“Miles Away”

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, JAY SAWYER is one of the most in-demand drummers in New York City. After graduating from East Kentwood, he attended Western Michigan University where he got a Bachelors of the Arts in Jazz Studies. He continued his education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he obtained a Masters of Arts in Jazz Studies. Since moving to NYC in 2012, Jay has performed in the Off-Broadway musical “Lady Day” featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, been featured on over 25 recordings and performed in over 20 countries across 5 continents. He has shared the stage with artists such as Freddy Cole, Stefon Harris and Donny McCaslin. Additionally, Jay has performed at several festivals including the Montreal, Detroit and Chicago Jazz Festivals, Festival Eclats d’Email in Limoges, France and the Leopolis Jazz Festival in Lviv, Ukraine.
Jsawyerdrums.com

Pianist/composer JASON YEAGER is an award-winning performer and recording artist based in New York City. As a bandleader, Jason has released eight critically acclaimed albums of original music, including most recently Sanctuary (Sunnyside Records, 2024), a collaborative effort with virtuoso jazz violinist Jason Anick. He performed across five continents, routinely appearing at such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, Birdland Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, and Café Carlyle. Jason released two records in 2022: Hand in Hand (Club 44 Records) with spouse and Broadway star Julie Benko, and Unstuck in Time: the Kurt Vonnegut Suite (Sunnyside) with his eponymous septet and special guest Miguel Zenón. In addition to his work as a bandleader, Yeager has recorded on over 40 albums and performed with such luminaries as Sean Jones, Jason Palmer, Luciana Souza, George Garzone, and Noah Preminger. Jason is currently an Associate Professor of Piano at Berklee College of Music and Lecturer of Music at MIT.
Jasonyeager.com

DMITRI KOLESNIK, bassist and composer is originally from St. Petersburg, Russia. He was steered towards jazz music by his father, jazz pianist. Kolesnik graduated from Mussorgsky College of Music, earned ‘Discovery of the Year’ title by the Jazz Poll and worked with David Goloshchekin and Igor Butman. Kolesnik came to New York in 1991 and received scholarship from City College of New York to study with legendary bassist Ron Carter. He as a sideman with Benny Golson, Stanley Jordan, Anthony Wonsey, Mark Murphy, Eric Alexander, Woody Allen, Richie Cole, Nicole Henry, Harry Whitaker, Bill Ware, Johnny Colon, Bill Warfield, David Budway, Valery Ponomarev, Rick Germanson, Steve Nelson, Alexis Cole, Andrei Kondakov, Chris Gillespie, Vitali Imereli, including on many recordings. As a leader Kolesnik performed his original compositions at Jazz at Lincoln Center Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Smoke, Smalls, Mezzrow. He was a longtime member of Anthony Wonsey Trio and Chris Gillespie Trio at Carlyle Hotel.
Dimitrikolesnik.com

Jazz trumpeter KERRY MacKILLOP is a native of Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music, he spent the next several years touring extensively worldwide as featured soloist with The Artie Shaw Orchestra and The Woody Herman Band. This invaluable experience afforded him the honor of performing with such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Buddy DeFranco, Dick Johnson, Billy Eckstine, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Lovano, Frank Sinatra Jr., Helen Forrest, Margaret Whiting, and Helen O’Connell. Eventually settling in Manhattan, Kerry maintains an active schedule as a free-lance performer and teacher. In addition to fronting his own groups, he appears frequently with such notables as The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, The John Fedchock New York Big Band, The Howard Williams Orchestra, and The Harry James Band among others. He was also a member of the house band for “Seinfeld” and “The Nanny”.
Artieshaworchestra.com/contact

FLO ANKAH has been creating full-length concert productions in collaboration with her musicians for cultural institutions across the country, including Joe’s Pub, Symphony Space, 54 Below, Sleep No More/McKittrick Hotel, MoMA, 92Y, Bryant Park, Philadelphia Museum, and the Miami-Dade Auditorium. She is also a playwright and stage actress in her own right. A blend of authenticity, wit, and raw emotion, Flo invigorates multicultural tunes with a rhythmic twist and is known as a vocalist for her interpretation of the Edith Piaf songbook, crafting her own verses and modern translations. A native of France who has called New York City home since she was 17, her work infuses French spirit with irreverent American humor. Over the past decade she has collaborated with some of the city’s top jazz improvisers. Flo’s approach to music is kinesthetic. She believes that light and sound affect the human soul.