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External Links
Carson City Symphony
David Bugli website
Carson City Arts &
Cultural Coalition
The Mile High Jazz Band Association formed in 2001 as a nonprofit corporation
to support the MHJB and its subgroup, the Millennium Bugs (jazz combo), promote
live jazz performance in northern Nevada, educate the public about jazz, and
enrich the cultural life of the community.
Member benefits include mailings, discounts on admissions, and
invitations to special events, plus the satisfaction of helping big-band jazz to thrive!
To book the Mile High Jazz Band (big band)
or Millennium Bugs (jazz combo),
call 775-883-4154.
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Saxes
Rich Davis - lead alto sax - Richard Lane Davis began with clarinet in 4th grade,
age 9, and began saxophone in 7th grade, age 12. He played in junior high and high
school bands, as well as the South Gate Youth Band for seven years, and the
Aristocrats Dance Band in junior high and high school. Rich served three years
in the U.S. Army Band from 1963 to 1966 and studied at Naval School of Music
in Washington, D.C. He was in the 8th Army Band in Korea and the 36th Army Band
at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. He was a member of a big dance band called The
Bell-Airs for 21 years in southern California. He joined Mile High Jazz Band
and The Tahoe Dance Band in 1999 and still performs with both
groups. He recently took up flute at age 64.
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Speedy Garfin - alto sax
Howard "Speedy" Garfin, creator and leader of the legendary Garfin Gathering, was
inspired to take up music by Benny Goodman at nine years old. His folks had an old 78 album,
a Benny Goodman Sextet, and he used to fall asleep to it practically every night. The clarinet
was his first instrument. He's been playing professionally since he joined the union in New York,
when he was 15. He attended the famed High School for Performing Arts, and when he was in his
teens he got together with bands which would go up to the Catskills and play at the resorts
in the summertime. He went on the road at 17 with trios and quartets. He was drafted into the
army and continued playing through the service for two years. His quintet won an all-Army
entertainment contest. He was on tour for a year conducting a pit band for a year calling
"The Rolling Along Show" in 1958. The show was made up of all army personnel, and was
somewhat like a Broadway show with special lyrics and music. It was put together in New York
City, and the ensemble took it on the road and performed wherever there was an army base. They
did one-nighters for a year. His band played on the Ed Sullivan Show, and when he was discharged
he went back to work with a Latin band playing in Brooklyn, New York. That's when he switched
to saxophone and when he started listening to jazz artists. His favorite alto sax player turned
out to be Paul Desmond, with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. He started playing lounges in Las Vegas
and Lake Tahoe in 1960. (He had come out from New York with Don Rickles to back him. He had
set his sights on moving out of New York and getting on the Nevada circuit, what they called
the "Silver Circle," playing Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe.) In 1965 he was in a
quartet called the "Cary Garfin Four." When that group disbanded, after being together
for 6 years, he put together the Garfin Gathering in 1971. Lynda Carter, AKA "Wonder
Woman," was one of the original members of that group. (Basic source of
information: Interview with Speedy posted at
http://www.wonderland-site.com/html/interviews2.htm.)
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Dan Lancaster - lead tenor sax - Dan has returned to play with the
MHJB after a hiatus. Here's his fantastic musical resume (in bullet format):
- Began the study of clarinet at age 12 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin under
Harvey Kruger.
- Bought his first alto sax at age 14.
- Got into jazz in Beloit, Wisconsin, where he played 1st clarinet in the
concert band, lead alto in the jazz band, and was director of the basketball
band.
- Joined the Musician's Union at age 17 and played in combos and big
bands in the Southern Wisconsin area.
- Dan was principal clarinet in the Wisconsin Allstate band and Allstate
Orchestra in 1954.
- Received a Bachelor of Music degree from Hardin-Simmons University in
1959. While at HSU Dan played first chair clarinet in university bands,
and was a featured soloist in his senior year. Dan played lead alto in their
jazz band which did a USO tour in December of 1957. Dan played in the
Freddie Woolridge band and the Jack Free orchestra while in college and
also performed on a weekly musicial TV show for 2 years.
