Johnnie Valentino, guitarist, composer, sound designer

Born in 1957 in a South Philadelphia neighborhood filled with a history of jazz guitarists from 1920's legend Eddie Lang to contemporary jazz guitar legend Pat Martino, Johnnie studied privately as a young man with Dennis Sandole, Joe Sgro, and Pat Martino.  Also during that time he studied composition at Rutgers University while doing local club dates and recording sessions at Alpha recording studio for Philly World Records and gigs in Atlantic City.

In 1984, Johnnie relocated to Los Angeles where he has been musically active in writing, recording, scoring, performing, and sound designing for TV, films, and recordings.  John has provided sound design for TV animation shows including The Avengers, Alvin & The Chipmunks, The New Archies, Digimon, and V. R. Troopers & X-Men, among many others.  Live action TV credits include Power Rangers, The New Captain Kangaroo Show, and The New Mr Bill Show.  Film credits include Dirty Dancing, The Hurricane, Entrapment, In Too Deep, and Wonder Boys.  In 2000, Johnnie was awarded "Best Sound Design" at the International Monitor Awards in LA. 

Johnnie has recorded with some of today's leading contemporary improvisors including Alex Acuña, Bennie Maupin, Vinny Golia, Wadada Leo Smith, Billy Drewes, Oscar Brashear, Andy Laster, Kermit Driscoll, Sherman Ferguson, Luis Conte, Alphonso Johnson, Delmar Brown, and Pat Martino.  His previous releases include Free Exchange & Goin' Public on Four Winds and Searching Souls on 9 Winds.

[Visit Johnnie's website.]

Mick Rossi, pianist, percussionist, composer, improvisor

Pianist, percussionist, composer and conductor Mick Rossi (currently touring with Philip Glass) is known in the Downtown scene and beyond.  He has performed and recorded with Alex Acuña, Steven Bernstein, Billy Drewes, Dave Douglas, Peter Erskine, Eric Friedlander, Vinny Golia, Eddie Gomez, Hall & Oates, Gerry Hemingway, Andy Laster, Carly Simon, Leo Smith, and Cuong Vu, among others. Performances include the Knitting Factory, Fringe, Singapore, and Montreux jazz festivals, and NPR's All Things Considered, the Metropolitan Opera, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Late Night with David Letterman.  Recent films include The Vagina Monologues (HBO) and the hit Standing in the Shadows of Motown.  His most two recent recordings are They Have a Word for Everything (Knitting Factory Works) and One Block from Planet Earth (OmniTone).

[Visit Mick's website.]