Helm has sang backing vocals on recordings released by Donald Fagen, Mercury Rev, Mark Cohn, Mavis Staples and numerous other musicians. She has maintained strong ties to Woodstock, N.Y., throughout her life.

Over the past twenty five years, Bruce has been an in-demand sideman as well as leading his own band. He has played and recorded with many of the leading names in blues and roots music, appearing on over 70 albums with artists such as Ronnie Earl, John Hammond, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Little Milton, Maria Muldaur, Jimmy Witherspoon, Paul Rishell, Mighty Sam McClain, Debbie Davies, David "Fathead" Newman and many others.

Bruce Katz was honored to be a 2008, 2009 and 2010 Nominee for the Blues Music Award (W.C. Handy Award) for "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year", selected by the Blues Foundation of Memphis, TN.

He played with Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters from 1992-1997, appearing on 6 CDs with Ronnie including "Grateful Heart", which won the Downbeat Award for "Best Blues Album" of 1996. In 1998 Bruce began concentrating on the Bruce Katz Band, touring the U.S. and Europe many times and has released 6 CDs, including the most recent one, "Live! At the Firefly" (2008)

Besides performing, Bruce has been actively teaching as well. He was an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music from 1996 – 2010, teaching Harmony, Hammond B3, piano and Blues History. He also studied at Berklee in the 1970's and received a Master's Degree in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory in 1992. He currently teaches privately from his studio in West Shokan, NY.

Bruce has performed at festivals world-wide, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Blues and Jazz Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Notodden Blues Festival and many, many others.

Bruce has a lengthy background in classical piano. After hearing a Bessie Smith record when he was 10 years old, he started teaching himself blues and early jazz on the piano. He then heard boogie-woogie and swing music and began his musical journey into more aspects of jazz and American roots music.

Formerly from Boston, Bruce has been based in the Hudson Valley of NY since 2005.

They have played such notable venues as CBGB's, The Knitting Factory, Eddie's Attic and The Chance as well as on bills with Dickey Betts, Leon Russell, Charlie Louvin, Jay Farrar and more. This track is from David Kraai & The Saddle Tramps' new album, which will be out in early 2012 and features guest appearances by members of The Black Crowes, Gov't Mule and more!

He's toured with Shania Twain, Savoy Brown, Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, Janie Fricke, Garth Hudson, Genya Ravan, The British Blues Allstars (with Long John Baldry, Rod Price and Kim Simmonds), Troy Gentry. John Michael Montgomery, Gail Ann Dorsey, Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal, and many others. He has been musical director, guitarist and actor for Without You (Starring Anthony Rapp), Always … Patsy Cline, It Ain't Nothing But the Blues, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Edges: the Musical, Marvelous Wonderettes, Bee Hive, Little Shop of Horrors, Jacque Brel is Alive & Well and Living In Paris, RENT.

David is currently performing with his own blues based band DAVID MALACHOWSKI & THE WOODSTOCK ALLSTARS, and whoever calls...

"the secret life of colonel david," is David's first solo release, in which he plays ALL the instruments. His song "I'm Goin' Down To Newberg" will be featured in the upcoming movie "Fairhaven."

David also writes as a music critic for The Times Union in Albany, NY, and The Daily Freeman in Kingston, NY.

For guitarist/lead vocalist Warren Haynes and his band, Gov't Mule, creating a new album is akin to walking a tightrope: Write new songs that please old fans, while hopefully garnering new ones. Develop that material in the studio rather than on the road, to prevent premature leaks via the internet. Celebrate the roots of American music, yet take sonic forays into the future. Honor the memory of the late Allen Woody, while simultaneously welcoming new bassist Jorgen Carlsson into the fold.

With By A Thread, Gov't Mule's first studio album in three years, recorded at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in the Texas Hill Country, the band – which also features drummer Matt Abts and multi-instrumentalist Danny Louis – meets those challenges and more.

"It feels like we're moving forward and backward at the same time," Haynes notes. "Hardcore fans tend to not want us to move too far away from where we started, but the band never wants to stay in one place for very long."

"While Jorgen brings his distinctive musical personality to the table, he also uncannily evokes some of (Allen) Woody's spirit which inspired us to revisit our past."

