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Danny Wilks
- trombone Danny Wilks is a professional trombonist, arranger, composer, and transcriber, who retired in 2007 from a 31 year career as a high school music teacher with the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). Danny is also presently conducting the Royal Canadian Legion Concert Band along with the North Toronto Community Band. Throughout Danny’s musical career, he has performed in such Big Bands as: Swing Shift, Big Smoke, Megacity, and the Advocats. Other Bands include the Giuseppe Verdi Band, the Met Silver Band, the North York Concert Band, the Etobicoke Community Concert Band, the Klesconnection Band, Resa’s Pieces, and the Encore Band. In September of 2010, Danny started up and is leading Danny's 11, a jazz ensemble which rehearses on Wednesday nights, and began performing in 2011 for various functions around Toronto, Canada. Besides his work with bands, Danny has also been a regular player in the pit orchestras for the annual TCDSB musicals and on occasion with the Etobicoke Theatre and Newmarket H.S. Danny continues to establish himself as a prominent voice in the Toronto music scene as an active teacher, conductor, trombonist, and an arranger-composer-transcriber.
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Jim Shea -
trumpet Starting at the age of 8 with a bugle in his hands, Jim Shea spent his first few years playing with a local drum corps in his hometown of Guelph, Ontario. He received his first trumpet at the age of 13 and continued to play in the local concert and jazz bands. After pursing an academic education at U of G studying Philosophy, Jim travelled extensively for 2 years in the South Pacific. During his travels he busked in major cities throughout Australia supplementing his income while maintaining his trumpet chops. Upon his return to Canada, Jim attended Queens University to study Law where he performed with the University Jazz Ensemble. With that ensemble he attended and performed in the Canadian Jazz Festival in Winnipeg and the Montreal International Jazz Festival–winning a Gold Medal on both occasions. Since arriving in the Toronto area in 1991, Jim has kicked his career into high gear performing in several jazz ensembles and commercial situations as well as numerous musical stage productions. Jim has performed with jazz greats Don Menza, Rob McConnell, Peter Appleyard, Moe Koffman, Al Kay, John McLeod, Pat and John LaBarbara, Terry Clark, Steve Wallace, Jim Galloway and as a member of Ron Collier’s Big Band. While maintaining a busy playing schedule Jim has found time to further pursue his music education and recently completed the Jazz program at Humber College in Toronto. His love for the playing styles of Don Fagerquist, a trumpeter once with the Dave Pell Octet, was the lure to join our group. |
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Mike Lewis - tenor sax, clarinet Mike was a high school music teacher at St. Basils College in Toronto. Couple that with playing with several local bands (from big to small) and he is one busy guy! Talented on saxes, clarinet and flute, he fits into many genres of music. |
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Norman Miller - alto sax
Norman completed a music degree at the
University of Alberta, then studied saxophone with Paul Brodie
before shelving his horns to focus on a rewarding 35-year career
with CBS Records and Sony BMG Music. His work with a variety of
superstars including Glenn Gould, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis and
Harry Connick Jr. was a great source of inspiration. |
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Rob Logan - baritone sax
Rob started his musical journey in Grade
9 in Toronto, where he was introduced to the clarinet, and later
alto sax. Following high school, he was invited to join the Band of
the Royal Regiment of Canada. After several years, he advanced to
the solo clarinet chair. In the early 1970s, the military band also
formed a 18 piece dance band, and he picked up the baritone sax.
This band was very active for more than 30 years, playing at
numerous conventions.
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Lorne Tepperman - keyboard Lorne has been playing the piano since the age of five. In the years since then, he has played in a variety of jazz groups and big bands around the city. Recently, he was the regular piano player with Metro Big Band, the Octocats, the George Lake Big Band, and the Danny's 11. He also subs occasionally with Swing Shift and the Advocats big jazz bands. Currently, Lorne spends a lot of his time writing mystery novels. His most recent book, published by Rock’s Mills Press, is DEADLY DONATION.
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Shelley
Miller - bass Shelley was born and grew up in Toronto. As a young teen, Shelley started playing guitar and bass in folk-singing groups and small jazz ensembles. Inspired later by the Beatles and then by Chicago, Shelley decided a career in music was the right move. He made his living as a freelance studio and live player until the mid 80's, when computers took over much of the recording world. At that point, Shelley became a band leader in the private and corporate party world. He retired from his own band in 2004 but continues to enjoy an active freelance career. Some of the bands he played in over the years were The Tempos, The Stan Hiltz Orchestra, Father, Chameleon, The Barry Stein Band, The Saul Helman Band, Shawne and Jay Jackson and The Majestics, Replay, The Hand Me Downs, Big Smoke Big Band, Don Bowes Big Band (currently called Intuitive Innovations), The Non-Affiliated Big Band, The Encore Symphonic Concert Band, and several others. |
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Leigh
Robinson - drums Leigh began playing drums at age 13. His early musical influences include soul artists like Aretha Franklin and James Brown, as well as jazz greats such as Miles Davis and Duke Ellington. After high school he enrolled at Humber College and he became one of the first five graduates from Humber’s now internationally recognized music program. While there, Leigh had the opportunity to perform with jazz hall of famers Joe Venuti and Buddy DeFranco. He also performed regularly with the 9 piece soul/funk band, Father, as well as a number of other local jazz ensembles and theatre shows. Following Humber, Leigh went full time, touring North America and Europe. He also played drums on numerous recordings, jingles and TV shows and backed up rock and roll artist Bobby Lewis (Tossin’ and Turnin’). Leigh eventually left the full time scene and joined an I/T staffing firm as an Account Manager where he remains today. He continues to remain active in the music scene and currently provides the big beat for REPLAY, The Majestics, Big Smoke Big Band and the Don Bowes Jazz band. He also plays dulcimer in Hardtack and Harmony - a re-enactor group that plays period music for Civil War and War of 1812 historical re-enactments in Canada and the US. |
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Sharon
Smith - vocalist After graduating from York University with an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Jazz Performance, Sharon embarked on a performance career that included musical theatre, nightclubs, family and corporate parties, radio and television commercials, live television appearances and liturgical Jewish repertoire in the synagogue. Some of the local bands she sang with were (are), A Touch of Class, Music Machine, The Barry Stein Band, The Nova Sounds, The Saul Helman Band, The Shelley Miller Band, The Starlight Orchestra, Rick Sonata, George Kash, The Majestics, Replay, The Encore Concert Jazz Band, Big Smoke Big Band, Don Bowes Big Band, and many, many others. With the birth of her children, she became interested in early childhood music and trained to become an Orff music instructor. Sharon is currently very active as a professional singer, teaching children music using the Orff method for the Toronto District School Board, and running her own private music classes for young children. |