Julien Labro ~ Bandoneon

Labro has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, and has performed in France, Italy, Slovenia, Andorra, Portugal, Germany, Croatia, Finland and Sweden. Stateside, he has been a guest artist with the Grosse Pointe Symphony, the Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony, the Saginaw Symphony, the Bijou Orchestra, the Wayne State University Orchestra and the Michigan Pops Orchestra. Labro also performed at the International Finnish Accordion Festival, and the International Las Vegas Accordion Convention, where he was featured with accordion legends Dick Contino and Art Van Damme.

Labro's recent jazz activities include performances at numerous jazz venues and festivals. As one of the winners of the 2004 Heineken Jazz Starquest, Labro took the spotlight at the 2004 Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival. Labro's performance with the ensemble The Hot Club of Detroit drew rave reviews and garnered a rating of "Best Newcomers" to the festival by Detroit Free Press Music Critic Mark Stryker. In an article reviewing the highlights of the weekend's musical offerings, Stryker noted the "jaw dropping virtuosity" of Labro's solos played with "vibrant joy and disciplined musicianship." In 2005, Labro grabbed 1st prizes in the Art Van Damme Intl. Jazz Accordion Competition (Dallas, TX), the Vivian Stolaruk Intl. Entertainment Award (Detroit, MI), and the 2005 Heineken Jazz Starquest as a member of the eclectic sounds of the Jonathan Dixon Quintet.

Joe Vito ~ Accordion

Born in Chicago, Joseph Vito started formal training at age seven. After earning a Bachelor's degree in music composition from DePaul University, Vito entered the Navy, where his interest in jazz began. Vito later worked as a studio musician at CBS, and in the 1960s freelanced as pianist, orchestra leader, and conductor; playing many radio and TV commercial spots. Since 1983 Vito has teamed up with jazz violinist, Johnny Frigo, appearing at such venues as the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, and the Umbrian Jazz Festivals in Perugia and Orvieto. Vito also performs with Doc Severinsen in concerts with the Milwaukee Symphony, Minneapolis Symphony, National Symphony (Washington, D.C.), the Phoenix Symphony, the Colorado Symphony (Denver) and at Copley Symphony Hall (San Diego, CA). 

As a guest soloist, Vito appeared with the Warsaw Philharmonic at their 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2001 and has accompanied tenor Luciano Pavarotti on numerous occasions, including the performance of the Three Tenors in Chicago. He has performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony.

Julie Koidin  ~  Flute

Julie Koidin, flutist, is a native of Chicago, and an active freelance flutist. She heads the classical group A Touch of Class Ensembles, and also performs Brazilian and South American music in her duo with guitarist/vocalist Paulinho Garcia, Dois no Choro, which  has recorded two CDs---Carinhoso and Juntos.  The latter received two first round nominations in the 2003 Latin Grammy Awards. Both CDs include  music of Astor Piazzolla, as well as other Argentine selections. In 2002 Julie received the top position in both the U.S. and Brazil for a Fulbright Lecture-Research Grant. Julie is aiming to complete her doctorate in flute performance at Northwestern University in 2006.  

Besides Julie's musical accomplishments,  she is also an avid tango dancer, dancing in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C. and of course, her hometown, Chicago.   Her primary tango instructor from 2002 to present is Marcelo Martins (Rio de Janeiro),  but she has also studied in Buenos Aires and in Chicago with her main teachers including Fred Romero; Valentina Cisar and Campañia Tango Danza’s Andrea Missé and Leandro Palou.  

John Tuck  ~  Double Bass

John is a member of the Lake Forest Symphony, the Northwest Indiana Symphony  and also the Des Moines Metro Opera. He has  performed with the Chicago Symphony, the Saint Louis Symphony, and the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and has participated in the Aspen Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA and Festival dei due Mondi (Spoleto, Italy) .  In addition,  John Tuck has toured Asia with the Hollywood Concert Orchestra (playing electric bass),  has performed with the Three Tenors, Andre Boccelli and  Manheim Steamroller,  and and has  played in numerous  jazz, folk, and experimental music ensembles.  He received his Masters of Music degree from the Northwestern University School of Music.

•  Image provided by courtesy of  Chicago area artist Michael Birnbaum:                                 www.TransformedByColor.com