Art was born and raised in Chili, NY. Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy with a rating of MU (Musician) and completed 5 years of service, performing in Navy Band Northeast in Newport, RI. He then attended Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, earning a B.A. in Jazz Compositionand a Master of Music, respectively. After teaching privately and performing extensively around New England for several years, Art moved back to Rochester with his wife and two kids in 2015.

He currently co-manages a busy wedding band, writes and arranges music, and performs with several bands around Rochester and the surrounding areas.

Outside of music, he enjoys cooking, exercising, skiing, and spending time with his family.

Braden Jones is a Tennessee-based musician with a passion for drums and the fire to share his songs with the world. Originating from Memphis, Tennessee, Braden has received a bachelor’s degree in Studio Music and Jazz along with two minor concentrations in Music Composition and Music Business from the University of Tennessee, where he was awarded a wide variety of musical scholarships.

He is currently earning his Master’s degree of Music from the Eastman School of Music, concentrating in the Jazz and Contemporary Media Performance track. He currently serves as the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Jazz Percussion Studio.

Furthermore, Braden has continued his personal private instruction since he was 17 years old and has acquired students of all backgrounds throughout his teaching career, including those he has instructed at the School of Rock Knoxville, Knox Music Studios, and the Percussive Arts Academy. He has played with a myriad of talented artists and an assortment of genres ranging from jazz, indie and classic rock and roll, contemporary avant-garde music, funk, country, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and electronic music. Braden welcomes students of all backgrounds to study with him, as he provides a strong technical foundation while enhancing their musical prowess to achieve and play anything they desire behind the drum set.

Christos was born in Gates NY, and his musical journey started with piano lessons at age 6, then drums much later at age 12. His early drum playing was self-taught, starting with Hard Rock and Metal, then adding other genres of music along the way.

Even Greek Pop and Folk music was in the record collection for learning and practicing at that time.

Eventually, his listening and learning to play Jazz would become his primary playing foundation.

Formal studies began at Monroe Community College (MCC) in 1993 with Charles Morey, and continued with more intensive study from Jim Tiller of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO).

He graduated from the Crane School of Music in 1999 with a Bachelors in Music Education.

Along with studying percussion under James Petercsak, notable professors include Rick Bunting, Scott LaVine, and Jazz professor Bret Zvacek.

After graduating, Christos returned to Rochester and began playing with various groups, including Catch22(modern/classic Hard Rock cover band), The Brockport Community Big Band (Big Band Jazz), and Hard Logic (Jazz Fusion).

From 2008-2012, he began work as a musician on cruise ships, specifically Celebrity Cruises, playing nightly shows in a 1200 seat theater inside the ship, as well as Jazz/Ballroom Dance sets in various lounges and nightclubs.

He returned to Rochester in 2012, and returned to MCC, this time attaining an Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems in 2015. His day job currently is a production worker at Bristol ID Technologies in Lima NY since 2020.

In 2018, he joined The Zac Brown Tribute Band, and is having a great time performing with his fellow bandmates. He’s also enjoying his time performing with Jon and the group: “The charts are interesting and challenging, and the band sounds really great. I’m looking forward to performing these arrangements live to an audience.”

Cindy Tag was born in Erie, PA and has a BFA degree in Performance on Clarinet from Carnegie-Mellon University and a Master of Music in Jazz from University of Tennessee.

She has studied extensively with Louis Paul, Principal Clarinetist in the Pittsburgh Symphony, jazz educator Jerry Coker (while at University of Tennessee), jazz flutist Ali Ryerson, and some lessons with Eddie Daniels on clarinet and David Baker on saxophone.

She has been a professional performer since her teenage years, playing in bands, jazz bands, blues bands, salsa bands, swing bands, symphony orchestras, travelling shows, circuses and extensive musical theatre pit work.

Some of her most interesting gigs have included: Opryland and Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Bandleader on a Tennessee Riverboat for 6 years, going on the road with the Lawrence Welk “ghost” band (stars of the Lawrence Welk show without Lawrence Welk), three years in an authentic 50’s band in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and playing with many national touring shows.

Since moving to Rochester in 2016, she has played with Orange Sky at the Unitarian Church and currently plays with the Gateswingers, Starlite and Southern Tier All Star big bands.

In the course of his career, guitarist-composer Dave Wright has played gigs at venues from the US West Coast to Western Europe.

Some musical accomplishments include: more than 300 shows at Radio City Music Hall as house guitarist with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra; many shows with performers such as the Fifth Dimension, Diahann Carroll, Rita Moreno and Frank Sinatra Jr.; performing with the Rochester Philharmonic Pops for artists including Patti Page; recording on albums and industrial recording sessions; performing with many of western New York’s most talented musicians, including four years with Prime Time Funk, various dates with the Bill Tiberio Group and others.

