PETER MYERS ;
His unflagging work ethic and flexible imagination launched his career powerfully in the late ‘60s, and he has been steadily involved in groundbreaking projects with renowned artists, directors and musicians ever since. He partnered on 12 films with Oscar®-winning composer Bill Conti, who hired him to provide orchestrations for Rocky III, For Your Eyes Only, The Formula and others. He has also worked on celebrated television programs and specials, including, The Carol Burnett Show, The Sonny and Cher Show and The Academy Awards, arranging dance numbers with choregraphers and writing for stars like Cannonball Adderly, Buddy Rich, Della Reese, Dizzy Gillesoie, Gladys Knight, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae,Tom Jones, Natalie Cole, Steve Lawrence, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Tony Randall. For 30 years, he composed for Aaron Spelling, 20th Century Fox, Universal and Viacom providing scores for Dynasty, Falcon Crest and Jake and the Fatman. Myers has also written numerous symphonic works that have been performed and recorded by world-class musicians, including Doc Severinsen, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras. At this time Myers is dedicated to the preservation of American music through the Peter Myers Orchestra performing his spectacular arrangements of works by a diverse number of composers which includes, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Horace Silver, Michael Jackson, Henry Mancini, Mike Stoller, Cedar Walton, Bill Monroe and Thelonius Monk.
LOREE FRAZIER ; Loree’s early life was spent in St. Louis, the city which produced such jazz greats as Miles Davis, Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson and the infamous Josephine Baker. Loree moved to San Francisco where she became a top John Robert Powers model, a move which soon launched her singing career. She performed in Las Vegas at the Stardust with Don Cherry, The Frontier with Vic Damone and Harolds Club in Reno with Jan Murray. In Hollywood, she appeared in many episodes of “Get Smart” with Don Adams, “Police Woman” with Angie Dickinson and “Rockford Files” with James Garner. She also made many appearances on the “Tonite Show” and the “Merv Griffin Show.” At this time, Loree performs regularly with the Peter Myers Orchestra at venues in and around Los Angeles. Loree is a true professional, beautifully gowned and accompanied by sophisticated musical arrangements. Her personality puts audiences at ease immediately, while thrilling them with her artistry.
RON BARROWS (trumpet) Graduated CSUN.
Toured with the following orchestras and celebrities: Harry James, Buddy Rich, Mel Torme, Liza Minnelli, Don Menza Quintet, Roger Williams, Gerald Wilson, Benny Carter, Buddy Collette, 7 years principal trumpet Lido De Paris show Stardust Hotel, Las Vegas
Featured Soloist Monterey Jazz Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival,
North Sea (Holland) Jazz Festival, Verona (Italy) Jazz Festival
Solo Cornet Los Angeles Symphonic Winds
Various recordings
BOBBY BURNS (trumpet) Bobby Burns Jr. was born in Gary, IN and received a Bachelor’s in Music in trumpet performance from Indiana University. Upon graduating, Bobby moved to LA and began performing, teaching, and touring with a variety of different artists. Bobby joined Earth Wind and Fire in March of 2004. His performance credits with the band include the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize award show, American Idol, a performance for President Barack Obama at the White House, two Super Bowl shows, the Grammy Awards show, and countless others. Presently, Bobby continues to tour with Earth Wind and Fire performing and traveling over 200 days a year. Besides his work with Earth Wind and Fire, Bobby continues to freelance and teach whenever possible
MEL LEE (drums) has contributed his talents to every type of music, i.e. classical, jazz, rock ‘n roll, rhythm and blues, country western, reggae, rap, Latin and pop. Venues include television, motion pictures, radio, night clubs, Broadway shows, and concert halls. Mr. Lee has also toured throughout the world with artists such as The Fifth Dimension, Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick, Gerald Wilson Orchestra, and organist Jimmy Smith, just to name a few. Mel Lee has performed various Broadway shows, including Forty-Second Street, Les Miserables, Music Man, The King and I, Bye, Bye, Birdie, and The Sound of Music, among many others. Mel Lee’s work on television includes The Ed Sullivan Show, The Nancy Wilson Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Tonight Show, Playboy After Dark, and he was house percussionist for Solid Gold Show, starring Dionne Warwick, in addition to other TV shows.Mel’s classical experience includes regular service with the Los Angeles Opera and the Beach Cities Symphony. For many years, Mel has performed in school districts throughout Southern California under the auspices of the Inter-group Cultural Awareness Program (ICAP) for LAUSD, Performing Tree, and the Henry Mancini Institute, all in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Currently, Mr. Lee’s services are in high demand throughout Southern California and Las Vegas, as both a classical musician and a commercial artist. He also has private students throughout Southern California. Mr. Lee was also the Percussion Instructor for the Saturday Conservatory of Music located in Pasadena
CHARLIE MORILLAS (Trombone) - has a Bachelors of Music from the University of Southern California. He has played on numerous motion pictures, including The Incredibles, Mr. Poppers Penguins, and Return of The Planet of the Apes. He has played numerous shows at the Ahmanson, Pantages, and Orange County Performing Arts Center. He is a member of the Grammy nominated Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band, and many other bands throughout Southern California. When not playing the trombone, he is usually trying to find which shopping mall his wifeand 14 year old son are raiding at that particular moment!
