Performers

JEFF BARNHART (piano), Mystic, CT.

While Jeff Barnhart is now a highly regarded pianist, vocalist, arranger, bandleader, recording artist, composer, pedagogue and entertainer, he had very humble beginnings. Jeff began his professional career at age 14 playing and entertaining four nights a week in a restaurant in his home state of Connecticut. Here he began to learn the classic swing, jazz and ragtime repertoire of the early 20th century. Jeff put himself through college playing throughout New England including stints with one of his childhood influences, the Galvanized Jazz Band. In the 1990's he toured the US and Canada, playing most of the major festivals on the circuit with either the Hot Cat Jazz Band or the Draga-Vax Connection.

The 21st century has found Jeff constantly appearing as a soloist and band pianist at parties, festivals, clubs and cruises in all corners of the globe. He currently manages the Titan Hot Seven, one of the most acclaimed bands in the country. In addition, he leads two bands in the UK - the Fryer-Barnhart International Jazz Band, which concentrates on hot music of the 1920's, and Jeff Barnhart's British Band, which performs small group swing of the 30's. Due to his versatility, vast repertoire and vibrant energy, Jeff is in increasing demand as a participant in international jazz events as either a soloist or as pianist in All-Star Jazz ensembles.

Jeff enjoys playing dual piano and has done so with such jazz luminaries as Ralph Sutton, Neville Dickie, Louis Mazetier and John Sheridan. In addition to his own label, Jazz Alive Records, Jeff plays piano and sings on the international labels GHB, Summit-World Jazz Records, Music Minus One, and the two largest jazz labels in the UK, Lake Records and P.E.K. Sound. Most recently, Jeff has joined the roster of artists featured on the Arbors Records label, with four recordings currently available - the most recent featuring jazz legends Bob Wilber and Bucky Pizzarelli. Jeff has recorded as both pianist and vocalist on over 75 full-length albums.
www.jeffbarnhart.com.

JOHN SHERIDAN (piano), San Antonio, TX.

John began his musical training at 7 years of age and his life was forever changed when at age 8 his father brought home a recording of the Benny Goodman 1938 Carnegie Hall concert. He was immediately taken with the piano playing of Jess Stacy and Teddy Wilson who remain two of his primary influences to this day. John received his Bachelor of Music from Capital University (Ohio) and his Master of Music from the University of North Texas. He joined The Jim Cullum Jazz Band in 1979 where he remained for 23 years. During that time, he performed and arranged for the band's radio series, "Riverwalk: Live From The Landing". In 1990 he began a long association with Banu Gibson and during this time he has added many orchestrations to her symphonic library and written arramgements for her own band. In 2003 John embarked on a solo career and has toured extensively including Australia, Europe and Israel as well as most of the jazz festivals and parties in the States. His sixth "Dream Band" recording was released on the Arbors label. He recently rejoined the Cullum band and will continue to work as a solo artist.

THE JIM CULLUM JAZZ BAND San Antonio, TX. Jim Cullum (cornet), Evan Arntzen (clarinet), Mike Pittsley (trombone), John Sheridan (piano), Howard Elkins (banjo/guitar,vocals), Berni Attridge (bass), Benji Bohannon (drums).

Organized in 1962, The Jim Cullum Jazz Band is renowned worldwide for playing the classic jazz associated with King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Bix Beiderbecke --among others--plus music by great American composers such as Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin. The band has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap Farm, Austin City Limits, at festivals and concerts across the U.S. and Mexico and on a wildly successful tour of Russia!

The musicians are full-time professionals, with extensive backgrounds in traditional jazz, swing and other vintage musical styles. Since 1987, Riverwalk Jazz radio broadcasts have featured The Jim Cullum Jazz Band with distinguished musical guests. The Pacific Vista Production is heard worldwide on Public Radio International.

The Jim Cullum Jazz Band is the only classic jazz group in America which performs five nights a week on a regular basis. The band plays Tuesday through Saturday nights, starting at 8:30 p.m., at The Landing in the Hyatt Regency on San Antonio's famous Riverwalk. www.jimcullum.com.

CLIMAX JAZZ BAND Toronto, Canada. Dave Kosmyna (cornet/piano), Mick Lewis (clarinet), Len Gosling (trombone), Jack Vincken (banjo), Chris Daniels (bass), Jamie Aug (drums).

The first gig for the Climax Jazz Band was at Albert's Hall upstairs at Toronto's Ye Olde Brunswick House in May 1971 where they played six nights a week. Their fame spread far and wide leading to their organizing charter flights to New Orleans, being invited to festivals all over North America, Europe and Japan and popular jazz cruises. Since 1983 the band has played every Saturday afternoon at People's Chicken (formerly Chick'N'Deli) restaurant and bar. Their British-style trad jazz is hot and tight, covering a wide repertoire of marches, blues, spirituals, ragtime and popular songs and they are known for their extensive variety of tunes with lots of vocals and with musicians who play straight from the heart with a great sense of humor. No wonder they are one of the most popular jazz bands around. The band has toured the Netherlands, United Kingdom, cruised up the Amazon, around the Caribbean, the Mexican Riviera, from Hawaii and through the Panama Canal. They've also visited Kyoto, Japan, twice, guests of the Shinji Shumeikai cultural organization. The band has 25 CDs available including two award winners and a beautifully synchronized DVD recorded in Arizona in 2008.

