Walter Earl began his career in Dallas, Texas, where he studied with some of the best jazz musicians around such as Claude Johnson, Ken Boome, Kenny Kirkland,Roger Boyke,Joe Sample,Michelle Le Fevre,Robert Lee,in San Francisco Si Perkoff, Mark Little.

Earl played with the legendary Herbie Lewis. Lewis, who often featured the Walter Earl Quintet, had also played with renowned musicians like McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan and Joe Chambers.

Stacy Dillard, raised in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, started playing the saxophone at a rather late age. In his hometown, there isn’t much music happening, but only Robert Moore, Stacy’s band instructor, and a host of close friends. Athletics was a big part of his life, leading to the late start on the instrument. Stacy attended college at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio to study with Dr. William Denza, Jim Smith, Chris Berg, and Lenard Moses. Very quickly, Dillard acquired the necessary knowledge that would soon put his name out on the local scene. It was a run-in with Wynton Marsalis in Dayton, Ohio that would turn his attention to the New York Scene. After graduation, Stacy took the act to Cincinnati, where he stayed for a short time and made his first recording appearance with Mike Wade on trumpet, drummer Melvin Broach and pianist William Menefield. Maturation was very rapid, finally leading the way to New York.