Guest Pianist Biographies

DAVID BENOIT is a five-time Grammy Award® nominee with an expansive portfolio and 25 solo recordings as a contemporary jazz pianist. Breaking through to instrumental stardom with his inimitable jazz-funk version of “Linus and Lucy,” (from the 1989 CD, Happy Anniversary Charlie Brown), Benoit has regaled hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide with frequent tributes to Vince Guaraldi and the music of Peanuts. This long association led to over ten years of composing music for Peanuts TV specials on CBS and two chart topping CDs.  His notable film scores include The Stars Fell on Henrietta, The Christmas Tree, Final Descent and Cadillac Jack. In addition, he has written the themes for the long running soap opera All My Children and Sisters. Benoit has also been a longtime guest educator with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, winning the organization’s “Excellence in Music Education” award.  www.benoit.com

DAVE BOTT started piano lessons at age eight, at the insistence of his mother and grandmother. Although he abandoned formal lessons at age 12 to pursue his professional basketball career, Bott continued playing by ear, refining his improvisational technique when he started jamming with pick-up bands in college. He later toured throughout the Midwest, playing “every Holiday Inn within a 900-mile radius of Columbus.” Bott’s notable performances include playing the Troubador in Los Angeles, where Elton John played his first American gig. Bott and Frank Zane – a three-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilder, who unseated Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1979 – play together regularly during the annual Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic fitness weekend events.  email: bott@copper.net

HAPPY CHICHESTER is a self-taught musician, singer and songwriter who still can’t read music. He enjoys a wide range of musical contributions – from playing piano for The Afghan Whigs, to dropping piano on the punk rock record by the New Bomb Turks, and for adding drums to spoken word artist Umar Bin Hassan’s CD (Last Poets) and playing drums for Ballet Met Columbus. Happy is best known, however, as one of the original Twilight Singers (with Greg Dulli and Shawn Smith), as the bass player from the Royal Crescent Mob, as the whirlwind force behind Howlin’ Maggie, and now for his solo performances across the USA in venues such as WOW, Aladdin Theater, Mercury Lounge, Black Cat, and others.   www.howlinmaggie.net

MARY DANIELS (a.k.a. JAZZMARY) has been performing throughout central Ohio market for more than fifteen years. With a degree in music from Wittenberg University, her unique blend of piano, vocals and electronics offers a full palette of jazz ranging from the classics to present-day divas. JAZZMARY has been an active member of a lively jazz scene in the greater Columbus area. She self-produced her debut CD, Circle, which contains a selection of her unique writing and arrangements.   www.jazzmary.com

JEFF DEHERDT – The Jeff DeHerdt Group stumbled onto the Midwest music scene in 1999, but the group’s popularity didn’t ignite until a performance in 2000 at the Indianapolis Jazz Festival. Since then, the group has drawn regular followings in Indiana venues, including at Clowes Hall before bands featuring Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Roy Hargrove and Wayne Shorter. In the late ’80s, DeHerdt developed a passion for jazz, influenced by pianists Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans. He began his composition studies and entered Berklee College of Music in Boston where he began exploring a blend of jazz and pop. The Jeff DeHerdt Group has two CDs on the market, Club Bordeaux and Autumn House featuring seasonings of Tom Waits, Jamie Cullum, Steely Dan and Peter Gabriel.  www.jeffdeherdt.com

BOBBY FLOYD exhibited musical prowess at age two, and was quickly launched into a career that would have him playing alongside some of the greatest jazz and gospel musicians in the world. Entertaining crowds with his inspirational melodies and charismatic style, he has played everything from small nightclubs to major jazz festivals with the likes of Ray Charles, Chris Howes and Sarah Morrow. Bobby has opened for Spyro Gyra and Smokey Robinson, and has accompanied artists such as David “Fathead” Newman and Bobby Watson. Bobby is frequently featured with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Columbus Symphony and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, where he has shared the stage with many great performers including Dionne Warwick, Doc Severinson, Artural Sandaval and Faye Robinson.  www.bobbyfloyd.com