- Dan spent the summer of 1957 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania playing in the
National Wind Ensemble, a position he gained through national auditions.
- Dan played lead alto with the Al Galante Orchestra from Chicago in the
summer of 1958.
- 1959-1962 Dan was principal clarinet in the Fourth Army band and Lead
alto in their jazz band. During this time Dan also toured the 4th Army area
with a jazz octet backing Steve Lawrence.
- 1962-1967 junior high band director and assistant high school director
in Andrews, Texas.
- 1966-67 did graduate work at University of Colorado during the summer
while playing principal clarinet in the University Orchestra.
- 1968 taught clarinet and Sax on a graduate assistantship at Texas Tech
University.
- 1968 played lead alto with the Ralph Marterie Orchestra.
- 1969-72 played with various bands and combos in the West Texas area.
- Principal clarinet with the Midland-Odessa Symphony for 8 years.
- Dan has also played in many musicials and several times with the Ice-capades.
- 1972-1974 traveled with a quartet called the Hamiltons. This group
made the Beverly Hillcrest their home for 8 months of each year.
- 1974 moved to Las Vegas and played in the house band at the Sands
Hotel Casino.
- 1975-1980 played weekends at the Mount Charleston Lodge in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- 1990-1996 played weekends at the Christmas Tree in Reno, Nevada.
- Since 2000 with the Mile High Jazz Band (with a break) and the Jazz Guys.
- Since 2009, first clarinet with the Carosn City Symphony.
- Dan plays clarinet, alto & tenor Sax, and flute.
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Jake Page - tenor sax - He writes:
At about the age of 5, my mother showed me how to read the notes on
sheet music and what key to press on the piano for each note. A couple
months later, my dad got rid of the piano. I never understood why.
One Christmas, I got a keyed harmonica. Soon, the most frequent
request was to play "Far Far Away." In fifth and sixth grade I played
trumpet. Once again, I was often asked to play "Far Far Away." That
sure is popular.
I always liked to tinker. Just before my senior year in high
school, I found a broken clarinet in a second-hand store for three
dollars. I figured out a way to repair it with epoxy glue and cotton
sewing thread. I then proceeded to see if I could figure out how to
play it. I just can't believe it -- the most frequent request was to
play "Far Far Away" - some tunes are just classic! In my senior year
of high school, I played the B-flat clarinet in the freshman band for
the first semester. The second semester, I played the much larger
E-flat contra-alto clarinet in the school's concert band.
After graduating from high school, I spent almost 20 years in
the U.S. Air Force. While enlisted, I was in the pest control
field. I later went to college and spent the last 16 years in the
Air Force as a Systems Analyst and Engineering Physicist. During
that time, I played in community bands where they were available on
clarinet and bass clarinet. Whenever I practiced at home, our dogs
would go "far far away." There's always a critic.
I moved to Reno after completing my Air Force career in 1992.
When a local rehearsal big band started in 1995, I began playing tenor
saxophone in that group, learning playing techniques from fellow band
members. I joined the Mile High Jazz Band in 2009.
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Casey Finnerty - baritone sax - Casey Finnerty is actually one of
the original MHJB
members. He writes: Back in 1995, I was a beginner and was looking for a "community" band to play
with. During that time I was taking lessons with John Peirce. John introduced me into
Larry Holloway's band at WNCC. After playing and learning with that group for a while
I was introduced to David Bugli and started playing second alto sax with David up in
Lake Tahoe. Eventually, the MHJB was created in Carson and that is where I have been
since. I eventually switched to playing the second tenor chair, where I have stayed. I
have gone through and struggled with some of the 200 or so charts in our book over these
years. Now I realize, it is that book that has given me the most of my practice and
knowledge in this exciting, yet very complicated world of Jazz. I remember when I
was new in the band, and how hard I struggled reading the charts. I now see how I
don't struggle as much with these charts, and have learned to relax and start to "feel"
these charts rather than just try to play them. I'm at the point now where I'm not
working on reading as much, now I'm working on becoming an improviser. If it wasn't
for this band, I would not have these kinds of opportunities.
