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We love having our friends sit in with us. It give us a chance to "mix it up" so-to-speak, and give us a chance to meet new musicians. It also keeps things fresh! Here are some of our friends that we love playing with.
Kurtis Adams - Saxophone
Originally from Nashville, TN,, and an ex-FlyCat, Kurtis Adams found
his passion for music at an early age. As a child, he gave pretend concerts
in between raiding his parents’ music collection. Eventually, the pretend
concerts became real when he began playing the saxophone at age nine then
deciding to pursue music professionally while in high school. After
completing his bachelor’s degree, Kurtis moved to Boulder for graduate
studies at the University of Colorado. As an integral part of the Colorado
music community, he performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Colorado
Music Festival Orchestra, Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra, Metropolitan Jazz
Orchestra, and the 9th & Lincoln Orchestra and shared the stage with great
musicians including Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera, Greg Gisbert, Pat
Bianchi, Jeff Jenkins, Brad Goode, Peter Sommer, and Paul Romaine. As a
member of the Jazz Ensembles at CU, Kurtis performed with guest artists such
as Joe Lovano, Conrad Herwig, Jiggs Whigham, Tom Harrell, Bobby Shew, and
Bob Mintzer. In 2005, Downbeat Magazine named Kurtis College Co-winner for
Best Original Composition for his composition “Instable Mate?” and in 2007
he was selected to participate in the Paquito D’Rivera Latin Jazz Workshop
performing with the Grammy-winning saxophonist at Carnegie Hall in New York.
After completing his doctoral work, Kurtis relocated to Atlanta with his
wife where he is now a freelance performer as well as a member of the music
faculty at Gordon College.
UPDATE: Kurtis has accepted
the position of Director of Jazz Studies @ Boise State University. We wish
our buddy Kurtis all the best.
”Kurtis Adams plays tenor and soprano sax like a wild man.” - Edward
Blanco, eJazz News
Downbeat Magazine Student Music Award - Best Original Composition - 2005
Tim Teagarden, Saxophone (R.I.P.)
Tim was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised in Waterford, Michigan.
His love of music started very young. When he played the saxophone for the
first time in fourth grade, "he fell in love." If music can truly "run in
the family" you couldn't ask for a better heritage than having the world
renown, Big Band trombonist, Jack Teagarden, as part of your family tree. In
fact, Tim started private lessons at the age of 10 with Emil Sutt of
Clarkston, Michigan who played with Tim's great uncle, Jack Teagarden. Tim
always enjoyed hearing Emil share stories about playing with his Great Uncle
during the Big Band era of the 1940's - 1950's.
Tim studied with Emil during his early years, then with Elaine Zajac and
James Forger at Michigan State University where Tim received his BA in Music
Education. While at MSU, he played in the Big Bands, studied jazz
improvisation, starting arranging and performed in churches throughout
Michigan.
Even though Tim left band directing years ago, he never put his horns down.
Tim plays soprano, alto and tenor sax. Tim currently performs solo concerts
in churches, plays in the Praise band at Cross Pointe, the Church at
Gwinnett Center and is a member of Crosswinds, a jazz sax quartet.
Richard Stone, Saxophone
Richard started playing the Alto Saxophone at age 5 back in 1962. He played
all throughout his grammar school and high school days including classical
concert bands, jazz bands, and even a dixieland band. In his senior year of
high school he competed and won the prestigious Louis Armstrong Jazz Award
and also started experimenting with rock bands. Richard liked rock and
tended to play the sax more like a lead guitar than a jazz saxophone. After
High school he joined a rock band in Butler New Jersey called "Beyond
Bourgeois" and played the local club circuit for a few years. The band
eventually broke up due to the normal life cycles most people go through
like marriage and family. Then he joined a blues band called "Waffle Davis".
The band consisted of bass guitar, drums, sax, harp player and a keyboard
player and played a lot of stuff by "James Cotton" and "Muddy Waters".