"I don't know if we were willing to travel that road right after Allen died," says Haynes, "but this far down the line, it seems liberating and exciting."

From the opening licks of "Broke Down On The Brazos," a hard-hitting up-tempo Texas stomp that features ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons' unmistakable fretwork, through the meditative closing ballad, "World Wake Up," it's clear that Gov't Mule is intent on plowing new ground.

"There was this groove that Matt and Jorgen were playing the first day in the studio," Haynes recalls. "We taped it, and when the occasion came up for us to start writing something new, we pulled it out, and it became the catalyst for that tune. Danny and I started attacking it, Gordie Johnson [the album's producer] got involved, and during a break I went next door and began writing the lyrics."

That organic approach is evident throughout the 11-song album, which runs the rock-and-roll gamut from barroom blues to passacaglia (check the disintegrated chords of the '60s throwback "Inside Outside Woman Blues #3") to melody-driven tunes like "Frozen Fear". The band's approach was simple: Sequester themselves at the studio, located 45 minutes from Austin, to avoid any unnecessary distractions. Ignore the clock and let loose some freeform jams. Capitalize on the chemistry that was already developing between Carlsson and Abts. Write new material, as Haynes describes, "from the ground up."

"Writing in the studio was a lot of pressure, but it worked out great. For whatever reason, the time seemed right. The door was kicked open, and now we're moving full steam ahead."

Once that metaphorical door was unlocked, Gov't Mule proved unstoppable in the studio.

"Warren had some sketches of songs, and some fully finished songs, but what made this session special was that the band co-wrote four songs on the spot," Abts says. "What we were thinking 14 years ago, when the band started, doesn't necessarily apply to 2009. We've gone through some changes, but that's a good thing, like any relationship that changes over time. Jorgen has given us such a shot in the arm. I'm really excited about the new record – it's the best thing we've ever done."

The experience, says the Swedish-born Carlsson, who joined Gov't Mule last January, was better than anyone could've imagined.

"I play in a lot of high-pressure studio sessions in L.A.," he says, "but this felt so natural. It was fun. I played as good as I could, and I can't wait to see what happens next."

Louis agrees.

"As long as I've been playing music, it still feels like a little miracle when the creative spirit kicks in," he says. "'Steppin' Lightly' came together with all four of us huddled around in a circle. I came out from behind the keyboards and played guitar, so physically, we were closer than we were before. 'Any Open Window' was the same thing – for the first time, not only was Jorgen involved on the ground floor of the tune, but we broke it down to a two-guitar band."

As Gov't Mule picks up speed, however, the band has never lost sight of its roots.

Exhibit A: "Railroad Boy," a 100-year old folk song Haynes learned as a teenager in Asheville, N.C. and transformed into a rollicking, organ- and guitar-driven romp.

"The tradition, melody and story of that tune are so strong, that somehow, it's never left my brain," explains Haynes, also a member of the Dead and the Allman Brothers Band, and one of Rolling Stones' Top 25 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

"I thought, why don't we work up a rock-and-roll arrangement, and see what happens. It came together really quickly – when that happens, it's always a good sign. Everybody's input was spot-on. The timelessness of that song was inherent; what we add is the freshness. Gov't Mule plays a modern day version of that music – not a tribute, but a continuation."

On the next track, "Monday Mourning Meltdown," Gov't Mule downshifts into a moody, contemporary rock ballad.

"It's a personal statement for me," Haynes avows. "Sonically, it's different from anything we've ever done. We experimented with a lot of different approaches, and in some ways, this song really showcases the growth of the band and represents a new direction for us."

Now that the finishing touches have been placed on By A Thread, the musicians of Gov't Mule anxiously await its late summer release.

"These songs didn't exist until we got to Pedernales," Abts says. "No one's heard 'em yet, which is kind of frustrating."

Haynes explains, "We want By A Thread to be a surprise, so we've made a point not to play any of them live until our fans can get the full impact of the new material."