I started playing sax at the age of 23. I always have been mesmerized by the
sound of the saxophone. As a child I used to sit glued in front of the TV while the
Lawrence Welk show was on. I remember rocking out to Billy Joel's "Its Still Rock
and Roll to Me" and just be wowed by the tenor sax solo in that song. "Baker Street"
by Jerry Rafferty was another sax solo that stuck with me. As I grew up, I would
go into Reno and listen to groups like the Mud Sharks, Mumbo Gumbo, Reno Jazz
Orchestra, and the Collective. I must admit that it was the Mudsharks in the
early 1990's, that made me decide that I need to start playing the sax. I recall
Jammal Tarkington, who is now with Keyser Soze, just ripping off an electric alto
sax solo. Such a nice sound to compliment his high energy Ska music. From that
moment on, I was hooked and I knew that I wanted to be up on a stage talking to an
audience with my sax. I really wanted to be rockin' out in a Ska band back in
those days but I knew that would be impossible since I couldn't play a sax. I also
knew that if one wanted to learn to play the sax, jazz was the best way to learn.
Living in this area has given me the opportunity to listen to many fine players,
thus giving me a list of local influences. Locals who have influenced me are: John
Peirce, Jammal Tarkington, Brian Landrus, Ron Starr, Peter Epstein, Frank Perry,
Mauro DiGioia, Rich Davis, Speedy Garfin, David Bugli, Gil Linsley, Tony Chieffo,
Dan Lancaster, Larry Holloway and all of the MHJB guys. I did have the pleasure of
meeting and getting to know and take a few lessons from Brian Landrus. Brian is
now a full time professional playing in NYC, and he is one bad mutha on his
axes. I wish he were still around to share the knowledge.
Outside influences include: John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Phil Woods, Chris
Potter, Joshua Redman, Michael Brecker, David Liebman, Gerry Mulligan, Pepper
Adams, Nick Brignola, Ronnie Cuber, Gary Smulyan, Serge Chaloff, Maceo Parker,
Kenny Garrett, Kirk Whalum, James Carter, Jerry Bergonzi, and many more.
Growing up in the 80's, I wasn't really into Jazz. During that time my
influences were mostly rock, pop and ska groups. Groups like The Police,
Styx, Rush, Yes, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Genesis, Billy Joel,
Van Halen, Ratt, Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Journey, Men at Work, 10CC, Average White Band, Earth Wind and Fire, Abba, Oingo Boingo, Dave Mathews Band, Phish, Cherry Poppin Daddies, Big Bad VooDoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and several more, just too many to list. Although most of the "jazzers" hate this kind of stuff, I think all of the pop music that I absorbed at this time really helped me in learning to play the sax.
I also have subbed on baritone and tenor sax in the Tahoe Dance Band.
I live in Carson City, NV with my wife and 3 daughters. I work for the Depmartment
of Information Technology as a systems technician and have been there for 12
years (as of 2007). My plans after my retirement with the State is to become a full time
musician. I just have to keep the "real" job right now to pay the bills. I'd also
like to point out that although I'm not the most talented player in the band, at
six feet four, I'm certainly the tallest!
Finally, although I am not a product endorser of any kind, I play and own
Keilwerth alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones.
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Trumpets
Gil Linsley - Rev. Gil Linsley started in the music business at age 15, leading his
own band in southern California. At the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, he played for Louis
Armstrong, Vic Damone, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dick Haymes, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Jerry Lewis,
Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, to name just a few. He moved to Lake Tahoe in 1960 to join
the house band at Harrah's and played for Nat "King" Cole, Mac Davis, Wayne Newton,
Barbra Streisand, and others. He played with the "Jazz Guys" combo for
Woodwind Sailing Cruises out of Zephyr Cover. He currently plays with
several groups in the Reno-Tahoe-Carson area. He and his wife Gail are ministers with United Religious
Science Church (where the band rehearses).
