have been digging among the roots of pop music since they met at an open mic in a basement dive in New Hampshire in 1993. With more or less old school instruments they tap the street music tradition for which they are named, then go much further, with serious musicianship, a sense of humor, and energy to burn. Their kitchen sink repertoire ignores boundaries between jazz, folk and rock. Their sound is defined only by deep respect for the craft of songwriting and arranging and a shared love for the inventive possibilities of improvisation.
Craig Jaster (piano, bass, accordion, vocals) has played with the late Big Joe Burrell (B.B. King, Count Basie) and trumpeter Tiger Okoshi, and performs regularly with jazz guitarist Paul Bourgelais and reedsman Rik Pfenninger. He has recorded with Rik Pfenninger, Sweet, Hot & Sassy, and The Parlour Band, as well as for a CBS TV production of the play On Golden Pond. From 1999-2004 he taught jazz piano at Plymouth State University and performed with the PSU Faculty Jazz Ensemble. He has opened for The Yellowjackets, Arturo Sandoval, Dianne Reeves, and to his everlasting pleasure, the late great Ray Charles. His day job is Performing Arts Department Head at the Sant Bani School, an independent K-12 school in Sanbornton, NH.
Kathy (KZ) Sommer (acoustic & electric violins, mandolin, vocals) has studied with latin jazz maestro Eddie Palmieri, the Turtle Island String Quartet, national fiddlers Matt Glaser, Mark O’Connor, Jay Ungar, and mandolinist Peter Ostroushko. She lived in New Hampshire for many years, where she played and recorded with the swing band Sweet, Hot & Sassy, played for contra and square dances, taught violin and gave fiddle workshops. Since moving to northern New York State in 2004, when not touring with The Buskers, she plays freelance with a number of area bluegrass and jazz musicians. She returns to New Hampshire every September to run a weekend-long acoustic music camp (www.fiddleheadscamp.com) with old fiddling friend Ellen Carlson (High Range Band).
Paul Hubert (guitar, voice) has performed extensively as a solo artist on classical guitar and as a singer/songwriter, and with various musical groups, including since 1973, the rock group White Light; in the 1980's as half of The Marty & Paul Show (a.k.a. The Party & Maul Show); and in the early '90's, with the new age group Earth Ecos. He also plays trombone with The Baker Valley Band, a central New Hampshire wind band. He has produced three solo recordings and recorded two albums with White Light. Paul has an ongoing relationship with the New Hampshire Very Special Arts program. His day job is teaching music at the Andover, NH Elementary/Middle School.

Drummers: The Buskers tour with fine freelance drummers, including Tim Gilmore, who teaches at PSU and the Concord Community Music School and has played with Lester Bowie, Marian McPartland and Tower of Power; Paul Knowles, who perfoms with the Jim Burr Trio, Northbound Jazz Quartet and the Frank Sacci Big Band; and Gary Gemmiti, drummer of choice on the NH seacoast for years, who currently tours with Mighty Sam McCain, among others. Drummers emeritus: Ted Zarras ( The Chicken Wire Gang, Kathryn Whelan's Jazz Squad, The Countdown Quartet) played with the Buskers from 2001-2004. Bob Woodbury (USMC Band, The Rusty Rockstar Road Show) and Barry Nelson (Annie & The Orphans) played on our first album.