"The studio is a kind of science lab, where you're performing experiments that you don't have to let anybody hear," Louis adds. "There's an interaction with our fanbase, but it takes time for it to happen. In a live situation, we're in that lab atmosphere, but we've added the energy of the audience, so we get instant feedback. The anticipation is just building and building. These songs are like a Thorazine shuffle, alive in my head. They have yet to get out of the barn, so to speak."

2007 saw the birth of JAIK MILLER BAND, who's debut album (produced by Strokes' 'guru' JP Bowersock) has received world wide underground acclaim. Jaik has performed with hundreds of world class acts over the years and was known to work on several projects at a time, including the much buzzed-about Dennis Black and Woodstock's own Dharma Bums. Jaik Miller is one of the most creative song writers and performers of our time, he will continue to inspire and will always be remembered.

After cutting his teeth in Portland, Oregon in the late 80's and early 90's, Jay Collins made the move to New York City and quickly became a force to be reckoned with. His focus was hard-hitting instrumental jazz, as documented on his first three albums as a leader: Uncommon Threads (Reservoir Music), Reality Tonic (Reservoir Music) and Cross Culture (Blues Leaf). Along the way, Jay gained diversified experience as a sideman with some of New York City's best including Afro-Cuban drummer and clinician, Bobby Sanabria, and up-and-coming pianist Jason Lindner, among many others. "This robust tenor saxophonist is a great example of a player whose varied experiences nurture a deeper musical personality."- Village Voice, NYC.

In time, while remaining dedicated to playing his horns, Jay began to branch out into songwriting and singing. A new touring gig with Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band helped convince Jay to develop his singing voice further, and embrace a new direction towards blues-based rock. It was a natural move, for Jay had grown up playing along with his stepfather's collection of records by Freddie King, Taj Mahal, Albert King and other blues legends. It was during this time he solidified his own group, Jay Collins and the Kings County Band www.jaycollinsband.com In addition to his own group, Jay regularly performs with the great Levon Helm (of The Band) at his famous Midnight Ramble Sessions, is a member of the Chris Bergson Band, continues to tour with the Gregg Allman Band, and also does recording sessions and gigs with various artists in every genre of music.

Jay's 2 CD's with his own band are "Poem For You Today (HipBone Records 2004)" and The Songird and the Pigeon (Sundown Recordings 2007) and both emphasize an equal measure of blues, jazz, percussion-heavy grooves, impassioned sax-playing, and growing maturity in his singing and songwriting abilities. "With a surprisingly gruff voice, he delivers his rollicking original tunes that blend the down-and-out sensibility of Tom Waits with the barrelhouse American roots sound of The Band." -San Francisco Chronicle/Contra Costa Times (CA)

Jay currently lives with his family in Woodstock, NY and performs all over the USA and the world. His next CD is due out in Spring of 2012—watch for it!

He has played and recorded with an array of musicians and bands, including George Kooymans (Golden Earring), "Bumblefoot" Ron Thal (Guns N Roses), John Platania (Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Don McLean), Augie Meyers (Texas Tornadoes, Sir Douglas Quintet), Larry Coryell and son Murali Coryell (touring for opening act B.B. King, Cyndi Lauper and David Sanborn), Knack Drummer Bruce Gary, The Coasters,Richie Scarlet, Dr. Know and Daryl Jenifer of Bad Brains, as well as drummers Anton Fig and Adam Nussbaum.

Karl is also currently a member of Frank Carillo and The Bandolero's, and The Albert Cummings Band.

His new album includes contributions from many notable musicians including Eddie Seville, Steven Ross, Annie Fox, Danny Cooper and John Chocianowski, and features several instrumentals that continue where his first album "Perspective" left off. Karl can be seen performing solo, as well as with his band, "The Real Men" throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond!

