What do Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis, Rodney Whitaker, Greg Hutchinson, Bobby Watson, have in common? They have all had Rick Roe guest in their piano chair. Winner of the 1994 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Rick Roe is a skillful jazz pianist who particularly emulates the styles of some of the great modern jazz pianists such as Theolonius Monk and Bill Evans. Twice a semifinalist in the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Piano Competition (1993 and 1999), he has been a featured performer in the Jacksonville (Florida) Jazz, Savannah (Georgia) Onstage International Arts, Montreaux/Detroit Jazz, Birmingham Jazz, Lansing Jazz, Flint Jazz, and Hawaii Jazz (with Frank Morgan) Festivals.

He has produced and co-produced twelve recordings (CDs) on his own RNR Unknown Records label with original compositions and arranged jazz standards with some of the most accomplished jazz musicians in the world. Such recordings include “The Changeover” (1997), “Monk’s Modern Music” (1995), and “Sphere” (2005).

Mr. Roe has served as an educator/clinician at the University of Arizona, North Texas University, Michigan State University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Michigan, and the Montreaux/ Detroit Jazz Festival. More artist collaborations include performances with Marcus Belgrave, Donald Walden, Rodney Whitaker, Frank Foster, Andrew Speight, Wycliffe Gordon, Gerald Cleaver, Victor Goines, Louis Smith, Randy Gelispie, Vincent York, Wendall Harrison, Dwight Adams, and many others.

Ann Arbor native Rob Bickley received a B.M. from Michigan State University and M.M. from The Juilliard School. While living in New York, Rob served as a teaching artist for Jazz @ Lincoln Center. Rob has performed at such venues as The Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Smalls Jazz Club and Alice Tully Hall. Since returning to Ann Arbor, Rob can be seen performing with musicians such as Sean Dobbins, Rick Roe, Jesse Kramer, and Mike Malis. Rob has served on faculty for the Ann Arbor Public Schools summer music programs and is a regular clinician at schools across the district. Rob maintains an active private studio offering private lessons and small group classes.

Based in Ann Arbor, Jesse Kramer is one of the most in demand drummers in Metro Detroit. Kramer began learning drum set at the age of five, and grew up studying and working with local jazz masters such as Sean Dobbins, Paul Keller, Vincent York, and Claude Black. Kramer graduated from the University of Michigan School of Music in 2011, where he studied with Ellen Rowe, Andrew Bishop, Michael Gould, Marion Hayden, and Geri Allen. While attending U of M, Kramer was awarded a DownBeat Magazine Student Music Award, and represented the University at the 2011 International Association of Schools of Jazz meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, directed by Dave Liebman.

Kramer has performed with countless local and national artists, and is himself a respected band leader. He has recorded with artists such as Paul Keller, Demetrius Nabors, Miles Brown, and Vincent Chandler. Kramer performed and recorded in Bangkok with vocalist Natasha Patamapongs and her acclaimed group Mellow Motif for ThaiPBS “BossaNona All-Star Brazilian Concert” in 2011, and for the live DVD recording “Ao Vivo!” released in 2015.

Kramer co-leads the Roe Bickley Kramer trio, along with pianist Rick Roe and bassist Rob Bickley. The trio has released three albums: “Heliosphere” in 2018, “Dark Virtue” in 2019, and “Lucid Dream” in 2022. Kramer released his first solo record, “Acacia”, in 2014. In June of 2019, Kramer released his latest project “Antinous as Osiris”. Inspired by two of the most important 20th century literary figures—Marguerite Yourcenar and Langston Hughes—Kramer translates Yourcenar’s exquisite language from her historical novel “Memoirs of Hadrian” and Hughes’ cadence from “Montage of a Dream Deferred” into timeless melodies with lush harmonies and sophisticated rhythmic structures.