"Joëlle Léandre is a famous French Bassist and is known for her collaborations with other musicians in the field of improvised music. Born in France on September 12th, 1951, she made her music debut in 1984 with Les Douze Sons. Her childhood was filled with music, and she was particularly interested in the piano during her early years. In her later years, she developed an interest in double bass, which won her many honors and scholarships during her education. Her double bass teacher Pierre Delescluse encouraged her to apply to the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris, where she was formally trained and noticed for her talent in the bass. Her outstanding musicianship took her to the United States and to the Centre for Creative and Performing Arts in Buffalo through a scholarship. In the United States, she expanded her network and met some of the best composers, such as John Cage, Giacinto Scelsi, and Morton Feldman. Among them, John Cage greatly influenced her music and compositions. Her time in the United States also enabled her to experience downtown New York music, which was another significant influence that led to her continued involvement in the field of improvised music.

Some of her notable collaborations in the field of contemporary music are with Pierre Boulez, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, and Giacinto Scelsi. Among them, John Cage and Giacinto Scelsi were the biggest influences in her life and music. In an interview, Joëlle Léandre said that John Cage was her spiritual father and changed her perception of sound and music. In another interview, she tells how Giacinto Scelsi allowed her to discover her own music and how his music transported her into a new world of improved consciousness. In the field of jazz music, she collaborated with Derek Bailey, William Parker, and Sebi Tramontana. Her music was owned and distributed by different music labels, including FMP, Leo, RougueArt, and Red Toucan. Some memorable songs and albums she released throughout the years include Instant Replay, Les Douze sons, Trios, Sweet Zee, Frerebet, Joelle et Tetsu, Philippe Fenelon, Voyages, etc. Some of the recent releases include Can You Hear Me and Unleashed. She has also performed live at the Tampere Jazz Festival twice, where popular international artists compete with each other.

Joëlle Léandre is also the member of European Women's Improvising Group (EWIG). The group evolved from the Feminist Improvising Group, and Joëlle Léandre joined the group in 1983. In the early 1900s, she co-founded Les Diaboliques with Irene Schweizer and Maggie Nicols, who were her long-time musician friends. Besides that, she also teaches several classes in prestigious universities about contemporary and improvised music. She has lived in France, Germany, and U.S during her lifetime, teaching at academic institutions in the religions and playing concerts. In 2002, she was invited to Canada as a visiting professor for music and composition."

"Elisabeth Harnik, free-lance composer and pianist, was born 1970 in Graz and lives in Gams (County of Styria/Austria). She studied classical piano and later - with Beat Furrer - composition at what is now the Univer sity of Music and Performing Arts, Graz.

The "repertoire" and it's extensions in composition and improvisation is her central focus. Harnik works within an electro-acoustic inspired sound-world, using unique preparations and extended techniques.

Performances include: Easterfestival Graz 2002, Hörfest Graz 2003/04/05, Styrian Chamber Music Festival 2003, Klangmühle Orth an der Donau 2005, Munich Ope ra Festival 2006, Mozart- Year Vienna 2006, Paul Hofhaimer Musiktage 2006, Composers' Forum Mittersill 2008, Haydn Year 2009, Festival 4020 Linz 2009, Sou ndings Festival London 2010, Opera Graz, Musikprotokoll/Steirischer Herbst 2011, E_MAY Festival Vienna 2011/2012, Klangspuren Schwaz 2012, Transart Festiv al Bozen 2012, Wien Modern 2013, Estonian Harpsichord Society Festival 2014, A udio ArtFestival Pula 2014 a.o.

She has worked with renowned artists and ensembles such as the Ensemble Zeitfluss Graz, the Ensemble 09 Linz, the Ensemble MusikFabri kSüd, the Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, the Klangforum Vienna, the Ensemb le "die reihe" Vienna, the Ensemble Kontrapunkte Vienna, the ensemble Reconsil Vienna, the Ensemble PHACE Vienna, the Ensemble Platypus Vienna, the Hay dn-Trio-Eisenstadt, the Trio AMOS Vienna, the Trio EIS Vienna, the Thürmchen Ens emble Cologne, the Fidelio Trio London, the Cantus Ensemble Zagreb, the Ensemble mise-en New York and various national and international soloists.

