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Berl
Howell - Trumpet / Flugelhorn /
Vocals / Band Leader
Berl is the energetic
leader and founder of the Yosemite Jazz Band. Berl began playing traditional
jazz many years ago in the California coastal community of Ventura.
There he performed with the Volunteer Dixieland Fire Brigade and The
Untouchables Jazz Band. Shortly after moving to Bass Lake, Berl began
performing with the Oakhurst Community Concert Band and formed the
Yosemite Jazz Band. Berl is dedicated to the enrichment of life through
music, especially through traditional jazz. His extremely soulful
playing and good-hearted enthusiasm is inspiring to both the band
and the audience.
Ted
Strauss - Clarinet / Tenor Sax / Soprano Sax / Vocals
"Teddy" co-founded the Yosemite Jazz Band with Berl, having
played the clarinet nearly his entire life. Growing up in Southern
California, sounds from the big bands caught his ear and prompted
him to take up the tenor saxophone in high school... just to play
jazz. His musical career started by performing in a "pit band"
for a musical production with performances throughout Southern California.
Ted eventually left the "big city" and performed with bands
in the Kern River Valley, Bakersfield, and Humboldt County. Soon after
moving to Coarsegold, he met Berl at a rehearsal with the Oakhurst
Community Concert Band. It was there discussions about forming a traditional
jazz band began. Ted is probably most notable for his "Louis"
singing and energetic playing style.
Jim
"Drummerman" Kirin
- Percussion
Jim is one of the
band's founding fathers! He started playing drums with bands in the
Chicago area many years ago. After a twenty-year hiatus, Jim dusted
off his sticks and began performing with the Yosemite Jazz Band. On
the humorous side, Jim is vicariously listed in the Guinness Book
of World Records as a participant in the world's largest band. Jim
has also performed at the Sacramento
Jazz Jubilee. When not performing with the band, Jim can be seen
in the back row pounding on different percussion instruments with
the Oakhurst Community Concert Band. The Chicago jazz style Jim has
brought to the Yosemite Jazz Band is fundamental to the band's beat.
Pat
"Chops" Mierkey
- Trombone / Double-Belled Euphonium / Vocals
Pat began his professional musical career at
the ripe age of fourteen by playing trumpet and saxophone with a polka/dance
band in central Wisconsin. He became a music teacher in 1965 after
earning a degree in music education in Arizona. He played euphonium,
trumpet, and tuba with the Arizona 108th Army National Guard Band
for thirteen years. He began with the Yosemite Jazz Band on tuba in
1996 and is now playing his trombone. Pat
is also the assistant conductor and trombone player for the Oakhurst
Community Concert Band. If you ask, he will gladly play his
double-belled euphonium for you!
Jeff
Gurule
- Plectrum Banjo / Tenor Guitar / Vocals
Jeff resides in North Fork, the exact center
of California, where he can almost always be heard strummin' or pickin'
a banjo. After years of playing experimental finger style solo guitar
Jeff discovered the powerful feeling of playing music with others
through drumming. It was just a matter of time before the drums and
the strings collided and coalesced into a banjo on his knee. Jeff’s
enthusiasm for the banjo and music in general knows no bounds as he
has performed in numberous bands playing jazz, bluegrass, Brazilian,
and even African percussion. Though you will see Jeff perform traditional
jazz with his Plectrum banjo and tenor guitar, you may also find him
playing bluegrass music with the Smiley
Mountain Bluegrass Band. Jeff is the kind of inspired musician
who can easily jam all night and has greeted many a sunrise... with
a banjo on his knee.
James
"Fingers" Mierkey
- Piano / Vocals
James began playing music and singing early
in his life as a result of his parents' dedication to music. As a
note of trivia, Pat Mierkey, the band's trombone player is James'
father! James began playing the drums at the age of six and the piano
followed closely there after. Over the past decade James has taken
an extreme interest in all forms of jazz music, especially traditional
jazz. He is involved with numerous musical projects where he often
takes on the roles of a musician, arranger, and recording engineer.
Larry
Vaccaro, aka "Curly"
- Tuba
"Curly"
is the most recent member to join the band. Despite the fact that
Larry has been a trumpet player since he was twelve, he was asked
to join the band as its tuba player in 2004. Years of performance
experiences, including performances at the U.S. Capital building and
at Disneyland, aided Larry in quickly adjusting to his new musical
roll. As "Curly" likes to put it, "I just fake it and
have been faking it pretty well since!" Larry continues to play
the trumpet as a member of the Oakhurst Community Concert Band. His
sense of timing and humor are a welcomed edition to the band.
Gary
Smalz - Piano / Upright Bass / Banjo
Gary joined the Yosemite Jazz Band in 1994. Though you may not see
him at every performance, Gary often sits-in to cover the piano, bass,
or banjo parts when "Fingers", "Curly", or Jeff
are away, respectively and not all at once! Gary is originally trained
as a classical pianist and during the 1970’s he toured extensively
throughout the US and Canada playing the Hammond B-3 Organ. In the
early 1980s he settled in Central California and was a session player
at various studios for country music artists. For several years Gary
was the arranger, pianist and bass player for Hi-Hat Records, a national
square dance record company. Gary is a fantastic musician who can
perform most styles of music, from jazz, to country, disco,
Dixieland, classical, lounge, pop and rock. You may often find Gary
in his recording studio near Yosemite and playing his upright bass
with the Smiley
Mountain Bluegrass Band.
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