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Scott Le Val - Scott Le Val studied trumpet under Larry Souza in San Carlos, Ca., and Zane
Woodward in Fremont, Ca. He played in several Bay Area Funk and Soul bands. He
studied music at Chabot Jr. College. Scott had lead roles in
musical productions for the Diablo Valley Civic Light Opera (Walnut Creek), Alterena
Little Theater (Alameda), Livermore Community Theater, etc., and he toured Asia
with a musical comedy group, The Town Criers. He does kitchen cabinetry work in Carson City.
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Richard Sheldrew - Rich is recently retired from the Nevada State Department of Transportation.
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Joi Cerveri - Joi works at the Grand Sierra (the old Reno Hilton) and enjoys performing in a number of
local groups.
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Trombones
Dean Carter
Dean supplied the following information:
Background: I grew up in a musical family, my dad was a high school music teacher that played
trombone. I studied with Lester Lehr( a Remington student while at Eastman ) in Sacramento as
a high school student during which time I played in the Northern California Junior
Symphony under Fritz Berens. I came to Nevada on a music scholarship to UNR and
studied under Eugene Isaeff. I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science
and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from UNR.
Experience: I worked as a full time musician, playing trombone, bass trombone and tuba
in the house bands in the Reno/Tahoe area for around twenty-five years. During that time I
worked for Bob Crosby, Nelson Riddle, Burt Bacharach, Henry Mancini and Wayne
Newton. I worked for Paul Anka in a trombone section that included Frank Rosolino,
Carl Fontana and myself. I worked television shows for Carol Burnett, Perry Como,
Andy Williams, the syndicated Sammy Davis Shows, in a section with Kai Winding and the
Mike Douglas shows when he came to Tahoe. I played for many years in the Harrah’s Lake
Tahoe band working for Brian Farnon and for ten years with the Johnny Russell Relief
Orchestra. I have played just about every act that ever came to Reno/Tahoe from Frank
Sinatra (and Frank Sinatra Junior and Nancy Sinatra) to Frank Gorshin. I also played
principal trombone for three years in the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and I played
Tuba in the Nevada Brass Quintet for close to 10 years. Currently I play in the
Carson City Symphony, the Mile High Jazz Band and the Reno Jazz Orchestra, and have
a day job as a software engineer. Now I get to play for fun.
Dean can be reached at dean@tenorbone.com.
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Mike Allen - Mike wrote the following: I received my first musical
instrument at the age of ten; it was a guitar. Then in junior high school
I began playing a baritone horn. The individual that recruited me was Kevin
Workman, and my first music director was Harry Stover. Through the efforts
of my father and the school music director's suggestions, I began commuting
to Reno from where I lived to play with the Reno Municipal City Band on
numereous occasions and later, in High School, the trombone became the instrument
of choice. I recieved instruction and lessons for playing the trombone from Leo
Elmen of Maytan Music, and later Mac McGrannhan III of the University of Reno
music department. I participated in a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York City to
play with the McDonald's All-American High School Marching Band in 1976
under the direction of Paul Lavaell.
Years later I returned to play horn again with various local jazz
bands and (small) big bands in which I had so graciously and humbly been
allowed to take part. An oweing of gratitude has to be given to the likes
of those people that ran the bands and they are: Larry Holloway, Mel
Hilbert, Barbara Molt, Brian Farnon, Al Smith, Danny Yale, and David
Bugli. Other influences came from the local barbershopper's quartet
chapter as well as Church and from time to time friends playing popular
rock music with guitars, drums and mayhem. Jazz has and continues
to be always a favorite genre and the opportunity for me to play
my trombone alongside such wonderful talent has always been a great privilege.
Ed.: Besides being a fine trombonist, Mike sometimes takes on additional
duties as vocalist with the band.
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CJ Birch - CJ Birch served as band director at Carson Middle School and Carson High
School. He is retired and enjoys fishing.
