other artists throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan."