Reedman Dick Poccia, Professor Emeritus of Biology at Amherst College,has played in jazz groups in Western Massachusetts for 40 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, Creacion Latin Big Band, Ask Me Now, and the Jeff Holmes Big Band. Played in back up bands for the Temptations, Martha Reeves, Mary Wilson, Ernie Watts, Claudio Roditi, Yusef Lateef, John Abercrombie, Steve Turre, Al Cohn, Rufus Reed, Karrin Allyson, Steve Davis, Sheila Jordan, George Garzone, Peter Erskine, Paul Winter, 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.

Trumpeter Dave Bilodeau from Hadley, MA is also a professional freelance mechanical engineer. He has performed for over 50 years in various jazz, rock, show, pit and big bands as well as orchestras and brass groups locally and around the Northeast. He studied engineering at Northeastern University and music at The Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music. Local groups he has played with include The Amherst Jazz Orchestra, Creacion Latin Big Band, the Premier Brass Quintet, the Premier Swing Band, Fanfare Brass Choir, Dixieland Stomp, Ragtime Five, Charles Neville and the Skeletones, Intertrip and the Interplay Jazz Band.

Pianist Ken Forfia from Williamsburg is a graduate of Thayer Academy and studied music at UMass Amherst. Originally a classical pianist, he expanded to include jazz about 20 years ago. He is a Professor Emeritus at Springfield Technical Community College where he served as Music Department Chair. He performs regularly with the Juke Joint Jazz, The Off Minor Trio, Jonathan Ricahrds and The Modern Lovers, The Valley Jazz Voices, The Minstrels and frequently as a classical soloist.

Bassist Mark Dunlap, from Holyoke, MA, is a retired PASS Region I Assistant at the Federal Aviation Administration.  He 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, Frain/Dunlap Jazz Trip, InterTrip and performs with other bands including Berkshire Jazz Underground, Eastern Standard Time, and Disciples of Cool in New England and New York. He co-owns the independent recording label and publishing company Simmer Music has released a CD with guitarist David Frain entitled “Pull The Shades” and has organized festivals including the Holyoke Latin Jazz Festival and the Reggae Rager and Future Roots Festival.

Drummer Bill Matthews Ph.D. from Sunderland, MA is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts in Psychology and Education, He 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 and Jazz in July at the University of Massachusetts where he had the opportunity to play with the legendary Archie Shepp. Since,the early 1990’s, Bill began his study with the great Boston based drummer, Bob Gullotti of the Fringe. He 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 including with Moment’s Notice, Off Minor and the Eclectic Jazz Quartet.