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Curt Barnes - bass trombone - Curt Barnes played tenor trombone in swing and dance bands
in Los Angeles and in the Army. He played bass trombone in the community stage band in
Mt. Shasta, Calif., and in the Tahoe Community Orchestra and Tahoe Big Band. Barnes
is married happily to Hillis, and has four children and three grandchildren. Barnes feels
privileged to "blow my horn with very high caliber musicians in the Mile High Jazz Band"
and to continue to develop his musical skills. He also has a passion for skiing, takes to the slopes daily in
the winter, and runs House of Ski up at Lake Tahoe (at Highway 50 and Kingsbury
Grade, Stateline, NV).
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Rhythm Section and vocalist
David Bugli - Piano and Leader
David C. Bugli has a Bachelor of Science
Degree in music education from Ithaca College, New York, where he studied
composition for four years with Karel Husa. He has a Master of Music Degree
from the University of Massachusetts. He has participated in Conductors
Workshops presented by the American Symphony Orchestra League in San
Francisco and St. Louis. In addition to conducting, he plays classical and
jazz piano, tuba, and trombone, and he composes and arranges music.
David Bugli conducts the Carson City
Symphony and is Assistant Conductor of the
Foundation Orchestra in Reno. For the Carson City
Symphony, he arranges music that features guest artists on the Symphony's
annual Holiday Treat and Pops Party concerts. In the past he organized the
annual Reno TubaChristmas event and led the annual Capitol Tree Lighting on
the steps of the Nevada State Capitol in Carson City. The latter featured
performances by the Holiday Brass Ensemble (generally about two dozen players)
and a group of about two hundred elementary school singers. Along with his wife Ellie, and
with the Brewery Arts Center, he has been instrumental in creating and running an annual multi-day jazz festival
in Carson. Originally called "Basie @ 100" (2004) and "Basically Basie" (2005), the festival is
now called "Jazz & Beyond" and features over 20 performances. He is the recipient of the 2007 Nevada
Governor's Arts Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts.
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Jacki Montgomery - guitar - When it came time to add a guitar to the rhythm section,
we were fortune to find the talented Jacki Montgomery. She is an avid pilot, as well as being
an excellent musician with years of studio experience.
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George Worth - bass - Dr. George Worth has been bass player for the MHJB, on and off, for several
years. He also plays trombone and tuba. He worked professionally in the music business
for a number of years and has been
a chiropractor for over 30 years. (His website is at
http://doctorgworth.com/.) He is active in several musical groups, including
the Millennium Bugs, the Carson City
Symphony, the Jazz Guys, and the Carson Valley Pops. He has been known to play electric
bass and valve trombone at the same time.
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Lee Warner - drums - Lee has been teaching
private drum lessons since 1971, and at Maytan since March, 2000. He has about 40
students, and he always welcomes
new students of all ages. Lee plays the drums in groups around the Reno area, including 50s band
"Papa Clutch and the Shifters." Visit "Papa Clutch and the Shifters" web site
at www.papaclutch.com. His
teaching at Maytan’s gives him a chance to pursue his three greatest passions: music, children and
teaching. He is part of the ten-piece Maytan Soul Band, which includes many Maytan teachers and
employees. It is a horn band like
Tower of Power. They present concerts of funk and soul music (James Brown, Stevie Wonder,
Average White Band, etc) in local elementary schools. They also do clinics for middle school and high
school music classes.
Lee can be reached at: (775) 348-0000 in Reno or by
e-mail: leew@muzak.com.
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Sheryl Adams - vocals
Sheryl Adams studied theater and musical comedy at San Francisco
State University. She was a member of Group Repertory Theater, appeared in shows, films,
and television, and directed a theater program for the Downtown Women's Center in
Los Angeles. She studied singing with Joe Newman and Oscar Robinson, and
jazz stylings with Carol Ettman in Reno, and sings with several big bands, combos,
and duos. She has sung with Brian Farnon's Big Band; the Reno Municipal Big Band,
Dixieland, and small swing bands; the "Satin Dolls" a capella trio; "Three Mezzos
in concert: I, II, and III," and the "Fine and Mellow" combo. In 2008, she completed a theater
degree at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she appeared in a number of theater
productions there (including
"The Threepenny Opera").
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