Anthony Hervey, who was recently recognized by Grammy.com as one of “10 emerging artists to know in 2023,” has impressed audiences across the globe as a first-call sideman for luminaries such as Christian McBride, Jon Batiste, Michael Bublé, and Wynton Marsalis, who described Hervey as a “beautiful trumpet player of the first magnitude.” 

He was a member of the nationally renowned Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and afterward earned admission to the prestigious Juilliard School. There he honed his craft and graduated with a B.M. in 2019 and an M.M. in 2020. His debut album, Words From My Horn, is a blend of soulful and cerebral compositions that draw from his personal, musical, and spiritual memories. 

Additionally, Hervey has been commissioned to write for esteemed groups and organizations, including The Westerlies, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and The Soapbox Presents Stoop Sessions. He was recognized by the ASCAP Foundation, earning an Honorable Mention for the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards for his composition Brass Games. He is also on Christian McBride’s Grammy Award®-winning Big Band Album, For Jimmy, Wes, and Oliver, which was released on Mack Avenue Records. Beyond the studio and stage, Anthony Hervey has also ventured into acting, impressively showcasing his trumpet skills in the Hulu anthology series Monsterland. 

He is committed to preserving the rich legacy of Jazz while infusing it with relevance for the present. He has personally experienced the power of music to uplift and inspire. As a result, he strives to share that joy with others and make a positive impact on their lives through the art of Jazz. With unwavering dedication, exceptional talent, and a deep appreciation for the heritage of jazz, Anthony Hervey is poised to leave an indelible mark on the music world. 

Forged from his Memphis gospel roots and his 1980’s initiation into the thriving Houston nightclub scene, Kirk Whalum’s unique sound leaves an indelible imprint on each listener. And it was in Houston where jazz pianist Bob James “discovered” him. After moving to Los Angeles, Kirk became an in demand session player for top artists such as Barbara Streisand, Luther Vandross, Quincy Jones, and most notably, Whitney Houston. It’s his sax heard on the mega-hit, I Will Always Love You. His chart-topping For You and his Gospel According to Jazz series featuring the great George Duke and Jonathan Butler among others, in addition to his 30 plus solo projects, have rendered Whalum a singular artist. He was a member of the soul/jazz super-group, BWB, which features Kirk as the “W” along with good friends Rick Braun and Norman Brown. 

An experienced performer, Duke Ellington expert, author and educator, Mr. Stoll serves as the Vice President of Education at Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) in New York City, which continues to afford him the opportunity to bring jazz education programs to people of all ages. Since he joined the organization, JALC has produced nearly 50,000 education events in the US and around the world and an online educational portal that has attracted over 25 million views. The innovative Essentially Ellington high school jazz band program has expanded during his tenure, providing nearly 400,000 free scores to more than 7,000 high schools in all 50 states and 63 countries, with a network of 25 regional high school jazz festivals reaching more than 1 million students. JALC’s “Let Freedom Swing” program, created by Stoll with Wynton Marsalis, is one of the largest arts outreach programs in history, bringing live jazz performances to schools and communities throughout the U.S. and abroad reaching 500,000 students. With a special focus on serving students in Title I schools, Mr. Stoll and JALC have become leaders in the cause for educational equality and justice.  

An in-demand conductor, clinician, and lecturer, Mr. Stoll has appeared as conductor of numerous all state ensembles, the NAFME All National Honors Jazz Ensemble, and at many international institutions including the American School in Shanghai, China; the Conservatoire National in Lima, Peru; and in Havana, Cuba; and at renowned music conservatories Amadeo Roldan and La Escuela Nacional de Arte. Recently he founded and still directs the Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra which performs four times per year as part of a community initiative in his hometown. In 2022, he was named artistic director of the Springfield Jazz and Blues Festival, now going into its third year.  

Mr. Stoll has received the Outstanding Alumni Award from Miami University (Ohio), the Distinguished Service Award from The Ohio State University, and has been inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame at Springfield (Ohio) High School. He holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from Miami University. He currently serves on the boards of the Jazz Education Network where he is Past-President; the New York City chapter of Most Valuable Kids; and the National Association for Music Education Policy Roundtable. 

Nii Akwei Adoteye is a saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer and arranger from Springfield, VA. He is based in the Baltimore Washington, D.C. region. 

