Essex Jazz Ensemble Musicians

Pianist Steve Hunt, throughout his career, has stayed true to an uncompromising vision of composing and performing jazz music from his heart. Steve has continued to push himself technically, focusing on a musical style which is both challenging and meaningful… Steve credits jazz greats Keith Jarrett, Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Thelonius Monk as strong influences to his jazz style.........

Austin performs regularly with Jerry Bergonzi’s Quartet and has recently performed and/or recorded with Sean Jones, George Garzone, Joe Lovano, Lionel Loueke, Ben Monder, Lage Lund, Kate McGarry, Noah Preminger, Jason Palmer, and Grace Kelly. He has appeared as an opening act for Grammy award-winners Dianne Reeves and Esperanza Spalding. On tour, A. .....

As an award-winning bassist and composer Bruce Gertz is the recipient of National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Performance Award Grant, Massachusetts Cultural Council Musical Composition Award and numerous awards for outstanding Bassist from Boston Music Awards, A.S.C.A.P. Plus Popular Awards plus multiple recognition awards from The International Association of Jazz Educators and the Jazz Education Network, Bruce also serves as a Professor of Bass at Berklee College of Music ...

Praised by The Strad for his “…powerfully expressive style,” cellist Sebastian Bäverstam is a winner of the 2009 Concert Artists Guild International Competition. His recent performance at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall was noted in The Strad for its“consummate instrumental mastery,” with critic Dennis Rooney declaring “…the emergence of a mature artist.” This remarkable recital led to Mr. Bäverstam’s subsequent selection by Musical America as its “New Artist of the Month” for June 2011...