Josh Yellon Composer, Arranger (b. 1974 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA) Josh's interest in music started with the electric bass at the age of thirteen during which time he began performing professionally in the local clubs with his band Andersun Council. In 1993, at the age of eighteen Josh began playing the tenor saxophone and studied with Dr. Kevin Burner through the Cleveland Institute of Music and jazz pianist Neil Creque. In 1996 he moved to Shawnee, Ohio, a very small town in Southern Ohio to practice and study. After three months he moved to NYC and studied rhythmic conceptions with percussionist Jamey Haddad. Working as a bike messenger by day he spent his evenings studying and playing. In 1998 Josh moved back to Cleveland to co-found the Modern Arts Coalition of Cleveland (MACC) presenting multi-media events with artist Abe Olvido (Groop) and Gary Hoopengardner. In Cleveland he became immersed in the local Latin Music Community working as Musical Director for Son Alegre (Salsa/Meringue) from 1998 to 2002 as well as freelancing in a wide variety of musical settings. Josh has performed with Greg Bandy, Owen Howard, Carmen Castaldi, Oliver Steidle (der Rote Bereich), Matt Perko, Curtis Fuller, John Schr�der, Benny Golsen, Milt Jackson, Orlando "Mostro" Santiago, Virginia Jetzt, Black Kappa, and Bagga Riddim. At present he is involved in projects with M-21, a division of H1 Studios Berlin, recording and collaborating with international artists. Josh is crrently based in Berlin, Germany.

Gary Hoopengardner (b. 1979 Cleveland, Ohio, USA) started studying upright bass with Kevin Switalski (Cleveland Orchestra) in 1994. At 17 he moved to NYC where he befriended bass legend Milt Hinton who became his teacher and mentor. In 1999 Gary moved back to Cleveland accepting the job as bass professor at Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus. During this time he helped found the Modern Arts Coalition of Cleveland with Josh Yellon and multi-media artist Abe Olvido organizing and promoting multimedia events or "happenings" involving local and national artists and musicians. It was also at this time that UNKL was conceived, thanks in large part to the teachings and friendship of percussionist Jamey Haddad. From 1998 through the present Gary has traveled and performed extensively throughout North America and Europe. He has performed and recorded with Dan Wall (of the John Abercrombie Trio), John Schröder, Abdourhamane Diop, Andreas Schnermann, Greg Bandy, Jacob Sax, Ari Hoenig, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ernie Krivda, Henrik Wahlsdorf, Christian Van der Goltz and many others. He is currently working in the Kristian Kowatsch Trio (Jazz), Jelena K and the Love Trio, Henrik Wahlsdorf and Kai Lübke (Modern Jazz) and UNKL (Modern Jazz Beats) and was recently included in Berlin Jazz Radios' CD compilation "Jazz in Berlin". Gary lives in Berlin, Germany and travels the world.
"...Gary Hoopengardner accompanies with impressive marching bass lines, brilliant in his solos with harmonic and rythmic changes that always suprise." Klaus M�mpfer, Jazzpodium

Kalle Kalima (b. 1973 in Helsinki, Finland) began his journey into sound with piano lessons at the age of six. Five years later he switched over to the guitar and has never looked back. He studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and at the Hanns Eisler Conservatory in Berlin under the guidance of Raoul Björkenheim and John Schröder to name a few. After taking up residence in Berlin, Kalima has experienced a revelation in his attitude towards free music. So far Kalle has worked with trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, sax players Harri Sjöström, Ben Abarbanel -Wolff, Kari "Sonny" Heinilä, Volker Schlott, Henrik Wahlsdorf and Adam Peroncik, bass players Sirone, Chris Dahlgren, Carlos Bica & Ed Schuller, guitarist Marc Ducret, pianist Mircea Tiberian, drummers Maurice de Martin, Mikko Hassinen and Teppo Mäkynen, composer Simon Stockhausen, the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, Baby Bonk and Die Sprechzeit.
For more about Kalle check out www.kallekalima.com

Sebastian Merk (b.1977 Frankfurt/Main, Germany) has quickly made a name for himself throughout Germany as both a gifted drummer and pianist. While living in Frankfurt he was awarded a scholarship from the city of Frankfurt to attend workshops in New York City. Sebastian's first teacher was Jo Thönes at the Fransz-Lizt School of Music in Weimar after which he moved to study at the Hans Eisler Conservatory. Sebastian has played with a long list of great players including Lee Konitz, Tony Lakatos, Torsten de Winkel, Frank Möbus, Peter Reiter, Thomas Stabenow and Martin Lejeune. Presently he is working with such different groups as the Polyphonix, the Alberto Menendez Quartet, Martin's Horn, Mr. Hanky, Bartmes, and the Frank Spaniol Quartet. In Berlin Sebastian works together with Kalle Kalima, John Schröder, Mark Wyand, Pepe Berns, Florian Trübsbach and Rolf Langhans. Sebastian is also preparing his own project which he says stretches the elbow of the traditional up to decaying jazz and still far beyond that.
For more about Sebastian check out www.sebastian-merk.de