Shawn Maxwell - Alto Saxophone:

Shawn Maxwell of Aurora, Illinois is an accomplished woodwinds multi-instrumentalist (saxophones, clarinet and flute) professional jazz performer. He is also a teacher, composer, and arranger.

Shawn attended Milikin University in Decatur, Illinois and received a Bachelors Degree in Commercial Music in 1999. Since 1999 Shawn has been in high demand as a performer and clinician. He began his career as an entertainer on a Caribbean cruise line. Since that time he has toured in Sweden, London, Portugal, and Greece. Additionally, he has played with numerous jazz combos at venues throughout greater Chicagoland. Known for his high-level and high-energy playing Shawn Maxwell has a loyal fan base and regularly draws an appreciative crowd at his engaging performances.

In late 2004 Shawn put together his own band, The Shawn Maxwell Quartet, to record what would be his debut CD, "Originals." "Originals," features the compositions, arranging and production skills of Shawn. In the Fall of 2006 The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Committee placed Shawn Maxwell on the Official Ballot for the 2007 Grammy Awards in the following categories: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

Shawn has also recently signed with the prestigious and legendary Conn-Selmer Company to join their Performance and Educational Artist Roster. In addition to his busy performance schedule Shawn maintains a private lesson studio of 50 students in Oswego, IL and continues to work as a clinician with young performers throughout the Chicago area.

Bill McGinty - Piano/Keyboards:

By the time Bill was a senior in high school, he was playing Dave Brubeck originals like "Time Out" and "Blue Rhondo a la Turk", as well as his own compositions, with his first band, a jazz quartet. At the age of 20, he made a transition from playing piano to Hammond organ, and also from jazz to R&B and rock and roll. More recently, following his last two year stint gigging weekly as one of the founding members of the locally popular blues/rock band, "61 Beale Street", he has returned to the music that he loves best, and founded "Shaken, not Stirred".

Self taught, Bill drew influence and inspiration from a diverse group of musicians, including Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Ramsey Lewis, Ray Manzarek, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff. He also prefers an equally diverse approach to jazz. "Catching a feeling, an emotion, and then throwing in a few surprises" is what Bill likes best to do.

Greg James - Bass:

A bass player with an open mind when it comes to music, Greg is adept at playing all genres, but prefers Jazz, Funk, Blues, and R&B. Starting out as a bass player in high school. Greg added trombone while in college, and earned a BA in Music from The University of Washington. He is a former member of the North Shore Convert Band, Northwest Symphony, Highland Park Symphonic Winds, Willow Creek Orchestra, and Skokie Valley Symphony on bass trombone. He has also played bass with a number of area bands, covering genres ranging from Afro-funk to Blues. Greg has also studied bass with Paul Merar, and currently teaches bass at Antioch Music.

Greg's musical influences include Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, Roscoe Beck, James Jamerson, Louis Johnson, Freddy Washington, Nathan East, Jaco Pastaurious, and Ron Carter.

Heather Moran - Vocals:

Born and raised in Illinois, Heather Moran has been performing for most of her life. She studied voice as a child at New Trier High School and Northwestern University in Illinois. As an adult, she studied music at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pennsylvania, and the University of Colorado. She eventually returned to Chicago to earn a BA in Musical Theater from Columbia College.

Over the past several years, Heather has divided her time between her two loves: acting and singing.

As an actor, Heather has worked with numerous theater companies in Chicago, but most extensively with the Factory Theater, a storefront community theater company in their eleventh season with over fifty-seven productions under their belts. Heather is also a Second City alumna skilled in improvisational theater.

As a singer, Heather has performed in many settings: nightclubs, weddings, private and corporate functions, and most notably, on Navy Pier's two premiere dinner cruise ships, Mystic Blue and The Odyssey. Some Chicago area venues she has appeared at include: Katerina’s, Grant Park, Andy’s Jazz, Park West, The Acorn Theater in Michigan’s Three Oaks, Café Luciano, Webster’s Wine Bar, Magnum's Steakhouse, Davenport’s, Gold Star Sardine Bar, Martyr's, Bistrot Margot, Katerina’s, Tivoli Ristorante, and Joy Blue.

Heather is also currently singing in the critically acclaimed musical trio, 3 Girls 3 (www.3girls3.com), performing a nostalgic '40s show, a Burt Bacharach review, and a Christmas show. Heather is an active member of Chicago Cabaret Professionals and currently serves on the board as Co-Press Governor.

For more about Heather and her music, visit her website at www.heathermoran.com.

Glen Schneider and Brian Dickert - Drums:

James DiGirolamo - Bass:

James has preformed professionally for 28 years, with extensive experience in upright and electric bass. He studied at DePaul University's School of Jazz Music and privately with Larry Gray, who plays bass with Ramsey Lewis. As a "jobbing musician", he has done radio jingles, studio session work, a great deal of pit work and many orchestral performances, including Chicago's Orchestra Hall. His long-term band experiences include swing with the Riff Rockets the Rhythm Rockets the Rockafellers blues with the Convulsions, Phil Baron, Barrelhouse Chuck and Pinetop Perkins pop-rock with Burnt Toast and JP and the Cats as well as countless jazz groups including the Tom Sorich Trio and The Tom Costanzo Trio. James has also played country, zydeco and rock-a-billy with bands such as the Big Guitars from Memphis, The Delta Rhythm Kings, Guy Lawerence and Chydeco Zydeco, Peaches and will Crosby. He has been nominated for a Handy Award with Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, a touring blues band that plays regularly at Buddy Guy's Legends and The House of Blues. He currently has professional endorsement deals with Lakland, Gallien-Krueger, Bag End, GuitarCable.com and Rotosound.