As a performer, Nii Akwei has shared stages across the U.S. and Europe with many of the world’s finest jazz artists including Walter Blanding, Emmet Cohen, Kurt Elling, Kenny Garrett, Anne Hampton-Calloway, Nestor Torres, New York Voices, Catherine Russell, Ej Strickland, Aaron Goldberg, Zach Brock, and Dave Douglas. 

He is the founder of 11th Hour Music, an education company with students across the East Coast, and his students have auditioned their way into the nation’s top music schools including The University of Miami, Berklee College of Music, NYU, Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, University of Michigan, University of Maryland, and Shenandoah Conservatory. His students are also fixtures at regional and statewide audition-only ensembles. 

Nii Akwei attended the University of Miami to pursue his Master of Music in Jazz Pedagogy, graduating in 2011. While there, his jazz band won the Downbeat Student Music Award for “Outstanding Graduate Large College Ensemble.” He completed a second Master of Music at the University of Miami in Studio Jazz Writing in 2013. As a composer and arranger, Nii Akwei has received commissions to write for the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, the Frost School of Music, and the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. He was also the winner of the ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award in 2013 and 2014, and his music has been performed at the Kennedy Center. 

Steven Cunningham, a Dinwiddie, Virginia native, is Assistant Professor of Music Education and Trumpet at Hampton University and Director of the Peninsula Youth Jazz Band. He previously served on the faculties of Grambling State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Brightpoint Community College, and Dinwiddie High School. He holds degrees from the University of Maryland (DMA, MM) and Virginia Commonwealth University (BM). An active performer, he has appeared with the Brass Band of Battle Creek, The 8-Bit Big Band, Camille Thurman, No BS! Brass Band, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, Josh Groban, El DeBarge, and many others, with performances at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Washington National Cathedral, the Toronto Jazz Festival, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference. His professional affiliations include Phi Mu Alpha, NAFME, VMEA, and the International Trumpet Guild. Steven Cunningham is a Yamaha Performing Artist.   

Lexi Hamner, vocalist, trombonist, occasional multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, arranger, and versatile producer, hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she began her music studies at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Lexi, also known as Lexicocoa, has 18 years of experience playing soulful trombone and has been singing since the age of 4. She has written and composed music since the age of 12. Her musical abilities led her to study with the likes of Peter Norton, former trombonist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the illustrious director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis. Throughout her middle/high school career, Lexi performed and competed nationally/ internationally at the ‘Verona International Choral Competition 2014’ in Italy, ‘Festival Disney 2015’, and the ‘Disney Music in the Parks 2016’. She has also participated in masterclasses with Branford Marsalis, Chick Corea, Evelyn Glennie, Todd Stoll, and Steve Turre, among other established artists. During the summer, Lexi participated in the ‘Summer Jazz Academy’ (2014-2016) curated by Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center. Lexi graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music as a Presidential Scholar and Sarah Vaughn scholarship recipient with a B.A. in Songwriting. During her studies at Berklee, she was instructed by Tia Fuller, the world-renowned jazz saxophonist and composer, who taught her to step outside of her comfort zone and stand in her own power. One of Lexi s most significant experiences was stepping into the world of flamenco during her sophomore year in Berklee’s study abroad program in Valencia, Spain. Since graduating, Lexi was chosen as one of the inaugural Next Jazz Legacy awardees of 2022 with New Music U.S.A., where she was mentored by Terri Lynne Carrington, Bobby McFerrin, and Tia Fuller. As part of the grant program, Lexi was given the opportunity to participate in Tia Fuller’s 2022/2023 “Intersections  Tour. Her most notable work has been with the Montreux Jazz Festival jam session in Miami w/ Jon Baptiste, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s “Black , Brown, & Beige” mentorship program, the “Future of Jazz” Orchestra, and the “Essentially Ellington” Competition, Soul Train Awards, Newport Jazz Festival, etc. In 2024, Lexi was nominated by the Kingdom Image Awards for “Instrumentalist of the Year.” When Lexi is in her home state, she holds the second chair trombonist position in the Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra, a position she has held since 2021. She has also taught as an adjunct educator in conjunction with Cincinnati Public Schools for ‘Black Music of America,’ which is an educational program for 4th-6th graders. Lexi has also instructed jazz trombone at the Cincinnati Jazz Academy. Lexi toured with Janelle Monae as the lead trombonist in her national U.S. Tour, “The Age of Pleasure,” in the fall of 2023, and also for COLDPLAY’s “Music of the Spheres,” 2024 World Tour. Starting in the 2025 fall semester, Lexi began her studies at Michigan State University for a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies under the guidance of Michael Dease & Rodney Whitaker. She has been awarded Michigan State University’s Distinguished Fellowship which will provide a tuition-waiver and a 2-year financial aid package as part of the Graduate Assistantship. Amongst all her mentorship, performances, and studies, Lexi continues to collaborate with artists as a horn arranger/composer. As Lexicocoa continues to grow in her artistry, she hopes to be so genuine that she inspires people to explore beyond the mundane traditions of music through her sound.   

