Musician Bios

Harry Allen

Sax

John Allred

Trombone

Harry was born in Washington, D.C., in 1966 and was raised in Los Angeles, CA and Burrillville, RI. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 1988 from Rutgers University in New Jersey and currently resides in New York City. Harry has performed at jazz festivals and clubs worldwide, frequently touring the United States, Europe and Asia. He has performed with Rosemary Clooney, Ray Brown, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Flip Phillips, Scott Hamilton, Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis, John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Gus Johnson, Jeff Hamilton, Terry Gibbs, Warren Vache, and has recorded with Tony Bennett, Johnny Mandel, Ray Brown, Tommy Flanagan, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Barron, Dave McKenna, Dori Caymmi, Larry Goldings, George Mraz, Jake Hanna, and Al Foster, among others. Harry is featured on many of John Pizzarelli’s recordings including the soundtrack and an onscreen cameo in the feature film, “The Out of Towners”, starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. He has also done a series of commercials for ESPN starring Robert Goulet.

John Allred hails from a musical family. His grandfather played jazz piano and banjo on Mississippi River boats; his father is well-known trombonist, Bill Allred. John plays traditional jazz, swing and bebop. He has played in the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, the Woody Herman Band, Toshiko Akioshi’s Big Band, Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks and Harry Connick, Jr.’s Band. He plays in festivals here and abroad. He has new CD releases with Harry Allen and Warren Vaché and has recorded with Wycliffe Gordon. He lives in the New York City area.

Evan Arntzen

Sax, Clarinet

Evan Arntzen is a saxophonist, clarinetist and vocalist from Vancouver, British Colombia. From the age of seven, Evan studied New Orleans jazz under the instruction of his grandfather, Lloyd Arntzen. After earning his B.A. in Saxophone Performance, Evan performed extensively with many of Canada’s most prominent musicians. Since moving to New York City in 2014, Evan has taken part in the city’s vibrant traditional jazz scene, performing with such groups as Vince Giodano’s Nighthawks, Terry Waldo’s Gotham City Band and Jon-Erik Kellso’s Earregulars. Evan has received several awards for his music and has played in jazz festivals all over the world.

Dan Barrett

Trombone

Danny Coots

Drums

Duke Heitger

Trumpet

Born in Pasadena in 1955, Dan switched from piano to trombone in the fifth grade. He performs at festivals worldwide and is on many recordings. He has led his own bands and has arranged and composed for others. He was featured in Benny Goodman’s last band and has played in many movies, including “Cotton Club” and “Brighton Beach Memoirs.” He has traveled extensively to play in Europe and is part of the Lizzy and the Triggermen group. Dan’s sense of humor, organization, and musical talents add much to the San Diego Jazz Party. We thank him for being an integral part of scheduling the musicians in their sets and for his tremendous support over the years. He lives in Costa Mesa, CA. Dan was recognized in 2018 as a SDJP Legend.

It was 1964 in upstate New York when Danny Coots began playing drums at the tender age of six years old. Since then, he has studied percussion with Nick Baffaro, Rich Holly, Alan Koffman and Jim Petercsak. Danny attended The Crane School of Music and St. Lawrence University. He eventually served as adjunct faculty at St. Lawrence University, Clarkson University, and Potsdam State University from the 1970s into the 1990s. He continued traveling and performing with David Amram, Ray Shiner, Daniel Pinkham, Herb Ellis, Will Alger, Jack Mayhue, Speigle Wilcox, Mimi Hines, Phil Ford, Bob Darch, Pearl Kaufman and Arthur Duncan. In 1996, Danny moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and has lived there ever since. Danny has recorded extensively in Nashville, New York, and L.A. and has appeared in over 100 countries. He has played on over 100 recordings, one of which won a Grammy in 2005. Duke Heitger, one of the best classic jazz trumpet players today, is known worldwide for his warm sound, virtuosity, and unwavering devotion to early jazz styles. While in demand as an international soloist and recording artist, he reigns as one of the longest tenured bandleaders in New Orleans performing regularly on the Steamboat Natchez. Michael Steinman (Jazz Lives, NYC), says “Duke Heitger-playing or singing-makes special music, lyrical and hot.” Curt Beard (Jazz Soundings, Seattle) stated, “A rare combination of musical characteristics. He plays hot... he plays sweet...he plays the blues as though there is a touch of pathos dripping from every note…” His trumpet-playing and arranging is a highlight of the million selling Squirrel Nut Zippers recording, Hot, earning him both gold and platinum records. This is his first year with the San Diego Jazz Party, and we are honored to have him join us. 11 11

Jon-Erik Kellso

Trumpet

Rebecca Kilgore

Vocals

Lizzy & the Triggermen

Born in Detroit in 1964, Jon began early, playing in a big band at age 11, in the International Youth Symphony at age 13, and in concert alongside Wild Bill Davidson at 17. He also played with the J.C. Heard Orchestra. After moving to New York in 1989 to join Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, he has played with Ralph Sutton, Dan Barrett, Howard Alden, Milt Hinton, Dick Hyman and many others. He plays in festivals and concerts and with bands around the globe, and he is on the soundtracks of several movies. He lives in New York.