She received a great number of rewards and prizes, most recently she was Artist in Residence at the OMI International Arts Center New York 2010 and Composer in Residence 2013 at the IZZM in Ossiach/Austria. In addition to her work as composer she appears as improvisator at various national and international festivals such as the V:NM-Festival, the Ulrichsberger Kaleidophon, the Nickelsdorfer Konfrontationen, the Artacts Festival St. Johann, the Music Unlimited Festival Wels, the Soundgrube Vienna, the Comprovise Festival Cologne, the Beethoven Fest Bonn, the A L'ARME! Festival Ber lin, the Jazz & More Festival Sibiu, the Alpenglow Festival London, the All Ears Festival Oslo, the Umbrella Music Festival Chicago, the Okka Fest Milwaukee, the Musi cacoustica Beijing, the SoundOut Festival Canberra/AUS a.o."

"Zlatko Kaucic: Born February 1953 in Postojna, Slovenia. In the Early 70's he moved to Italy where he toured and recorded with the group Hero. In 1975 he was involved with the music co-operative Swiss, playing with Irene Schweitzer, Radu Malfatti, Duško Goykovich and Allen Blairman, among the others. In 1976 he moved to Barcelona and began playing in clubs and festivals all over the country with people such as Peter Delphinich, Eric Peter, Tete Montoliu, Claude Guillot, Paul Stocker, Mike Osborne, Burton Greene, John Lewis, Steve Lacy and Kenny Wheeler, as well as giving solo concerts.

In 1979 he toured Portugal with Paul Stocker and then joined The trio with Portuguese bassist Ze Eduardo and pianist Antonio Pinho, which played extensively in Portugal as well as in Macau (China), and subsequently backed Don Rendall, Michael Garrik and Portugese tenorist Rao Kyao.From 1981-83 Zlatko taught drums in the Barcelona "Taller de musicos" jazz school and participated in jazz seminars with Chuck Israels, Ron Mclure and David Schnitter.

Since 1984 he has lived in Amsterdam (Holland). Zlatko has played the "North sea jazz festival" twice and plays with his own trio which tours Spain regularly. He also plays with an octet and composes music for theatre and dance groups. Zlatko's specialty is an unique solo percussions performance that expresses his own personal style.

He has been twice in U.S.A.: 1987 - Itacaca (New York): workshop for theater + music and 1989 - world festival Atlanta (G.A.) with European jazz quintet.

Zlatko has played in Holland with such a diverse musicans like Misha Mandelberg, Toon Rose, Paul Stocker, Sean Bergin, Arnold Dojewerd, Wiebe Wilbers (Skidoo), Frank Graso Big band, Peter Guidi, Paul Bley, Esiet "Okun" Esiet, Michael More, John Patituci, Paolo Fresu, Phone Booth (Theater company), wiht Lisa Pooh (Dance Theater), etc.

1992 he return to Slovenia where he began playing different musical projects like with Paul Bley (Lent festival; Maribor), Steve Lacy, Thelonius Monk Project (Kontrada fest; Kanal ob Soči) with Enrico Rava, Gianluigi Trovesi, Chico Freeman, George Cables, Albert Mangelsdorff, Keeny Wheeler, Alexander Balanescu, Dave Biney, Paul McCandless, Irene Aebi, Trevor Wats, Javier Girotto, Frank Gratkowski, Szilárd Mezei, Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen, Saadet Türköz, Peter Brötzmann, Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Luis Sclavis, Evan Parker, Herb Robertson, Javier Girotto, Agusti Fernandez, Oliver Lake, Phil Minton, AB Baars, Johanes Bauer, Joëlle Léandre, Barry Guy, Maya Homburger, Lotte Anker etc and making music for two documentaries (Kino atelje Gorica) and solo Performances, poetry and dance.

Year 2008 he got award of municipality Brda as creative multi-percussionist, who is recognized and respected on world level.In the interviews Peter Amalietti "Masters the fire" in addition to musicians Archie Shepp, Sun Ra, John Cage, Paquito D'Rivero, Pat Metheny, Odeon Pope, Reggie Workman, Dennis Gonzalez and Woddy Shaw has also published aninterview with Zlatko Kaučič.

Year 2011 he got PREŠERN FUND AWARD (The highest recognition for cultural achievements in Slovenia). video...

Year 2017 he got BEVKOV AWARD for contribution in music and education."