MALCOLM CREESE (double bass), MIKE PIGGOTT (violin) & NILS SOLBERG (guitar) (Left to right above) are string players of the highest order. Individually they have worked around the world with an extraordinary list of musicians including Mel Tormé, Acker Bilk, Clark Terry, Lee Konitz, Cleo Laine, Ralph McTell, Phil Collins, Bryan Ferry, Sting, Nigel Kennedy, and the LSO. Together they perform deliciously infectious, swinging, un-amplified jazz with breathtaking virtuosity and an empathy which borders on the psychic.

MALCOLM CREESE is one of Europe's most admired double bass players. He toured the world with Cleo Laine and John Dankworth from 1991 to 2001, and played with pianist Stan Tracey for six years. Malcolm has played on numerous film soundtracks including Lord of the Rings, Cold Mountain, and G.I.Jane and also teaches and examines at London's Trinity College of Music and Royal Academy of Music. Malcolm started his own record label in 1990 and launched his company Audio-B Ltd. in 1998. He formed his world-renowned and highly innovative trio Acoustic Triangle in 2000. Acostic Triangle were hugely popular at last year's festival

MIKE PIGGOTT-one of Britain's leading jazz violinists, influenced by Stephane Grappelli, Joe Venuti and Stuff Smith in particular, Mike Piggott began his musical career as guitarist/violinist, playing with reggae, soul and blues bands including working with Junior Marvin (The Wailers), and guitarist Peter Green. He has toured, recorded and broadcast with a wide range of artists including Ralph McTell, Phil Collins and John Etheridge and was featured in Guy Barker's 'Bix' concert series at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and in the 'Venuti role in Russell Davies' television film The Lowest of the Low - the history of the bass saxophone. For five years Mike has been jazz violin tutor at the Dartington International Summer School with The Herbie Flowers Rock Shop.

NILS SOLBERG Born in Durban of Norwegian descent, Nils grew up in England and is now based in London and the South East. By the age of ten he was teaching himself the guitar. After a flirtation with finger-style ragtime in the folk clubs of the late 60s and early 70s, his life was changed upon hearing Django Reinhardt, and thereafter he dedicated himself to pursuing the art of acoustic swing. He subsequently broadened his style to encompass gypsy jazz, traditional, swing and mainstream jazz. He has had a long association with jazz violinists, notably Johnny van Derrick, Nigel Kennedy, Mike Piggott, Andy Aitchison and Steve Elsworth and frequently works with bassist Peter Ind and guitarist Gary Potter, with whom he has appeared several times at the Kaamos Jazz Festival in Lapland.