Astral Project

Astral Project came together in New Orleans in 1978 as an improvisational jazz ensemble. Saxophonist Toni Dagradi leads the quintet, whose lineup also features pianist David Torkanowski, guitarist Steve Masakowski, bassist James Singleton, and John Vidacovich. The five musicians readily shift into duos, trios, or quartets according to the demands of each piece they perform, while separately pursuing individual solo work and outside projects before reuniting with the group as their core affiliation.

Such long-term interplay, spanning more than two decades, has produced an exceptionally adaptable musical identity. During the early 1980s, Bobby McFerrin appeared regularly as a featured guest on their stages. Astral Project has drawn from jazz, rock, world, and classical sources to shape its own fluid style, captured across three albums: the now out-of-print Dreams of Love, 1998’s Elevado, and 1999’s Voodoo Bop.