Joe Ruddick - pianist, saxophonist, synthesist, composer, cosmic noise-maker - has performed for decades throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. His compositions, arrangements, sound design and/or instrumental virtuosity have been featured on Bravo, MTV, Nickelodeon, and HBO, and film soundtracks --- Paul Mazursky's "Faithful," Albert Maysles' "Umbrellas," and Philip Haas' "The Music of Chance." He has played and recorded with a multitude of ensembles, ranging from children's music superstar Laurie Berkner, to Phillip Johnston's idiosyncratic exploratory jazz projects, to William Parker's avant-garde Little Huey orchestra, to the platinum-selling pop group DEEE-LITE. On an early solo LP - New Music for Quadruple Octet - Mr. Ruddick performed his original compositions, playing over twenty different overdubbed instruments and the kitchen sink. Jazz Track noted his "percussive piano... silvery runs and triple-jumps... shifting perspectives that brush past multiple styles in a restlessly roving, seemingly freeform manner." George Kanzler wrote: "Invigoratingly creative, Ruddick brings a swinging antic wit to the jazz tradition." Down Beat magazine heralded his "brilliant keyboard playing." And Options magazine proclaimed: "Some kind of genius, Joe Ruddick is a brilliant instrumentalist making inspired music."

Matt Munisteri is a Brooklyn native, who began playing the banjo at age ten. He was almost certainly the only picker on his block. He's been a guitar player for many, many years in and around a wide range of Jazz, and early Americana music scenes. For four years he was the guitarist and principal songwriter for the eclectic/retro band The Flying Neutrinos, and served as music director for the band's successful 2000 release The Hotel Child. He's recorded and performed with the singer Jimmy Scott. Matt is a regular member of Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, with whom he's played Carnegie Hall, The 92nd Street Y, Town Hall, and many jazz festivals and broadcasts of A Prairie Home Companion. He stays busy, and sometimes pops up in the company of The Jazz Composer's Collective, Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra, Will Holshouser and Musette Explosion, violinist Jenny Scheinman, guitarist Frank Vignola, and he recently performed and recorded with The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He leads a band called Brock Mumford and all kinds of stuff can be found at www.brockmumford.com.

Pamela Fleming - trumpet, flugelhorn, composer.
Listening to any genre of music, chances are you have heard Pamela play. Currently Pam is touring with Hazmat Modine. Pam toured as trumpet soloist during the Lilith Fair, with Natalie Merchant, and was a guest artist with Sarah McLachlan, The Indigo Girls, Queen Latifah, N'Dea Davenport and Victoria Williams.
You may have also heard Pam with Bonnie Raitt, (VH1 Storytellers), Reggae artists Burning Spear, Maxi Priest, Dennis Brown, and Beres Hammond; Arrow, (wrote 'Hot Hot Hot'), Robert Palmer, Buster Poindexter, Cab Calloway, Pucho & his Latin Soul Brothers, (CD- Groovin' High, and Mucho Pucho), Little Jimmy Scott, (Sessions at 54th St. & CD "Holding Back the Years"), Imani Coppola, Metropolitan Klezmer and the Isle of Klezbos.
Pam's own Universal Jazz Group, Fearless Dreamer have released 2 cds, Fearless Dreamer & Climb, both available at CDBaby and Amazon For more information please visit FearlessDreamer.

Dave Hofstra - bass, tuba

Barbara Merjan is delighted to be a member of the Fortunate Few. She also plays with Lea Delaria, Jerome Kitkze's "Mad Coyote Ensemble" and Roxanne Butterfly's "Beauteez and the Beat". Barbara freelances as a drummer and percussionist for Broadway and Off Broadway shows as well.