Chris Mondak is a Nashville-based jazz composer and bassist, and a frequent performer at Rudy’s. A 2020 graduate of the New England Conservatory, Chris studied there with jazz legends Cecil McBee and Dave Holland. Chris’s newest CD, Glass Spheres (Summit Records), was recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium studio, and released on April 15, 2022. Featuring seven of Chris’s original compositions, Glass Spheres has reached the top 100 on the Jazz Week chart, and #17 on the NACC (college and community radio) jazz chart. Chris’s quartet is known for its dynamic, high-energy performances. The show will include a mix of jazz standards, pieces from Glass Spheres, and new tracks from Chris’s forthcoming jazz-funk project.

Cosmic collective is a transmuting ensemble of jazz musicians. The group’s effervescent chemistry evolves from performance to performance contingent upon the accompanying star sidemen, making each show a truly unforgettable, unique, and personal experience.

The acoustic violin/guitar based trio, The Gypsy Hombres, blend traditional jazz with European, South American, and classical music to create a sound unlike any other musical group. The Hombres' repertoire embraces a wide variety of composers and styles; from Brahms and Chopin to George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong to international folk songs, all while retaining the gypsy spirit. But besides just adding their own arrangements and personalities to standards, they are also accomplished composers with several original songs featured on their various recordings.

Equally at ease with swing, tangos, and waltzes, the Hombres provide plenty of inspiration for dancing, and their free spirit and natural improvisation can win over any audience.

Not just entertaining, their music is ideal for the serious listener, because of their high level of musical ability. In fact, their musicianship is so impressive, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra commissioned their composer in residence, Conni Ellisor, to write a piece incorporating some of the Hombres original songs, melodies and reifs. The result was "Nuage de la Nuit", a twenty-seven minute tribute to the legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, featuring the Gypsy Hombres. The performance was broadcast by National Public Radio.

"Diane Marino is an unusually unique relent - great pianist, vocalist and arranger" -Les Davis, Real Jazz Sirius/XM

"Diane’s personal style provides the ultimate in cool for jazz listeners of all stripes. Her pacing is pure perfection, and her tones are full of the energy of life …A superb jazz vocal ("Soul Serenade" -The Gloria Lynne Project) that you will treasure for years to come" - Dick Metcalif, Contemporary Fusion Reviews

Diane Marino (Piano/Vocals)
NYC native & M&M Records Recording Artist Diane Marino has recorded, performed, and shared the stage with jazz legends Houston Person, Ralph Lalama, Joe Henderson, Rickey Woodard, Clayton Cameron, Wycliffe Gordon, Kirk Whalum, and more. She has recorded seven CD’s- all of which have received widespread airplay and critical acclaim. Diane has performed Great American Song Book, traditional jazz, Latin and Brazilian jazz to captivated audiences at festivals, performing arts centers and national jazz venues. www.dianemarino.com

Frank Marino (Bass)
An accomplished bassist of vast diversity and a NY native, Frank Marino has performed /recorded with Houston Person, Wycliffe Gordon, Clayton Cameron, Harry Allen, Ralph Lalama, just to name a few. As founder of M&M Records and The Piano Den Recording Studio, he has produced, recorded and appears on all Jazz pianist/vocalist Diane Marino’s CD’s.

Ryan Middagh (Saxophone)
Ryan Middagh is the Director of Jazz Studies at the Blair School. An accomplished jazz composer and arranger, Middagh has received numerous commissions for high schools, colleges and professional musicians and ensembles throughout the country, and currently arranges music for Grammy-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin. His music has been featured at the International Jazz Composers Symposium, been recorded by professional and collegiate ensembles, and several of his works are published by UNC Jazz Press. As a saxophonist, Middagh is endorsed by Conn-Selmer as a Yanagisawa Artist. Notable performances include performing with the Cab Calloway Orchestra (2013), Nashville Jazz Orchestra (2009-11), and the Colorado Jazz Orchestra (2014). He was also a featured artist at the 2013 North American Saxophone Alliance regional conference. Leading his own jazz octet, Middagh has released two albums, Colorado Brew: Featuring Jeff Coffin and Tom Giampietro and To Somewhere and Back Again (both albums currently available on iTunes). Prior to his appointment at Vanderbilt, Middagh served on the faculty at Middle Tennessee State University, where his primary responsibilities were directing the Commercial Music Ensemble and teaching Introduction to Music. During his tenure at MTSU he also taught applied improvisation, jazz theory and applied saxophone. Middagh received his Doctor of Arts degree in Jazz Studies with a secondary emphasis in Music Composition at the University of Northern Colorado, where he was the doctoral fellow in music technology. During his time at the University of Northern Colorado, he earned three Downbeat awards as a member of UNC Jazz Lab Band One and sang in the Grammy-nominated Northern Colorado Voices. In 2014 the University of Northern Colorado named him “Graduate Student of the Year."

Neil Tufano (Drums)
NYC native, drummer Neil Tufano has spent most of his drumming career in New York freelancing with a multitude of artists, he carved out a successful career, covering a variety of musical genres. He has toured with famed Jazz Piano Giant Monty Alexander as well as Dave Liebman, Joe Lavano, Dizzy Gillespie, Fred Hersch Ralph LaLama and more. You can find Neil today at his state of the art recording studio where he writes, teaches and produces music for many artists.