Joseph L. Jefferson is an award-winning educator, performer, and scholar who serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Ensembles at St. Olaf College, where he also teaches applied jazz and commercial trombone. Drawing from both jazz and classical traditions, he is an accomplished soloist and chamber musician whose performances span jazz, symphonic, and commercial styles on national and international stages. 

Jefferson has performed with a wide range of artists and ensembles, including Vanessa Williams, Sean Jones, Catherine Russell, the Cab Calloway Orchestra, the Annie Booth Big Band, and R&B artists Dwele and Raheem DeVaughn, among others. His performance credits include appearances at the International Trombone Festival and the Jazz Education Network Conference, along with international performances and teaching residencies in Bermuda, Thailand, and Brazil. 

Widely recognized for his impact as a music educator, Jefferson was named one of Yamaha’s 40 Under 40 and received the Ellis Marsalis Jr. Jazz Educator of the Year Award from the Jazz Education Network. His students and ensembles have earned national and international recognition, and most recently, under his direction, St. Olaf Jazz I was selected to perform at the Midwest Clinic. 

A sought-after clinician and guest director, Jefferson regularly works with Jazz at Lincoln Center and has served as a judge for the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival. He holds degrees from Norfolk State University (B.M), Shenandoah Conservatory (M.M), and West Virginia University (D.M.A), and is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Educator. 

A dynamic force in the jazz world, Jen Krupa is an accomplished performer, educator, and leader. Renowned for her exceptional musicianship, transformative teaching, and dedicated service to the jazz community, her influence extends across generations of musicians and audiences worldwide. 

A versatile trombonist, Krupa has performed with luminaries such as Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter, Miguel Zenón, Jon Faddis, Bill Watrous, Wycliffe Gordon, Seamus Blake, Eddie Daniels, Jane Monheit, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Michael Bublé, Pat Metheny, Randy Brecker, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Diane Schuur, Nancy Wilson, John Clayton, Marlena Shaw, and many more. She is the lead trombonist in the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, and her performances have graced renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Hollywood Bowl. 

Krupa is a dedicated educator and mentor, currently serving as a faculty member at The Juilliard School, where she is the Director of the Juilliard Jazz Ensemble. She has previously taught jazz trombone at the University of Maryland and conducted guest clinics, masterclasses, and adjudications across the United States. Her work includes guest conductor roles with the University of Scranton World Premiere Composition Series Concert, the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra and high school honor jazz ensembles, as well as presentations at major conferences such as the Jazz Educators Network, Midwest Clinic, and the International Trombone Festival. 

Krupa earned her Bachelor of Music in jazz studies from the University of North Florida, her Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School, and her Master of Music from the University of Maryland. 

William “MoBetta” Ledbetter, a native of Hampton, Virginia, is a multi-instrumentalist specializing in the upright bass. He graduated from UNCG Miles Davis Jazz Studies program in 2019, where he studied double bass and blended Jazz with his foundations in the Blues, Gospel, and R&B. In December 2021, Ledbetter joined the U.S. Navy Band Commodores becoming their first African American bassist. Anyone who has worked with or heard “MoBetta” knows that he is a driving force while performing.  His drive and love for music and performance has captured the attention of many world-renowned artist. Ledbetter has worked with a plethora of artists including, Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Sean Mason, and many more. He can be heard on Delfeayo’s latest album Uptown on Mardi Gras Day.  He also performed at the historic Newport Jazz fest in 2023 with the Branford Marsalis Quartet.  

Maria Marmarou, a dynamic and unforgettable performer renowned for her swing and groove sound, has established herself as an early luminary in the jazz world. Based in Philadelphia and New York City, she has cultivated her presence in the music industry through unwavering passion and dedication to her craft. 

