John Daversa is a versatile and respected performer, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, and educator. Coming from a musical family, Daversa took an immediate interest in music at an early age; first through piano and voice, and later with trumpet and EVI (Electric Valve Instrument).
By the age of 15, jazz had become part of John’s identity as he attended the Los Angeles Music Magnet, Hamilton High School Academy of the Arts, from 1989 to 1991. After high school, he attended UCLA studying with classical trumpet virtuosi Mario Guarneri and Malcolm McNab. Although John’s musical interests were firmly placed in jazz (playing trumpet and electric bass in the UCLA jazz bands), he pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in classical composition. During that time, John won the Herb Alpert Award, David Joel Miller Award, National Trumpet Competition, ITG Jazz Soloist Competition, and was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.
In 1996, he formed the John Daversa Progressive Big Band, which continues to perform regularly in the Los Angeles area. Over the past two years, the band has developed a following at the world famous Baked Potato, performing the last Sunday of every month. Daversa’s compositions and improvisations mirror a musical philosophy that aims to stretch boundaries, while maintaining a reverence for the jazz tradition.
From 2000-2003, John served as Musical Director for Holiday On Ice’s “In Concert”, a large-scale production show based in Europe. He has also toured North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia performing with various artists. He has performed on The Today Show, Late Nite with David Letterman, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Live 8 (Berlin), Hamburg Music Festival, Java Jazz Festival (Jakarta), Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreux Festival, and the Playboy Jazz Festival.
John has had the opportunity to arrange and/or compose for Fiona Apple (Extraordinary Machine, 2005), Eleisha Eagle (Lamplighter 2006), Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (Tribute to Burt Bacharach Live Show, 2005), and Pacific Serenades (Between the Thoughts, 2008) and James Tormé (Love For Sale, 2009).
In 2006, he produced Phil Crosby, Jr.’s Christmas album, Time For Christmas (Vingilot Records), and recently completed production for E1 Entertainment recording artist, James Tormé. John was the Musical Director for Warner Brothers recording artist Renee Olstead from 2004-2009.
Dr. Daversa earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from The University of California, Los Angeles, a Master of Fine Arts degree in Jazz Studies at California Institute of the Arts in 2006, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California. He is currently a jazz faculty member at California State University Northridge.

With his signature Hammond organ style and versatility on many keyboards, Boston native Larry Goldings (b. 1968) has traversed not only the wide spectrum of jazz where he is perhaps best known, but also the worlds of funk, pop, and alternative music. High in demand as a sideman, Goldings' sound can be heard on scores of albums by artists in virtually every musical genre.
In recent years, his distinctive playing has graced the albums of Christina Aguilera, Walter Becker, Solomon Burke, Tracy Chapman, De La Soul, Robben Ford, Steve Gadd, Melody Gardot, Herbie Hancock, Jesse Harris, Colin Hay, India.Arie, Al Jarreau, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Madeleine Peyroux, John Pizzarelli, David Sanborn, Sia, Luciana Souza, and many others.
Goldings has collaborated closely, on the road and in the studio, with such artists as Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, Maceo Parker, Madeleine Peyroux, John Scofield, and James Taylor. Taylor's retrospective album, One Man Band (Hear Music), represents the culmination of two and a half year worldwide tour, with Goldings as Mr. Taylor's sole collaborator/accompanist, or "one man band." The album, which was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), features an original composition by Larry entitled "School Song." As a leader, Larry has released 15 albums, many of which feature his long time organ trio with Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart. This group is widely recognized for charting new ground, with the musicians' synergistic playing and their hard-swinging, yet very thoughtful, music. In 2007, Larry (alongside John Scofield and Jack DeJonnette) received a Best Jazz Album Grammy nomination for their recording, Trio Beyond - Saudades (ECM).
In the past decade, Goldings has become increasingly known as a composer, arranger, and producer. Goldings' compositions have been recorded by Michael Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Bob Dorough, Jim Hall, John Scofield, Toots Thielemans, Curtis Stigers, Jane Monheit, Gaby Moreno and Sia Furler, among others. His songs and arrangements also appear in the films Space Cowboys, Proof, and Funny People. Goldings is a featured performer in the 2009 Clint Eastwood documentary, The Dream's on Me, playing original arrangements of several classic Johnny Mercer tunes on piano and Hammond organ. Also sought out by the advertising world, Larry has written music for Amtrak, Time Warner Cable, and others.
Current projects include his recent album, When Larry Met Harry (Cafe Society Records), featuring sax great Harry Allen. In May, Goldings released a solo piano record, In My Room (BFM Jazz), exploring songs by Brian Wilson, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, The Zombies, Stephen Foster, Abdullah Ibrahim and others. It also includes new compositions, and prepared piano improvisations.

Born and raised in Southern California, Josh Nelson maintains an active schedule as a pianist, composer, touring and recording artist, and educator. Josh has recorded on countless albums, films, and television, but also focuses on his own projects: Anticipation (2004), Let it Go (2007), and I Hear a Rhapsody (2009). Discoveries (2011) signaled a change in artistic direction with the unvieiling of "The Discvoery Project", an exploration into the world of live music with interactive visual multi-media components. His new album Exploring Mars (2015) ventures to the Red Planet. At 36 years old, he has already performed with some of the most respected names in jazz, including Natalie Cole, Anthony Wilson, Benny Golson, Sheila Jordan, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Richard Galliano, Dave Koz, Seamus Blake, Matt Wilson, Sara Gazarek, Grace Kelly, Jack Sheldon, Tom Scott, and Peter Erskine. Josh studied with pianist Cecilia Coleman at Long Beach State. Josh's compositions and performances have earned him many awards, scholarships, and accolades over the years, some of which include the Louis Armstrong Award, the John Philip Sousa Award, and as a semi-finalist in the prestigious 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition.