Pharadon Phonamnuai (tenor saxophone)

He began his career as a self-taught guitarist, later studying tenor saxophone at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. After working in the jazz idiom for some time, he went to New York where he became interested in more extensively improvised music. Pharadon then went to Japan where he played and recorded with various artists. In Chiang Mai he met and played with every imaginable type of musician passing through from around the world. From this base, Pharadon launched or was invited to play with groups such as the Kantoke Jazz Ensemble, Vatchapuj and the Bohemian Jazz Quintet, among others. He also collaborates with individuals such as Eric Pailhe, Maxime Lessens, Sergio Dia, Thomas Kpade, Ralph Thomas and Bain Chompoowong.

Ruediger “Rudi” Junior (keyboard)

From an early age, Ruediger Junior dedicated himself to composing and playing music. By the time he was 16, he had his first band, with many other projects to follow. Beginning on the drums and guitar, Rudi eventually moved to the keyboard to broaden his horizon and deepen his skills. He has led and played in different groups including Funkin’ Donuts, Sugar Boost Candy and RudiJunior, to name a few. Everything he ever learned about music came from playing with other musicians. Until now he is self- taught, but Rudi’s ears and fingers do whatever the job requires. In Chiang Mai he is joined by talented musicians from all over the world.

Travis Diruzza (double bass)

Dissatisfied with the size of his violin, Travis Diruzza began playing the upright bass at the age of 12. He received his B.A. from Columbia University in New York City where he studied music composition. Outside the classroom he played jazz, klezmer and world music in diverse venues such as the Knitting Factory, Tonic, Carnegie Hall and Satalla. He also traveled abroad to record albums with foreign musicians such as “spontaneous actions” with jazz guitarist Carsten Radtke in Germany and “Without a Country: Songs of Stateless Peoples” with singer Maria Krupoves in Lithuania.
Travis lived in Paris from 2005 to 2008 and continued to compose, perform and record in France and across Europe with the Romanian singer Maria Raducanu, the Pseudonymo marionette company, and the experimental acoustic-electric project, Disapo Rama, among others.
Currently he continues his musical explorations around the world.

Andreas Barlien (drums)

Andreas Barlien was born in Trondheim, Norway in 1989 and later lived in Namsos and Oslo. He was already playing drums at the age of nine and started to play in bands by the time he was 13 (playing mostly covers of NWOBHM-bands and scandi- rock bands). In 2006 he and some fellow musicians started the group Hot Organ, playing blues, rock and psychedelia inspired by music from the late 60’s and early 70’s. The group still performs together on occasion. From 2006-2008 he was a student at Olav Duun High School in Namsos where he studied music. In 2008-2009 he was a student at Trøndertun FHS, where he studied jazz. In June 2009 he and some of the former members of Hot Organ (Espen Kalstad and Gisle Solbu) started the powertrio, Fifty & Found, a band inspired by various norwegian acts with a focus on jamming and improvisation. They are planning the release of their debut-LP in 2010.