"Jamie Saft (piano, organs, analog synthesis, bass and guitar, steel guitars) is a native of Queens, New York. Since returning to New York in 1993, Saft's stylistic versatility, multi-instrumentalist capabilities, and production skills have been featured with the Beastie Boys, Bad Brains, the B-52's, Laurie Anderson, Bobby Previte, John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Jerry Granelli, Holly Palmer, Marc Ribot's Los Cubanos Postisos, Elysian Fields, Black Beatle, Antony and the Johnsons, Chocolate Genius, JoJo Mayer's Nerve, E-Z Pour Spout, Cuong Vu, Chris Speed Trio Iffy, Jane Ira Bloom, and the Groove Collective.

Saft is a mainstay of the downtown scene and a member of bands such as The Beta Popes, Whoopie Pie, Swami LatePlate, The Shakers and Bakers, Kalashnikov, Pramrod Sexena, and John Zorn's Electric Masada.

Saft was the pianist for the New York and Paris premiers of John Adams' opera "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and then I Saw the Sky" at Lincoln Center and MC93 Bobingy.

Saft has recently composed a number of original film scores and music fortelevision. Recent films scored include the Oscar nominated film"Murderball", Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner "God Grew Tired Of Us",and currently airing HBO documentary "Dear Talula". Saft has alsocontributed score music for Nickelodeon, MTV, and A&E.."

"Johnny DeBlase is a bassist and composer from New York City. He splits much of his musical time pushing the boundaries of avant-rock and free jazz as a member of the guitar trios Many Arms and Zevious. He also leads his own quartet and composes an eclectic mix of chamber and electronic music. Johnny has toured the US and Canada extensively and has released albums on Tzadik, Cuneiform Records, Engine-ESP, Majmua Music, and Abandon Ship Records."

"Born in San Diego, CA and raised in Sacramento, Ches Smith came up in a scene of punks and metal musicians who were listening to and experimenting with jazz and free improvisation. He studied philosophy at the University of Oregon before relocating to the San Francisco Bay area in 1995. After a few years of playing with obscure bands and intensive study with drummer / educator Peter Magadini, he enrolled in the graduate program at Mills College in Oakland at the suggestion of percussionist William Winant. There he studied percussion, improvisation, and composition with Winant, Fred Frith, Pauline Oliveros and Alvin Curran. One of Winant's first "assignments" for Ches was to sub in his touring gig at the time, Mr. Bungle (here he met bassist / composer Trevor Dunn who would later hire him for the second incarnation of his Trio-Convulsant). During his time at Mills, Ches co-founded two bands: Theory of Ruin (with Fudgetunnel / Nailbomb frontman Alex Newport), and Good for Cows (w/ Nels Cline Singers' Devin Hoff). He currently performs and records with Xiu Xiu, and Secret Chiefs 3. He has also performed with Ben Goldberg, Annie Gosfield, Wadada Leo Smith, John Tchicai, Fred Frith, and Trevor Dunn. In addition to Ceramic Dog, he also leads his two of his own projects, Congs for Brums and These Arches. He currently spends his time between Los Angeles, San Francisco and Brooklyn."

"Dan Blacksberg is a leading voice in Philadelphia's music community and a living master of klezmer trombone. Through performance, composition, and improvisation, he creates new territories to explore inside and across genres, forging new pathways between tradition and innovation. As a teacher and community music leader, he builds up all generations of musicians to become empowered and joyous rabble-rousers.

Dan is dedicated to creating great music with people from all levels and backgrounds. This includes his work at Kol Tzedek Synagogue, where he leads the Simcha Band with musicians from 8 to 80 years old in ecstatic performances, communitarian celebrations. His 4-day, Creative Music concert event Encounters @ The Mothership (2019) joined newer voices with established masters like Susan Alcorn and Marshall Allen in intimate groups and overwhelming spectacles.

He's been honored as an Artist in Residence at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts (2019) for which he composed the jazz-klezmer suite Name of the Sea, and as a Pew Fellow in the Arts (2012). He received critical acclaim for his jazz trio albums Bit Heads (NoBusiness Records, 2008), Perilous Architecture (2013), and groundbreaking Hasidic Doom Metal band Deveykus (Tzadik Records, 2013). In 2017 he released Radiant Others, the first klezmer album to feature the trombone as the lead instrument.

He has played with artists Anthony Braxton, George Lewis, Joe Maneri, and Joe Morris and with rock bands The Body and Liturgy. In Yiddish Music he has worked with Frank London, Adrienne Cooper, Elaine Hoffman Watts, Daniel Kahn, Theodore Bikel, and was a founding member of Alan Bern's klezmer/lautari supergroup, The Other Europeans. He currently records and tours with Michael Winograd and the Honorable Mentshn.

As a teacher and culture bearer of klezmer trombone, Dan has been recognized as a Master Artist by the Canada Arts Council (2022). He has been on faculty at Temple University, Klezkanada, KlezKamp, and was an organizer of Yiddish New York. His students in trombone and improvisation can be found in leading roles across Philadelphia's jazz, hip-hop, world music, and experimental music scenes."