Dale Nesbitt is the son of a terrific Depression era jazz piano player in the style of Teddy Wilson who filled his house with music literally every day. When a high school band buddy handed him a vinyl Time Out by Dave Brubeck, he became addicted and spent hours trying to emulate him. Then along came Andre Previn’s My Fair Lady, which literally defined piano trio jazz for Dale. When he came to the San Francisco Bay Area, he was in front row for Oscar Peterson and Carmen McRae from 1970 on, in the tiny Matador or the stately Masonic Auditorium. You’ll hear inklings of Gene Harris’ bluesy style in Dale’s playing, and he has a bit of Bill Evans in him too. He exudes energy and it also defines his piano style.

John Sylvester came early to music and up through high school a primary influence was Johnny Hodges, followed later by Paul Desmond, and Stan Getz, who became his personal friend. John notes how all three got beautiful tone quality from their instruments, as well as musically innovative and fresh ideas. John sings a cabaret/cocktail vocal style reminiscent of Mel Torme, and he knows the lyrics to what seems like a million songs. He has also played piano and sung professionally.

Bill Hockett gave up on piano as an 8 year old, but came back thanks to boogie woogie in high school. In the 1960s he heard the sensational Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown capture the best of everything musical in their trios. He says “in 1960 when I first heard Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown doing I Remember Clifford I thought it was the most beautiful marriage of bass and piano I had every heard or could imagine”. He later took up the acoustic bass with some help from Seward McCain. In an era where bass solos appear in almost every tune, Bill’s focus remains on the rhythmic pulse – as he says “the heartbeat of the jazz trio or quartet, not far from its origins in primitive man on the dark continent.