ARNETT HOWARD is the leader of Arnett Howard’s Creole Funk Band, performing more than four thousand concerts to a variety of audiences in central Ohio and throughout the world. Howard is the co-author of the book Listen For the Jazz: Keynotes in Columbus History. He has recorded five compact discs: Ten For Ten; Arnett Howard’s Rocket 88s & Kidding Around; Joyful Music; Generous Spirit; and Creole Christmas 2001. Howard also composed the music for NBC4’s “Football Friday Night” series. Born in Welch, West Virginia, Howard was raised in Plain City, Ohio. He attended Jonathan Alder High School and graduated from Capital University. He has been a professional musician since 1967.  www.creolefunk.com

NAT KERR is one of Memphis, Tennessee’s hottest and most well-known keyboard players – accompanying Blues singer, Barbara Blue, during weekly performances at Silky O’ Sullivans on world-famous Beale Street in Memphis. Fans are amazed by Kerr’s knowledge of over 3,000 songs. Says Blue, “If we’ve heard it, we can play it, and we’ll try most anything once.” In the 1990′s, Kerr played keyboard with the B.E. Taylor Group. The group’s styles included Reggae, Middle Eastern and Rock ‘n Roll. In 1994, Kerr recorded Songs from the Back Seat with Tom Pomposello and other artists.  www.barbarablue.com

OKSANA KOLESNIKOVA is a world-renowned Russian-born pianist and composer who is a live performer, musical collaborator and founder of a school of music. Her talent and passion shine at the legendary Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel where she performs five days a week. Her moving performances have entertained and inspired U.S. Troops and U.N. officials throughout Asia and Europe. Oksana has recorded seven CDs and is a collaborator with accomplished, international musical artists. Her inspirational story has been shared on PBS, FOX and MTV. Her eclectic collection of recorded works is available for purchase at her online store.  www.oksana-k.com

ANDY LAUNER is a multi-instrumental wizard and a Columbus, Ohio native who grew up in a musical family. In high school, Launer played in a five-piece band and sang in a variety of vocal groups. He pursued his musical career at Ohio Wesleyan University where he formed a combo and played for campus dances. In 1991, Launer joined fellow Piano Guy guest, Jack Widner to perform a twin piano act called The Andrew Jackson Pianoforte. The duo has recorded four CDs, one featuring original compositions. In 1993, Steinway & Sons honored Launer and Widner, naming them as “Steinway Artists.” Launer was inducted into the Columbus Senior Musicians Hall of Fame in 2002.  www.andylauner.com

ANDY LAVERNE is a jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who has worked with a list of notable musicians that reads like a Who’s Who in jazz: Frank Sinatra, Stan Getz, Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Lionel Hampton, Michael Brecker, Elvin Jones and numerous others. He has appeared at concerts, festivals, and clubs throughout the world, and has also given clinics and Master classes at universities, colleges, and conservatories worldwide. Recently, he has toured and recorded with legendary singer/songwriter Neil Sedaka. LaVerne is Professor of Jazz Piano at The Hartt School (University of Hartford), and on the faculty of the Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops. He is a frequent contributor (since 1986) to Keyboard and Piano Today magazines and has written articles for Down Beat, Jazz Improv, Piano Quarterly, Jazz and Keyboard Workshop, and JazzOne.  www.andylaverne.com

DAVE LOWE has been playing piano professionally for over 30 years. He performs throughout the country both as a soloist and with groups. For the last 20 years, Lowe has entertained at restaurants and nightclubs in Indianapolis with his own style of piano, vocals, and wit. Refining the art of “lounge,” Dave Lowe is most at home in a piano bar atmosphere, with a repertoire that ranges from Duke Ellington to Frank Sinatra to Elton John.   www.davelowemusic.com

CASEY MCKEOWN confesses he “hated” formal piano lessons as a child, learning to play by copying the records he listened to, including Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and others. Although he needed a note from his mother to be able to play in nightclubs, McKeown played in various bands through high school, eventually enrolling in Xavier University. McKeown played in various bands, ultimately landing with McGuffey Lane and an Atlantic Records contract resulting in seven albums and an extensive in the U.S./Canada tour. McKeown is proud to have played with The Judds, The Charlie Daniels Band, The Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band and Asleep at the Wheel while with McGuffey Lane. McKeown is currently a member of The JuJu Bees and the rhythm-and-blues/big band jazz group JuJu Bees Rhythm Revue.