Dave has recorded a number of original albums, the most recent of which is Dave Wright and The Band Of Opportunity’s album “Aurora Borealis” (2023), available at www.BandOfOpportunity.com, on Spotify, and other major streaming services.

Dave studied jazz guitar with Gene Bertoncini(alum of Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, Clark Terry, Paul Desmond),Randall Dollohan(alum of Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Turrentine, Edgar Winter, Steve Morse) and Tom Rizzo(alum of Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen), and attended the Studio Jazz Program at the University of Miami, Coral Gables.

Dave is the son of Rayburn Wright, award-winning composer, arranger and jazz educator (as head of Eastman School of Music’s Jazz and Contemporary Media Department).While growing up, Dave was lucky enough to spend time around the many musicians his father worked with, for example Keith Jarrett, Toots Thielemans, Dave Brubeck, Nigerian drummer Olatunji, and Henry Mancini.

Dave is also the son of the talented artist Doris B.Wright. With an artist for a mother and a musician for a father, Dave grew up in a home where writing a song or creating art was a normal and consistent activity, and this had a deep effect on his life.When Dave is not at home, he is often traveling to beautiful and exotic places around the world, usually with a guitar and a camera in hand.

Guitarist Joel Kastner’s “day job” is serving on the faculties of RIT’s Imaging Science and Astrophysics programs.

In a past life, though, he was a professional musician in the Washington DC area, where he participated in the vibrant DC music scene of the late 70’s/early 80’s. During that period, Joel was fortunate to play and record with dozens of top-notch DC jazz, R&B, & country musicians, including singer/songwriter Jon Carroll (of Starland Vocal Band fame), and virtuoso guitarists Pete Kennedy, John Jennings, and Tom Principato.

Various of Joel’s DC bandmates recorded & toured with the likes of Roy Buchanan, The Seldom Scene, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Eva Cassidy, Danny Gatton, The Eagles, and Patti LaBelle, among many others (indeed, if you let him, Joel will be happy to bore you with his “twenty feet from stardom” stories.)

Joel has played in various jazz groups in the Rochester area, including Carl Atkins & Culture Clash and the ECMS Music Educators Big Band.

In addition to playing with JRO, John plays in other local musical groups including the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, the Irondequoit Concert Band and the IUCC Trombone Choir. He enjoys cycling, skiing, woodworking and brewing beer. In his spare time, John is an engineering consultant with Oakridge Engineering.

John Palocy is a professional pianist and retired music teacher from Syracuse. Armed with a Piano performance degree from Potsdam state and teaching cert. from Nazareth College, John has been a Rochester musician and teacher for his adult life, working as an accompanist, club musician and band leader of small groups in pop and jazz settings.

He is currently the pianist for the Brockport Big Band and the Jon Randall Octet." Making music is my fun and passion!"

Jon started playing with pickup bands in 1966, and began serious study at The Sounds of Joy Music Studios in NY (affiliated with Juilliard) from 1978-1984, wherehe studied theory, ear training, reading, repertoire, small ensemble and big band performance.

With Victor LaGamma, he founded the Greater Apple Jazz Ensemble (1985-1997), which appeared in many venues in and around NYC, including the Village Gate and Madison Square Garden. The group provided fertile ground to develop their composition skills.

After moving to the Bay Area in 1997, Jon studied at the JazzSchool in Berkeley from 1999-2008: arranging for big band under Dave Lefebvre, post-bop jazz with Steve Erquiaga, and Brazilian jazz with Marcos Silva. Brazilian music became a particular passion.

With his long-term collaborator, Stephen Herrick, he founded the Jazz Horizons Octet in 2013. It continued until Jon moved away in 2020. Stephen died of cancer in 2019.

Jon is currently a student of James VanDemark (Eastman) and a member of the Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, which just recorded his arrangement of “In a Mellow Tone”

Joe Cappadonia was born in Avon, NY. He started playing jazz as a boy under the tutelage of Frank Matina, his jazz-oriented band director, in a jazz combo with Pat, Joe, and John LaBarbera.

He spent seven years and a U.S. Navy Musician after attending the Navy School of Music in Washington, DC.

He attended Berklee School in Boston as a jazz trumpet major and he studied with Dr. Ronald Reinhardt.

After moving to Sweden, he played in numerous jazz orchestras including with the great trumpet player Rolf Ericson and in the backup band for famed Swedish vocalist Lill-Babs Svensson on TV shows and Recordings.

He travelled on the road as a working musician in Europe and Scandinavia for over 20 years.

After moving back to Rochester, he has played with many of the local big bands and combos, and resumed his studies at the Eastman Community School and with his trumpet mentor, Clay Jenkins.

