Berl
Howell - Trumpet / Flugelhorn
/ 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. Making Bass Lake his
permanent residence, Berl began performing with the Oakhurst
Community Concert Band and eventually formed the Yosemite Jazz
Band. Berl is dedicated to the enrichment of life through music, especially
through traditional jazz. His extreme soulful playing and good-hearted
enthusiasm is inspiring to both the band and the audience.
Ted
Strauss - Clarinet / Saxophone
"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 with a "pit
band" for a musical production. While in college, Teddy performed
with the Humboldt
State University Symphonic Band in order to stay out of the rain.
Upon graduation, a "day job" moved him to Bakersfield where
Teddy performed each summer with the Bakersfield
Municipal Band. Teddy later relocated to Coarsegold and met Berl
during a rehearsal with the Oakhurst
Community Concert Band. It was there discussions about forming
a traditional jazz band began, and the rest is history. Teddy is probably
most notable for his raspy singing voice and energetic playing style.
Jim
"Drummerman" Kirin
- Percussion
Jim
is another of the band's original founding fathers! He started playing
drums with bands in the Chicago area many years ago. After a twenty-year
hiatus, he 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 while performing 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-style beat the "Drummerman"
has brought to the Yosemite Jazz Band is fundamental to the band's
beat.
Pat
"Chops" Mierkey
- Trombone / Double-Belled Euphonium
"Chops" professional musical career
started 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. For
13 years, he played euphonium, trumpet, and tuba with the Arizona
108th Army National Guard Band. "Chops" began with the
Yosemite Jazz Band on the tuba in 1996 and now performs with his trombone.
"Chops"
is the assistant conductor, trombone player, and Board member with
the Oakhurst Community Concert
Band, and during his free time "Chops" teaches
music at Yosemite
High School. If you ask, "Chops" will gladly play
his double-belled euphonium for you!
Jeff
Gurule
- Plectrum Banjo / Tenor Guitar
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 numerous 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 on his five-string banjo 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
Mierkey
- Piano
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.
Through the summer, his solo piano performances at Duceys
on the Lake provides just the right ambiance as patrons enjoy
a great meal and view of Bass Lake.
Larry
Vaccaro, aka "Curly"
- Tuba
Despite the fact that "Curly" 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 US Capital building and at Disneyland,
aided him 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!" "Curly" is a Board member
with the Oakhurst
Community Concert Band and performs
with his trumpet in the concert band. His sense of timing and humor
are a welcomed edition to the band.
Gary
Smalz - Piano / Upright Bass
/ Plectrum
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.
| |