LORI MECHEM is a respected jazz pianist, composer and educator, living in the Nashville area since 1988. In addition to directing production shows and conducting musical theater, she has performed with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Red Holloway, Jimmy Smith, Cal Collins, Ann Jillian, Edie Gorme and the McGuire Sisters. Lori’s CDs include Welcome to Brazil (nominated for “Best Jazz Album of the Year” by the Nashville Music Awards in 1997,) Shiny Stockings, Brazillian Christmas, Fly to Forever, and Dream of Life. Lori and her husband Roger Spencer are the founders of Nashville’s first jazz school, The Nashville Jazz Workshop.  www.lorimechem.com

PETE MORAN – Some people think Pete Moran is a classically trained pianist because he pays so much attention to detail. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Moran has never had a piano lesson in his life. He began playing piano at age four and is entirely self-taught. Moran is a freelance musician/entertainer who plays as a dueling pianist at various popular venues across the country – with audience requests ranging from ’50s classics to modern hits. He has accompanied Ian Rosenberger of Survivor, Wild Cherry (famous for the platinum single “Play That Funky Music White Boy”) and has shared the stage with John Mellencamp, Golden Earring and The Temptations. He also composed and performed the scores for the independent films Characters and Breaking the Pact.   email  jpmoran1@verizon.net

MATT MUNHALL is an independent singer/songwriter from Columbus, Ohio who founded his own recording label, Effort Records, in 2003. Under the Effort label, Munhall arranged, recorded, and produced his first two albums, Over and Over Again and Guinea Pigs on a Scaffold. Over and Over Again features blues, jazz, and classical piano. Guinea Pigs on a Scaffold demonstrates Munhall’s strong Alt-Country influence. He has traveled Europe, performing in Germany while writing songs for his albums.  www.mattmunhall.com

DAVE POWERS has been part of the Columbus, Ohio music scene for the past 25 years as a pianist, keyboardist, and vocalist. He can be heard playing throughout the Midwest on solo gigs and with three different bands – Powerhouse Trio, the Dave Powers Trio, and the Jim Masters Quartet. Powers also has a six-piece group, called Powerhouse, which provides entertainment for corporate events and conventions. In 2000, Powers produced and recorded a live CD with Powerhouse Trio called Live at the Marquee Lounge, and recorded and produced a studio CD under his own name, titled Listen To This. Powers’ released his Christmas Collection in 2003, offering a wide variety of holiday music styles. In 2010, The House Jazz Concert Series, Vols. 1 and 2 were released, documenting live performances given at Dave’s home for an intimate audience of 50 to 85 people.  www.dave-powers.com

KARL PROBST – Karl Austin Probst, a.k.a Bart Fubbles, is one of the original pioneers of the Dueling Piano concept and is referred to by musicians all over the world as a musical genius. Karl’s father played with the Stan Kenton Orchestra for many years and stood in for Buddy Rich when he was unable to make a performance. Karl began cultivating his musical chops at the age of six with his father’s drums. At 16, Karl had his first professional “gig,” touring the southeastern United States with a variety of bands. In 1986, Karl performed throughout Europe for the U.S.O.  In 1990, Karl accepted his first “Dueling Piano” position in Atlanta at L’tl Dittys, and has been performing in that capacity ever since. Karl has played with such greats as Fabian, Bo Diddly, B.B. King, former members of Deep Purple, 38 Special and the Atlanta Rhythm Section.   www.markfarner.com/theband

