Marie Valentin has established herself as an outstanding blues singer in the 1980’s, performing with the group Moonshine where she displayed a strong affection to and knowledge of the art of the ”Empress of the Blues” Bessie Smith. With an early background as a folk singer with guitar and further experience as a member of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra choir, she has kept her voice in trim which enables her to give a convincing interpretation of the classic blues.

Kiki Desplat is a renowned cornet player and the leader of the all-female band Certains L’Aiment Chaud since 1984. With her unique sound and style she has performed at major festivals across Europe and North America. Kiki is particularly inspired by Joe Smith and Ed Allen, who gained fame accompanying great blues singers in the 1920s. She is not only a talented performer but also a skilled arranger and serves as the musical director of Marie Valentin Blue Five.

Mikael Cinthio has been playing New Orleans jazz on clarinet and saxophones during the 1970’s and 80’s in Traditional Feetwarmers (from Lund) and continue in the style today with Max Lagers, (from Gothenburg). He has also participated in Malmö based The Absalon Orchestra (arranged 20’s jazz) and Östblocket (klezmer and Balkan brass). He gets inspiration from Sidney Bechet and other great reed players in the classic jazz idiom.

Christer Andersson is a revue- and big band trombone player that found his way to the classical jazz through Paul Bocciolone Strandbergs ensemble teaching activities. Earlier engagements are with Original Jazz Makers and Southern Syncopaters (playing sousaphone) and Baked Beans Jazzers from Copenhagen (trombone).

Hampus Cinthio has with his piano been an asset to the rhythm section ever since he started to play with different school bands, among others Lunds Jazzkapell. Like his brother Mikael he was a member of Traditional Feetwarmers in the 1970’s and 80’s. He has also been playing with the Swedish-Danish group Storyville New Orleans Jazzband. In Marie Valentin Blue Five he excels in the steady playing typical for many accompanists within the early jazz and blues.

Paul Bocciolone Strandberg is a passionate aficionado of the early jazz since childhood. While forming and leading successful jazz groups like Scaniazz, The Absalon Orchestra and Paul and his Gang he has continuously developed his playing especially on his first instrument that is the cornet. But Paul is equally at home in any roll within the classic jazz orchestra and here he gets an opportunity to play another of his favorite instruments. The banjo has an important function within the the music that we have inherited from Clarence Williams and other immortal jazz pioneers.

Jonas Eilert, the tasteful sousaphone player in the band, has through the years mostly played this, his favorite instrument, in several well-known 1920’s style orchestras, but also the banjo and the cornet. Today you can moreover listen to his sousaphone playing in Salongsorkestern from Lund, and to his cornet in some local groups.