His TV music credits read like a TV Guide and include MTV, VH-1, HBO, Comedy Central, CNN, Discovery as well as scoring spots for Motrin, Spalding and GE. Lately Bartlett's focus has been on film music having recently scored, "Reach For The Stars, the Christa McAuliffe story and Tribe of Heart's, "Peaceable Kingdom, The Journey Home"

Busy at the helm as president of the Aural Gratification label, Bartlett still finds the time to release his own works to rave critical and public reviews. His electro-symphonic work Near-Life Experience (2003) was hailed as one of Backroads' "top 5 albums that matter most". The follow up "Glow In The Dark" (2008) earned him the name "Mutant Guitarist" from Echoes' John Diliberto. The title track is used as the theme for NPR's "51%, The Women's Perspective", hosted by Susan Barnett. His latest release, "Songs For The Big Kablooey" (2011) features 12 in your face glam -prog anthems that have already been tapped for use in film and TV. Bartlett currently lives in Woodstock, NY where he is putting the final touches on a new facility and readying a live show.

Song info: "Cool Thing" written and performed by Kevin Bartlett: additional vocals by Mach an Taylor (exquisite wailing), Susan Barnett and Mary Kate Burnell (c) 2011 by Kevin Bartlett. Published by Hovering Slab Music (BMI)

The track donated to this project, What Happened To You?, is from Lorenza's latest album, Soul Shifter. THE ALBANY TIMES UNION raved, "Let's just make this perfectly clear: Lorenza Ponce is a big deal." 'Soul Shifter' is "glorious."
www.lorenzaponce.com

That's it folks.

Over the past year, Marc has been deeply involved in the battle to end the scourge of hydrofracking. His song, 'No Fracking Way' which was recorded with help from John Sebastian and Eric (duleing banjos) Weissberg, has been played at rallies as far away as Ireland and Australia. And Marc has been performing it live pretty much non-stop.

Another of his recordings, 'Sometime a Spark' has received immediate notice, especially in Europe and Tunisia. This is a letter Marc got the day he posted it on Facebook: "This song is going to have an amazing effect on the Tunisians and the Egyptians who will hear it. You are making us feel so proud of what we achieved and of what some have died for. Thank you."

Although Marc is generally traveling solo, his full band features amazing players like John Sebastian, Warren Bernhardt from Simon & Garfunkel, Eric Parker from the Joe Cocker Band, Don Davis from the Microscopic Septet and Mike Esposito from the Blues Magoos! He's also recorded with a host of luminaries including Art Garfunkel, Richie Havens, and Taj Mahal.

When Marc was still in high school, his band, the 'Blades of Grass', had a top forty hit and performed with the Doors and Van Morrison. Next stop was Woodstock, NY where he lived in Tim Hardin's house and put together a band that attracted world famous musicians and a dedicated following.

He's recorded more than a dozen CD's, including a 'pick hit' in Billboard Magazine, and another recognized as a 'minor masterpiece' by famed music A&R man, John Hammond Sr. and a childrens album, recorded with Richie Havens and Taj Mahal, that was awarded Best of the Year honors by the American Library Association.

Happy Traum recently wrote about Marc's new CD, Pictures of the Highway…'Foot-tapping grooves, excellent playing, top notch guitar and vocals…Marc's songs are timeless."

Benevento first came to national attention with the experimental electric rock influenced Benevento-Russo Duo for which he partnered with drummer John Russo. Together they brought a bracing jolt of improvisation into settings like Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock and Bonnaroo. On his own Benevento has collaborated with the likes of Mark Eitzel, Matt Chamberlain and Trey Anastasio, while also holding down keys in the bands Garage A Trois and Surprise Me Mr. Davis. Currently Benevento's primary focus is with his own trio and in the solo piano setting. His latest album Between The Needles & Nightfall is a gorgeously textured effort that's steeped in explosive piano rock and edgy art jazz.

"Benevento jams with a concentration on the textures and colors available in his keyboards and arsenal of manipulated pedals and effects. Between the Needles and Nightfall (Royal Potato Family), his latest release, is deceptively rich -- catchy melodies and straight-ahead grooves that expand with subtle mounting gestures." - Rolling Stone

"...a musician so original that he can ultimately only be judged against his own standard." - All Music Guide

"Marco Benevento is one of the most talented keys players of our time." - CBS Radio Street Date

"Imaginative at heart, Benevento demands you to be too when engaging with his work. Otherwise, you probably are missing out on something special. Trained and driven to experiment with chords and melodies with the intention of getting a little dirty along the way, Benevento's collisional approach is refreshing and absolutely delightful." - Consequence of Sound