Following the "Waffle Davis band Richard went back to rock and roll and
joined an all original rock group called "Finger Lickin' Good". FLG were
well accepted wherever they went but decided that the name of the band
sounded too 'country'. They decided to change the name to "The Screamin'
Blue Jays". During his time with 'The Screamin' Blue Jays' they opened for
such acts as "Chuck Berry", "Suzanne Fellini", and "Blackfoot". He remained
with the band until 1987 when he moved to Cape Coral Florida. From 1987 to
2005 Richard played in local churches and a jazz trio. The jazz trio played
mostly at the Ritz Carlton and LaPlaya hotels in Naples Florida. In 2005 he
said goodbye to Florida moved to Kodak, Tennessee. In Kodak he became part
of a very large Christmas production that plays to from 6000 to 8000 people
every December. He also plays in the local church.
Neil Newcomb - Saxophones
William Hollifield -
Saxophone
William is one of Atlanta’s
up and coming musicians and is well versed in jazz, classical, rock, pop,
and show music. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, clubs across the U.S.,
international jazz festivals, pit orchestras, concert halls, as well as
touring with his own groups. He began playing Saxophone when he was 6 years
old, and is also proficient on Flute, Alto flute, Clarinet, and Bass
clarinet. He is a skilled player, writer, arranger, and teacher, having
taught privately for the past 6 years. William held principle positions in
the orchestra and jazz and symphonic bands throughout his Middle, High
School, and College careers. He was a two-time Georgia All-State Symphonic
Band winner. William completed his senior year of high school joint enrolled
at Georgia State University playing in GSU’s top big band. William graduated
Cum Laude from University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music with a degree
in Jazz Performance having played with greats like Kevin Mahogany, Nicholas
Payton, John Fedchock, Bob Washut, and The American Horn Quartet.
Traci Wynn - Saxophone
Born and raised in Los
Angeles, Traci Wynn derived much of her early musical influence from her
stepfather, Sam Cross Jr. Sam played sax with such legends as James Brown,
Ike & Tina Turner, the Temptations among others. Traci would avidly listen
to these artists as members of their bands would visit for impromptu jam
sessions. She began playing the clarinet at age 8, then gravitated to the
baritone saxophone four years later. Progressing from baritone to alto until
she found a true connection with the tenor sax, she played in her high
school's jazz band, winning accolades and placed 2nd in the annual Battle of
the Bands. It was during this time that her professional music career truly
started as founding member of The Family Jewels. The group played with the
Bob Hope USO Tour, and shared the stage with many popular bands of the day,
including Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Santana, and Abbey Lincoln. In
its three-year existence, the Jewels entertained small rooms and then earned
listings in such larger venues as The Hollywood Bowl, The Roxy and The
Palladium.
Mike Delcampo, Drums
Rich Millett, Drums
Monica Spears, Vocals
Amy Hoelscher - Vocals
Amy has studied voice privately with Dee Knapp, professional Jazz singer and
studio vocal consultant, Cherry Brendel, Professional Opera singer and
Georgia State University vocal Professor,
Karen Parks, Professional Opera, jazz,
and gospel singer and KSU vocal professor, and she is currently studying
with
Jana Young, professional Opera singer
and KSU vocal professor. Amy is currently an active member in the
Music Educators National Conference and
has observed and assisted in grades K-6th for the General Music
classes at
Tippens Elementary School and
Clayton Elementary School.
Amy is a working and performing vocalist. Her performances include those
with
The Atlanta Youth Jazz Orchestra as a
guest soloist under the direction of
Craig Stephens,
KSU Jazz Ensemble under the direction
of
Sam Skelton,
KSU Chamber Singers at the
Georgia Music Educators Association in
Savannah Georgia under the direction of
Leslie Blackwell, and solo performances
with Jazz Musicians John Knapp, Sam Skelton,
Joe Gransden, and
Bobby Shew.
After moving on to Fort Ord, California playing more
and deciding that the Army was a good thing but not for him, he moved back
to Kissimmee, Fla to look at a civilian life. Through the years Randy has
been playing in various classical, symphonic and jazz bands over the years.
