LARRY VUCKOVICH ALL-STARS

Yugoslavian-born West Coast jazz pianist Larry Vuckovich has spent over six decades performing and recording across three continents. Praised by Barry Harris as "one of the premier West Coast pianists," Vuckovich is equally accomplished in hard-swinging bebop, post-bop, world music fusion, and blues, with notable collaborations alongside Dexter Gordon, Jon Hendricks, Bobby Hutcherson, and other jazz luminaries.

Skylar Tang is a multidisciplinary trumpeter and composer from the San Francisco Bay Area who has emerged as a bright young voice in the international jazz scene. She studies History and Jazz Performance at Columbia University and The Juilliard School, and has performed with renowned artists including Sean Jones, DeeDee Bridgewater, and Joshua Redman. As a bandleader and composer, Tang creates thoughtful, innovative music that seeks to capture moments of presence and build community.

Steve Heckman is a New York-born saxophonist and composer deeply influenced by John Coltrane's music. A multi-instrumentalist proficient on tenor, soprano, and baritone saxophone as well as flute, he has written 75 original jazz compositions and performed with numerous jazz luminaries across traditional, bebop, and avant-garde styles.

Héctor Lugo is a percussionist, singer, songwriter, and educator born and raised in Puerto Rico who has been a central figure in the Bay Area's Latin, jazz, and Afro-Caribbean music scenes since 1989. He is the founder and director of the Latin-roots band La Mixta Criolla, a founding member of the bomba ensemble Grupo Aguacero, and founder of the Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop, dedicating himself to the study and teaching of Latin American and Caribbean music, history, and culture.

Doug Miller is a respected jazz bassist and composer who was a mainstay of the Seattle jazz scene for 23 years, appearing with world-leading musicians including James Moody and Ken Peplowski, and touring with the Count Basie and Ellington Orchestras. A founding member of the critically-acclaimed trio New Stories and the avant-garde quartet Big Neighborhood, Miller is also an educator and composer whose works are widely recorded.

Jason Lewis is a jazz drummer and educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A graduate of San Jose State University's classical percussion program, he is a Professor of Jazz Studies at SJSU and an in-demand sideman who has performed and recorded with artists including Gary Burton, James Moody, Kurt Elling, Boz Scaggs, and Taylor Eigsti, as well as appearing on film and television soundtracks.

Jamie Davis is an acclaimed jazz vocalist and Grammy Award recipient (2023) known for his powerful bass-baritone voice and sophisticated interpretations of classic jazz standards. He gained international prominence as lead vocalist for the legendary Count Basie Orchestra (2000-2003) and has performed at major jazz venues and festivals worldwide, earning praise from critics and peers alike for his elegant phrasing and emotional depth.