Photos by John Helmke
Saxes
Kathy Neri - Band Leader/Alto Saxophonist
Kathy was born in Chicago, IL and then moved to Connecticut at age 14. She studied piano since she was six, cello and clarinet since she was 9, and tenor saxophone since she was 11. She is a graduate from South Windsor High School and was a member of the Connecticut Valley Youth Wind Ensemble. She received a B.S. in Music Education and a B. F. A. , as well as a Masters of Music, from the University of Connecticut. Go Huskies! Performances have included performing with the Statue of Liberty Marching Band in 1986 and for President Reagan's Inauguration in 1985. She has studied saxophone with Lee Jones, Phil DeLibero, and Lou Soloway. Kathy also studied jazz under the direction of Ellen Rowe. She is a retired music teacher of the East Hartford School System. She is a 2016 Fellows Teacher.
Currently, Kathy is performing with the Sax Summit in Manchester, Flamingos on lead tenor, a member of the Center Stage Jazz Band, a member of the Simsbury Community Band, and the Plainville Wind Ensemble, and has performed with the Glenn Hansen Orchestra, Big Band Sound of the '40s, Solid Oak Big Band and the Little Big Band. She has been with the Al Fenton Big Band since its inception as lead alto. "I am honored to be the director of this great band!"
Gary Neff - Alto Saxophonist
A graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Gary has played in concert, marching, swing, and polka bands as well as small groups and combos. Currently he is performing with the Eastern Connecticut University/Community Band, The Little Big Band, The East Woodstock Cornet Band, and during the summer months plays with the Windham Concert Band. Performing on both alto and tenor sax, Gary has been making music for over fifty years. Some role model sax players of Gary are Stan Getz, Phil Woods, and Jeff Taylor.
Being new to the Al Fenton Big Band, he is looking forward to MANY new and stimulating musical experiences!
Bruce Giannini - Tenor Saxophone
Bruce started playing clarinet when he was11 yrs old, switching to tenor sax in 8th grade. His first music teacher was George Ventrelli of Plainville. Teachers include Mr. Ventrelli, and Dominic Talotta. He also studied "jazz improvisation" at the Hartford Conservatory of Music for 5 years with Walter Gwardyak and Dave Santoro, and a brief summer with Joel Frahm. After a 20 year absence, he retuned by playing with the Plainville Y Band, Solid Oak, Sebby Papa, Dick Santi, City Lights, Bristol Reunion Jazz, Bristol Brass and Al Fenton Big Band.
Raymond McKay - Tenor Saxophonist
Ray began playing clarinet in 2nd grade. By the time he reached high school he turned to saxophone noting it would offer more varied playing opportunities. After joining the Army in 1962, he transferred from an Airborne Unit to the 79th Army Band. This unit toured all over Central and South America, along with a number of Caribbean Islands. Upon release from the military, he freelanced with a number of small groups playing parties, weddings and general gatherings. Ray started working night clubs for a period of nine years with an organ trio called Two Gals and a Guy. Subsequently, he worked for the Jarvis Music Agency for more than a decade. Upon retiring from his day job with the U.S. Postal Service, he continued my playing career with a number of Big Bands, both contemporary and in the Forties Tradition. He has continued in this vain playing in and running several large aggregations. Ray enjoys mentoring players willing to improve their skills, especially young students who have a passion for music.
Gene Hickey - Baritone Saxophonist
Over the years Gene has studied with a number of excellent teachers, most of whom soon moved to Florida or made a career change. His greatest pleasure in the band happens during performances when he explore tonal areas and rhythms not heard in western music. It leaves his bandmates speechless. Gene's idols are Sun Ra and Rahassan Roland Kirk.
Ensembles include: Wind Ensemble, Al Fenton Big Band and Strictly Swing
Biggest influences: Stan Getz, Charles Parker, Zoot Sims, and Paul Desmond
Trumpets
James Corcoran - Lead Trumpet
Jim Corcoran is delighted to be a part of the Al Fenton Big Band.
He begin playing trumpet at 8 years old. In high School he
performed locally with his own band as well as the Regional
and High School All State Bands. He went to under graduate
school at Western Connecticut University. After college he
studied brass with Donald S. Reinhardt and began a long career
of teaching in the Parochial Schools. He went on to earn a
Masters of Music and a 6th year Diploma in Educational
Leadership.
Over the years he played with The Johnnie Priko Band, the
Velvet tones, Pressure Point, The Big Band Sound of the 40's
The big bands of John Taylor, Leo Liddle, Strictly Swing the
second company Foot Guard Band.
Since 2008 he bought Connecticut Future Musicians which runs
the instrumental music programs in the Catholic Schools. He
has been the instrumental music director at St James school
Manchester since 1979.
Jereme Walker- 2nd Trumpet
Valerie Chisholm - 3rd Trumpet
Valerie grew up in Holden, Mass. (near Worcester, Mass.). She began playing trumpet at 8 years old and played in a local community orchestra at age 9 with several family members. In high school she played in youth orchestras in Worcester and Boston along with a local community band and a local community jazz band. Valerie attended Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Music Education and she studied trumpet with Robert Nagel. She was fortunate to play in the Hartt Jazz Band under the direction of Al Lepak, along with many other performing groups (orchestra, wind ensemble, and brass quintets).