"Benevento employs various pedals and effects and progressive techniques in the creation of his songs, and they're better for it. It's done so expertly that the simplicity and cleanness of the composition belie how intricately and carefully crafted it actually is, and it's what sets 'Between The Needles & Nightfall' apart." - URB

"Indescribable and highly evocative stuff." - Keyboard Magazine

www.marcobenevento.com

www.facebook.com/marcobenevento

 www.twitter.com/marcobenevento

www.myspace.com/marco.benevento
www.royalpotatofamily.com

He discovered his fascination with recording when he visited NY recording studios as a child. "My dad would be in the control room while they worked on a mix, and I'd be in the performance room playing the piano or banging on the drums." He began recording multiple parts on his own when his dad brought home a 2-track reel-to-reel machine.

"The studio is my canvas," he explains. "I love writing, recording and mixing, bringing all the pieces together – all of which happens in the studio. It's not just where I record – in large part, it's also where I write."

Mark spent over 20 years on the New York scene, singing or playing on studio and live dates by various artists, including Amy Coleman, Abby Straus, rock and roll gospel choir New Voices of Freedom and many, many others.

Mark is also the producer and co-host of The Expert Witness Radio Show, which has been broadcasting on WBAI, the flagship station of the Pacifica Radio network, for well over a decade.

www.markmarshall.com

Medeski's keyboard excursions, Chris Wood's hard-charging bass lines and Billy Martin's supple, danceable beats have come to resemble a single organism, moving gracefully between genre-defying compositions and expansive improvisation atop a relentless groove. Though the "jazz spirit" has been ever-present in their songs, Medeski Martin & Wood have won over a substantial audience that is packed with alternative-rock lovers as well as jam-band aficionados and jazz heads.

Credits:
Off the album, Radiolarians II
songwriters: John Medeski, Billy Martin, Chris Wood
publisher: Beatworld Music (BMI)

"My interest of the guitar began at 8 when my dad started to teach me to play the blues. And after that I just couldn't stop."

"What kind of music does Rusty prefer?" Everything !!!

In Denmark Mr. Rusty worked with:
Guitarist and producer Billy Cross (Bob Dylan) Vibraphonist extraordinaire and Producer Morten Grønvad. Singer songwriter, Anne Dorte Michelsen (Tøsedrengene). Singer Hanne Boel. Saxman and producer Bob Ricketts. Guitarman and Producer "Mintman"- Carsten Mortensen.

Moved to New York City in 1988. Having never looked back since, Rusty has toured and done projects with Reggae Band Soul Jahs, heavy rock band Future Shock,Tony Levin ( Peter Gabriel, Steps Ahead ), Pete Levin ( Miles, Gil Evans, Schofield and Paul Simon ), Jimmy Eppard (Retro Rockets, UncleFunk ), Wet Paint, Guy Anthony ( Sly and the family Stone ), R&B SONY recording artist Setra ( Daughter of the Sun ), T. Monk, recording and NYC Band "Days Of Wild"

Currently Rusty can be seen with his own Jazz, Funk, Fusion Band named "MR RUSTY", based out of upstate New York (Krumville, Rosendale, Phoenecia and Woodstock).

"I feel I've found a treasure chest of talents and a family of brothers, living here. Having guys like Charlie Kniceley ( Jack Dejohnette, Ron Carter ), Hillary Schaef ( Group Six ), Chris Bowman ( Percy Jones, Ornette Coleman ) and Barry Sweet Jackson ( B Boyz ) on your side. They make Row Row Row Your Boat sound like the song "Lucky" by Joni Mitchell from the album Mingus. They make it easy to sound good. Yes, I'm truly lucky"

www.mrrusty.com

Their original compositions and rearrangements of traditional material are brought to life in their dynamic group improvisations. Innova Records has released their self titled debut CD to critical acclaim, including a feature of Space Twang on NPR's Song of the day.