Now days he runs his computer service company from his farm (
www.wauka.com) north of Gainesville and is married
with two daughters.
Tim's love for Jesus Christ and his love of music has been a mainstay in his
life along with the love and support of his wife and family.
Neil Newcomb, is originally from the little town of Saxe, Virginia and
moved to Georgia in late 2000. Neil picked up the saxophone in the summer of
2001. Since then, Neil distinguished himself from his high school peers. In
high school he made the following: 1st chair All-State, Lead Alto
All-State Jazz, Bari All State Jazz, GHP alternate and participant in Jazz
studies program. Professionally, Neil plays in addition to saxophones,
clarinet, and flute. Neil has performed several musicals around the metro
Atlanta area. Neil led The Retrospective Jazztet to play at the Atlanta Jazz
Festival in 2007. Neil has performed or studied with: Jeff Coffin (Dave
Matthews Band/ Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), Sam Skelton, Tony Carere,
Bryan Lopes, Kenyon Carter, Seth Kuen, Dr. Gordon Vernick, Mace Hibbard, Joe
Gransden, Audrey Skair, Nick Longo, Kevin Bales, Fred Wesley (Music leader
for James Brown Band), Kim Richmond, Leon Anderson, Scotty Barnhart (Count
Basie Band), Walter Blanding Jr. (Jazz at Lincoln Center), and many more.
Neil currently holds a studio at Carere Music and can often be found in
Georgia’s Public schools sharing knowledge with younger music students.
In college, Traci continued to study music and played in the Los Angeles
City Jazz Band and several other groups which had an enthusiastic following
on the local L.A. club scene. Currently residing in the musical hotbed of
Atlanta, she has been playing her sax at local clubs, and private venues
including Sambuca Jazz Café, and Goethe Zentrum (German Cultural Center), as
well as hosting the “Jazz Communion” a monthly Sunday event (started by
Traci) held at homes throughout greater Atlanta, and organized a fundraiser
for Doctor’s Without Borders. Additionaly, she was featured playing two of
her originals on a CD of women composers sponserd by the National Museum Of
Women In The Arts and Agnes Scott College.
Traci finds her inspiration in such pioneering artists as Ben Webster,
Lester Young, Stan Getz, and John Coltrane. Some of her personal highlights
have been venues such as: Farsköl and Tivoli Grana Lund - Stockholm, Sweden;
American Bar and Grill - Frankfurt, Germany; World Stage (Billy Higgins'
club) – Los Angeles, CA; and The Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. Her musical
diversity shines whether she is joined with simply a piano or guitar, or
performing with a 14 piece jazz orchestra. Her musical styles range from
Jazz, Latin (salsa & bossa nova), and R & B, to the contemporary sounds of
today.
Watch for this rising star playing jazz the way you like it -
Smooth and Straight Ahead.
Like many drummers of
the era, Mike began playing drums in a rock band in his early teens. Hailing
from Livingston , New Jersey , he studied with Don Megaro and then Glen
Weber at what is now the New Jersey School of Percussion. He soon moved on
to jazz, first sitting in with the New-Orleans-styled Buffalo Disaster Jazz
Band and then playing not-so-standard standards with keyboardist and current
producer and arranger Charlie Elgart.
As percussion lead at Clemson University he directed a transition from
military styled drums to the multi-percussion format that is the mainstay of
today’s drum corps and marching bands. He also performed with various
ensembles, including a new CU Jazz Ensemble.
Mike entered the Atlanta music scene playing with various small combos and
big bands such as The Modernaires and the quintessential Sentimental Journey
Orchestra. He later studied mallet keyboard and multi-percussion for wind
ensemble and orchestra with Thamyris co-founder and artistic co-director
Peggy Benkeser.
Mike freelances in and around Atlanta . He has played in a number of local
orchestras (both drums and percussion) and has performed on studio and field
recordings with the Atlanta Wind Symphony, Michael O’Neal Singers and the
Zephyr Brass Band.