After college Valerie played professionally with the Worcester Orchestra for about 15 years under the direction of Joseph Silverstein and Harry Ellis Dickson. She also began a career working in computer software engineering at Aetna in Hartford. Valerie is currently playing in the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra which performs 6 or 7 local concerts each year. The FVSO had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall in 2006. She also plays in the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard Band in Hartford which performs numerous concerts and parades in addition to inaugural ceremonies for the governor. The Foot Guard Band has performed in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. as well as throughout the state of Connecticut. Valerie used to play in the City Lights and Strictly Swing big bands. She currently plays with the Big Band Sound of the 40’s and the Flamingo all-female big band. She is very happy to be joining the fine musicians of the Al Fenton Big Band for more musical adventures.
Lee Sohl - 4th Trumpet
Lee Sohl fell for big band music, show tunes, and Frank Sinatra early on. Because of
her love of Harry James’ playing, as a fourth grader she chose the trumpet for her
instrument, although teachers attempted to talk her into a more “feminine” instrument.
She was a comeback player 37 years later, and now plays as a community member and
mentor in the private Kent School concert band, jazz band, orchestra, as well as with
the local Salisbury Band and its offshoots (Hot Shots and Christmas Brass). Lee plays
in the Harmonious Brass Choir and the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard Band,
but the Al Fenton Big Band remains her favorite.
Trombones
John Beers - 1st Trombone
John grew up in Huntington, Long Island, New York. He began playing the trombone in fourth grade at age 9, after having started lessons on the piano. Throughout grade school and high school, John played in school and community orchestras, bands and stage bands, and was selected for All-County and All-State orchestras and bands in junior high school and high school. After graduating from high school, John attended Princeton University, where he majored in music, with a concentration in theory and composition. While at Princeton, John played in its marching and symphonic bands, orchestra, glee club and chapel choir orchestras, big band and in musical theatre orchestras.
After Princeton, John worked for ASCAP in New York City, analyzing music performed on network television, which was used for determining performance royalties to be paid to member composers.
John followed his time at ASCAP by attending law school, after which he worked as an attorney, initially in private practice in New York City and New Haven, ultimately becoming employed as corporate counsel for an insurance company for several years, and then for a Bank. After a relatively dry musical period when he was developing his legal career and starting a family, John gradually reentered the music scene in the late 1980s. Over the course of the next 25 years, he served as principal trombone with the Bristol and West Hartford Symphony Orchestras and played in a number of big bands. At present, in addition to playing lead trombone in the Al Fenton Big Band, John is principal trombone in the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra and the Danbury Brass Band, and lead trombone in the Tuxedo Junction Band. Having recently retired from full-time law practice, John is also working on arrangements and compositions.
Michael Bryenton - 2nd Trombone
I began playing trombone in grade school. I studied music at Central CT. State College, the Hartt School, and Capital Community College, where I graduated with an Associates Degree.
I have played with many groups such as the Plainville YMCA Band, the Dick Santi Orchestra, the Daytona Beach Concert Band, the Jimmy Dorsey Then and Now Orchestra, the Solid Oak Big Band, and the Glastonbury Town Band.
As one of the original members of the Al Fenton Big Band, I’m honored to be playing in this group with so many talented musicians.
Greg Schmidt - 3rd Trombone
Greg Schmidt began playing trombone in sixth grade. He
spent his early growing up years in New Jersey and moved
to Connecticut as a middle school student. Greg played
trombone throughout middle school in jazz and concert
bands performing for President Ford as well as many
parades and pit orchestras. After a hiatus during which he
pursued his career as a special education teacher and
raised his family, Greg reentered the performing world
playing hand bells in The Plantsville Church Hand bell Choir
and also playing trombone in the Bristol Brass and Wind
Ensemble. A life long lover of jazz, big band, swing and horn
music, Greg was thrilled to become a member of the Al
Fenton Big Band in 2016. Greg is also a proud parent of two
Southington High School Marching Band alumni and served
as a Bandbacker. His older son is Band Director at David
Wooster Middle School in Stratford, CT and woodwind
instructor for the Bunnell-Stratford High School Marching
Band and his younger son is a Junior music education major
at Western Connecticut State University. Greg is thrilled to
have passed his love of music to the next generation!
John Chin - Bass Trombone and Vocalist
John started playing trombone in 7th grade in the New York City public schools. Later, in high school, he played in concert bands, orchestras and Big Bands under the instruction of Max Watras. This gave him the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Take the N train to 57th St. (Ha! You thought I was going to say PRACTICE!. Well that helps.)
During this time he also played baritone bugle with various drum & bugle corps in the New York City area including the New York Skyliners.