MILTON RUFFIN is an accomplished performer, composer and arranger, who has worked with such famous musicians as Lou Rawls, Jennifer Holiday, Rusty Bryant, Eric Gale, Keith Pringle, Keith Dobbins, Cameo, Rick James, Melvin Williams and many more. He has produced arrangements for the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Ruffin is a very active college lecturer and a highly sought after musician for his musical workshops, guest conducting, composing and educational seminars. He is currently the principal at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, a Columbus, Ohio arts school. Ruffin can be heard every week at the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church during the Sunday services as the musical director, as well as on the New Salem Mass Choir recordings.   www.newsalemcares.com

GIL SMITH started playing piano at age seven. He attended Alexander Hamilton High School Music Academy in Los Angeles, and the Berklee College of Music, majoring in Jazz and Performance. Smith made a name for himself among various major artists, including writers like Candace Nelson and Ladon, lead singer of the R&B group, Ax Yet, the well-known Reggae group, Caribbean Pulse, and the ladies of 3LW. Smith created the music for Play’d, a new television show based in Hawaii. Recently, he toured with R&B artists Avant, Genuwine and Jagged Edge playing keyboards. Smith has collaborated with other famous artists, including Cuba Gooding Sr., Omarion and Mario Winans. Smith is also a producer, a songwriter and president and CEO of Phaze One, LLC, a company that combines fashion and music.

BRADLEY SOWASH has garnered rave reviews nationwide for his formidable technique, emotional style and reputation for instant audience rapport. After earning his degree in music composition at The Ohio State University, Sowash moved to New York City where he worked with modern dance luminaries Mark Morris, Meredith Monk and Susan Hadley. Living abroad, Sowash refined his mainstream jazz piano technique before returning to his native Ohio. A well-regarded educator, Sowash makes frequent appearances as a visiting artist in schools. In addition to his concert hall performances, Sowash performs jazz worship services and sacred concerts in churches nationwide. Sowash’s critically acclaimed CDs include: Out West, Bittersweet, In the Moment, We Gather Together and When Saints Go Marching.   www.bradleysowash.com

DAVID TOLLEY is an Ohio native, widely known for his instrumental recordings and contemporary jazz compositions. On December 19, 1985, Tolley was just another guy in The Tonight Show studio audience when Johnny Carson announced that the musical guest, classical pianist Horatio Gutierrez, could not make it to the show to perform. Carson asked the audience, “Can anybody here play the piano?” Tolley jumped up on stage and played Memory from Cats. The next day, Tolley began booking gigs. He has since performed at the White House, written and recorded music for Euro Disney, and recorded more than 15 albums, including I Love America and Great Love Themes, Volume 1-4. He currently composes and records music for corporate clients and performs in Los Angeles.  Email:  david@usrecords.com  

GARY WALTERS graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. Along with being an active freelance musician, Walters still finds time to teach. He has taught applied lessons in jazz and popular piano techniques at Butler University, DePauw University and Indian University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Walters keeps busy performing in live and recording sessions and privately instructing jazz and other contemporary piano styles. His work includes a wide variety of music – folk, bebop, southern country and rock n’ roll. Walters has recorded and performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Pops Series, Carrie Newcomer, Steven Stolen, Cathy Morris and The Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra.  Email: gawalters@mw.net

JACK WIDNER resides in Columbus, Ohio, where he is the house pianist for one of the city’s most popular historical restaurants, the Clarmont. He was musical director of Toungue in Chic, an off-Broadway show that premiered in Chicago in the early 1960′s, and has performed throughout the United States and Canada as a single, as leader of a jazz trio, and as a partner in the piano duo, The Andrew Jackson Pianoforte. The duo enjoys Steinway Artist status, is booked by the oldest booking organization in the country, Alkahest. In addition to creating three CDs and a Christmas album with partner Andy Launer, he also co-produced a CD with vocalist JoEllen Harris Stearns to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Jack is part of the national Kawai organization as a digital piano clinician, demonstrating new electronic instruments to music dealers throughout the country. During the day, Jack travels to 85 different retirement and rehabilitation communities throughout central Ohio.  Email: jwidner1@columbus.rr.com