Pianist John Harkins was born in Elgin, Illinois in 1961 and after living and playing in Chicago, moved to Australia in 1994. His earliest influences were Stevie Wonder,  Pink Floyd, REO Speedwagon and Glen Campbell. Dinah Washington  and Nat Cole were in there too. Hardcore jazz hit him hard around 1978 and he's been swingin' ever since.

Harkins will be joined for this performance by his long time associate and Canberra resident bassist Brendan Clarke. Clarke and Harkins recently toured and recorded with jazz heavyweights Dale Barlow and Joe Farnsworth and have played together in a multitude of musical situations over the past 20 years. Rounding off the trio is drummer Aaron Jansz who is making some serious waves in the Brisbane jazz scene and has just come off a national tour with Harkins and Clarke supporting renowned American Trombonist Vince Gardner.