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Bassist John Lang offers a distinguished resume in performance, arranging and composition. Lang is most recognized in New York as a straight-ahead bassist. He hosted the Burgundy Wine Jazz Duets Series for 8 years in the early 2000s, featuring such modern-days stars as Saul Rubin, Ehud Asherie, Kris Kaiser, Yotam Silberstein, Jeremy Manasia, Nat Harris, Vito Dieterle, Larry Ham, Tardo Hammer, Michael Moore and Randy Napolean. Lang’s quintet has performed at Smalls, The Jazz Forum, Fat Cat, Little Branch, Times Square Café, The Hawaiian Tropic Room and Toons.

Lang founded La Onda Va Bien, the Latin jazz ensemble that recorded 2003’s “La Vuelta,” featuring 10 of his original songs. His second CD, “Lend Me Your Ears,” premiered at Smalls in 2009 and was called “a rare collection of swing and modernity” by reviewer Scott Yanow. Lang is a member of the Kolotov Mocktails, a modern jazz band comprised of stellar jazz musicians from across the United States. The band’s 2020 debut recording “Ivy Hall,” is enjoying radio play and positive reviews from fans and critics alike. He released “Now Ear This,” his first electric project, to rave reviews in 2021. “NET” features 9 original songs as well as fresh arrangements of “Pusherman” and “Four on Six” and was produced by jazz legend John Patitucci. Modern drumming powerhouse Richie Morales noted the album’s “clear arrangements, great solos and tight ensemble work. Take a listen!” Lang is currently a member of the Kolotov Mocktails, a new American jazz band. Their debut recording, “Ivy Hall” is enjoying radio play and critical acclaim in America and Europe.

Lang has recorded and arranged for many Broadway singers including Natalie Toro and Rita Harvey, as well as for the cast recordings of Fat Camp and the Adventures of Flat Stanley. His big band arrangements were featured in the 2006 production of “Little Jack Frost,” a recreation of a 1940s radio show, and he has toured internationally with the Jack Cassidy and Adrienne Hindmarsh trios.

Lang also doubles on electric bass and in that capacity has performed and recorded with Kinny Landrum and the Gumbo Roux, Cady Huffman, Mary Ann Renza, Rocksteady, Stolen Moments, and Sis Boom Bah.

He has served on the faculty of the Music Conservatory of Westchester since 2014, and maintains a healthy roster of private students. In the fall 2020 he began studies as SUNY Purchase for a master’s in jazz performance under bassist Doug Weiss. Lang resides in the Hudson River Valley, just north of New York City, with his wife Damaris and son Milo.

Ilhan Saferali is a young award winning jazz musician who is getting his name out on the NYC jazz scene as well as turning heads of many Jazz greats. Ilhan, playing trumpet and piano, has accomplished a lot for himself as a young musician. Ilhan has played with Grammy award wining musicians such as Chucho Valdes and Kamasi Washington, and has worked with the David Suzuki Foundation for their ECOmusicology project. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Ilhan is now based out of New York City to make a name for himself as an artist and to study at the prestigious jazz program at The New School under the presidential scholarship. Ilhan’s music style takes from classic jazz players such as Bill Evans and Miles Davis and is heavily influenced by modern jazz players such as Christian Scott. Ilhan has studied with world renowned jazz legends such as Emmet Cohen, Benny Benack, Jean-Michel Pilc, Christine Jensen, Brad Turner and many more. He’s been recognized by some of the greatest names in jazz such as Reggie Workman, Jimmy Owens, Joe Magnarelli and more as a special young talent. Ilhan has played at many notable jazz venues and festivals such as Frankie’s Jazz Club (Vancouver), The Jazz Bistro (Toronto) and The Vancouver International Jazz Festivals among many others. Ilhan now spends his time working on his craft, writing music, sitting in at local New York City jam sessions and working on building a name for himself in the New York Jazz scene. You can find Ilhan playing trumpet in New York City as part of veteran tenor saxophonist Eric Wyatt’s quintet, and playing solo piano Thursday through Saturday at the Walker Hotel in the West Village.

Hailing from Israel, Brooklyn resident Dan Weisselberg is a contemporary straight-ahead jazz bass player.

After over a decade of experimenting and learning the world of Jazz and western music, it is easy to hear many influences from both old school bass masters as Oscar Pettiford, Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Bob Cranshaw, and Ron Carter, alongside bass players of our time – Pat O’leary, Ari Roland, Neal Miner, Tyler Mitchel, and Neal Caine to name a few.

The stylistic range of music Dan is mostly identified with is the great American songbook, as well as Be-Bop and Hard-Bop composers as: Horace Silver, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Barry Harris etc…

His search for deep, warm sound has led him to use gut strings, and to aim for a clean, pure “acoustic” sound. This sound, combined with a wide and supportive sense of beat have made him a name among his peers, and respected by high caliber musicians such as- Grant Stewart, Michael Kanan, Tardo Hammer, Joe Magnarelli, Frank Basile, John Webber, Chris Flory, etc. With whom he plays on a regular basis.

Rahul Shah is a saxophonist and a woodwind doubler from Birmingham, Alabama. Having
graduated in May of 2022 from Eastman School of Music, he is currently pursuing his graduate
degree in Jazz Performance, as a student of Vincent Herring, at the Manhattan School of Music.

Rahul has participated in programs such as the award-winning First Edition Jazz Band, who have
competed in competitions such as the Savannah Swing Central competition and Essentially
Ellington.

Rahul has had the opportunity to play alongside distinguished musicians such as John Clayton,
Clay Jenkins, and Jeff Cambell just to name a few. He has studied with his role models such as
Vincent Herring, Charles Pillow, Gary Versace, Melissa Aldana, Sam Dillon, Bill Dobbins,
Wycliffe Gordon, Marcus Printup, amongst others.