Bunny Brunel

Bass legend Bunny Brunel has performed and recorded with a “who's who” list of music industry giants. Notables include Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams , Jack Dejohnette, Al Jarreau, Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Stanley Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Ziggy Marley, Gloria Estefan, Larry Coryell, Al Dimeola, Mike Stern, Joe Farrell, Michel Polnareff and a list too numerous to mention here. Besides his work as a performer, he is equally at home in the roles of composer, arranger, producer and designer. As a soundtrack composer Bunny collaborated with Clint Eastwood in creating the main theme (Claudia's theme) for the award winning film, "The Unforgiven.” He also worked on several TV shows, including the popular series "Highlander.” In 2007 Bunny was the music director of France’s highest grossing tour of mega-pop star Michel Polnareff. “Ze Tour” was attended by over 3 million people. This production received The Victoire de la Musique (France’s equivilent of The Grammy) for best live performance. Bunny has released eight wonderful solo albums; Touch, Ivanhoe, Mometum, Dedication, Fpor You To Play, LA Zoo, and his latest Café Au Lait. Bunny produces and performs with the group CAB with fusion giants with Tony MacAlpine, Virgil Donati, Brian Auger, Patrice Rushen and Dennis Chambers, releasing 4 albums, CAB, CAB2, CAB4, CAB Live and Theatre De Marionnettes. CAB2 received a Grammy Nominattion for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album.” These projects highlight his beautiful compositions and melodic solos and show off breathtaking bass lines.

For more info visit his website at: bunnybrunel.com.

Tony MacAlpine

Progressive metal guitar virtuoso Tony MacAlpine began his musical education as a classically-trained pianist and violinist; his subsequent rock recordings retained a pronounced classical influence, incorporating elements of jazz and fusion as well.

He debuted in 1986 with the instrumental Edge of Insanity, recorded with an all-star line-up including bassist Billy Sheehan and ex-Journey drummer Steve Smith; for the follow-up, Project: Driver, MacAlpine formed the band M.A.R.S. with drummer Tommy Aldridge, vocalist Bob Rock and bassist Rudi Sarzo. The group quickly dissolved and MacAlpine returned to his solo career, additionally forming his own label, Squawk; after 1987's Maximum Security, he founded another group, dubbed simply MacAlpine, with singer Alan Schorn, keyboardist Mark Robertson, bassist Mike Jacques and drummer Billy Carmassi.

The band's lone record, Eyes of the World, appeared in 1990, and MacAlpine returned to instrumental projects for the remainder of the decade, issuing a series of albums including 1992's Freedom to Fly, 1995's Evolution, 1997's Live Insanity and 2000's Cab. Cab 2 followed in 2001.

Cab 2 got a Grammy nomination in 2002 for best contemporary Jazz album.

Tony still continues to pump out some rip-roaring guitar tracks for the upcoming Planet X album : MoonBabies

For more info visit his website at: tonymacalpine.com.

Virgil Donati

Virgil is known amongst professional drummers as a technical virtuoso, having developed incredible power and flexibility (whilst playing traditional grip), mastered polyrhythyms, odd-time playing and intricate phrasing, attained blinding quickness and powerful, metronomic precision - all with a rare attention to showmanship and visual playing.

While currently carving a career in Los Angeles while maintaining his busy schedule of clinics, Virgil's diverse influences of rock, jazz, and fusion from the likes of Miles, Coltrane, Buddy, Deep Purple, Carl Palmer, Zeppelin, The Police and Soundgarden all contribute to his tremendous performance.

But it is no secret that it's Virgil's feet that have gained him the most attention, both in Australia and internationally. Having developed incredible speed both with single and double-stroke rolls on the bass drums, he is able to hold complex, often odd-time and syncopated ostinatos at ridiculous tempos with his feet whilst soloing freely and musically with his hands.

Donati is beginning to be recognized as one of the true enduring masters - hence this quote from Modern Drummer Awards' Hall of Famer Dave Weckl - "I mean look at Virgil. Imagine how much you'd have to practice to get that good!"

He has recently moved to the United States. Since then, Virgil has joined Derek Sherinian's L.A. prog-metal group Planet X, and either with this group or solo, he's been causing heads to turn and jaws to drop across the country, on the clinic trail, and setting new performance standards for the L.A. studio scene.

For more info visit his website at: virgildonati.com.

Patrice Rushen

Multi-Grammy-nominated artist, PATRICE RUSHEN, is fashioning her career after her long-time friend and mentor, Quincy Jones. Composer... Producer... International Recording Artist --Rushen has definitely earned the respect awarded her by her peers in the music industry.Admired by many for her ground-breaking achievements, Rushen has amassed an impressive list of "firsts". She was the first woman in 43 years to serve as head composer/musical director for television's highest honor, the EMMY AWARDS, the first woman to serve as musical director for the NAACP IMAGE AWARDS broadcast, an honor she has held for ten consecutive years. Rushen has been the only woman musical direct or/composer for the PEOPLES CHOICE AWARDS, HBO's COMIC RELIEF and the only woman musical director/conductor/arranger for a late-night television talk show, THE MIDNIGHT HOUR which aired on CBS. In addition, Rushen was named musical director/composer for Newsweek's first AMERICAN ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS, broadcast on CBS from the Kennedy Center and she served as the musical director for Janet Jackson's World Tour, "janet." As the musical director for these top award shows, Rushen composed and performed special musical tributes to Michael Landon, Ted Turner, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, The Temptations, James Garner and Leonard Bernstein to name a few.

Considered one of the world's top jazz pianists, Rushen has performed with and produced for such esteemed artists as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Prince, Lionell Hampton, Carlos Santana, Boys II Men, George Benson, Bunny Brunel, Jean Luc Ponty, Tom Jones, Nancy Wilson, Michael Jackson, Dianne Reeves, Sheena Easton, Stanley Turentine, Joshua Redman and on and on. Rushen has played at the world's most prestigious jazz festivals, she has played with philharmonic orchestras and has even written an award winning symphony. Rushen has 14 solo albums to her credit and a greatest hits anthology released on Rhino Records in 1997.

For more info visit her website at: patricerushen.com.