Edgar Steinitz grew up near the "Big Apple" saturated by arts and music. He frequented the Jazz scene in the 6-'s, and witnessed the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Buddy Rich. When not working as a physician (for decades Associate Professor, University of Washington Rehab) he gives up the reflex hammer for his horns. Some have nicknamed him the 'Dancin' Doc' because of his double-major in Chemistry and Dance-Theater. For the past 12 years, Edgar has studied with David Friesen, among others, and is honored to co-produce and release this work of passion, and dedication, entitled Roots Unknown honoring dual Ashkenazi and Sephardic heritages. He regularly performs with Jazz Connection and On the Rock.

Anyone acquainted with David Friesen's exceptional music quickly thinks of his creative universe. Ocean-deep in his sensitivity to the human spirit, Friesen is compassionate and his music founded on integrity and the pursuit of excellence.
David Friesen has recorded over 80 CDs as a leader/co-leader and appeared as a sideman or featured artist on more than 100 recordings.
He has performed and/or recorded with many of the great names and legends of jazz including: Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, Michael Brecker, Bud Shank, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Shaw, Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, Clark Terry, Joe Venuti, Mal Waldron, Jaki Byard, Kenny Drew Sr., Chick Corea, Milt Jackson, Slim Gaillard, John Scofield, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Paul Motian, Jack Dejohnette, Airto Moreira, and many others. He has performed in concert as a soloist (Friesen is one of two or three bassists in the world that is able to play a solo concert and keep an audience riveted) and with his own groups throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Turkey, Poland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, China, Russia, Lithuania, Czech Republic and the Ukraine.
In a recent 2006 jazz bass poll, David Friesen was listed as one of the 20 most influential bass players in the history of jazz. He is also included in a recent poll as one of the 100 Greatest Jazz Bassists of all time.
Friesen was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame at the first induction ceremony Sept. 2007 and the Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Fame in May 2012.
David Friesen's original composition Playground placed 2nd in the 2014 International Songwriting Competition with over 18,000 applicants.

Jay Thomas, a native of Seattle, is a versatile multi-instrumentalist (trumpet, flugelhorn, alto, tenor, soprano and flutes). His music is eclectic, drawing on all musical situations in his life. His music could be described as lyrical without losing touch with the blues. Jay's musical talent was recognized early on. While still in high school he was the recipient of a Down Beat one-year scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston. From Boston Jay moved to New York where he frequented Village jam sessions and worked one summer with Machito's Latin band. Three years later he had added flute and tenor to his repertoire. Through the mid-seventies Jay lived and played with top musicians in the Bay Area including Jessica Williams. In 1979 he moved back to Seattle and became a frequent member of the house band at Parnell's Jazz Club working engagements with jazz artists George Cables, Charles McPherson, Bill Mays, Ralph Penland, Harold Land, Diane Schuur and Slim Gaillard and sitting-in with many greats as they traveled thru Seattle. Jay can be heard on over 60 LPs and CDs. Blues For JW is Jay's eighth CD as leader and fifth release from McVouty Records. Jay's first two CDs, Easy Does It on Discovery Records and Blues For McVouty on Stash Records featured Cedar Walton and Billy Higgins. 360 Degrees on Hep Records (1995) and Rapture on Jazz Focus (1996) continued to establish Jay as one of the foremost players on the bop scene. Jay's previous CDs from McVouty Records titled Live at Tula's, Volume 1 and Volume 2 and 12th and Jackson Blues were live performances and have the feel of the after hours clubs where Jay first tested his jazz chops. Both gained high marks from audiences from Japan to Europe. Jay's two latest CDs with Becca Duran are: If You Could See Me Now, a showcase for Becca's blues and standards interpretations and Song For Rita, a trip to Brazil in the Getz/Gilberto tradition. Jay's other recordings run the gamut from hip-hop, acid-jazz, rock, Latin, big band and many small jazz groups. Current favorite releases are: two with Jessica Williams, Joy and Jessica's Blues and four big band recordings, On Going Home and Things For Now with the James Knapp Orchestra, Red Kelly's Heroes with the Ramsay/Kleeb Orchestra featuring Pete Christlieb and Use Us with Continued In The Underground Jazz Orchestra (Japanese big band). Jay is featured on the latest Bud Shank CD, On the Trail. This was the last recording by Conte Condoli and Jay is playing tenor and soprano sax in a sextet setting with Bill Mays piano Joe LaBarbera drums and Bob Magnuson bass and of course Bud on alto. Two recent recordings have Jay teamed up with jazz greats, Ray Brown (Blues for Dexter, Wolfetones Records) and Elvin Jones (Jones for Elvin, Hip City Records). Jay has appeared in concert with the bands of Mel Lewis, Clayton-Hamilton, Maria Schneider, Bill Holman, Bob Florence and Frank Wess. He has played festivals at Wolf Trap with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan, the Aspen Jazz Festival with Herb Ellis, Jake Hanna and Mel Ryne (recorded with them on Roll Call), the duMaurier Jazz Festival three times with Chuck Israels and the duMaurier again in 1996 and 1997 with the Jay Thomas Quartet. Jay has toured Canada with John Stowell and also toured Great Britain with jazz legend Slim Gaillard recording there with Slim, Jay McShann and Buddy Tate. In the summer of 2002, Jay again traveled to Europe, this time with the Bud Shank Sextet featuring Plas Johnson. Jay has taken his group with Becca Duran to Japan several times, once representing Seattle in a jazz exchange and has been a regular member and featured soloist with one of Japan's leading big bands where he records and performs several times a year. Today Jay is busy performing, giving clinics, recording and teaching. With his wife, Becca Duran, they have a new group that blends jazz with many South American and African rhythmic traditions. Their new CD Song For Rita is a result of that collaboration. Jay's musical voice has matured over the last 20 years. His is a very personal and recognizable sound, characterized by warmth, lyricism and rhythmic authority. Readers of Earshot Magazine selected Jay as Musician of the Year for 1996 and 1998. Jay was also chosen as one of the top 10 players in the "Brass on Fire" search conducted by the national magazine, JAZZIZ.