At the tender age of 26, Marmarou has graced the stages of renowned venues worldwide, collaborating with esteemed artists such as Orrin Evans, Michael Dease, Catherine Russell, Sharel Cassity, Walter Blanding, Tim Warfield, Greg Osby, Bruce Barth, and Terell Stafford. Her versatility as a performer has led her to keep the rhythm for several esteemed ensembles, including The Captain Black Big Band, The Birdland Big Band, The Ted Nash Big Band, The Count Basie Orchestra, and the Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra. 

As an ardent lifelong learner, Marmarou actively engages in the arts by imparting knowledge and inspiring young musicians through private lessons, master classes, and summer camps, such as the esteemed Brevard Summer Jazz Institute. Notably, she is proudly endorsed by Sabian Cymbals. 

James Nesbit is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Plum High School and Duquesne University. He was solo clarinet with the New York Harlem Opera Ensembles European tour of Porgy and Bess in 1981-82, and lead alto saxophone with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (1982-84). He has appeared with Tony Bennett, Wayne Newton, Barbara Mandrell, Natalie Cole, Mel Torme, Lou Rawls, Nancy Wilson, Frank Sinatra Jr., Johnny Mathis, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Lionel Hampton, Frank Foster, Jimmy Heath, Milt Hinton, Al Jarreau, Christian McBride, Diane Schuur, Arturo Sandoval and Jon Faddis to name just a few.  Since the early 1990’s he has performed regularly with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The O’Jays. 2018 found Mr. Nesbit touring with Lynyrd Skynyrd on their Last of the Street Survivors Farewell tour and can be heard and seen on the CD/Bluray DVD Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour Lyve. As a soloist, he has appeared at Carnegie Hall and with the Virginia Symphony. Currently Mr. Nesbit performs with the American Saxophone Quartet and can be heard on the Great American Music Ensemble’s 2016 Release It’s All In The G.A.M.E. that reached #4 on the jazz charts, as well as the Doug Richards Orchestra’s 2023 release Through A Sonic Prism. Mr. Nesbit was instructor of woodwinds at the Armed Forces School of Music and has served on the faculties at Old Dominion University, Hampton University, Chowan University; and is currently instructor of saxophone and jazz winds at the College of William and Mary and saxophone and bassoon at the Governor’s School for the Arts. Mr. Nesbit was Personnel Manager for the Virginia Symphony from 2007-2023. 

Mr. Nesbit travels abroad frequently conducting chamber music workshops for deserving students in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In 2024, he traveled to Cuba to participate the Jazz Plaza Festival and work with the students at the Conservatorio Estaban Salas. Since 2016, he has served as President of the Board of Directors of the Hampton Roads Chamber Players. 

Stephanie K. Sanders, assistant professor of music is in her 25th year at Norfolk State University (VA) as the associate director of bands of the world renown Spartan “Legion” Marching Band, Symphonic Band and director of the NSU Jazz Ensembles. She received her Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) from Jackson State University and her Masters of Music Performance — Bassoon from the University of Houston (TX). She has taught music education for over 30 years on the high school and collegiate levels. 

In addition to teaching, Ms. Sanders is a concert bassoonist and jazz saxophonist. Her performing history includes Symphonicity (formerly known as the Virginia Beach Symphony), Tidewater Winds, Virginia Wind Symphony, Northern Neck Orchestra, Rajazz, Rajazz Unplugged, Hampton Roads Woodwind Quintet, Symphonicity Wind Quintet, Woodlands Symphony, Brazos Valley Symphony, Texas Music Festival, Musical Arts League of Natchez, MS, P.S.D. Jazz Trio and the Scott Joplin Symphony Orchestra. She has performed with the following artists: The O’Jays, Peabo Bryson, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Teddy Riley, Kem, Jill Scott, Will Downing, Kirk Whalum, Norman Brown, Jennifer Holiday, Calvin Owens, Victor Wooten, “Slide” Hampton, Andrew White, Billy Harper, Donald Byrd, Bobby Lyle, Ben Tankard, and David Sanborn. She has premiered with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra in 2002, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. She also premiered with Symphonicity in 2007 and 2022. She is a featured artist for WHRO Classical Radio Series A Local Touch. 