Rebecca Kilgore is one of America’s leading song stylists intent on preserving the vocal jazz of the 30s and 40s. Rebecca has performed with a number of small and large bands over the years and brings warmth and vibrancy to the music wherever she goes. In 2002, Rebecca joined musical forces with Eddie Erickson and Dan Barrett, to form her new band, BED (an acronym for members Becky, Eddie and Dan). Their audience-friendly humor, combined with jazzy, jivey swing, makes BED a favorite with listeners of all ages. Rebecca was recognized in 2016 as a SDJP Legend.

Dubbed “10-piece jazz sensations” (LA Weekly) and “one of the hottest swing bands in LA” (Good Day LA), Lizzy & the Triggermen have been making waves since they burst onto the SoCal scene. True to their speakeasy vibe, the band first began performing in a legendary, secret club in LA. Word-of-mouth about their incredible live shows quickly spread, and soon they were headlining some of the top venues in town (the Wiltern, the El Rey, the Troubadour) before they’d even released any music.

With wailing horns, killer vocals, and a lethal rhythm section, the band channels the electrifying swagger of ‘20s and ‘30s big band and makes it feel new and modern through a mixture of originals and re-imagined vintage gems. From sultry songs about getting high to jubilant dance tunes about the world ending, to even an obscure Ellington masterpiece written for an opera singer, their bold debut album, “Good Songs for Bad Times,” (released May 2020) quickly rose to #3 on iTunes Jazz charts (alongside jazz luminaries: Miles Davis and Kamasi Washington).

Eddie Metz, Jr.

Drums

Eddie, who was born in Allentown, PA, and grew up in Ann Arbor, MI, was three when the drummer in his father’s Dixieland band gave him his first drumsticks. He played his first professional gig at the age of 12. Since then, he has played with the Woody Herman Orchestra, Chick Corea, Clark Terry, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski, Ralph Sutton and many others. He has recorded on many labels, including Arbors, Fantasy, and Nagel-Heyer. He has lived in the Orlando area for the past 24 years, 14 of which he was a full-time staff musician at Disney World. He travels the world playing at concerts, festivals and tours. Eddie was recognized in 2019 as a SDJP Legend.

Born in Australia in 1970, Nicki began her musical training on piano at the age of four and soon took up the flute as well. She switched to double bass at 15 because her sister, alto sax player Lisa, wanted a bass in her group. She moved to New York in 1994, and has since performed at the Newport, Lionel Hampton, and Berlin jazz festivals, among many others. She plays at the Iridium Jazz Club in NYC and many other venues in the New York area and overseas. In addition to being an outstanding bass player, she is a talented singer who brings the standard classics alive.

Nicki Parrott

Bass and Vocals

Did You Know?

According to Wikipedia, Mainstream Jazz (that you are fortunate enough to experience at this exclusive San Diego Jazz Party) is the popular jazz music of an era. Mainstream Jazz is the term that was established in the 1950s by music journalist, Stanley Dance, who considered anything within the popular jazz music of the Swing Era, “mainstream”.

Ken Peplowski

Sax and Clarinet

Houston Person, Jr.

Tenor Sax

Vinny Raniolo

Guitar

“When you grow up in Cleveland, Ohio, playing in a Polish polka band, you learn to think fast on your feet,” says Ken Peplowski, who played his first pro engagement when he was still in elementary school. “From my first time performing in public, I knew I wanted to play music for a living.” In 1980, Ken moved to New York City and was soon playing in all kinds of settings, from Dixieland to avant-garde jazz. In 1984, Benny Goodman came out of retirement and put together a new band, hiring Ken on tenor saxophone. Ken Peplowski is a Buffet-Crampon artist, and plays the R-13 clarinet, with a Portnoy mouthpiece and Van Doren Germancut reeds. He also plays a Yamaha tenor sax with a Berg Larsen mouthpiece.

Houston has recorded over 75 albums under his own name, and has also appeared on recordings with Etta Jones, Lena Horne, Lou Rawls, Dakota Staton and Horace Silver. He is a recipient of the Eubie Blake Jazz Award. Two recent recordings on the HighNote label are “Dialogues” with bassist Ron Carter and “Sentimental Journey.” He has played at Lincoln Center and at many festivals here and in Europe. Born in 1934, Houston grew up in Florence, SC, and lives in Nyack, NY. Houston was recognized in 2012 as a SDJP Legend.

