Don Braden

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio (and a former Harvard University Engineering student),
saxophonist/composer/educator Don Braden has toured the world with jazz greats Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, and many others. He has recorded on nearly fifty CDs as a sideman and has produced thirteen CDs as a leader, the latest of which is "Workin'", released in 2006 on the HighNote label. He has composed music for countless concerts, for all of his CDs and for
a number of independent films; plus he spent four years as composer for the
CBS sitcom “Cosby” and has written for "Little Bill." In 2000, he was one of the
recipients the Doris Duke Foundation New Works composer's grant.

He works extensively as an educator, teaching for Litchfield Performing Arts, the
New Jersey Performaing Arts Center, and the Prins Claus Conservatoire in
Groningen, Holland. He worked for eight years as an adjunct professor at William
Paterson University, and has been a guest clinician at many other schools.

To read more or listen to some of Don's music, please visit www.donbraden.com.

Mark Rapp

Jazz trumpeter and composer Mark Rapp has played sold out shows at the Blue Note (NY), Joe's Pub, Yoshi's (San Francisco), Dizzy's at Jazz Lincoln Center and such venues as the JVC Newport Jazz Festival, JazzTime Festival (Croatia), Jazzland (Vienna), W.C. Handy Festival, Sonoma Wine & Song, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage and more.

Mark was named a "top emerging trumpeter" by Downbeat Magazine, featured on a Travel Channel documentary and has played with artists from Branford Marsalis to Hootie and the Blowfish and most recently recorded with Don Braden and Gerald Clayton. His debut CD Token Tales is receiving critical acclaim and charted #20 on the Jazz Week Charts. In 2007 Down Beat listed Rapp on their very short list of, “Top emerging jazz trumpeters.”  JazzTimes and AllAboutJazz.com also had great praises, writing, “(Rapp) has his own way of defining jazz, which keeps its standard principles… while delving into the experimental side.” and "Rapp lives up to his billing as one of today's exciting young trumpeters."

For more info or to listen to a few tunes, visit http://www.markrapp.com

Anders Osborne

Anders was born in 1966 in Uddevalla, Sweden, left home at age sixteen, and hitchhiked and played music throughout Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the U.S. He settled in New Orleans in 1985 and still calls Louisiana his home.

During his first decade in New Orleans, Anders lived in the French Quarter and played regularly in local clubs. After gaining a following, Anders received an independent record deal with Rabadash Records out of New Orleans, and released "Doin’ Fine" in 1989.

Anders and his band toured the U.S. during these years and in 1995, he was signed to Okeh Records. He released "Which Way to Here", and album that dealt with spirituality and tolerance. The record became Osborne’s first commercial break with two top-five singles “Favorite Son” and “Pleasin’ You.” Both were featured in several Hollywood movies, and the latter was later recorded by Jonny Lang.

Shanachie Entertainment signed Osborne in 1998 and in 1999 released his fourth album, "Living Room", a very personal record that signified some new directions in Anders’ music after the breakup with his longtime partner Theresa Andersson, drug use, and a family death. This album also features guest appearances by Keb Mo, Kirk Joseph and Tommy Malone.

Keb' Mo's 1998 Grammy award winning album "Slow Down", featured two songs co-written with Osborne.

Since 1994, Anders has been working as a professional songwriter in Nashville, first for Polygram and now for Universal where he writes and produces for other artists.

His song, “Watch the Wind Blow By,” was recorded by country music star Tim McGraw, hitting No. 1 on the country charts for 2 weeks and selling over 3 million albums.

To learn more or listen, please visit http://www.myspace.com/andersosbornenola