Ms. Sanders has received numerous honors which include Second CD Release (June 2023) entitled I’m Done!; 2024 VEER Music Awards for Best Smooth Jazz Artist; Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award; Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Incorporated Phenomenal Woman Award; President for College Division, Virginia Music Educators Association; Advisory Board Member, Hampton Roads Flute Faire — Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA; Midwest Band and Orchestra Performer; Virginia Music Educators Association Performer and Clinician; Hampton Jazz Festival Performer; Suffolk Public Schools All City High School Band Clinician; NORFOLK Commission on the Arts and Humanities “Arts Within Reach” Performer; North Carolina Region East Jazz Ensemble Clinician; District XVI All State Jazz Ensemble Clinician; Who’s Who of Educators; Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; Norfolk Public Schools All-City Middle School Band Director; and Board Member of Symphonicity — The Symphony of Virginia Beach. 

Ms. Sanders’ professional affiliations include Silver Star — Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, Inc., Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity Inc., Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity, National Association for Music Educators, Texas Black Music Educators Association, Virginia Music Educators Association, Tidewater Association of Negro Musicians, National Association for the Study and Performance of African American Music, and founding member of the Association of Black Women Band Directors. 

Duane Smith is a trumpeter, producer, and arts leader whose career bridges jazz tradition, innovative technology, and community-centered leadership. He began playing trumpet at age 12 and studied jazz at LaGuardia High School, coming of age on New York City’s stages and subway platforms. While attending Hampton University, he co-founded Peach Fuzz Entertainment and The Fuzz Band, touring internationally and completing three USO Tours across Iraq, Europe, Africa, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey. With The Fuzz Band, Duane won the 1st Annual Capitol Jazz Festival, co-headlined the 43rd and 55th Hampton Jazz Festivals, performed at an inaugural ball for President Barack Obama, and appeared at private events for icons including Allen Iverson, Bruce Smith, and Tommy Hilfiger.  

A forward-thinking creator, Duane was an early pioneer of the electronic trumpet, developing a custom performance rig in 2005 that allowed him to harmonize, loop, and create full horn ensembles as a solo artist — years before commercial horn effects became widely available. His genre-blending work extends to The Virginia Experiment, an innovative jazz-fusion ensemble known for its high-energy performances and modern reinterpretation of jazz, funk, and soul. Duane’s arranging and performance credits span soul, rock, pop, and jazz, appearing on projects by Grammy Award®-nominated artists such as Eric Roberson, Sy Smith, Hezekiah, DRAM, Surface, and Boyz II Men, with national campaigns for Coca-Cola (Share a Coke), Apple iPhone, and RushCard.  

In addition to his performance career, Duane is an accomplished creative director and arts administrator. He currently serves as Director of the School of the Arts and Director of the Lower School Band at Norfolk Academy, where he leads arts programming, curriculum development, and student performance initiatives. Endorsed by DaCarbo, Duane continues to balance performance, innovation, and education — using music as a tool for artistic excellence, mentorship, and community impact.  

Professor John Toomey has been recognized for excellence in teaching several times, including his designation as University Professor for Excellence in Teaching, an honorary title awarded to less then 2 percent of the faculty at the university. Other honors include TELETECHNET Professor of the Year, and winner of the prestigious SCHEV Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 1991, Professor Toomey was designated a cultural specialist in Jazz by the United States Information Agency, and was sent to Botswana, Africa in this capacity to both teach and perform. 

In the area of research, Professor Toomey serves as both director and performer for the Attucks Jazz Series under the umbrella of Virginia Arts Festival, performs often on the Diehn Concert Series with various jazz artists, and served as performer and Music Director for Havana Nights, a state of the art jazz club in the Tidewater region. In all of these venues, he has performed in concert with nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz artists, such as Randy Brecker, John Fedchock, John Abercrombie, Terrell Stafford, and others. Professor Toomey has toured with jazz vocalist Rene Marie, including appearances at the JVC Festival in France and the Monterey Festival in California, and is featured on the recording Live at the Jazz Standard. The original score he composed for The Boys of H Company was recently aired in Singapore and Japan, and was featured on national television dozens of times during the past few years. Professor Toomey is currently featured on two recordings that were released in early 2015, Timely, with Glenn Wilson and John Dearth, and Fluidity, with trombone great John Fedchock. Before his tenure at Old Dominion University, Professor Toomey performed and toured the world with jazz trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson with whom he recorded two cds, High Voltage 2 and Big Bop Noveau. His most recent release is a live quartet recording with jazz trombone legend John Fedchock entitled Reminiscence, released on the Summit label. 

