Esther Haynes is a versatile vocalist and rhythm guitarist residing in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Her styles range from vintage jazz to swing, blues, bossa nova, folk, and bluegrass.  Since 2002, Esther has been nominated for several Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies) for Debut Recording, Jazz Vocalist, Big Band Vocalist, and Jazz Duo/Group.  She has received eight Wammie awards for Big Band/Swing Vocalist.  She has performed in the D.C. area with Hokum Jazz, Martini Red, the Tom Cunningham Orchestra, and several jazz duos and trios.  Originally from Virginia, Esther learned folk guitar and bluegrass banjo as a girl.  She spent her college years at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, where she attended fiddlers' conventions, played banjo and guitar, and sang in duets at local events.  Later she began studying at Berkeley College of Music in Boston, graduating with honors with a diploma in voice and professional music.

Bill Toms has evolved to become one of the best orators in the music world today. He is definitely the reincarnate troubadour. With a guitar, a pen, a lot of passion, Bill Toms connects to an audience and embraces the American traditions of rhythm, blues, soul, folk, and country. His gifts of music and storytelling, paired with his creative compulsion for songs that burrow deep into the soul, have his dedicated fans continually coming back for more.

  He joined Pittsburgh's legendary band, The Houserockers, as lead guitarist in 1987. The band’s meteoric rise into the professional music scene enabled Bill to tour the United States and Europe repeatedly. Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers opened for and played with a long and impressive list of notables, such as The Band, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

During his 19 years of playing guitar and singing back-up vocals for the Houserockers, Toms’ recorded six studio albums and one live concert album. In 1995, the acclaimed CD, “American Babylon,” was recorded and produced by Bruce Springsteen.  

“We keep growing and developing our tools to communicate. That is the definition of our art.” - Bill Toms.  

"Though he can rock with the best of them, Bill has another musical side, exploring the folk tradition of Americana with an introspective pen", Harry Funk ~ Washington Pa Observer-Reporter:

  Bill Toms solo performances have taken him all over the United States and Europe. Some of the headline artists Bill has opened for include Levon Helm, Marshall Crenshaw, The Kennedys, Steve Forbert, Dave Alvin, Lloyd Cole, and Ellis Paul.

 In addition to his previous five studio CD's and one EP, his latest CD, “Spirits, Chaos, and a Troubadour Soul” was released to critical acclaim in April, 2008.  "
Live at Moondogs: Another Moonlight Mystery” was released in 2010



Baltimore Mandolin Quartet Versatile musician, Jonathan Jensen, grew up listening to his older brother's 78 rpm records and hearing folk music and jazz. He loves to play a diverse array of music and on various instruments including percussion, mandolin, banjo and tin whistle--all of which he has played on stage with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  Although his primary instrument in the orchestra is bass, he often doubles on keyboards and has been known to come up with original compositions. He once won a contest at the Mill Bridge Village Ragtime Festival for a ragtime piece he composed. When not playing with the Symphony, he plays piano for contra/English country dances, performs with the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra and the Mandolin Quartet. Mr. Jensen studied with Warren Benfield and attended Interlochen Arts Academy and Northwestern University. Before joining the Baltimore Symphony, he held the position of Principal Bass with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada, and during the summer, he played bass for the Grant Park Orchestra of Chicago.

Phil Mathieu moves easily between the worlds of classical and popular music and is also a well versed studio musician, teacher, composer and arranger. He was recently awarded “Best Classical Instrumentalist” by the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) and has been nominated for numerous awards including “Musician of the Year.” Mathieu is a regular guest with Kennedy Center opera house orchestra and has also appeared with the National Gallery orchestra. His recent recording credits include Lisa Moscatiello, Ruthie and the Wranglers and a guitar duo record with Giorgia Cavallaro (American Music for Two Guitars-featuring the music of William Foden). Mathieu has performed with internationally acclaimed Guitarist, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, and was a member of the prestigious Washington Guitar Quintet led by Charlie Byrd. His current project, "Chamber Music With Classical Guitar" will be the focus of the performance highlighting Carolyn Oh on flute.  Carolyn is the principal flutist of the Washington Symphony Orchestra. As an orchestral musician she has played principal flute at Carnegie Hall under the baton of John Rutter.  Kerry Van Lanen performs on cello.  She has performed extensively throughout the Washington area with such groups as the Washington National Opera Orchestra, National Gallery Orchestra, National Philharmonic and the Wolf Trap Orchestra.  A highly respected chamber musician she has performed in concert in Italy and at the Spoleto Festival.

Karen Ashbrook & Paul Oorts

- Karen is a master of the hammered dulcimer, wooden flute, pennywhistle "Karen has long been something of a heroine to me...Her style is at times traditional, then moves surprisingly at a tangent, making it more interesting in an unexpected way. And her whistle playing is excellent." Irish Edition, Philadelphia.  For five years she lived overseas in pursuit of Irish music and learned her craft in the pubs of England and Ireland, while taking time to travel in Europe and Asia. She subsequently wrote the first book for intermediate/advanced dulcimer playing in the States, "Playing the Hammered Dulcimer in the Irish Tradition," on Oak Publications. Karen plays a wide variety of musical styles including Appalachian, Belgian, English, classical and Jewish. She teaches at numerous festivals and music camps around the States, and is now central in bringing instruction to the revival of hakkebord (the Flemish hammered dulcimer) in Belgium!  

Paul is from a small town near Antwerp in Belgium. He has delved extensively into primary manuscripts, mainly 19th century, from the dance masters and Carilloneurs (bell tower maestros) of Flanders. Paul has become an ambassador of Belgian folk music to America, teaching these old tunes in workshops at festivals. Paul plays regularly for contra and English country dances with the groups Goldcrest and Gigmeisters, conducts "Carillion" a dulcimer orchestra and in his spare time, Dr. Oorts teaches French and Italian at Peabody Music Conservatory. 

"...wonderfully energetic and exquisitevly arranged collaborations." the Washington Post..." "...the duo explores pan-European music with uncommon enthusiasm, grace and imagination."  De Morgen (Belgian newspaper).