Neel Murgai is a multi-instrumental performer, composer and teacher. He has studied sitar for over 15 years, currently with Pundit Krishna Bhatt, himself a disciple to Pundit Ravi Shankar. Neel has performed around the world at venues ranging from the Blue Note and Kennedy Center to the David Letterman Show. He is a graduate of Goddard College's MFA program in Interdisciplinary Arts. He has worked with a diverse array of artists including Bill T. Jones, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Cyndi Lauper, Wyclef Jean, Samir Chatterjee, Daniel Bernard Romain, Laraaji, Yuerba Buena, Baba Israel, Raz Mesinai, Mission on Mars, Akim Funk Buddha, Loren Conners, Suzanne Langille, Louis Bellogenis and Cosmo Vinyl. Neel has composed original music for the films "The Yes Men Fix the World", "A Decent Arrangement" and "Crossing Lines", as well as BBC and TBS televsion productions.

With Grammy-award winning co-producer John Guth ("Harry Potter" soundtrack), Atwood produced two of her own CDs, "Northern Country" and "Renegade of the Light Brigade", which have received national and international airplay, as well as being used for background music for film and television in such diverse programming as Oprah, Animal Planet, Disovery Channel, Britney Spears Special, The History Channel and the Travel Channel. Her performing credits include opening and/or being on the bill with Tom Pacheco, Rod MacDonald, John Hall, Eric Andersen, Livingston Taylor, Kate Taylor, Tom Paxton, Odetta, Pete Seeger, John Stewart, Ronnie Blakeley, the subdudes and Bailey and The Boys, and she has been on the bill with many other folk and country legends such as Joan Baez, Tom Rush and Don McLean. Atwood continues to write, produce and perform in concerts, coffee houses, roadhouses and festivals. Her music, contact information and other interests can be found on her website at: www.peggyatwood.com

Known in the New York studio scene as a "go to" synthesizer specialist, Pete was at the vanguard of that technology in the 70's and 80's. His use of Moog synthesizers with Gil Evans was a vital part of the band's transformation into the electric/acoustic hybrid ensemble that captivated audiences worldwide, winning two Grammy® awards along the way. In 2007, Pete re-emerged as a band leader and master of reinvention, embracing his roots and first love, the Hammond Organ. Working with a group of iconic jazz sidemen (Joe Beck, Danny Gottlieb, Lenny White, Tony Levin, Mike DeMicco, Dave Stryker, Manolo Badrena, Harvey Sorgen) Pete has released 3 albums in the organ trio format. He currently tours with an organ trio along with guitarist Dave Stryker and drummer Lenny White.
www.petelevin.com

The Crowmatix perform150 shows a year. Professor Louie, vocals, keyboards & accordion along with bandmates - vocalist/percussionist Miss Marie, drummer Gary Burke (Joe Jackson, Bob Dylan), bassist Frank Campbell (Steve Forbert) and guitarist Josh Colow (Jesse Winchester).

Professor Louie & the Crowmatix have the distinct honor of being the only artists to have a live concert recording released by The New York State Museum.

"a tasty mix of rhythm and blues and rock & roll. Americana at it's best"
- Village Voice

"The Crowmatix tour nationally & abroad and every concert gets better than the last"
…Elmore Magazine

For info: www.thecrowmatix.com

His trailblazing on the trombone has influenced an entire generation of trombonists who hear his extroverted gut bucket stylings as the modern incarnation of the New Orleans style. He has equally a passionate lyricism in the tradition of American folk songs and ballads.

Roswell Rudd has received international recognition as a performer, and for his compositions and arrangements ranging from large scale music dramas to instrumental jazz suites. His jazz operas BLUES FOR PLANET EARTH and GOLD RUSH have achieved cult status from their performances in the 1960's.

His solo recordings include the well known EVERYWHERE, Rudd's Sextet (1966 - Impulse), which was re-released in 1998 by Impulse and included the Cecil Taylor Unit in which Rudd performs as well ; FLEXIBLE FLYER, (1973 and 1998 Arista Freedom ), and REGENERATION (1982 and 1998 - SOUL NOTE) . He has been a featured soloist on numerous other recordings and in 1999 the Steve Lacy/Roswell Rudd Quartet recorded MONK'S DREAM which was released on Universal/Verve.

In the 1970's and '80's he was the recipient of several grants from the NEA in composition and performance.

He has taught at the New England Conservatory of Music, Bard College, University of Maine.

