These versatile musicians share curiosity, artistic maximalism and inventiveness.

Alister Spence is recognized as one of the most exciting and original improvising pianists and composers in contemporary Australian jazz.

He is a graduate of the Jazz Studies course at the NSW Conservatorium and has studied in New York with Cedar Walton and Andy La Verne, and also Mulgrew Miller (USA) and Benny Green (USA).

The best known from all of his groups is his trio with double bassist Lloyd Swanton and percussionist Toby Hall. This celebrated group has recorded 4 CDs of A.Spence’s original music two of which – Flux (2003) and Mercury (2006) – were nominated for Best Jazz Album 2004 at the ARIA (Australian recording Industry) Awards.

The trio toured in the UK and Japan, and was featured on the ABC TV documentary series on Australian jazz.

In addition, A.Spence co-leads internationally acclaimed group Clarion Fracture Zone and is a co-founder of Wanderlust and The Australian Art Orchestra. With these collectives the pianist has toured extensively in Europe and Asia, and has performed for radio broadcasts for ABC, BBC, and WDR (Germany).

Over the years A.Spence has played with many of the finest musicians in Australia including Bernie McGann, Don Burrows, Dale Barlow, Peter O’Mara, Tony Buck and Phillip Slater, and overseas artists including Mark Helias (US), Andy Sheppard (UK), and Satoko Fujii (Japan).

A.Spence’s compositions and playing is featured on more than 30 CDs, several of which have won ARIA Awards.

Moreover, A.Spence has composed music for film. His sound track for Ivan Sen’s feature film Beneath Clouds was nominated for the Best Score at The Film Critics Awards, and the Australian Film Industry Awards 2002.

The critics consider A.Spence to be one of the pianists who have brought about the present boom in piano trio music. He is praised for very distinctive musical vocabulary, intellectual taste and vitality.

In search for ideas and success Joe Williamson, a master of improvised music and free jazz, has travelled various countries and music continents. Born in Vancouver, he studied music in Canada and in 1992 moved to Europe where he lived in Amsterdam, Berlin and London. Last year he has settled in Stockholm.

In 2007, he earned Master Degree in Music from Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Beside jazz musicians, Joe Williamson collaborates with exponents of contemporary academic and electronic music. He has worked with such luminaries as Alexander von Schlippenbach, Eugene Chadbourne, Yannis Kyriakides, Chris Abrahams, Tony Buck, Evan Parker, Louis Moholo, Peggy Lee, Barry Guy, Mark Dresser, John Zorn, Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, Ned Rothenburg to name but a few.

The double bassist also worked and recorded with diverse ensembles. His collaboration with Tobias Delius Quartet (along Tobias Delius, Tristan Honsinger and Han Bennink) and Trapist received great critical recognition.

J.Williamson also appears as a vocalist and composer of vocal compositions. He performed in numerous concerts and festivals as soloist or a member of various formations in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Austria, the UK and Canada.

Christopher Cantillo is a rising star in Swedish jazz and improvised music scene.

He studied with Raymond Strid, Sten Sandell and Joakim Milder at the Stockholm Royal Conservatory.

Despite his young age, Ch. Cantillo has collaborated with a number of Swedish celebrities such as Fredrik Ljungkvist, Lina Nyberg, Nils Berg, Jonas Ostholm, Emil Strandberg, Fabian Kallerdahl, Torbjorn Zetterberg, Johan Berthling, Christine Sehnaoui, Rico Repotente, Christer Bothen, Linus Lindblom, Henrik Olsson and Magnus Granberg.