Houston Person knows the music business inside out, from booking his own tours to producing his own albums. As eclectic as he is talented, Person has recorded everything from disco and gospel to pop and r&b, in addition to his trademark, soulful hard bop. After years as producer and house tenor for HighNote Records and touring with the late Etta Jones, Person is now known as a master of popular songs played in a relaxed, highly accessible style reminiscent of the great Ben Webster.

Person grew up in Florence, South Carolina, and remembers his parents listening to lots of music at home, including jazz. First playing piano before switching to the tenor sax at age 17, he went on to study music at South Carolina State College (where he is included in the school’s Hall of Fame), and later pursued advanced studies at Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. As a member of the United States Air Force band stationed in Germany, he played with Eddie Harris, Cedar Walton, and Don Ellis, later working as a sideman for organist Johnny “Hammond” Smith in the mid 1960s.

Person built his reputation as a leader with a series of soulful recordings for Prestige in the 60s. However, for a large part of his career he was best-known for his legendary partnership with the great vocalist, Etta Jones, which lasted over 30 years until her death in 2001. Recently he has performed with vocalist Barbara Morrison, the great Ernie Andrews and in the past has worked with Ernestine Anderson, Della Griffin and Dakota Staton.

Houston’s appearances as sideman are legion, and include recordings with Etta Jones, Lena Horne, Lou Rawls, Dakota Staton, Horace Silver, Charles Earland, Joey DeFrancesco, and many others. As a record producer, he has worked with many artists, including Etta Jones, Freddy Cole, Charles Brown, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Dakota Staton, and Ernie Andrews. In 1990, his recording with Ron Carter, “Something in Common” (Muse), won the Independent Jazz Record of the Year Award, and he received an Indie Award for his recording, “Why Not?” (Muse). Other awards have included the prestigious Eubie Blake Jazz Award (1982) and the Fred Hampton Scholarship Fund Image Award (1993), and he has been honored with a “Houston Person/Etta Jones Day” in Hartford County, MD (1982) and in Washington, DC (1983). Houston Person has recorded over 150 albums as a leader on Prestige, Westbound, Mercury, Savoy, and Muse, which became HighNote Records.  His HighNote recordings as both tenor artist and producer, “My Buddy: Etta Jones Sings the Songs of Buddy Johnson” and “Etta Jones Sings Lady Day,”were Grammy finalists in the Best Jazz Vocal category in 1999 and 2000, respectively.  HighNote has issued  a three-disc collection of some of his finest recordings along with four new tracks all recorded at the famed Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.  Entitled “The Art and Soul of Houston Person” (HCD 7200), this is the first multi-disc retrospective of an artist’s recorded work to be issued by the label.  Of Houston’s latest recordings, “Remember Love” (HCD 7315) is an eagerly-awaited new duo recording with the legendary bassist Ron Carter while “Rain or Shine” (HCD 7309) features the same winning combination of outstanding sonics, time-tested tunes and great jazz which has made Houston one of the most respected tenor saxophonists in jazz. In July 2019, Houston released “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” on HighNote Records (HCD 7327).  Houston was once again back in the Van Gelder Studio, now under the watchful eye of Van Gelder associate and protegé, Maureen Sickler. His most recent album “Houston Person Live in Paris” (HCD 7338) was released in September of 2021 and recorded in 2019 at Cite de la musique in Paris.

Wrote Gary Giddens in the Village Voice, “I have always admired Houston Person for his huge tone, bluff humor, and pointed obbligato…Person lucidly rides the beat with figures you think you’ve heard but haven’t. These are not recycled licks or clichés; they simply seem familiar, like family… gray hair aside, Person is unchanged, an unmoved mover of certain jazz essentials.”    Ask him what’s important in his music, and Houston Person notes that, “It’s important that it’s relaxing…Relaxes you and makes you feel good… I’m going to always play the things that I think contributes to good jazz, such as the blues and swinging.”

Pat Cronley began playing the piano at age 4 or 5. In a musical family that included five older brothers, all musicians, artistic expression seemed natural for Cronley, who says he always enjoyed performing. While many young aspiring musicians find out, sooner or later, that playing music isn’t going to pay the bills, Cronley has stayed true to his youthful ideals. He’s managed to make a living as a performing musician, recording mostly jazz, and, of late, has started turning his attention to writing songs.

Since 1989, string bassist Paul Keller has led his 15-piece big band Paul Keller Orchestra to critical and popular acclaim. The PKO’s American Music Research Foundation Big Band Boogie Woogie concert was broadcast nationally on PBS throughout 2009 and 2010. The PKO’s Jazz Student Outreach Program hosted 30 school bands and over 700 student musicians in 2010.

Paul is a prolific composer. In October, 2010 the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra premiered Paul’s five-movement symphonic composition The Ypsilanti Orchestral Jazz Suite. This major piece, written for jazz band and full symphony orchestra, celebrates Paul’s hometown of Ypsilanti, MI. The suite was received enthusiastically and was praised by community leaders as an important work of art with historical significance.

Paul’s magnum opus The Michigan Jazz Suite is a collection of 15 Keller compositions inspired by people, places and icons of the great state of Michigan. Featuring the Paul Keller Ensemble with titles like Big Mac, and Soo’s Blues, The Michigan Jazz Suite won the Detroit Music Award for Best Jazz Recording of 2008.

In 2007 Keller created 15 original orchestra charts for clarinetist Dave Bennett’s symphonic Pops show A Salute to Benny Goodman. This show, composed for jazz band and full symphony orchestra has been performed by over 25 major US orchestras. Keller also wrote Bennett’s second orchestra Pops show Clarinet Is King, featuring 10 new original Keller arrangements of songs from Artie Shaw, Pete Fountain, and Jimmy Dorsey.

In 1989, Keller formed PKO Records to feature various southeast Michigan jazz artists. Paul’s newest CD is WE LIKE TO RIFF – A Toast to the Nat “King” Cole Trio. For more information about Paul Keller, his jazz groups and his CDs, log onto www.pkorecords.com.

Paul is well known for his associations with pianist/vocalist Diana Krall and guitarist Russell Malone. Paul has performed with jazz greats Joe Williams, Cab Calloway, Marian McPartland, Barry Harris, Jeff Hamilton, Benny Golson, Benny Green, Jon Hendricks, Wycliff Gordon, Mulgrew Miller, Jay McShann and James Moody. He has played on over 50 CDs with artists such as Larry Vuckovich, Eddie Higgins, and Marcus Belgrave.

Paul was honored by the West Michigan Jazz Society as their 2001 Jazz Musician of the Year and by the Detroit Music Awards as the 2002 Outstanding Jazz Instrumentalist. Keller is on the faculty of the Wayne State University jazz department in Detroit. He travels frequently, giving jazz concerts, workshops and clinics and is well-respected as an innovative and enthusiastic jazz educator.

David Taylor studied percussion performance at the University of Cincinnati/College-Conservatory of Music where his principal teacher was William Youhass. Other teachers include Salvatore Rabbio, Gordon Stout, and Tim Hagans. Since returning to Detroit, David has performed shows at the Fox, Masonic, and Fisher Theatres. In addition, he performs regularly with the Michigan Opera Theater Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. David has been a member of Wayne Sate University’s jazz faculty since 1991 and has toured Europe and South Africa with saxophonist Chris Collins. He has been on countless recordings, including work with Emmy award winning composer/producer Joseph LoDuca. David has taught at the Interlochen National Music Camp. He is a Vic Firth Artist.