BROAD STROKES, released in 2000 on Knit Media, was nominated for four grammy's. His duo CD Archie Shepp/Roswell Rudd LIVE IN NEW YORK on Universal was voted one of the best of 2001 by Gary Giddins of The Village Voice and by Jazz Magazine, the leading French publication. Mr. Rudd was honored, along with Mr. Shepp, as a Masters of American Music in 2003.

In 2,000 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in composition.

In August 2010 he was voted #1 in the Downbeat Critics Poll.

In 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2010 he was voted Trombonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association.

On and off for a period of three decades, Roswell Rudd assisted Alan Lomax with his world song style project and the wealth of information on the music of this planet inspired him to collaborate beyond the periphery of western music.

MALIcool, (Universal/Sunnyside) was recorded in Bamako, Mail in 2001 with both Malian and American musicians and premiered at St Ann's. It was voted one of the best CD's of 2003 by AFRO-Pop and has received accolades for its unique achievements from journalists of both jazz and world music.

Roswell Rudd and the Mongolian Buryat Band - BLUE MONGOL, was released on Sunnyside in the fall of 2005. They toured the US in 2007.

EL ESPIRITU JIBARO, a collaboration with ¥omo Toro was released in 2007 on Sunnyside. In 2007 with grants from the Asian Cultural Council and the Trust for Mutual Understanding he toured performing in China, Mongolia and Russia.

The Roswell Rudd Quartet was released in 2008 on Sunnyside featuring original songs.

2009, RUDD'S TROMBONE TRIBE , on Sunnyside, lept into the world to rave reviews. He realized this project with a grant from the NYS Music Fund, which had an educational component which brought him to the local high school. They performed music Rudd wrote for them under his supervision.

Rudd, who truns 75 in 2010 will release a new CD on Sunnyside called THE INCREDIBLE HONK Singles- A Sides.

In February 2009, he was a guest on Prairie Home Companion with Michael Doucet and Beau Soleil. They perform and record together.

Rudd conducts Master Classes and Workshops both here and abroad including Harvard, Manhattan School of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Berklee School of Music.

In 2004 he brought his TROMBONE TRIBE to perform at the 4th Festival in the Desert in Essakane, Timbuctou, Mali.

He tours regularly with his new Quartet, and his TROMBONE TRIBE. Rudd is a featured guest around the world.

Rudd is one of the giants. His active playing force is to be greatly welcomed, with his larger-than-life individualism.

For complete discography and more information
www.roswellrudd.com

They've released two albums; Talk Radio in 2009 and Fortune Cookie Philosophy in 2011. The latter is currently spinning on radio stations from New England to Hawaii and XM.

They've played Mountain Jam Festival, Pleasantville Music Festi-val, Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, Rosendale Street Festival, Utica Music and Arts Festival, and has opened for major acts in-cluding Loretta Lynn, John Hall, Jakob Dylan and Dave Mason.

Their follow up, Loaded, heralded as one of NPR's "Overlooked 11," was released 2 years later. The Woods' long-awaited third full-length studio album, Smoke Ring Halo, was released August 2, 2011 on Zac Brown's Southern Ground Records.
Credits:
Off the album, Up Above My Head
Traditional, arranged by The Wood Brothers

Bonham got together with guitarist Smokey Hormel (Tom Waits, Beck, Rufus Wainwright) and his "Roundup" trio in a Brooklyn studio and began cutting tracks that reflected the changes in her life in an honest, open way. "It was the most fun I have ever had making a record because I didn't have anyone looking over my shoulder," admits Bonham. "It was so liberating to do this totally on my own, without the pressure of a record label. I didn't care about things like radio anymore. These rules were so far behind me and, in a way, I felt like I was pushing myself to tread new ground." That freedom comes across on Masts of Manhatta (Engine Room Recordings, July 13), Bonham's best and most personal record to date. Recorded both in Brooklyn and Woodstock, NY (where the singer alternates between residencies), Masts suggests the dichotomy surrounding the two environments, the singer's own personal journey as well as the changing rules of the music industry. "The city versus country theme threads through the record," says Bonham. "This is my life at the moment: the balance of nature and the big city. Longing to be surrounded by nature, to get back to a quiet and balanced life, but also loving life in the city and being inspired by it."

