This is Han Bennink's first band, according to himself. Being born in 1942 (in Zaandam, Holland), it's about time. It has Bennink on drums, Simon Toldam on the piano and Joachim Badenhorst on clarinets. Most free-form jazz is a lot less enganging on record than it is live. However, listening to Han Bennink on cd rather than watching him live has the obvious advantage that you are in no immediate danger of phsyical harm.
Joseph Salvatore Lovano was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 29, 1952 and grew up in a very musical household. His dad, Tony, aka Big T, was a barber by day and a big-toned tenor player at night. "Big T," along with his brothers Nick and Joe, other tenor players, and Carl, a bebop trumpeter, made sure Joe's exposure to Jazz and the saxophone were early and constant. Joe's mom, Josephine, and her sister Rose were serious listeners, as well.
Kenny Wheeler (born 14th January 1930, Toronto, Canada) is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based since the 1950s in the UK. Most of his output is rooted in jazz, but he has also been active in free improvisation and has occasionally contributed to rock music recordings. Highly respected among his peers for his beautiful tone and extensive range on the trumpet and flugelhorn, Wheeler has written over one hundred compositions and is a skilled arranger for small groups and larger ensembles.
Brian Blade (born 1970 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American jazz drummer and composer. Brian made his first appearances as a sideman with pianist Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Kenny Garrett, and continued to work as a sideman with other musicians commonly known as "young lions." As a leader, he has released three albums - Fellowship, Perceptual, and most recently, Season of Changes, his Verve Music Group debut. Season of Changes has received rave reviews and continues to grow in popularity.
Wycliffe Gordon (born 1967 in Waynesboro, Georgia) is a jazz trombonist. He also plays the didgeridoo. In 1993 he wrote the theme song for National Public Radio Wycliffe Gordon came from a strongly religious background, his father was a church organist, that influenced the early direction of his music. He became interested in jazz at thirteen due to an Aunt's collection. His interest at that time was mostly the earlier musicians like Louis Armstrong His early works as a professional was with Wynton Marsalis...
Lee Morgan (10 July 1938 - 19 February 1972) was an American hard-bop jazz trumpeter. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Morgan was a jazz prodigy, joining the Dizzy Gillespie big band at 18, remaining a member for two years. In 1956 he began recording as a leader, mainly for the Blue Note label; eventually he recorded twenty-five albums for the company. Morgan's principal influence as a player was Clifford Brown, having had direct contact with him before Brown's premature death.
Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960, Beaux Bridge, Louisiana) is an American jazz saxophonist. Branford studied with Alvin Batiste at Baton Rouge's Southern University in 1978, completing his studies at Berklee School of Music, between '79 & '81. He began his professional career in the early 1980s playing with Art Blakey's big band (playing baritone), Clark Terry's band, and Blakey's Jazz Messengers.
Jack DeJohnette (b. 1942) is an American jazz drummer and pianist. DeJohnette was born in Chicago, Illinois. Besides the drums, he studied the piano, which he plays on several recordings. He first became known as a member of Charles Lloyd's band, a band that Keith Jarrett also was a part of at that time. From 1969 to 1972 he played with Miles Davis and recorded many albums for ECM as both leader and sideman.
Don Byron (b.1958) is a U.S. composer and clarinettist. While he is considered a jazz musician, he is stylistically very adventurous, having recorded klezmer music, German lieder, and cartoon music. Byron was born on 8th November 1958 in the Bronx, New York City and was raised by his parents who were themselves musicians, his mother a pianist; his father a bass player for calypso bands. His parents raised him listening to all kinds of music, taking him on trips to the ballet and the symphony, and also exposing him to jazz such as Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis records.