BOB CLAIRE has taught Jazz Harmony, Jazz Arranging and Jazz Ensemble at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Also a Baroque flute specialist, he performed
on over 20 CDs and toured throughout Europe with many of the finest early music groups there, including La Petite Bande, Les Arts Florissants, the Chapelle Royale and the
Leonhardt Consort. He was Lecturer in Baroque Flute at Stanford University for 15 years.
Grammy-nominated ART LANDE is an internationally-known pianist, composer, improviser, drummer and educator who has performed with a long list of the
Who’s Who in jazz, including Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, Steve Swallow, Charlie Haden, Kenny Wheeler, Sheila Jordan, Mark Isham, Paul McCandless, Jan
Garbarek and many others. His band, Rubisa Patrol, was formed in the mid-70’s and worked through 1983, traveling to Europe often and recording for ECM Records.
STEVE CARDENAS has backed up such greats as Eddie Harris, Marilyn May, Jay McShann and Slide Hampton. He has toured Europe extensively, and has regularly
performed in groups led by such diverse artists as Paul McCandless, Mark Isham, and John Patitucci, as well as vocalists Madeleine Peyroux and Nora Jones. Steve is currently a
member of the Paul Motian Band and the Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra. At the New School in New York, he teaches the Thelonious Monk Ensemble and gives private
lessons.
Bassist BILL DOUGLASS has recorded and performed with Marian McPartland, Tom Waits, Mose Allison, Mark Isham and many others. Bill also plays bamboo flutes,
and can be heard on the soundtracks of "Never Cry Wolf","Thousand Pieces of Gold", "The Black Stallion", “Dim Sum” and "NationalGeographic" specials. Along with
flutist Nora Nussbaum he founded the Sierra Jazz Society, and is Director of its Summer Jazz Camp in Nevada City, California.
GAYLORD BIRCH’s playing could be heard with such varied bands as Santana, the Pointer Sisters, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Harris, Houston Person and Jerry
Garcia. Gaylord passed away in 1996, and it is a privilege to be able to present his performance on this recording.
