Globe-trotting drummer Alan Jones is best-known for his work with bassist David Friesen his leadership for many years of the Alan Jones Sextet, which for many Northwest listeners defines the essence of Portland jazz with its adventurous, hard-swinging original music, grounded in both jazz tradition and the rugged individualism of the Northwest.

Tarik Abouzied is an active performer, studio musician, and teacher in the Northwest. He is a founding member of Seattle-based funk/jazz group Pocket Change and a part of numerous jazz and rock groups. His drumming has been influenced by study under local and national greats like Origin Records' John Bishop and The Headhunters' Mike Clark, and countless hours of listening to his personal favorites Billy Kilson, John Bonham, Brian Blade, Matt Cameron, and Nate Smith. His current project, Hardcoretet, features original music inspired by the desire of its members to perform challenging music with depth and a hardcore groove.

Mark is a versatile freelance drummer/percussionist with extensive experience in many different idioms from pop-rock to big band to jazz to orchestral settings. He has performed with many national jazz artists including Larry Coryell, Freddie Hubbard, Diane Schuur, Mose Allison, Charlie Byrd and Eartha Kitt. He is currently performing and recording with the Jovino Santos Neto quartet, Sonando, and The Nick Manson trio. In the classical field, Mark has performed with the Honolulu, Spokane and Walla Walla Symphony Orchestras. Mark is a founding member of the professional percussion ensemble "Happy Hammers". This group performs percussion music of various ethnic influences including steel drums of Trinidad, African drumming of the Ewe and Yoruba tribes, Afro-Cuban drumming, Brazilian samba and American jazz on mallet keyboard instruments.

Matt Jorgensen

Since moving back to Seattle in 2002 after 10 years in New York City, Matt Jorgensen has been active in all aspects of the Seattle jazz scene. He has recorded four CD ’s with his group Matt Jorgensen +451 for Origin Records, and has toured extensively from New York to LA and in 2003 picked up an award for “Best Acoustic Jazz Group” by Earshot Jazz.

As a sideman he is frequently called on by an impressive list of musicians including Peter Bernstein, Eric Alexander, Bill Mays, Vincent Herring, George Colligan, Reggie Workman, Tim Ries, Chuck Leavell and others.

Matt is also a founder and co-Artistic Director of the Ballard Jazz Festival and has produced jazz concerts in association with Bumbershoot and others.