The members of Atomic 5 met while studying Jazz Performance at McGill University. In 2008 they formed the band, comprised of New Yorker Steven Salcedo (tenor sax), Montrealers Nicolas Godemaire (guitar) and Beavan Flanagan (piano), and Torontonians Kathryn Palumbo (double bass) and Aaron Landsberg (drums). In developing their sound, they regularly do workshops with saxophonists Frank Lozano and Chet Doxas. The band has opened for acclaimed Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, played the Festival before a crowd of 4,000 people and took home the prize at the 2010 Vandoren-Jupiter Jazz En Rafale Competition, thereby winning an exclusive recording contract with Montréal's Effendi Records. In 2011 they released their self-titled debut album.