TITAN HOT SEVEN Nashville, TN. Flip Oakes (trumpet, flugelhorn), Jim Buchmann (reeds), Jim Fryer (trombone), Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals), Jerry Krahn (banjo, guitar), Ike Harris (bass), Danny Coots (percussion and drums).

The Titan Hot Seven remains one of the hottest jazz bands on land and sea! A most versatile ensemble, this band of merry men features traditional jazz, swing, ballads, ragtime, novelty tunes and spontaneous, outrageous humor in every one of their sets. Rather than relying on set arrangements, the Titans tailor their music and mirth to each audience, guaranteeing that each show is full of surprises for everyone, including the performers!

Hailed by fan, musician and critic alike, the Titan Hot Seven possesses a powerhouse ensemble capable of going from a whisper to a roar in the space of one tune. The musicians' rapport with their audience and each other combines with their volcanically hot playing and between-tune shenanigans, flooding the band with requests to return to virtually every festival, club and concert venue they have played. They continue to be featured artists with Jazzdagen tours, bringing their musical mayhem to all corners of the globe!

Every one of the band's seven CDs has garnered an A+ rating from AMERICAN RAG columnist Cam Miller. Don Jones, publisher and editor of THE AMERICAN RAG, calls them "the hands-down best Tent-Packers," so get there early if you want a seat!!
www.titanhotseven.com.

IVORY & GOLD TRIO Mystic, CT.

Ivory & Gold is a musical ensemble celebrating the greatest examples of American jazz, ragtime, Broadway and Gospel hits. The group consists of Anne Barnhart on flute, Jeff Barnhart on piano and vocals, and Danny Coots on percussion and drums. Ivory & Gold has played to packed houses on six of the seven continents, excluding Antarctica. This ensemble is busier than ever with concert, festival, and private home appearances scheduled into 2012. The versatility of the group makes it enjoyable to all ages and in all settings, from an intimate twenty person gathering to a two hundred plus patron event.

Ivory & Gold was born in 2001, first carving out a reputation as a talented husband-and-wife team. As a duo, Ivory & Gold boasts five recordings -two ragtime CDs, an all-Broadway ballad recording, a collection of love songs and a Christmas CD. While still appearing as a duo, Ivory & Gold is enjoying great feedback from its trio appearances. Trio recordings now number five, with the latest one, entitled Songs of the Wanderers, released October 2010.
www.ivoryandgold.net.

SUMMIT HOT 7 Denver & Boulder, CO. Chaz Bowles (trumpet/flugelhorn/vocals), Bill Pontarelli (reeds), Marti Henry (trombone), Scott Grove (piano), Colin Gieg (bass), Rory Thomas (banjo), Don Grove (drums).

Previously know as Alan's Orphans, the band is rededicated to traditional jazz. The group welcomes the return of the inspired playing of Bill Pontarelli on clarinet and Scott Grove on piano. Dr. Chaz Bowles can lead the band on house calls to cure what ails you. You can get hjappy with them on the first Sunday of every month at the Bull and Bush Tavern, a regular gig for this band for the past 21 years.

JAZZ COOKERS Centennial, CO. Rick Crandell (cornet/manager), Colton Crandell (trumpet), Jeff Henton (tuba), Madison Munn (clarinet), Kevin Matthews (drums), Wes Leffingwell (piano), Dave Ellis (trombone).

The Jazz Cookers are the product of a very talented group of young musicians who met while attending Arapahoe High school in Centennial, Colorado. The core group of the musicians stayed together and with the help of cornetist, Rick Crandell, formed The Jazz Cookers in June of 2007. This group is not associated with any school or institution and is entirely supported by the enthusiasm and hard work of its musicians. The Jazz Cookers mission is to keep traditional jazz alive and continue to expose people of all ages to this original American music. By keeping these talented young musicians learning and performing, New Orleans jazz will continue to thrive through the years. Independent groups with college and high school age musicians such as The Jazz Cookers are rare. The Jazz Cookers continually add to their repertoire of traditional jazz music and are quickly becoming professional level jazz musicians. These musicians represent the next generation of traditional jazz performers.

DENVER JAZZ CLUB YOUTH ALL-STARS Denver, CO. Members - Dallas Pernault (clarinet/sax) Rico Jones (tenor sax), Ben Webb (cornet), Cameron Gelak (tromebone/vocals), Alex DeVillier (banjo), Rebecca Lugg (piano/vocals), Tim Kloewer (tuba), Bobby Ferguson (drums)

Denver Jazz Club Youth All-Stars were created in October of 2009 by retired public school music educator Dr. Ed Cannava. The All-Stars perform during breaks of the professional bands at each Denver Jazz Club monthly session. They have been featured with jazz trumpeter Randy Sandke and world renowned drummer Eddie Metz Jr. as well as Your Fathers Mustache Band and the Queen City Jazz Band. The DJC Youth All-Stars represented the state as the only Colorado youth band invited to perform at the 2010 and 2011 Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. They also performed in the 2011 Montreux, Switzerland Jazz Festival, the 2011 Montreux Meets Brienz Jazz Festival, and a concert at Interlaken, Switzerland.