About Us
The Music Makers Show Band is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization with a
dual mission: 1) to promote, preserve, and perform American big band music of
the mid-1900s, and 2) to financially support jazz education in Collier County
high schools.
The musicians in the MUSIC MAKERS offer a tremendous depth of musical education and high-quality musical experience. Band members include career professional musicians, music teachers, band directors, and highly-experienced “amateurs” who passionately pursued their musical interests throughout other careers. Here is a sampling of the band members’ musical backgrounds.
HARRIS J. LANZEL – Conductor and Trumpeter
Recently retired as an award-winning Director of Bands at Eisenhower High School, Russell, PA, has a Master’s degree in Music from Northwestern University in Evanstown, IL, and also serves as Associate Conductor of the
Naples Concert Band.
SAX SECTION
BOB AUMAN – Section Leader and 1st Alto Sax
Has almost 50 years of experience playing with such groups as the U.S. Army’s 17-piece big band, the Salisbury (Maryland) Community Band, Naples Concert Band, Royal Brass Swing Band, the Stan Spiro Townsmen, and the Perry Fotos Band.
PETER THORKELSON – 2nd Alto Sax
Studied music at Interlochen Music Camp (Traverse City, MI), McPhail School of Music (Minneapolis, MN), and Carleton College (Northfield, MN). He played clarinet in Carleton College Orchestra and Rochester (MN) Community Orchestra. Currently, he also plays clarinet for the Naples Concert Band.
JOE BERGER – 1st Tenor Sax
Has had many years playing in the Detroit, Michigan, area with big bands, concert bands, and 8 years of directing his own 8-piece dance band throughout Wayne County.
JACK KRUSE – 2nd Tenor Sax
Began playing at the University of Michigan years ago, continued playing throughout his career as an engineer and is still an outstanding swing and Dixieland musician.
BOB KENNEDY – Baritone Sax
Has played in concert bands in Ottawa, London, Brussels, Goderich and Exeter, as well as with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Big Band, the Canadian Modernaires, the Ottawa Big Band Revival, and the Gulf Coast Big Band.
TROMBONE SECTION
BILL ERIKSEN – 1st Trombone
Has taught high schools bands for 35 years and college bands for 6 years. As a performer, he has been a member of the three Army Bands and multiple East Coast orchestras. Among his professional accomplishments, he has served as a chairman for multiple jazz and music festivals, as President of the National Band Association, as Chairman of the All-Connecticut Music Festival, and as a guest conductor and clinician at music festivals in New York and New England. Currently, he conducts the
Naples Concert Band.
WES BENTRUDE – 3rd Trombone
Played with bands at Iowa State University, University of Illinois and the Murray (UT) Concert Band. Locally, he plays with the Gulf Coast Big Band and with a brass quintet.
ART BLATT - Bass Trombone
Holds both a Bachelors degree in
Music Education and Master's Degree in Performance from Temple University in
Philadelphia. Has performed as a trombonist with the San Antonio Symphony and
many orchestras in the Philadelphia area. Has played for stars including Frank
Sinatra, Dean Martin, Milton Berle, Bobby Darin, Burt Bacharach, Liza Minnelli,
and many other headliners in the Philadelphia, New York and Atlantic City area.
Experience includes playing with the big bands of Thad Jones-Mel Lewis, Buddy
Rich and Tex Beneke. Students have included Robin Eubanks and John Lofton.
Retired to Naples in 2003 and can be heard playing his trombone and tuba with
many bands in Southwest Florida. Professional musician. TRUMPET SECTION
ART ZENS - 1st Trumpet (Lead)
After earning both a B.S. in Music and an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin, played with the AGF 90th and 256th bands, then spent 36 years as a professional musician and music educator in Milwaukee. Art led the Milwaukee Bucks house band for 12 years and played in back-up bands for Tony Bennett, Jack Jones, Vic Damone, Pearl Bailey, Bob Hope, Lena Horne, and for many more well-known entertainers and traveling Broadway musicals.
GLEN HARCUS – 1st Trumpet
After playing in Marine Corps bands, played 20 years with the Racine (WI) Municipal Band and has been principal trumpet with the Plymouth Municipal Band since 1989. Since 1990, he has also played with the University of Wisconsin (Manitowoc) Lakeshore bands. He is a continuing charter member of the Naples Concert Band.
DON GALL – 2nd Trumpet
Studied music at the University of Wisconsin. Played with 8-piece
dance bands (1939-1942), the U. S. Army band in China-Burma-India (1943-1946),
and various dance bands and combos (1946-1958). He is a past President of the
Naples Concert Band. ROGER JACOBI – 3rd Trumpet
Completed graduate and post-graduate study at University of Michigan Music School (Music Education). He has served as the President of Interlochen Center for the Arts, Music Coordinator of the Ann Arbor (MI) Public Schools, and Professor of Music and Associate Dean, University of Michigan School of Music. For many years, he played in small and big bands for many years and currently plays trumpet with the Naples Concert Band.
TOM CURCIO – 4th Trumpet
Studied the trumpet with Irving Sarin, principal trumpet with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Al Carrol, first trumpet for the KDKA staff band in Pittsburgh, played with the Navy, a 12-piece dance band in the Eastern seaboard, and in Naples with several bands as well as the Naples Concert Band.
RHYTHM SECTION
JOHN KEEVIL – Piano
After studying music for 2 years at Indiana University, he played with combos in Albany, NY, and Miami, FL. For many years, he has worked on cruise ships leading show bands and playing piano for the Carnival, Dolphin, and Premier lines. Since moving to Naples in 2000, he has performed in local restaurants.
BRUCE ORLIN – String Bass
Began university-level music study at 15 and, later, taught “lower brass” (e.g., tuba) at University of Wisconsin.
DENNIS OSTERHOUSE – Drums
Has played professionally in SW Florida for the past 21 years for dozens of bands. Began drumming with drum and bugle corps, has performed in over 20 broadway productions, toured with country, gospel, and blues bands, and helps local high schools with show productions. Dennis also serves as our audio engineer, photographer, and webmaster.
VOCALISTS
Studied music at Duquesne
University. Began singing showcases on Rush Street in Chicago and traveled with
show road bands. Performed a solo lounge act for many years in Las Vegas at the
Sahara Hotel and Showboat Hotel, then did a world wide USO tour of the Middle
East, Far East, and Europe. Has been the opening act for Jay Leno and Steve
Martin and has sung at many famous big-city nightclubs. Sales executive.
Barbara Russell –
Vocalist
TONY
PULERA –
Vocalist
FOUNDER
D. JACKSON FREESE, D.M.D. – Alto Sax, Trombone
Dynamic, gregarious founder of both the Naples Music Makers Show Band and the Gulf Coast Big Band. Professionally, a restorative dentist with more than 60 years experience forming, directing, and playing in big bands. Well known throughout the State of New Hampshire as founder and leader for many years of the still-busy Freese Brothers Big Band. Other accomplishments of special note include the facts that he was a world champion high school dog sled racer and an Arabian horse breeder. In 2007, played trombone with the Music Makers on their first CD, “Opus One.”