Some musicians chase the notes—Zack Page lets them chase him, which might explain how he's managed to average 275 gigs per year since the mid-1990s, turning bass lines into highways that stretch from Virginia backroads to Swiss jazz festivals to Asheville's intimate listening rooms. This rhythm section nomad carries dual citizenship in the worlds of heavy metal and jazz, a musical passport stamped by legendary drummer Billy Higgins and acclaimed clarinetist Eddie Daniels, earned through decades of wandering between Los Angeles studios, New York City sessions, and now the Blue Ridge Mountains. His four strings have held down the low end on cruise ship stages and gypsy jazz jams with equal authority, whether he's anchoring 'One Leg Up' in Asheville's Django-influenced underground or laying foundation stones for folk rock storytellers. From electric bass at eleven to acoustic mastery in college, Page embodies the restless spirit of American music itself—always moving, always grooving, always making everyone around him better. As fellow trumpeter Justin Ray observed, that's the hallmark of truly great musicians: they don't just play their part, they elevate everyone else's.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Andy Page has become a cornerstone of Boone's vibrant music scene as a senior lecturer of jazz guitar at Appalachian State University's Hayes School of Music. For over two decades, this versatile virtuoso has woven his guitar strings through the fabric of the High Country's musical landscape, transforming local venues into stages of sonic storytelling. Together with his twin brother Zack, Andy has been known to arrive at open jams and parties, captivating audiences with their deep groove and seemingly endless musical creativity. His fingers dance across fretboards with equal fluency in jazz, rock, and original compositions, while his academic pursuits span from the History of Rock Music to Heavy Metal Culture. A true musical nomad, Andy has carried his craft from the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland to Japan's Muroran Jazz Cruise, and through jazz workshops in Germany. Yet he chose to plant his roots in the mountains of North Carolina, where he continues to nurture the next generation of musicians while maintaining his own creative flame through groups like The Page Brothers Trio and Swing Guitars—a testament to an artist who found his perfect harmony between teaching and performing in the shadow of the Appalachians.

Justin Watt embodies the rare breed of drummer who's equally at home anchoring a world-famous big band or exploring intimate trio conversations in Asheville's vibrant jazz scene. This Ohio native transformed childhood percussion lessons into a musical passport that took him from Kent State and Youngstown State master's programs to a two-year stint behind the kit with the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra, touring stages across the United States, Japan, and Canada. Since settling in Asheville in 2008, Watt has become the Blue Ridge's go-to rhythmic architect, performing regularly with the Keith Davis, "Like Mind," and "Asheville Art" Trios—all groups dedicated to advancing the art of jazz trio playing. He's also the backbone for the Greenville Jazz Collective Quintet and frequently performs with the Asheville Jazz Orchestra, proving his versatility across ensemble sizes and styles. Beyond the jazz clubs, Watt has shared stages with notable artists like Jim McNeely, Joey De Francesco, Bobby Shew, and Jimmy Heath, while also bringing his rhythmic expertise to regional theater productions. As an educator at UNC Asheville, Furman University, and the Asheville Music School, he passes on the fundamentals that built his own career—proving that the best drummers don't just keep time, they create the foundation that allows musical magic to flourish.

Dylan Hannan transforms reed instruments into musical passports, his saxophone, clarinet, and flute carrying stories from middle school jazz band revelations to concert halls across 18 states and four Canadian provinces. This east coast Florida native discovered his calling in a school jazz ensemble, then spent his University of Central Florida years expanding his musical vocabulary—mastering jazz studies while secretly studying theory and composition on piano, proving that the best wind players understand music from the ground up. Hannan's performance resume reads like a genre-hopping adventure: opening for trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval in a salsa band, winning the Florida and Southeastern rounds of the MTNA Collegiate Chamber Music Competition with the UCF Saxophone Quartet in 2019, and sharing stages with jazz luminaries like Dave Liebman and Emmet Cohen. Whether navigating the intricate harmonies of classical chamber music or laying down groove-heavy lines in rock, R&B, reggae, or salsa bands, Hannan approaches every musical situation with the curiosity of a scholar and the soul of a storyteller. His two-year stint with the Glenn Miller Orchestra took him from Florida concert halls to Canadian provinces, appearing on their newest album—his seventh recorded appearance—proving that versatility and tradition can dance together beautifully. Since trading Florida sunshine for Asheville's cooler climate in 2022, Hannan has built a teaching reputation that speaks for itself: six All-County saxophonists, two All-State players, and one student who made the NAfME All-National Jazz Band. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, Hannan continues proving that great reed playing isn't just about technique—it's about understanding that every note choice tells a story, whether you're doubling on flute in a classical setting or improvising through changes in an intimate jazz club.

Jack Wilkins transforms tenor saxophone into a compass for musical exploration, his horn pointing toward everything from the Canadian Rockies to the Appalachian ridgelines, from Swedish jazz clubs to Grammy-nominated orchestral suites. As Director of Jazz Studies at the University of South Florida, Wilkins has built a career on proving that the most compelling music happens when you're brave enough to let geography shape your sound—whether that's drawing inspiration from Banff Centre artist residencies or channeling American roots music through Blue Ridge mountain culture. His seven albums as a leader read like a musical atlas: "The Rundle Sessions" and "The Banff Project" capture the expansive beauty of the Canadian Rockies, while "The Blue and Green Project" mines the soul of Appalachian tradition. Wilkins doesn't just play jazz—he composes landscapes, whether collaborating with Swedish legends like Jon Allan or serving as featured soloist on Chuck Owen's Grammy-nominated "River Runs: A Concerto for Jazz Guitar, Saxophone and Orchestra." This Yamaha clinician and Fulbright Scholar understands that great jazz education and great jazz performance aren't separate activities—they're two sides of the same creative exploration. His USF Jazztet has graced stages from Montreux to North Sea Jazz festivals, proving that Wilkins' approach to music-making creates artists who can hold their own on any international stage. In his hands, the tenor saxophone becomes both teacher and student, always seeking that next musical horizon.

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