Gerry Mulligan

Bill Mays’ career as a professional musician spans 65 years and includes a multitude of musical endeavors. Following 4 years as a U.S. Navy bandsman Bill spent 15 years as a session player in the Hollywood studios. In 1984 he moved to New York City, establishing himself as an in-demand sideman and leader of his own ensembles. He has worked with jazz and pop legends Aretha Franklin, Benny Golson, Al Jarreau, Barry Manilow, Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell, Gerry Mulligan, Mark Murphy, Bud Shank, Frank Sinatra, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Sarah Vaughan, Phil Woods and Frank Zappa. His many recordings as a leader are well-documented on the Chiaroscuro, Concord, Discovery, DMP, No Blooze Music, Palmetto, Steeplechase, and Sunnyside record labels.  His recordings include Phil & Bill (duo with saxophonist Phil Woods), Front Row Seat (solo), Mays Plays Mays (trio/quintet), Autumn Serenade and Soundscape (trio). His songs have been used in movies and television: Anamorph, Burn After Reading, Hamlet, Honey Don’t, Looker, Succession, The Fifth Estate and Tribeca. His keyboard work has been heard on hundreds of film soundtracks including Fargo, Fur, Godfather 2, Hail, Caesar!, Highest To Lowest, Jaws 2, Julie & Julia, Rocky 2, Rosaline, Superman, The Big Lebowski, The Good Liar, The Spanish Prisoner, and White Noise

 Since arriving in New York, in 1980, Dean has been busy freelancing with a wide variety of artists in the Northeast, and has had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and numerous tours of Europe, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Mexico, and Israel. Some of the eclectic array of artists Dean has been and continues to be involved with over that time include: Dave Liebman, Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Randy Brecker, Joe Lovano, Phil Woods, Grover Washington, Lew Tabackin, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Kuhn, Dave Samuels, Dave Douglas, Paul McCandless, Nguyen Le, Art Lande, Ray Anderson, Walter Norris,  Vic Juris, Billy Harper, Art Farmer, Nick Brignola, Ronny Cuber, Rob McConnell, Dave Kikoski, Bill Frisell,  John McNeil, and Vocalists Sheila Jordan, Jackie and Roy, Mark Murphy, Carol Sloane and Helen Merrill.

Ron moved to NYC in 1982 and has become a veteran of the New York City jazz scene. 

Ron was a member of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and the Re-Birth of the Cool Tentet from 1989 until Mr. Mulligan’s passing in 1996. He recorded four CDs with Mr. Mulligan and has also recorded with Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Randy Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Charlap, John Lewis and Slide Hampton to name a few. Ron has appeared with such notables as Art Farmer, Bill Crow, Rob McConnell, Rufus Reid and 

John McNeil as well as vocalists Sheila Jordan, Jackie and Roy, Carol Sloane and Helen Merrill.

As an educator, Ron has presented workshops at over 90 Colleges and Universities and has been on the faculty of the Jamie Aebersold Jazz Camps and the Stanford Jazz Camp (CA). In 1996 Ron received a National Endowment for the Arts grant for jazz performance. 

Trumpeter, composer, arranger, author, educator,... Eddie Allen is one of the more versatile musicians on the New York scene. He's worked with such musical legends as; 
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Bette Midler, Billy Harper, Joe Henderson big band and sextet, Aretha Franklin, Randy Weston, Ben Harper, Dizzy Gillespie, Robert Cray,  John Mayer, Gladys Knight, Gloria Gaynor, Benny Carter, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Count Basie Big Band, the Illinois Jacquet Big Band.
He has recorded and performed with, as well as composed for; Louis Hayes, Natalie Merchant, Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy, Etta Jones & Houston Person, Joe, Olivia, Mongo Santamaria, Muhal Richard Abrams, Chico Freeman and Vanessa Rubin.

As a jazz musician for 40 years, Jay Brandford has traveled around the world and freelanced extensively in New York City. He performed and recorded with the Count Basie Orchestra, Ron Carter, Gerald Wilson, Mercer Ellington, Jon Hendricks, David Liebman, Jimmy Heath, Ben Riley, and many others. In 2017 his composition “Speaking In Triads” was awarded 3rd place in BMI’s Charlie Parker Prize Jazz Composition Competition.  Jay was a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Saxophone Competitions in 1991 and 1996.