CHARLES OWENS (tenor, flute, clarinet) has toured with the Buddy Rich Orchestra from 1967-68 and was with Mongo Santarmaria for the following two years. Settling in Los Angeles, Charles became a busy studio musician; he played virtually all the reed instruments, including oboe and English horn. Among his more significant jazz associations since moving to L.A. have been Bobby Bryant, Henry Franklin, Patrice Rushen, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, James Newton, John Carter, Horace Tapscott, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz orchestra and his own groups.
JON PAPENBROOK (lead trumpet) has played Lead Trumpet with Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Frankie Avalon, Paul Anka and Michael Bolton to name just a few. He has also played lead with the Harry James Orchestra, the Louis Bellson Big Band, the Tim Davies Big Band, the Buddy Rich Big Band and is busy playing TV shows, film dates and recordings. Jon has recently toured the world with Mike Brecker, Steve Smith, Diane Shurr, his own band, and is an Artist in Residence at the New Zealand Performing Arts University (Massey).
JON PAPENBROOK has played Lead Trumpet with Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Frankie Avalon, Paul Anka and Michael Bolton to name just a few. He has also played lead with the Harry James Orchestra, the Louis Bellson Big Band, the Tim Davies Big Band, the Buddy Rich Big Band and is busy playing TV shows, film dates and recordings. Jon has recently toured the world with Mike Brecker, Steve Smith, Diane Shurr, his own band, and is an Artist in Residence at the New Zealand Performing Arts University (Massey).
KIM RICHMOND. (lead alto, soprano, flute, clarinet) is based in Los Angeles and works as a freelance musician, doing studio work, shows, and various jazz venues. He has an on-going composing career, having written underscore for many TV shows, chamber works, compositions for symphony orchestra and chamber orchestra. He has also been actively involved in writing for the musical stage. Kim has been a member of the orchestras of Stan Kenton (on the road and one album), Bob Florence (on 12 albums), Vinny Golia (2 albums), Clare Fischer (one album), Louis Bellson, Bill Holman, and many others. His most recent CD is “Inner Spirit” by the 7-piece Kim Richmond/Clay Jenkins Ensemble. The recording “Live at Café Metropol,” captures an exciting night of improvisation and ensemble of his current version of the sextet. Released before that was "CrossWeave," co-led with trumpeter Clay Jenkins with a sextet also featuring tenor saxophonist Rich Perry and pianist Harold Danko. "Ballads" (on Chase Music Group label), released Summer 2001, is a collection of Kim's favorite standards in a jazz setting featuring his own solo alto and soprano saxophone styles. In spite of his busy schedule in the professional music world, Kim enjoys keeping in touch with the educational music field by serving as guest lecturer, conductor and soloist (his primary Jazz voice is on alto saxophone) at college music festivals and workshops around the country, touring several times a year. For 10 years Kim was on the jazz faculty at the University of Southern California (USC) where he taught ensembles, composition and saxophone. He has also taught at California Institute of the Arts and Cal State Fullerton. For the past year he has taught at California Institute of the Arts. He is a Selmer artist, a Vandoren Woodwind Artist and a clinician/artist-in-residence at the Jim Widner Summer Jazz Camps held at the University of Nebraska, Omaha and the University of Missouri, St. Louis. He runs the Northwoods Jazz Camp in northern Wisconsin. In Los Angeles, he was Music Director and conductor for the Los Angeles Music Center's Spotlight Awards (spotlighting Southern California's top student talent), for 11 years.
LEE SECARD (Baritone, bass clarinet, clarinet) has performed with the bands of Pete Myers, Maynard Ferguson, the Luckman Jazz Orchestra, Buddy Collette, Charles Owens, Bill Watrous, Jack Sheldon, Les Hooper, Bobby Caldwell, Brian Setzer, Ladd McIntosh, Tim Davies, Steve Hufstetter and many others. He has performed extensively for film and television recordings on a variety of woodwinds.
Lee is the director of jazz studies and instructor of saxophone at the Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. Professional and university jazz groups and big bands perform his compositions and arrangements. From Palo Alto, California Lee attended USC, where he studied saxophone and composition. He lives with his wife, flutist Karen Lundgren, in North Hollywood, California.
Lee’s recordings Radio Improved and Modern Art are available on iTunes.
was born in Nashville, Tennessee, where he played in a family band with his brothers and sisters, playing Blues and R'n'B around the Nashville area. At an early age, Rickey came up listening to such greats as Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Charlie Parker, and Sonny Stitt. Rickey's favorite saxophone players are Hank Mobley and George Coleman, two of the all-time great players. After leaving Nashville, Rickey went to California and joined the Ray Charles Band where he was a member for eight years. After eight great years with Ray Charles, Rickey decided to pursue a solo career and recorded both as a leader and as a sideman for Concord Records. Currently, he performs live frequently leading his own quartet and quintet as well as performing and recording with The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and the Frank Capp Juggernaut Band. Rickey also has worked in theater productions such as Ain't Misbehavin' and The Color Purple at the Ahmanson Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center. Other artists he's performed and recorded with are Ernestine Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Charles Aznavour, Diana Krall, O'Jays, Horace Silver, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Smith, The Temptations, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, and many others. Rickey plays tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones; also flute, clarinet, and guitar. He has over 200 original compositions with extensive experience arranging for quartets and quintets.
