Donald Rafael Garrett (1932-1989) was a multi-instrumentalist from El Dorado, Arkansas. He specialized in jazz clarinet and bass, but could also play other reed instruments as well as the flute. In the late 1960s, he began creating his own bamboo flutes. In 1977, He founded the Sea Ensemble with his wife, vocalist and cellist Kali Fasteau. Throughout his career he performed with a variety of musicians including Roland Kirk, Eddie Harris, Joseph Jarman, and Kahil El'Zabar.

Gerald Oshita (1942-1992) was a musician and composer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He specialized in wind instruments including the alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, as well as the contrabass sarrusophone and the Conn-o-sax. He also hand crafted shakuhachi, Japanese bamboo flutes. He was known for his improvisation as well as for his contributions to the development of Asian American Jazz. In 1994, the Gerald Oshita Memorial Fellowship was established in his memory.

Oliver Johnson (1944-2002) was a modern jazz drummer from Oakland, United States. He moved to Paris in the late 1960s, and performed with other American jazz musicians including Alan Silva, Anthony Braxton, and Oliver Lake.