Dr. Alec Villars Huntley is a pianist and keyboardist based out of Los Angeles, CA. A versatile musician, Alec has experience performing a wide range of contemporary genres, including jazz, rock, salsa, R&B, pop, country, and bluegrass. He has performed with many esteemed DFW jazz artists and groups, including Shelley Carrol, Brad Leili, Jennifer Barnes, Fingerprints, The Mighty Beets, and The One O’clock Lab Band. He can also be heard on recordings with the California-based soul group The Anachronistics.

Alec has worked in music education for almost a decade. He’s taught courses in jazz history and applied piano at both the University of North Texas and San Jose State University, and he has been teaching one-on-one piano lessons out of his own studio since 2010. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in jazz piano performance from the University of North Texas, a Master of Music (MM) degree in jazz studies from San Jose State University, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in philosophy from the University of California Santa Cruz. His dissertation, “The Guaraldi Sound: The Musical Devices that Characterize Vince Guaraldi’s Improvisational and Compositional Idiom” explores the musical vocabulary of the late pianist best known for his compositions for the Peanuts animated shorts.

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Saxophonist, Shelley Carrol hails from family of gospel singers and musicians in Houston, Texas. It was there that the music bug bit him at an early age and landed him in the famed Boys Choir of Houston. After picking up the saxophone, he was able to study with the legendary Texas Tenor greats Arnett Cobb and Don Wilkerson. Shelley attended the city’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and was a standout in the city’s Summer Jazz Workshop Program.

While attending the University of North Texas, Shelley earned a spot in the Grammy Nominated One O’clock Lab Band. There he recorded two critically acclaimed CD’s in 1990–91. During the same period, Mr. Carrol was invited to join the Duke Ellington Orchestra by trumpeter Barry Lee Hall. This would prove to be an enormous musical opportunity with worldwide exposure. Shelley evolved to record his debut as a leader in 1997 with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. His second CD, A Distant Star was released in the fall of 2001. Carrol's third release was recorded with his Monday Night Band. The CD, Gentle Friend is now available. His latest recording is entitled I Heard That and features some iconic guest artists like the late Marchel Ivery, Stefon Karlsson, Roger Boykin, and vocalist Ardina Lockhart. Shelley also feels a need to share his musical gift with today’s youth. He currently teaches privately in the Dallas area and gives clinics whenever he can. He says"...music has to be shared to truly be enjoyed." Anyone who listens to his Tenor saxophone would have to agree. 

Carrol was a 2006 finalist in the Texas Commission for the Arts "State Musician" recognition and was also named the 2007 Sammons Center Jazz Artist of the Year. He was a 2014 Dallas Observer nominee for Best Jazz Act. Shelley has recently toured with multi-platinum artist, Sheryl Crow, Gary Clark, Jr. and Kool and the Gang. This has lead to many endorsements and various national TV appearances.

Shelley Carrol is available for performances, clinics and master classes. He currently performs every Sunday at the Balcony Club in Dallas.

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An accomplished musician and performer, Austin Crawford has established himself as a diverse performer, playing an expansive range of genres including Gospel, Jazz, R&B, andSoul. A native of Tampa, Florida, Austin’s passion for music led him pursue a Bachelors’ degree in Jazz Studies at Florida State University.  He was an avid freelancer in the Florida panhandle, performing on many festivals and concerts. He was also chosen for the annual “Future of Jazz” concert led by the legendary Teddy Adams. He continued his education, receiving master’s degree from The University of North Texas where he was a member of the Two O’clock Lab Band performing at the JEN and Midwest Band conferences. He is currently an active freelancer and teacher in the DFW area.

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Eric Willis is a native of Houma, Louisiana where he studied percussion instruments in grade school and private piano lessons with Howard Nixon. He won the Tourgee (tour-jay) DeBose National Piano Competition at age 17.

He went on to attend Southern University studying percussion and piano in the Alvin Batiste Jazz Program where he excelled in music theory and composition. After two years, Eric enlisted in the armed forces and worked in Army Communications. After attending an open audition, he was assigned to the 77^th U.S. Army Band where he earned the title of Percussion Section Chief.

After his enlistment, Eric moved to Dallas, where he pursued a career in sacred music.  Eric served as Choir Director for youth ministry at Concord Missionary Baptist Church,  Minister of Music position at New Mt. Zion Baptist and Music director at  Highland Park Methodist Church and Music Director for Park Cities Baptist Church. 

In education, Eric served as an Adjunct professor, teaching Music Theory and Music Technology at Richland College and Music Technology and Piano Ensemble at Cedar Valley College. He also taught at the International Conservatory of Performing Arts in Plano.

In his professional career, Eric toured with Wayman Tisdale, Kirk Whalum, Eric Darius, Peter White and served as Music Director for Angela Bofill, Melba Moore, Mikki Howard and Tom Braxton.