Internationally renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker, currently holds the titles of Professor of Jazz Bass and Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University where he has built one of the leading jazz degree programs and performing faculty in the United States of America.  He is considered one of the leading performers and teachers of the jazz double bass in the United States.  Whitaker has performed and toured with over 100+ legendary performing jazz artists over the past 25+ years.  Featured on more than 100+ recordings - from film to compact discs - Whitaker’s film scores, China, directed by Jeff Wray, was released on PBS Fall 2002 and Malaria and Malawi, released on PBS Fall 2010.  Also, Whitaker has a DVD release featuring Michigan State University’s Jazz Department entitled, “Inside Jazz” and three new compact discs entitled, “Get Ready” & “Work To Do”—both on Mack Avenue Records and “Better Than Alright” by Michigan State University College of Music.

David Alvarez III is a jazz drummer, composer, arranger, and music educator in Detroit, Michigan. He was introduced to the drum set at age five where he grew up playing in church. At age nine, he began his jazz education through a summer program called The Arts League of Michigan. For eight years, he was part of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensemble jazz program where he was mentored by professors and students from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. During his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, he was selected to be a member of the 2015 Disney All-American College Band; through this opportunity, he gained professional performance experience and participated in music entrepreneurship masterclasses. In 2017, he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree of Fine Arts in Jazz Studies with Teacher Certification. Since then, he toured nationally with the Benny Green Trio and is currently a member of the Clayton Brothers Quintet. For the past three years, he has performed with both of these groups on The Jazz Cruise. David freelances and teaches music in Southeast Michigan.

Sharon comes from a diverse performance background, receiving a Grammy certificate for her Background Vocalist role in Tajmo, a collaborative album by Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ that took home Best Contemporary Blues Album of the Year. She’s also recorded lead vocals for two featured films and sang Background Vocals during the 2017 Hans Zimmer Live on Tour, performing scores from Lion King, Inception, Dark Knight, Wonder Woman, and more.

Lisa Sung is a talented and versatile pianist, who is well-versed in both classical and jazz. She has performed with bassist Ron McClure, drummer Jeff Brillinger, and saxophonist Patrick Wolff. She has also performed a weekly duo with bassist/vocalist Gerald Benson in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and in New York. Currently residing in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ms. Sung teaches Jazz Piano and Jazz Combos at Hope College and Calvin University. She also serves as the Music Director for the Calvin University Gospel Choir.

Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Nathan Borton is a Michigan based Jazz guitar player that draws heavily from the mid-western tradition of bebop and the blues. His studies and performances have taken him across the United States from Brevard, North Carolina to East Lansing, Michigan, and everywhere in-between. Nathan has played with and alongside names such as: Rodney Whitaker, Michael Dease, Paul Keller, Diego Rivera, and Tom Knific. Nathan is also an avid educator of music. He currently teaches at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI and at Hope College, in Holland, MI. Nathan has also taught and mentored at various camps around the nation such as: The Brevard Jazz Institute in Brevard, North Carolina and The Spectrum Music Camp in East Lansing, Michigan. Nathan is a proud endorser of Benedetto Guitars in Savannah, GA.

Max Colley III was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended the nationally recognized Northview High School where he won numerous awards including outstanding soloist at the Aquinas College, Central Michigan, Sonny Stitt, and Montreaux-Detroit Jazz Festivals and won the Jimmy Forrest Memorial Scholarship. Max was a member of the 1986/1987 McDonalds All-American Band and Jazz Band. Max received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Michigan University. Max has studied with Tim Froncek, Ken Olson, Greg Alley, Daniel Kovats, Dennis Horton, Marcus Belgrave, Rob Smith, Bobby Shew, and Jon Faddis. Max has performed for 3 presidents, many entertainers, and with many internationally acclaimed musicians. In 2014, Max was named Jazz Musician of the Year by the West Michigan Jazz Society. Max has released 4 CD's under his own name. His latest released in 2016 is entitled “Jubilee” featuring the likes of Jazz Master Jimmy Cobb, Jon Faddis, Marcus Printup, Helen Sung, and many others. Max Served on the Michigan State Board for IAJE. Max is active in the West Michigan jazz scene teaching, giving clinics and workshops, and performing on trumpet and drums. Max is currently the Jazz Events Coordinator at Michigan State University.

Jeff Shoup began studying music at age 6, adopted drums as his primary instrument at age 11, and began performing professionally at age 19. He attended Michigan State University and took part in the College of Music’s lauded Jazz Studies area, completing a Bachelor of Music in 2012 and a Master of Music in 2014. Jeff performs in a wide variety of styles and settings but has become most well-known for the popular Jazz Tuesdays at Moriarty’s Pub music series, which he launched in 2014. Jeff began teaching at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, in 2017.

A two-year stint living in the Detroit area gave him a taste of the city’s musical culture. During this time Jeff began studying jazz drums with David Taylor, and later with the great Gerald Cleaver.

The list of musicians with whom Jeff has performed continues to grow, and includes Fareed Haque, Tony Monaco, Randy Napoleon, Michael Dease, Doug Webb, Paul Keller, Bill Heid, Betty Joplin, organissimo, Rick Roe, Dmitri Matheny, Ramona Collins, Diego Rivera, Rob Smith, Chris Codish, Keith Kaminski, Tad Weed, Ron Brooks, Brian Charette, Gary Schunk, Sunny Wilkinson, Cindy Scott, Brian Seeger, Smokin’ Joe Kubek, and many others. Jeff can be heard on the albums “Swine of the Times,” by Those Delta Rhythm Kings (2014), “How It’s Done” by George Howard (2017), and a live recording with saxophonist Ben Jansson released in 2018. Jeff endorses Vic Firth drum sticks and brushes, Zildjian cymbals, and Ahead Armor Cases.

American jazz bassist. Bassist John Webber was born in 1965 in St. Louis, Missouri. By age ten, having moved to Wheaton, Illinois, he was already playing electric bass and by fifteen he had added contra bass to his musical skills. While in high school he was already playing gigs in Chicago. John began college at Northern Illinois University, switching to Roosevelt University after a year. He soon began working with Van Freeman and made appearances at the Jazz Showcase with such jazz notables as Tommy Flanagan, Eddie Harris, James Moody and Ira Sullivan. In 1987 John moved to New York City and began performing with Bill Hardman and Junior Cook; he played on Junior’s last record date 'You Leave Me Breathless.' His career has included long-running collaborations with Johnny Griffin, George Coleman, Eric Alexander and Jimmy Cobbs Mob as well as freelance work with Etta Jones, Horace Silver, Ryan Kisor, Lou Donaldson, Milt Jackson, Benny Green, Barry Harris. Brad Mehidau and many others.