Principal Percussionist of the Atlanta Wind Symphony for eight years, he has
also held the same position for more than ten years with the Georgia
Philharmonic under the direction of Philip Rice.
In 2004 Mike founded the After Hours Quintet (http://www.afterhoursquintet.com/),
bringing together the talents of five musicians from various ages,
experiences and walks of life that collectively make a unique contribution
to a common curiosity about, and interest in, playing jazz.
Mike also teaches general percussion and was the Percussion Coordinator for
Centennial Knights Drum Line for seven years.
Rich was born in London, England, grew up there and later on in Detroit, and
loved all styles of music from an early age. In addition to drums, he plays
guitar and sings and is a prolific songwriter. Rich has performed in a
plethora of bands, both as drummer and guitarist and developed an original
style along the way. Drums are Rich’s first love and he is able to play them
from the perspective of a singer/songwriter, knowing when to lay back and
when to accentuate. Not only that, but he actually used the word "plethora"
in this bio. What more could you want in a drummer?
Maryia
Hare,
Vocals
Maryia
Hare has been a jazz junkie since she was a kid. She is originally from
Russia, where jazz was forbidden during the Cold War, so now she tries to
make up for it by giving all her passion to this exquisite style of music.
Respecting the classics, Maryia also welcomes an eclectic and creative
approach to jazz by mixing different jazz styles and adding cultural variety
to her performance – she sings in four languages! Come see it for yourself!
She is also an aspiring actress and really creates a focal point when
singing with her dance moves, infectious personality and poise.
Love, Life, Romance. The three elements that drive the passion and purity in
the music of Monica Spears. "When I sing, I can't separate passion from
performing, it's impossible", Monica says in a brief interview last month.
"Music has been such a big part of my life, different seasons and
experiences and continues to help me grow as a performer and as a person...I
absolutely LOVE what I do!"
Monica has been performing in the Atlanta/North Georgia area for over 15
years. She has been featured at Harrah's Casino and has been showcased 3
years in a row by Imperial Records at the Country Music Seminar in
Nashville, TN.
Monica has also performed in various festivals and fairs as a solo artist
and with bands. She is currently performing at different venues including
Scott's on the Square (Gainesville, Ga.), Chattahoochee Country Club
(Gainesville, Ga.), and The Copper Pot (Clarkesville, Ga.).
"I have been in all kinds of bands and have sung all genres of music, but my
true love is Jazz, Blues and Standards. There is nothing like the heart and
soul of the classics. Bennett, Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah
Washington, Nina Simone just to name a few...They are the greats...true
talent. I want to do whatever I can to keep that music alive and to be a
part of it in any way I can".
Ms. Hoelscher is a vocalist who has been singing jazz standards for over
seven years. She began her jazz vocal career as a soloist with the Atlanta
Youth Jazz Orchestra at the age of 16. She holds a degree in Music Education
with an emphasis in vocal performance at Kennesaw State University. Amy has
been singing professionally for 6 years, was cast as Gianetta in the Opera
"La Eliser d'amore," and has taught private vocal lessons for two years. She
has performed as a soloist with the Atlanta Youth Jazz Orchestra, Press
Play, The Etowah Jazz Society, Kennesaw State University Jazz Ensemble and
Combo, and as band leader with the Amy Hoelscher Quintet. She has also
performed with well-known artists Bill Watrous, Bobby Shew, Sam Skelton, and
Trey Wright.
Randy Rheinschild -
Trumpet
Randy started playing
trumpet in school band in 6th grade after thinking drums were the way to
go... wrong...needed a melody to play and that was the end of playing drums.
After playing in High School marching, symphonic and jazz band he spent 3
years playing in the US Army Band. Stationed in Ft Polk, La he played
trumpet doing the regular duties and also worked the sound board for the 10
piece combo band that toured high schools doing recruiting and setting up
for two high school performances a day at different locations for each
performance.
