Sanford Hinderlie has performed throughout the world, including concerts in the Far East, the Soviet Union, the Republics of Georgia and Armenia, the Middle East, Europe and throughout the United States. In 1995 he was invited as the only American to perform in the first Euro-Arab Jazz Festival in Damascus, Syria. Hinderlie then traveled to Eurasia for a performance at the Yerevan International Jazz Festival in Armenia. In 2005 he participated in a concert at the Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam, benefiting music students affected by Hurricane Katrina. He is presently heard throughout the U.S., Germany and Austria. Based in New Orleans Hinderlie has performed as a jazz pianist in the Crescent City since 1981, and is also busy as a composer for television, radio, and films. As the Conrad. D. Hilton Chair at Loyola University New Orleans, Hinderlie works with students in Music Industry Studies, teaching contemporary music. He built the first recording studios at Loyola in the 80s and has been responsible for the building of technology labs in the college. Recordings of his include Christmas in New Orleans, Hinderlie Plays Hinderlie, and Solo Flight. He is the president of STR Digital Records, a label specializing in New Orleans-based musicians. You can visit the website at www.strdigitalrecords.com.
The American vibraphonist Tom van der Geld was born in Boston, and has been living permanently in Europe since 1974. He has performed at nearly all of the significant European jazz festivals. A partial listing of performances and productions with well-known jazz musicians include Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Charlie Mariano, Manfred Schoof, Luis de Mateo, Eduard Vesala, Barre Philips, Albert Mangelsdorf, Keith Copeland, Mel Lewis, Bob Brookmeyer, Peter Herbolzheimer and Bill Connors. His legendary group Children at Play recorded four albums for the German label ECM/JAPO: Children at Play, Path, Patience and Out Patience. In addition to composing for his own small groups, van der Geld has written commissioned works for stage and film. Tom van der Geld started his teaching career in 1971 at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has since taught at several universities including the Hochschule für Musik in Frankfurt, the Musikhochschule Hamburg and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim. He has recently retired as a lecturer for jazz ear-training, jazz improvisation, ensemble and jazz mallets at the Musikhochschule für Musik und Tanz Cologne.