Rooted in the traditions of gospel and blues, trumpeter Eric Williams brings a deeply expressive and tradition-grounded voice to the modern jazz landscape. Originally from North Carolina and now based in Washington, D.C., Williams’ playing reflects the emotional directness, storytelling, and improvisational spirit that connect these musical traditions to the broader language of jazz. 

Since beginning his professional career in 2018, Williams has steadily built a reputation as a versatile performer, collaborator, and bandleader. His work has placed him alongside leading voices in jazz, including Sean Jones, Nicolas Payton, Wycliffe Gordon, Ingrid Jensen, Jazzmeia Horn, and Christian McBride, as well as the acclaimed vocal ensemble New York Voices. He has also appeared with ensembles including the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra and the Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra. 

In 2020, Williams joined The Jazz Ambassadors, the premier touring big band of the United States Army. In 2022, he became a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to preserving and celebrating the legacy of America’s original art form. 

As a bandleader, Williams leads the Eric Williams Quintet, which performs regularly at venues such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Keystone Korner, Sharp Nine Gallery, and An die Musik Live!, and has appeared at festivals including the Charlotte Jazz Festival, Duck Jazz Festival, Capitol Hill Jazz Fest, and the Carolina Jazz Festival. 

Williams has performed internationally in Scotland, Switzerland, and Finland, and at major Canadian events including the Toronto Jazz Festival and the Ottawa Jazz Festival. In 2024, he was featured on child prodigy José André’s debut album Jazz Journey. 

With a sound shaped by gospel and blues traditions and a deep respect for the jazz lineage, Eric Williams continues to emerge as a compelling voice among a new generation of jazz artists. 

Nathaniel Williford is a trumpet player, band leader, and composer from Kissimmee, Florida, currently pursuing a BM in Jazz Trumpet at The Juilliard School in New York City. Inspired by musicians like Snooky Young, Clark Terry, Wynton Marsalis, and more, Nathaniel started playing the trumpet at 12 after playing the trombone for a year and continues to play both. In high school, he participated in the Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center with his high school, Osceola County School for the Arts under the direction of Jason Anderson and won first place in 2022 and 2023. Nathaniel was the first recipient of the Snooky Young Award, awarded to outstanding soloist and lead trumpet, as well as winning outstanding trumpet both years. He was also a member of Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz under the direction of Sean Jones as lead trumpet, performing alongside Jazzmeia Horn in 2022, and returning in 2023 with Dee Dee Bridgewater. The group toured North America in 2022, and Europe in 2023, performing at the BBC Proms, along other esteemed halls across Europe. Nathaniel was a student of the late Dan Miller and is currently studying with Mike Rodriguez and Billy Drummond. Some of his other mentors include Wynton Marsalis, Sean Jones, Bobby Shew, and Roger Ingram. Since moving to New York, Nathaniel has performed and/or recorded with artists such as, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, The Mingus Big Band, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, The Count Basie Orchestra, The Roy Hargrove Big Band, Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band, Ms. Lauryn Hill and the Fugees, Harry Connick Jr, Jazzmeia Horn, and more. Nathaniel also performs on Broadway in NYC and is an educator.

John Winn has been playing and singing jazz around the Mid-Atlantic region for over 30 years. Throughout the 1990s, as a member of the Great American Music Ensemble — a jazz repertory orchestra founded and directed by Doug Richards — John performed more than 25 concerts at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. 

During that seven year run at the Kennedy Center, John had the privilege of appearing on stage with jazz luminaries such as Jon Faddis, Milt Hinton, Rene Marie, Frank Foster, Arturo Sandoval, and Jimmy Heath. He’s also performed in other settings with Doc Severinsen, Tony Bennett, Dr. Billy Taylor, John Pizzarelli, Natalie Cole, and Christian McBride.  

In 2004, John was one of a handful of vocalists chosen to represent the United States abroad with his quartet Neighborliness, by the U.S. Department of State’s Jazz Ambassadors Program. As a Jazz Ambassador, John performed again at the Kennedy Center, and toured Mexico, Russia, South Korea, and Cambodia, taking jazz to the far corners of the globe. 

John remains active as both a gigging and theater musician. He regularly performs for touring Broadway productions in Richmond and Norfolk, VA, and has been music director for several shows at Virginia Repertory Theatre. He’s currently composing songs for a new musical, Safety, which will premiere at Richmond’s Firehouse Theatre in July.