Featuring Vocals By
Michelle Duvall (vocals)
Michelle DuVall
is rapidly gaining a reputation in the Midwest for singing
some of the most swinging and refined jazz around.
She has been described as “a cross between Ella
Fitzgerald and Bernadette Peters” by the Wisconsin State
Journal and “a vocalist who can take a standard and make it
shine” by the Isthmus Newspaper. After moving to
Madison in 1997, she joined musical forces with pianist
extraordinaire Michael B.B. and UW-School of Music Dean,
John Shaffer on bass. Along with Madison’s Mike Turk
on drums, the combo launched a musical project of standards
sung in the big band era, 1950’s small group sessions, as
well as jazz standards from all ages. The group
performed regularly at The Restaurant Magnus and for
numerous private events.
Recently,
DuVall has appeared in several venues with Get Down, Mister
Cat!, the seven-piece combo headed by herself and
multi-instrumentalist Doug Brown, including Madison’s Jazz
at Five series as well as the esteemed Isthmus Jazz
Festival. DuVall and Brown performed for last
summer’s Mayors’ Conference at the Governor’s mansion and
recently played at The Monona Terrace for Jim Doyle’s
inauguration.
She
is featured here with the Little Big Band, the 7-piece band
from Rockford, IL. She is a perfect match, singing with the
group. The music she sings and they play, go together so
well, it was a obvious connection. She really shines with
the group.
Sheila Cottral (vocals)
is
well known to the tri-state area having performed with
several popular area bands and orchestras, including the
Dixieland All Stars, Hunter Fuerste and his American
Vintage Orchestra, and The Ken Kilian Saxtet Plus. In
addition to performances with Cary Sheley's Little Big
Band, she has been featured with the Paul Hemmer Variety
Show and has worked with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra.
She has sung with the Chuck Bregman Trio, the Dick
Sturman Trio, and also performs with her own combo, Satin
Jazz. Sheila's artistic interpretations of over three
hundred jazz standards and show tunes are uniquely her
own.
Cary Sheley (trombone/vocals/arranger) has played with numerous musical organizations, including the show band aboard Cunard's "Royal Viking Sun" cruise ship, where he spent a year cruising the world with stops in europe, africa, south america and asia. While aboard the "Sun" he played behind many artists including Marilyn Macoo and Debbie Reynolds. He spent 6 years on the road with the world famous "Glenn Miller Orchestra". He played lead trombone behind Larry O'Brien, the current leader of the orchestra, with performances in all 50 states, south america, spain and japan. While on the band, he sang in the vocal group the "Moonlight Serenaders", recorded 3 albums, including Barry Manilow's "Singing With The Big Bands" and a video for PBS with Kathie Lee Gifford. As a freelance artist he has performed with many entertainers and musicians including Andy Williams, Mel Torme, Bobby Shew, Louie Bellson and Carl Fontana.Band
Ken Stein (tenor/alto/clarinet/flute) is currently on the faculty at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois. His teaching includes leading the Rock Valley College Jazz Ensemble as well as the Community Jazz Ensemble. After spending four years in The Air Force Band of The Midwest, Ken attended and graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Masters Degree in Music Performance. His private study includes clarinet study with Harvey Hermann, Dr Wilbur Smith, and Clark Brody. Ken's jazz saxophone teachers include Joe Daly, Rich Corpolongo and Mark Colby. Ken has played with The Milwaukee Ballet, Tony Bennett, The Manhattan Transfer, Bob Hope, George Burns, Mark Colby, as well as many others. He presently performs in Chicago with the Michael Lerich Orchestra and is active as a clinician and soloist. Ken and his wife Coni live in Rockford, Illinois.
Randy Schneeberger (trumpet/vocals/flugelhorn) is currently the Associate Director of Bands at Monroe High School in Monroe, Wisconsin, where his responsibilities include the Concert Band and three jazz ensembles. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, where he studied trumpet with Dominic Spera. Randy was a staff musician and bandleader for Carnival Cruises based in Miami, and played lead trumpet on the Al Pierson "Big Band USA". He has also played lead trumpet with the traveling companies of the musicals "42nd Street" and "A Chorus Line", the Jimmie Dorsey Orchestra, Englebert Humperdinck, Red Skelton, The Temptations and The Four Tops. Besides playing with The Little Big Band, his local musical activities include the Ken Kilian Saxtet and the Gardenia Bands, and directing the Monroe City Band. Randy has also served as acting principal trumpet in the Dubuque Symphony, and plays in the American Vintage Orchestra in Dubuque. In his spare time, Randy is an active model railroader, and he and his wife Joey and their Boxer 'Dinah' live in Monroe, where they enjoy hiking and watching wildlife.
Ken Kilian (alto/bari/clarinet/flute) is mainly a baritone sax player who loves to play all kinds of instruments. He has performed with many notable bands as well as played in back-up bands for Jack Jones, Kathy Lee Gifford, John Davidson, Carol Lawrence, Fred Travelina, Johnny Desmond, Myron Floren and many more. After graduation from UW-Platteville, Ken spent many years on the road with several of the touring big bands playing baritone sax. He also was the band director for the Bloomington, Wisconsin school district for 11 years, and he currently performs with and manages the Dick Jurgens Orchestra in addition to performing with his own groups, theSaxtet, Swingtet, and SaxtetPlus. Ken is delighted to be a part of the Ken Stein's & Cary Sheley's Little Big Band because anything they do is always "top notch".
Tom Stein (piano) is an alumnus of Berklee College of Music & Northern Illinois University. He has shared the stage with Marian McPartland, Clark Terry, J.J. Johnson, Kenny Rogers, & Jodi Benson the voice of "The Little Mermaid". He is active as a public school music teacher.
Guy Fiorenza (bass) At an early age Guy studied piano. In the late 1940's he started playing the string bass in high school. In 1950 he started playing professionally with small combos and local dance bands. He joined Dave Remington and his Dixieland Six in 1960. Guy has worked with Bobbie Lewis, Chuck Hedges, Eddie Higgins, Johnie Faren, Bud Freeman, Dorothy Paige-Turner and many other local jazz groups. His playing has included a wide variety of musical styles and jobs such as stage shows, commercial sound tracks, and concerts. Guy has performed in the early jazz concerts for Father Owens, the night pastor of Chicago, and has appeared at the Clock Tower Jazz Festival, On The Waterfront, First Night Rockford, the La Crosse Jazz Festival and the Madison Jazz Society concerts. He also performed with Clark Terry in the Rock Valley College 8th annual Jazz Festival and the Tribute to Benny Goodman concert featuring Martha Tilton. Besides playing with the Little Big Band, Guy is making musical appearances with Rockford, Madison and Chicago musical groups.
Jack Brand (drums) played drums in his hometown high school band while only in 5th grade. After high school he travelled extensively thru-out the United States with "dance bands", stage shows and circuses. In 1970 Jack started his private teaching studio. In 1984 he began publishing percussion learning packages and in 1997 he published a world-acclaimed biography of the great jazz drummer, Shelly Manne. For more information, contact Jack at: (815) 229-3131. Jack can be seen with the Little Big Band as well as many other musical organizations in the area.
web: www.sheley.net - email: musicalservices@sheley.net - phone: (815)398-2848