Kenneth Scott is retired from 33 years of public school teaching in Wayne and Oswego Counties.

He was an active member of NYSSMA, MENC, and a NYSSMA adjudicator of woodwinds for 12 years.

In 1977 Ken graduated from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY with a B.M. in music education and performance. Earning a MS/CAS in Educational Administration from SUNY Oswego in 1989.

Ken served as Music Department Chair for three years in Oswego County before moving back to Rochester.

Ken studied clarinet and bass clarinet with Stan Gaulke and Chester Rowell of the RPO, and clarinet with David Etheridge and Alan Woy at Crane.Other studies include saxophone with Steve Mauk, J.R. Monterose, and flute with John Oberbrunner of the SSO.

He formally directed the Penfield Pops Concert Band, ECMS Vintage Jazz Ensemble and currently co-conducts the New Horizons Clarinet Choir.

He’s a member of the Penfield Big Band, Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Music Educators’ Big Band, Southern Tier All-Star Jazz Band, and New Energy Jazz Orchestra.

Ryan Johnson is an up and coming artist, composer, session player, and musician in Western NY.

Ryan has been coming out with unique, creative, beautiful works that have caught the eyes and ears of many worldwide. He has played with, opened for, and collaborated with major artists such as, Cabo Frio, Sharon Jones, Tower of Power, Rusted Root, and Charlie Hunter.

He is currently endorsed by D’Angelico guitars, Godin Guitars, Curt Mangan String, and Seagull accessories. Additionally, he has achieved local recognition as he has performed on big stages at Lilac Festival, Fringe Festival, and The Rochester International Jazz Festival. He was also nominated for five categories in the 2022 “Best of Rochester” series through City Magazine in Rochester NY.

Ryan brings an informed, professional, and outgoing attitude as well as innovative pieces to the world of Fusion Jazz and Neo-Soul. He can be heard on many different social media platforms. His groups, Escape Terrain and The Ryan Johnson Project can be heard on Spotify, Bandcamp, Reverbnation, Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud for streaming and purchasing.

Sam Schaeffer is a jazz drummer, percussionist, educator, and composer hailing from Harrisonburg, Virginia located in the Shenandoah Valley.

Sam graduated with honors from The State University of New York at Fredonia in December of 2022 with a BA in Jazz Studies. While at SUNY Fredonia, he studied privately with Dr. John Bacon (jazz drums) and Dr. Karolyn Stonefelt (vibraphone/classical percussion).

He was a member of the Fredonia Jazz Orchestra and the 2-time Downbeat award-winning Fredonia New Jazz Ensemble, and received the Juliet J Rosch Scholarship, The Monroe-Poumitt Big Band Award, and the prestigious President's Out of State Scholar Award.

Sam is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies at the renown Eastman School of Music where he studies jazz drums with Rich Thompson and composition with Dariusz Terefenko. Sam also plays with the Eastman New Jazz ensemble under the direction of Dave Rivello.

Under his teaching assistantship, he teaches all secondary jazz drum set lessons to majors and non-majors at Eastman and the University of Rochester.

Sam is active as a drummer and percussionist on both the New York and Virginia jazz scenes. An accomplished and varied performer, Sam has played and worked with such diverse musicians as John D'Earth, Brad Leali, Derrick Gardner, Sal Valentinetti, Delefayo Marsalis, Stephanie Nakasian, Sherrie Maricle, Mike Rud, Kim Nazarian, Mike Gibbs, and many more.

Sam also leads and composes for his own groups who have performed at the Fredonia Jazz Festival, Rochester Jazz festival, and other numerous venues in both Virginia and New York.

Will Frazier is trombonist, bassist, and arranger based in Rochester, NY since June of 2021. Will is currently performing with big bands, Latin bands, and jazz combos.

Will was the Assistant Director of America’s Hometown Band in Muncie, Indiana and a middle school band director in Indianapolis.

Will performed with the national tour of Oliver the Musical, a European tour of A Chorus Line, My Sinatra, Manhattan Transfer, Lorna Luft, Dom Deluise, the Eddy Howard Orchestra, the Ted Weems Orchestra, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, and the Harry James Orchestra.

While living in New York City, Will performed in numerous big bands, orchestras, brass quintets and show bands. Will also has played his trombone and bass on Princess Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Will has a Masters Degree in trombone performance and Bachelors Degree in Music Education. He has also completed all course work towards a Doctorate at Ball State University. While at Ball State, Will has directed the Studio Jazz Ensemble and combo program, taught private trombone and jazz improvisation, and coordinated the annual Dimensions in Jazz Festival.

His trombone and jazz teachers include Mark Buseli, James Beckel, John Seidel, Larry McWilliams, Flip Miller, Bernard Pressler, Alan Raph, Eric Goletz and Buddy Baker.