Devoted to cool jazz, the Disciples perform a lighter, more romantic style of jazz than Be-Bop. The group takes a relaxed approach to rhythm similar to musicians like Miles Davis, whose recordings Birth of the Cool and Kind of Blue in the late 1950s became among the most popular jazz albums ever produced.

Mike Caruk began his jazz experience studying at the Hartford Conservatory in Connecticut as an electric bass player for Latin jazz ensembles. He then joined a local budding group called “Latin Flavor” and performed at local festivals and venues including the Hartford Jazz Festival. He studied trumpet privately at the University of Connecticut under the direction of trumpeter and educator Daniel Patrylak. He studied classical trumpet and participated in the UConn Jazz Ensemble and the UConn Symphonic Band. He currently continues his studies through improvisation workshops with the esteemed jazz trombonist, Dr. Ed Byrne. Mike also plays with Ed Byrne and Eastern Standard Time as well as the Rob DeSesa Quartet.

Bassist Mark Dunlap first studied guitar and switched to electric and then double bass. Dunlap studies composition with Grammy Award nominated composer, and long-time mentor, Ed Byrne, DMA. Dunlap also studies bass with accomplished NYC bassists, Santi DeBriano and Joe Fonda. Dunlap is a founding member and serves on the board of the Western New England Double Bass Society, a group of almost 200 performing double bassists that sponsors bass workshops and concerts throughout New England. He also serves as the Chair of the Holyoke Cultural Council. Dunlap manages every aspect of creating, performing, recording and promoting his own sound through his independent recording label and publishing company "Simmer Music.” He performs regularly in clubs and festivals in the Northeast USA & Germany with numerous bands.

Guitarist Mark Applegate graduated from Berklee College of Music where he excelled in his studies and immersed himself in Boston's jazz-rich music scene. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1991, he moved to western Massachusetts where he quickly developed a reputation as one of the region's most sought-after musicians. Mark is a dynamic performer and an outstanding teacher. He has been recruited to share his love of music with students at music schools throughout the New England including the New England Community Music School, the Community Music School of Springfield, Northfield Mount Hermon, Deerfield Academy and the Eaglebrook School which are two of the finest private schools in the country. With decades of experience in music education, Mark has developed a challenging and efficient method of study for the guitar that has proven extremely effective with motivated students. Mark's arranging skills and sensitive playing are the cornerstone of the jazz influence of Disciple of Cool's music. At the very foundation of this project, audiences will find again and again, Mark's sweet, compelling tone moving listeners to toe tapping grooves or to tears.

Christopher Bakriges, pianist and composer. A Detroit native, Bakriges has lead his own groups since the early 80s. His first ensemble in Detroit included the noted rhythm section of Tani Tabbal and Jaribu Shahid. He has performed internationally since 1990, including tours in India, Pakistan, Turkey, England, France, Canada, and the Czech Republic. In the early 90s he was invited to become music director of Jazzfest on Northeast Public Radio after its station director heard his ensembl! e, Critical Theory, in concert with Bobby McFerrin and David Darling. Broadcast monthly from the WAMC-FM Studios in Albany, New York, Jazz Fest became the only live jazz radio program being aired at that time in the United States. Besides performing his compositions, Bakriges was able to accompany many acclaimed artists such as Kenny Burrell, Bernard Purdie, Lee Shaw, and Pat Metheny's original rhythm section of Danny Gottleib and Mark Egan. Bakriges has been music director and pianist at the Mo’ Jazz Cafe, Vermont’s only jazz club, since the late 90s. A published scholar, Bakriges earned his doctorate in ethnomusicology from York University in Toronto and regularly lecturers around the world. His background in world music as well as his own Greek cultural heritage lends a decidedly Mediterranean flavor to his work. His singular approach to composition and performance have been influenced from study with artists who embrace the entire scope of African American and jazz history, including Jaki Bayard, Nadi Qamar, Harold Danko, Billy Taylor, Frederick Simmons, and Anthony Braxton. Bakriges has also worked with Indian classical masters Pandit Sushil Mukherjee and Tanjore Vishwanathan as well as with Indonesian gamelan composer Sumarsam.

Brad Rickert, piano/keyboards: Brad's journey with the piano began at age 10 with classical lessons and eventually shifted to the study of jazz and modern music theory at the Hartt School of Music. After attending Westminster College and Berklee School of Music for a few years, Brad hit the road with the Bobby Fitzgibbon Show for 2 years, playing the showroom circuit from Miami to Montreal. Upon returning to Connecticut, Brad became keyboardist and musical director for Mainstreet, an 8 piece local dance band eventually leaving to form his own band, Steppin' Out. Currently, Brad has been performing in a number of other jazz related venues including the Hartford Jazz Festival with Theresa Wright and solo work at Caveys in Manchester.

Denny Ray Pelletier, drums, developed strong roots in jazz early on, and his American Indian background and spiritually-centered approach to rhythm help to forge the musical identity of the group. The son of a jazz trumpeter, Pelletier began performing as a drummer in many local social events, dances, and talent shows. He studied with Les Harris Sr., then head of percussion at Boston’s Berklee School of Music, which led to freelance opportunities on the Boston circuit. Years of experience have found Pelletier in a wide variety of musical situations, performing with J.J. Johnson, Ronnie Laws, Michael Omartian, and Anthony Cox. He also has backed Cleo Laine, Peggy Lee, Bonnie Raitt, and Linda Ronstadt with orchestras for musical theatre performances. Pelletier’s recording credits include dozens of radio and national albums, and several children’s television shows including “Zoom” and “Sesame Street.”

Rob DeSesa, drumset: has played and taught percussion throughout the Greater Hartford area since 1980. Robert was classically trained and received his Masters in Applied Percussion performance from Hartt School of Music in 1981. Robert studied with Alexander Lepak, the former timpanist with the Hartford Symphony. He also studied with Stuart S. Smith at University of Hartford. Robert was an active member of the Creative Musicians Improvisers Forum (CMIF) from 1980-1982. CMIF was led by Leo Smith, who is current faculty member at California Institute of the ARTS. Robert has been performing and recording throughout the area including classical and jazz settings. Robert formed his own jazz quartet in 2003 and has also performed and recorded with various artists in Connecticut and Massachusetts areas.