RUDY STEVENSON | COMPOSITION
The guitarist and composer Rudy Stevenson from New York, USA, has worked with famous singers such as Nina Simone, Anita Moore and Sheila Jordan. He was a member of the legendary Duke Ellington Orchestra. In 1992, Rudy came to Berlin as the musical director of the Musical show “Bubbling Brown Sugar”. In Berlin he met Lia Andes with whom he started an intensive collaboration. Rudy wrote songs for her and became her mentor and producer. Together they recorded several CD´s, amongst other the album “This Masquerade”. Rudy died in 2010 in Berlin.

REGGIE MOORE | ARRANGEMENTs / PIANO
Reggie Moore, also from New York, has worked with stars like Betty Carter, Kenny Burell, Anita O’Day, Cab Calloway and Scott Hamilton. He wrote music arrangements for the Thad Jones and Mel Lewis big band and played in the Musical shows “Bubbling Brown Sugar“, “Ain’t Misbehavin“ and in Andre Heller’s “Body & Soul“. Since 1996, Reggie Moore is a teacher at the Jazz Institute of the “Hanns Eisler” Musical School in Berlin. He has been playing with Lia Andes for many years. Recently, Reggie Moore received an award as “cultural ambassador” by the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy.

LEON SCHURZ | BASS
Leon Schurz has studied at the “Hanns Eisler” Musical School in Berlin. Earl Bostic, who had been playing with Lia Andes for years, but unfortunately recently passed away, was Leon’s tutor. With the band “Sedoussa”, Leon Schurz has recorded an album and went on tour. Leon has further participated in productions with the “Filmorchester Babelsberg”, with Jazz/Soul singer Jocelyn B. Smith, and with several R&B, Soul and Hip Hop productions, among others with the singer Damion Davis.

STEPHAN GENZE | DRUMS
Stephan Genze did his studies of classical drum with Prof. Vogler of the “Berliner Philharmoniker”. He has played in the Rias Big Band and with stars like Reinhard Mey, Klaus Hoffmann, Gitte Haenning, Bill Ramsey, Katja Ebstein, “Mary” and Ute Lemper. He has been playing with Lia Andes for many years. Stefan is not only known for his live performances but also appears on many studio recordings and he is a teacher at the University of Arts (UdK) of Berlin. In 1997, he received an “Oskar” award for being the best Rock and Pop drummer of Germany.

JOHANNES GEHLMANN | GUITAR
The guitarist and sound engineer Jo Gehlmann has worked at the Berlin Grips theatre for many years and he is a member of the Savoy Dance Orchestra. Jo has recorded CDs with famous artists like Klaus Hoffmann, “Nena”, Reinhard Mey, “Mary”, with the “Filmorchester Babelsberg” and has participated in recordings for various TV movies (“Tatort”, “Der Fahnder”). Also, Jo has played with Jennifer Rush, Howard Carpendale, Bill Ramsey and Angelika Milster and he has participated in musicals like “Cats”, “Mamma Mia”, “Chicago” and “Les Miserables” (Theater des Westens).

BEN „KING“ PERKOFF | SAXOPHONE
Ben Perkoff, from California, USA, plays a unique style which is inspired from “King” Curtis, Jr. Walker, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. He has recorded the album “Sax Serenade” - a tribute to John Coltrane - together with the “all-world” saxophonist Joe Henderson. Ben “King” Perkoff performs regularly in the USA and in Germany. In Berlin he played with blues singer Eb Davis and the “soulman”, “Guitar Crusher”. His speciality on stage with Lia is the question-answering, a musical dialogue improvised on-the-spot.

TONY HURDLE | TROMBONE
Tony Hurdle, from Philadelphia, USA, did his studies at the Indiana University of PA, and was the first trombone in the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra and in the National Black Symphony Orchestra. He was also the musical director of the big band “Sounds of Olio”. Tony settled in Berlin many years ago where he is very successful with his own band projects (The Guardians of the Groove, Berlin Black Stompers) and is also involved in projects together with Lia Andes (Rudy Stevenson Band). Recently, Tony has taken the initiative in founding “The Black American Artist Association”.