"Joe Fonda is a composer, bassist, recording artist, interdisciplinary performer, producer and educator.

An accomplished international Jazz artist, Fonda has performed with his own ensembles throughout the United States ,Canada , Europe and Asia. He has collaborated and performed with such artists as Anthony Braxton ,Archie Shepp, Ken McIntyre, Lou Donaldson, Bill and Kenny Barron, Leo Smith, Perry Robinson, Dave Douglas, Curtis Fuller, , Bill Dixon, Han Bennink, Bobby Naughton, Xu Fengia, Randy Weston, Gebhard Ullmann, Carla Bley, Carlo Zingaro, Barry Altschul, Billy Bang.

Fonda was the bassist with the renowned Anthony Braxton sextet, octet, tentet, from 1984 through 1999. Fonda also sat on the Board of Directors from 1994 to 1999, and was the President from 1997 to 1999 of the newly formed Tri-Centric Foundation. He has also performed with the 38-piece Tri-Centric orchestra under the direction of Anthony Braxton, and was the bassist for the premiere performance of Anthony Braxton's opera, Shalla Fears for the Poor, performed at the John Jay Theater in New York, New York, October 1996.

As a composer, Fonda has been the recipient of numerous grants and commissions From Meet the Composer New York and the New England Foundation on the Arts . He has released twelve recordings under his own name. (Reviews and recordings available). Fonda was also a member of The Creative Musicians Improvisors Forum directed by Leo Smith, and was the bassist with the American Tap Dance Orchestra in New York City, directed by world renowned tap dancer, Brenda Bufalino.

In 1989, Fonda performed with Fred Ho's Jazz and Peking opera in its world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. From 1982 to 1986 Fonda was the bassist and dancer with the Sonomama Dance Company. An independent producer since 1978, Fonda is the founding director of Kaleidoscope Arts an interdisciplinary performance ensemble and is the producer and musicial director for the Connecticut Composers and improvisors Festival from 2001 to 2011.

Currently Fonda has been recording and touring extensively with the Fonda-Stevens Group, Conference Call , The Fab Trio, The Nu Band and Bottoms Out , with performances at the Bim huis in Amsterdam, Holland, Prague Jazz Festival, Czech Republic, Jazz Halo Festival, Belgium, Jazz Festival Thurinsen, Weimer, Germany, Berlin Jazz Festival Berlin Germany , Jazz Im Agusto Festival Lisbon Portugal, Natt Jazz Festival Bergen Norway, The Vision Festival New York, New York, Jazz and More Festival Sibiu Romania, Bakau Jazz Festival ,Azerbijan, Tondela Jazz Festival Tondala portugal , Vancouver Jazz Festival ,Vancouver Canada, Guelph Jazz Festival ,Guelph Canada .

Two of Fonda's most recent projects are From the Source, The Off Road Quartet.

From the Source is a group that incorporates the tap dancing and poetry of Brenda Bufalino and the healing arts of Vicki Dodd, and four jazz musicians. The group has released their first CD entitled, Joe Fonda and From the Source, on Konnex Records.

The Off Road Quartet is comprised of four musicians from four different countries. Ux Fengia from Beijing China , Carlos Zingaro from Lisbon Portugal , Lucas Niggle from Zurich Switzerland and Joe Fonda New York USA. The Off Road Quartet blends the musics from all four of these musicians cultures into a unique musicial and visual experence."

"Whether blowing bebop over a Mingus tune or freely improvising with Anthony Braxton, Michael Rabinowitz's contributions have changed the conception of what the bassoon can do. Since graduating with a BFA in music performance from SUNY at Purchase in the late seventies Michael's improvisatory skills opened the door for the bassoon to enter a variety of musical environments not traditionally associated with the instrument.

He has recorded with Ira Sullivan, Red Rodney, Wynton Marsalis, John Hicks, Dave Douglas, Chris Potter and Joe Lovano. His festival appearances include Chicago, Montreal, Berlin, Tri-city, Tanglewood, San Francisco and Hollywood Bowl. Michael is a founding member of The Charles Mingus Orchestra which can be heard regularly at the Jazz Standard in NYC. His quartet Bassoon and the Wild has performed at the The Vanderbilt Planetarium, Frick Museum, JVC Jazz Festival, , Penn State, Kavehaz and other venues in NYC. Ocean Eyes is Michael's 5th CD and documents the development of his quartet with mostly original compositions. The Buffet Group USA has been Michael's sponsor for the past fifteen years and has supported his participation in performances and master classes at the IDRS most notably the Jazz at June Festival in Oklahoma with oboist Paul McCandless. In 2009 Michael was awarded a grant from Chamber Music of America in collaboration with French oboist Jean Luc Fillon and released their CD On the Reed Again. In 2014, Michael formed a group called The Odd Couple Quintet with jazz horn virtuoso John Clark. Michael has conducted masters classes at many universities and has released four feature albums."

"Jeff Lederer is a New York based saxophonist-clarinetist/composer/educator whose work crosses the genres of jazz, latin and creative improvised music. In 2014 he has been named in both the critics and Readers Polls of Downbeat Magazine recognizing his work on tenor and alto saxophones and clarinet. He has worked for many years in the Matt Wilson Quartet and the grammy nominated ensembles of Bobby Sanabria and Salsa trombonist Jimmy Bosch. He has recorded for Gunther Schuller's GM Recordings, CIMP Records, Palmetto Records and his own Little (i) Music label. His quartet "Sunwatcher" made it's debut in 2011 on the Jazzheads label featuring Buster Williams on bass, Jamie Saft on piano and Matt Wilson, drums. His longstanding ensemble "Shaker n' Bakers" performs modern jazz interpretations of the Vision songs of the Shaker religious sect and has released two recordings of Shaker music and performed at the World Festival of Sacred Music in Los Angeles.

