Bassist Tyler Mitchell has regularly mixed jazz traditions with avant-garde ideas throughout his career, which has seen him backing renowned vocalists Shirley Horn and Jon Hendricks in addition to exploring outer realms as a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra. Known for having a weighty bass sound, his playing can be delicate and swinging at the same time. Originally from Chicago, he moved to New York in the 1980s and quickly became an in-demand sideman, touring and recording with Sun Ra, Art Taylor, Steve Grossman, Rashied Ali, and many others. He moved to Mexico in 2000 and worked with numerous Latin jazz musicians. Since the early 2000s, Mitchell has focused on leading his own groups, and he released his debut album as a leader, Live at Smalls, in 2012. He returned to the Arkestra and collaborated with leader Marshall Allen on the 2022 releases Dancing Shadows and Sun Ra's Journey.