Dominic Poccia – sax

A Professor of Biology at Amherst College has played in jazz groups in Western Massachusetts for 30 years, recording with the Valley Big Band, Jeff Holmes Big Band, and the Lowe-Jaffe Repertory Big Band. Currently a member of the Amherst Jazz Orchestra, Lowe-Jaffe Big Band, and the Eclectic Jazz Quartet. Played in back up bands for the Temptations, Ernie Watts, Claudio Roditi, Yusef Lateef, John Abercrombie, Steve Turre, Al Cohn, Peter Erskine, John Fedchock, and the Ringling Brother Circus. Has twice toured in Russia playing at theWhite Nights Jazz Festival. Has performed at Sculler’s, the El Morocco, Sandy’s, Berklee School of Music, the Philharmonic Jazz Center in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Estrada State Theater in Moscow, and DOCKS television program in Lisbon. Played with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra and the Duke Ellington Festival Orchestra with Gunther Schuller at Amherst College.

David Bilodeau

Dave has been a professional freelance trumpet, flugelhorn and cornet player for thirty plus years. He plays in various jazz, rock, show, pit and big bands as well as orchestras and brass groups around the Northeast. He studied at Boston Conservatory, Berklee College of Music and Northeastern University. He is also a professional mechanical engineer by day.

Karl Rausch – guitar

Mark Dunlap – bass

Bassist Mark Dunlap, from Holyoke, MA, has studied bass with accomplished NYC Bassists, Santi DeBriano and Joe Fonda, and composition and improvisation with long-time mentor, Dr. Ed Byrne. He is a founding member and serves on the board of the Western New England Double Bass Society, a group of 200 performing double bassists that sponsors bass workshops and concerts in New England. Mark serves as the Chairman for the Holyoke Cultural Council under the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Mark co-leads The Interplay Jazz Band and Frain/Dunlap Jazz Trip and performs with other bands including Berkshire Jazz Underground and The Raised 5ths in New England and New York. He co-owns the independent recording label and publishing company Simmer Music and released a CD with guitarist David Frain entitled "Pull The Shades."

Bill Matthews – drums

Bill Matthews, Ph.D. professor University of Massachusetts, has been playing drums since his teenage years. In the late 1980's, he studied music intensively, taking workshops and lessons at the Drummer's Collective in NYC, Jazz in July at the University of Massachusetts, and later where he had the opportunity to play with the legendary Archie Shepp. Since, the early 1990's, Bill began and continues his study with the great Boston based drummer, Bob Gullotti of the Fringe. Bill played for 2 years in the Valley Jazz Ensemble under the direction of trombonist Ed Byrne and with DBRAZZ, a piano trio. He has performed in numerous concerts at local venues in the Valley.