As a touring guitar musician, performer, and educator, Vinny Raniolo is best known for his accompanying skills and is a very high demand rhythm guitarist. His dynamic playing has brought him to 14 countries on three continents – and still growing – having performed in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House in Australia, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy. While keeping a busy touring schedule in a variety of musical settings, Vinny has also become a familiar figure on Public Television. He was featured previously on three popular shows. One included the heavily programmed Tommy Emmanuel and Friends. Another was Frank Vignola’s Four Generations of Guitar where he was the youngest generation in the lineage of jazz guitarists with veteran Bucky Pizzarelli, and he performed in the Music Gone Public series. Recording credits include soundtracks for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and Woody Allen’s film, Café Society.

Chuck Redd

Drums and Vibes

Richard Simon

Bass

Rossano Sportiello

Piano

Chuck Redd is noted for his tasteful playing on both drums and vibes, He was born in 1958 in Takoma Park, MD, where he lives today. Chuck joined the Charlie Byrd Trio in 1980 at the age of 21. He has played on tour many times in Europe and Japan. He has toured and performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Tommy Flanagan, Marian McPartland, Scott Hamilton, Bucky Pizzarelli and many other jazz greats. He was a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra for 15 years and is currently the Artistic Director of the Oregon Festival of American Music. Chuck was on the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Music for 12 years and presented master classes, workshops, and lectures for aspiring students around the country. Chuck is being recognized as the San Diego Jazz Party Legend this year.

Richard is one of the busiest bass players in the Los Angeles area. Born in Kansas City, he moved to Los Angeles in 1977. He has performed at festivals, concerts, and nightclubs. He has recorded with Rosemary Clooney, Plas Johnson, Buddy Collette, Al Viola, Gerald Wiggins, and others. In 1995, he founded the UFO-BASS recording label to document the music of often-overlooked West Coast musicians.

He has toured in Japan and performed a live recording with the Ken Peplowski Big Band; two jams with Eubie Green alongside the jazz-loving King of Thailand; festival appearances with Eddie Higgins, Lalo Schifrin, Harold Arlen, Chico Hamilton, Britt Woodman, Pete Fountain, and Jake Hanna.

A widely acclaimed talent, Rossano graduated from the Italian Conservatory and began his musical career at the age of 18. He was born in 1974 and lives in New York. In 2002 and 2003, he played at the Ascona Festival in Switzerland with Dan Barrett’s International Swing Party band. He has been a pupil of Barry Harris, and his piano hero is the late Ralph Sutton. Rossano has performed at New York’s Town Hall and Lincoln Center and at the United Nations. He has played with a host of jazz notables, including Harry Allen, Scott Hamilton, Becky Kilgore, Warren Vaché, Howard Alden and Joe Wilder. He has recorded solo piano albums for the Blue Swing and Arbors labels.

Jason Wanner

Piano

Peter Washington

Bass

Jason was born in 1978 in Sacramento and began playing and taking piano lessons at age six. Even at such a young age, he was constantly exposed to many different kinds of music. Although neither of his parents were musicians, they were obvious fans of many musical styles, and so this love was of course bestowed upon their son everyday. Before he could even walk and talk, he received many daily doses of everything from classic country, to folk, classic rock, doowop, big band, ragtime, modern jazz, Sousa marches, Strauss waltzes, polka, motown; and the list goes on and on.

One day at school, the students were required to get their fingerprints taken, and the woman taking Jason’s commented on how he had “the fingers of a piano player.” Well, Jason already knew that he loved the piano, so he went home and told his parents. They asked if he was interested in taking lessons, to which he replied, “Yeah, I wanna play.”

Later, he played classical music and ragtime, adding jazz in his teens. Johnny Varro took him under his wing at a music camp. Since then he has played with trad bands at the Sun Valley Swing and Dixie Jamboree, at Mammoth Lakes with the Sister Swing band, and at numerous festivals. He now makes his home in San Diego.

Perhaps the most recorded bassist of his generation, Peter Washington has a discography of more than 500 recordings. Born in Los Angeles, he played classical bass as a teen and majored in English literature at UC Berkeley, where he became interested in jazz. In 1986, he was invited by Art Blakey to join the Jazz Messengers in New York. From there, he became part of two of the most celebrated trios in jazz: The Tommy Flanagan Trio (10 years) and, for the past 19 years, the Bill Charlap Trio. Mr. Washington’s work roster includes Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Johnny Griffin, Kenny Burrell, Hank Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Don Grolnick, The Brecker Brothers, Tony Bennett, Freddie Cole, and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. In 2009 he was part of The Blue Note 7, a septet formed in honor of the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. This is his first year with the San Diego Jazz Party, and we are honored to have him join us.