Jeff's cross-stylistic composition/arranging projects include "Los Sazones", a salsa reimaginng of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" which was commissioned by the Ravinia Festival for the Chicago Symphony and has been performed by many major orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.

New projects for 2014 include a new recording and tours with the Honey Ear Trio with drummer Allison Miller and bassist Rene Hart and the debut of his new ensemble, "The Brooklyn Blow-Hards"- a brass band that plays sea shanties and Albert Ayler compositions.

Jeff has performed at numerous major jazz festivals including the Newport Jazz Festival, JVC Jazz Festival , Monterey Jazz Festival, Litchfield Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, Moldes Jazz, Guimaraes Festival (Portugal), Tiempo Latino (France) and many, many others. In 2013 Jeff performed a duo concert with drummer Allison Miller at the mainspace of the San Francisco Jazz Center. In 2010 he was invited as a special guest to perform spontaneous improvisations with the pianist Shahin Novrasli at the Baku Jazz Festival in Azerbaijan.

As an educator, Jeff has worked with Jazz At Lincoln Center where he was featured in the 2010 Jazz for Young People Concert "What is Free Jazz?". He has taught workshops and residencies in jazz and saxophone at the University of Miami, New England Conservatory, Dartmouth College, SUNY Binghamton, University of Northern Iowa and many other leading jazz departments. In 2009 he performed as a guest soloist with the Ellington competition winning Roosevelt High School Band (Seattle). Lederer also works as a music curriculum consultant and is the author of the Childrens' Orchestral Repetoire Project (Ch.O.R.D.). Jeff was co-producer of the recording "We-Bop - A Family Jazz Party" for the Jazz at Lincoln Center organization."

"In sound, motion and beauty....so to lays the groundwork for truth. All that I am becomes a part of my own way of communication. In striving for a lifestyle unfettered by my own limitations, I am eternally grateful to have created honest music with some of the greatest artists of our time. It's almost like I have to pinch myself sometimes to not forget how fortunate I am to have the love of my family, and the spirit to be open to what may appear to be right in front of me!!

Just a very few of the artists I have had the great fortune to record and/or perform with include:

Hot Tuna, Ahmad Jamal, Ted Dunbar, Michelle Shocked, Paul Simon, Dewey Redman, Frank Kimbrough, Dave Douglas, David Sancious, Mark Feldman, Karl Berger, Joe Mcphee, Julius Hemphill , Connie Bauer, Pete Levin, John Lindberg, Zakir Hussain, Giovanni Hildago, Wadada Leo Smith, Peter Herbert, Cameron Brown, Steve Swell, Neil Rolnick, Anthony Braxton, Carter Jefferson, John Stubblefield, Bruce Hornsby, Brenda Buffalino, Jay Anderson, Istvan Grenesco, Honi Coles, Daunik Lazro, Todd Reynolds, Derrick Trucks, Jimmy Heath, Percy Heath, Roswell Rudd, Phil Lesh, David Torn, Levon Helm, The Memphis Pilgrims, Bill Frisell, Fonda/Stevens group, Herb Robertson, Carlos Santana, Omar Tamez, Remi Alvarez, Dry Jack, Art Lande, John d'Earth, Bob Weir, Greg Allman, Marcel Monroe, The Mallards, Sorgen-Rust-Windbiel trio, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Samuels, Drew Gress, Tony Levin, Garth Hudson, Jimmy Vivino, amongst many, many others.

I have also written and performed pieces for film and the stage, including a solo percussion piece for the New Day Repertoire Theater's version of "Antigone".

One aspect of my joy has been in the workshops I give around the world in jazz ensembles, improvisation, percussion master classes and audio production. Some of these include:

University of Michigan - Jazz and Improvisation Dept. - Ed Sarath, director Virginia Commonwealth University - Jazz Dept. - Antonio Garcia, Director Schnittpunke Festival - Rudersdorf, Austria - Udo Preis, Director Jazz Initiative Marburg - Marburg, Germany - Roman Kloecker, Director Carre Blue - Poiters, France - Bernard Aimee, Director Onteora Central School District - Boiceville, N.Y. - Steven Murphy, Director Charles City Arts Council - Charles City, Va. - Julie Boyd, Director Naropa Institute - Boulder, Co. - in collaboration with Allan Ginsberg Jackson Field Home for Girls - Emporia, Va. - Donna Waldron, Director Numerous in- store clinics and private lessons throughout the U.S. and Europe. Recipient of New York State "Meet the Composer" and NYSCA grants.

I have also been interviewed in many publications including: Modern Drummer, DRUM!, Down Beat, All About Jazz, Jazz Podium (Germany), and Jazz Halo (Belgium).

Through Dreamland Recording Studio and freelance work, I have had the great pleasure to be involved in many great recording projects as an engineer and editor. One of my favorite projects was to remaster the entire ESP record label. My first instructional DVD " Drumming Made Easy " is currently available worldwide from Homespun Tapes Inc. / Hal Leonard publishing. I also appear on Jack DeJohnette's " Musical Expression On The Drum Set" and Jorma Kaukonen's " The Electric Guitar Of Jorma Kaukonen"