Joe McPhee

Joe McPhee grew up in New York, is a multi-instrumentalist and plays since the late 60ties within the creative and free jazz music world. His play is energetic, demanding and breathtaking sensitive - still with over 80 years! He learnt to play trumpet as a kid and - inspired by John Coltrane, Albert Ayler and Ornette Colemann - he thought himself saxophone in his thirties. McPhee's first recording was with Clifford Thornton in 1967 on the album "Freedom and Unity". He became involved and known in Europe in the midd 70ties and since the 90ties he also plays with a younger generation from Chicago and New York. He played/plays regular for example with Ken Vandermark, Peter Brötzmann, Evan Parker, Mats Gustafsson, Dominic Duval, Jay Rosen, Jeb Bishop, The Thing, Clifton Hyde, Jérôme Bourdellon, Raymond Boni, Joe Giardullo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_McPhee

Susanna Gartmayer

Susanna Gartmayer grew up in Vienna and started to play saxophone and after her studies in fine arts she swichted to bass clarinet. She is active as composer, soloist and plays in many ensembles and groups; form experimental rock to free improvisation and contemporary music. In the last decade she became one of the important bass clarinet musician in Austria. In duo with double bass player Manu Mayr, she played the opening concert for the 40. Jazzfestival in Saalfelden in 2019 . She is a member of "The Vegetable Orchestra" which tours around the globe and plays for example regular with Stefan Schneider, Thomas Berghammer, Didi Kern, Christof Kurzmann, Alex Kranabitter, Mona Matbou-Riahi, Jakob Gnigler and Brigitta Bödenauer. Together with Thomas Berghammer and Didi Kern she organizes and curates the weekly event "Monday Improvisers Session" in Vienna.
https://gartmayer.klingt.org/

John Edwards

John Edwards grew up in London and started experimenting with the bass guitar before he switched in his twenties to play double bass. He is deeply rooted in the creative free jazz and improvisation genre. Since the 80ties he is as soloist and in many groups and ensembles in Europe active and became one of the most renowned bass players. He played/plays regular for example with Peter Brötzmann, Joe Mc Phee, Phil Minton, Maggie Nichols, Evan Parker, Roscoe Michtell, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Mark Sanders, Caroline Kraabel, John Butcher, Pat Thomas, Irène Schweizer, Hans Koch, Florian Stoffner, Gabriele Mitelli,  John Dikeman.

"I think John Edwards is absolutely remarkable: there’s never been anything like him before, anywhere in jazz." - Richard Williams, The Blue Moment

MARIÁ PORTUGAL

Mariá Portugal grew up in São Paulo, Brasil and is since the age of 16 an active musician, touring in South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania and present on international jazz and improvisation Festivals. She is drummer and singer and also composes for dance, theater and movies soundtracks. 2020 she was invited to a residency by the Moers Festival in Cologne and lives since then in Germany. Nevertheless after 28 years she is still deeply connected to her Brazilian music community. She plays with the instrumental group Quartabê and with musicians like Arrigo Barnabé, Elza Soares, Metá Metá, Maria Beraldo, Maggie Nicols, Charlotte Hug, Angelika Niescier, Gerald Cleaver, Ute Wasserman, Joëlle Leandre, Billy Martin, Burkhard Beins, Emilio Gordoa, Fred Frith, Jasper van't Hof and Paul van Kemenade. Portugal is also curator of Soundtrips-NRW for the city of Duisburg.
https://www.mariaportugal.com/