The title is taken from the Walt Whitman poem "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," which she'd read on vacation in Mexico while taking a break from recording. The author is in a state of wonder, feeling connected to all things as he crosses the East River on a crowded commuter ferryboat. He looks back at the lower Manhattan skyline as if they were masts on a ship, commanding them to stand tall in celebration of their beauty. "This poem summed up these new songs for me," says Bonham. "It's about maintaining a sense of peace and stillness, of connectedness to all in nature, while living in a bustling New York City."

Masts reflects the singer's peripatetic lifestyle, moving between tango-influenced rhythms ("Devil's Got Your Boyfriend"), Tom Waits-inspired Klezmer folk-punk ("Josephine") and pastoral country ("We Moved Our City to the Country") with multiple pit stops in between. On the latter, Bonham recalls the initial feelings that come with moving from an urban area to a rural setting. "It's about transposing that city mentality into country life and finding the humor inherent in that," says the singer. "Musically, it's a little schizophrenic and reflects my attempt to piece together disparate feelings while still maintaining a sense of balance with the duality."

Bonham retains her unique ability to make the prosaic poetic and on Masts, has worried less about how her lyrics may be perceived. "From a writing point of view, there are certain lyrics on Masts that probably don't make sense to anybody else. The old me might have said, 'That's too specific. It's going to shut everybody out.' But now, this is who I am now. Take it or leave it."

As on past efforts, romance, love and heartache make their appearance, but where Bonham's early vocal efforts displayed a rebellious snarl, the singer nowadays takes a softer, if no less direct, approach. Her wry wit, however, remains, conjuring up a mix of humor and despair on "Reciprocal Feelings": "I'd like to be my own best friend/Turns out there's no reciprocal feelings/What a total snob."

A native of Eugene, OR, Bonham began singing at age five, playing the violin at nine and piano at age 14. After earning a violin scholarship at University of Southern California, she transferred to Berklee College of Music to study voice and began writing and recording her own material. On her 1996 debut The Burdens of Being Upright, Bonham established herself as a brash rocker with ironic nods to the emerging music of punk grrrrl bands. With blunt, direct observations on love and loss, the album went gold and earned the singer Grammy nominations for Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Female Vocalist.

Critics took notice as well. Rolling Stone noted "this classically trained Boston singer-songwriter sets meandering Aimee Mann-like melodies over bright electro-pop folk with string-laden atmospherics." "Mother Mother", her first single, became a nationwide anthem and earned the singer an MTV Video Music Awards nomination. From the late 1990s to the mid 2000s, Bonham steadily recorded and performed both individually and with numerous groups, appearing with everyone from Blue Man Group and Aerosmith and to Ron Sexsmith and Juliana Hatfield. Following 2005's Blink the Brightest and the 2006 EP In the City + In the Woods, the singer took some time to focus on other things, earning a yoga teaching certification while learning to live a more balanced life, not realizing initially that her non-musical experiences would be fodder for what would eventually become Masts.

"Making music is what I will always do," says Bonham. "I realized I didn't have to divide it into 'career' and 'not career'. I make music. I needed the music business machine for a minute. Now I realize I don't. Every record before this, I had some expectation for how the record should do commercially. But now, it's a wide open slate and I'm okay with that, as long as I can create new opportunities and grow from them. Life is so good right now; how could I go wrong?"

Christine Dominguez, from Newburgh, NY, is the original vocalist and co-author of the Grammy nominated hit song "Airplanes" by B.o.B and is collaborating with artists and producers in the Hip Hop/Urban community where her distinct and soulful vocals are in demand. T. Xiques grew up in Putnam Valley, NY, an only child in a musical family. He started gigging as a professional drummer at age 15 and continued on to tour across the US, Canada, Europe and Malaysia with diverse artists Savoy Brown, Dr.Know and Daryl Jenifer (Bad Brains), Colin Hay and Brother, among many others. WeMustBe recorded & produced their self-titled, debut album and are collaborating with other artists.

www.WeMustBe.com