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Saxophonist and composer Hafez Modirzadeh has collaborated with the likes of Don Cherry, Peter Apfelbaum, and Fred Ho, and has been recorded on more than a dozen releases, including the seminal 1993 In Chromodal Discourse and the critically acclaimed 1996 work The People's Blues, as well as the soundtrack for the Mirimax film release of Kevin Spacey's Albino Alligator. His invention of the "chromodal" method allows for a nonlinear improvisational practice which is able to adapt and incorporate multiple systems of music, permitting a cross-cultural "conversation" between instruments, performers, and musical idioms. Born in 1962 of an Iranian father and European-American mother, Modirzadeh grew up in France and the U.S., identifying strongly with African-American blues and jazz as well as the rich traditions of classical Iranian music. Today, he is a renowned scholar in ethnomusicology, whose writings have been published in numerous journals, as well as in his book The Chromodal Approach to Improvised Music (Spartan Books Press, 1996). He is the recipient of two NEA Jazz Fellowships as well as an Artist-in-Residence Grant from the California Arts Council.

Dianthe "Dee" Spencer directs the Jazz and Popular Styles performance program at San Francisco State University. She has served as assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, Dartmouth College, Berklee College of Music, and Simmons College. A jazz pianist, singer, and composer/arranger, she performs in a wide variety of educational and cultural settings and lectures widely on the history of the jazz combo. At Berklee, Dee played with Branford Marsalis, Wallace Rooney, Greg Osby, Terri Lynn Carrington, Jeff Watts, and Marvin "Smitty" Smith. Her areas of expertise include jazz performance and improvisation, piano performance, and electronic music synthesis. The recipient of many honors, awards, and grants, she was recognized for "Outstanding Contributions to Jazz Education" by the International Association of Jazz Educators in 1986, 1989, 1990, and 1994. Recent activities include the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences Grammy in the Schools Committee, where she served as director of the 1994 San Francisco Bay Area All-Star Grammy High School Jazz Band. She has performed with former Tower of Power vocalist Lenny Williams, jazz legend John Handy, and was featured with the Bobby Murray Blues Band. Recent activities include a Bay Area Women's Philharmonic collaboration project with the Oberlin Dance Collective, Bobby McFerrin, and Voicestra. She is a member of the San Francisco Urban Institute, and has served as president of both the Northern California Chapters of the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Society of Ethnomusicologists. She also serves on the board of directors of the Community Music Center. Dee is actively involved with middle school and high school jazz band directors. Her current research deals with promoting jazz education as a violence-prevention tool for at-risk youth.

Percussionist Eddie Marshall has performed with many prominent jazz artists, including long associations with Toshiko Akiyoshi, Stan Getz, Bobby Hutcherson, and Bobby McFerrin. His current group New Flavor features his sons and has appeared at many leading venues.

Bassist David Motto has performed with numerous artists, including current work with Richard Waits, Jessie Turner, and the Caribbean jazz group Voz do Brasil.

As a musician, composer, and producer, Wayne Wallace has worked with numerous artists, including Angela Bofill, Pete Escovedo, Chris Isaak, and Santana. With an extensive background in Afro-Cuban jazz, Wallace received a 1993 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to compose an original work reflecting San Francisco's diverse musical cultures.