Petra van Nuis/Andy Brown Duo: The pairing of jazz vocalist Petra van Nuis and guitarist Andy Brown is one of those rare combinations where all parts seem to fit. Germany's Jazzpodium Magazine hails their twenty-five year musical collaboration as "a magical musical dialogue, which can only partially be described as blind understanding."  As high school sweethearts at a performing arts school in Cincinnati, Petra and Andy grew up together as artists. Living in Chicago since 2004, Petra and Andy regularly play the prominent area venues including the Jazz Showcase, the Green Mill, Andy's Jazz Club and Winter’s Jazz Club. Nationally, the couple plays jazz festivals and clubs. With several European tours and six of their CDs re-released in Japan, Petra and Andy continue to spread their swinging sounds to music lovers far and wide.   Don Stiernberg Quartet: Don Stiernberg most frequently performs in either trio or quartet context. Other musicians are friends and colleagues with whom he has collaborated for years and featured on virtually all of his recordings. Guitarist Andy Brown is known for his brilliance with all facets of guitar playing in this style-accompaniment, blazing solo lines, and his own unique chordal style. The rhythm section is legendary, both in Chicago and around the country. Jim Cox is everyone’s favorite bass player, with performance and recording credentials ranging from Earl Hines to Judy Roberts to Marian McPartland to Rosemary Clooney and countless others. Drummer Phil Gratteau comes from the same University of Illinois Jazz background as Jim and consequently has appeared with many of the same national/international jazz artists through the years. He is highly regarded especially for his versatility (Swing, Brazilian, funk, pop, etc.)and uncanny ability to always provide the right “feel” and “vibe” for any number called. All of these musicians have performed together from Portland east to Portland west as well as overseas visits to festivals in Germany and Brazil. Their style might be described as swinging interpretations of accessible jazz material played acoustically on mandolin (and occasional vocal), guitar, bass, and drums. Or in short, Straight Ahead pickin’ on the Good Numbers.