After 16 years of not playing music (Known as "The Dark Times") he joined the Simsbury Community Band. That rekindled his passion for music. Shortly after that he joined the Solid Oak Big Band where he met Al Fenton, who was Solid Oak's lead trombone. Al also recruited him to play with the Dick Santi Orchestra and his own "Al Fenton Big Band".
One night, at Talcott Mountain Music Festival, where John volunteers annually, his co-volunteer overheard him singing along with a Beatles song (as a Beatles Tribute band was performing with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra), and she said, ‘John, you have a good voice, you should try singing.’
John’s first public vocal performance was at Hartford, CT’s Wadsworth Atheneum Festival of Trees, singing a duet to “Baby It’s Cold Outside” with the female vocalist from Solid Oak Big Band. Since then he has sung with these bands individually, or in duets with each band's main vocalist.
John has 2 children. A trombonist and a saxophonist.
Rhythm Section
Christine Apruzese - Keyboardist
My mother was an accomplished pianist, and I began playing piano at age 5. In the 4th grade I also took up the violin, played in the All State orchestra, and then started studying piano more seriously again in 10th grade. I then auditioned to be a piano major at Western CT State University. I was a Music Ed major and also took up the cello and played in the Wes Conn string orchestra.
I taught eighth grade general music for two years. I played with a top forty band for six year, and have played in many swing bands for over 20 years. I am classically trained, but enjoy pop, rock, jazz, and swing music as well.
Tony Saccavino - Guitarist
Tony has been playing guitar since 1967. His first guitar was
a 1965 Gretsch (Sunburst) which he brought from his cousin who
was his first guitar teacher. He would practice at least 8 hours
a day and in no time he was teaching guitar at a number of music
stores in the New Haven area. On Thursday nights you could often
find him playing at the Exit Coffee House in downtown New Haven.
After graduating from high school he enlisted in the navy where
he met other musicians and played in a number of rock groups and
jazz combos. After being discharged from the navy, he continued
to play and further his knowledge of the guitar by taking lessons
from various guitar teachers: Joe Tinari, a great classical and
jazz player from New Haven, Jim Hall, the guitarist from the
Merv Griffin show during the late 60's and later studied with
a 9 string guitar jazz great Michael Coppola where he learned
the concept of his 7 string guitar. Later he studied with
Johnny Knapp from Waterbury who started his playing in the Big Bands.
He has played in a number of venues including the Wolf Den at Mohegan
Sun Casino with the Glen Hansen Orchestra and the Warner Theater
in Torrington with the Governor's Fooguard Dance Band.
He is a current member in the following groups:
The Governor's Footguard Dance Band (New Haven),
The Glen Hansen Orchestra,
The Al Fenton Big Band
Tuxedo Junction Sounds of Swing
Classified(Motown And Then Some)
He has also been a member in the following groups:
Center Stage Jazz,
Dick Santi Orchestra
The Big Band of Essex
Timothy Keane - Drummer
Timothy Keane is our drummer. Tim has a wealth of experience in the area of drums and percussion. He has earned music degrees from The University of Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University and studied jazz at Eastman School of Music. He studied big band drumming with renowned drum teacher Ed Soph. Tim brings a well rounded performance background to the band which includes serving as principal percussionist with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra. As an active freelance player, Tim has performed with countless tours and shows at the top music venues in Connecticut, including The Bushnell, Woolsey Hall, The Palace Theater, The Shubert Theatre, and Mohegan Sun Arena. In addition to his performance schedule, he has an extensive teaching background and has served as the music director at Terryville High School in Terryville, CT since 2007.
Les Bernstein - Bass
Les began classical double-bass instruction at the age of 13 and performed in several symphony orchestras, including the Florida All-State Orchestra, the Carmen Nappo Youth Symphony, and, ultimately, the Miami Beach Symphony. While in college, Les branched out into bluegrass, playing with “No Strings Attached,” the Emory University Theatre ensemble, and other big band and small-combo jazz groups in the Atlanta area. After a somewhat extended hiatus while he pursued his professional career, Les took up the bass once more, this time focusing on jazz and studying with jazz bassists Nat Reeves and Jeff Fuller. Les was a founding member of the Seizure Jazz Ensemble and he has performed with several other jazz combos throughout Connecticut.
Vocalist
Kat Volikas - Vocalist
Kat’s love of music began as a young girl exploring her parents’ record collection: Nat King Cole, The Ink Spots, Sarah Vaughn, Barbara Streisand, and Billie Holliday. Kat attended Hartt School of Music, but left to get married at age 19. She toured with her husband/guitarist, performing for the USO and creating demos for Patti Austin and Quincy Jones. She returned to Connecticut, completed her education and settled in Southbury. A gifted singer, songwriter and story teller, she is currently lending her talents to several musical projects, including “Classified”, “Al Fenton Big Band”, “The Chris Barba Blues Band”, and “The Swing Sisters”. Kat has played with top artists in New York City including the “Cunningham Brothers Band” and “The Summerwind Band” and in the tri-state area she has performed with “Satin Star”, “Sapphire”, “GrooveTime”, and “Sin Sisters.” For Kat, success means creating a musical conversation that is focused on personal and professional growth.