Guldfisken Pub, Køge Harbor, Denmark

L-R:  Tom Gray, Steve Welch, Sonny McGown, Marty Frankel, Donn Andre, Henning Hoehne

MARTY FRANKEL - CORNET AND LEADER

Marty started playing when he was 12. His dad gave him an album of Muggsy Spanier's 1939 Ragtimers, and Marty was hooked. He moved from Long Island to the Washington, D.C. area in 1956 to attend the University of Maryland, and played with several local jazz bands while in school. For the next 15 years, Marty laid down his horn, but picked it up again in 1977 after being introduced to the Potomac River Jazz Club. He joined the Federal Jazz Commission in May 1978, and assumed its leadership in 1985. Marty has also worked regularly with the Southern Comfort Jazz Band, and in 1988 toured the Soviet Union with the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble.

HENNING HOEHNE - CLARINET & SAXOPHONES

One of the most energetic and exciting reed players in the Mid-Atlantic area, Henning brings to the Federal Jazz Commission a wealth of experience and a life-long love of the music. Early in his career, Henning was associated with Abbi Hübner and the Low Down Wizards, an internationally acclaimed band from Hamburg, Germany. During and after his 24-years as a musician with the U.S. Navy, Henning has performed with the Southern Comfort Jazz Band, the Paradise Jazz Band of Marco Island, Florida, and currently can be heard with the Baltimore Jazz Orchestra, and in small groups throughout the area. Henning joined the FJC in May 1999.

STEVE WELCH - TROMBONE

One of the busiest musicians in the Washington area, Steve joined the FJC in May 1994. After college and a tour with the Air Force field band, Steve joined the Original Washington Monumental Jazz Band and the Anacostia River Ramblers. In North Carolina, he fronted the Capital City Jazz Band and toured Cuba in 1977 with Captain Sailer's Plantation Orchestra. Back in Washington, he played extensively with Gene Franklin's Pier Five, the Royal Blue, Last Chance, Manassas Festival Jazzers, and Beale St. Seven. For three years Steve was with John Norris' New Orleans Jazz Band of Hawaii.

DONN ANDRE - BANJO

Donn began playing jazz at Hamilton College, NY, in 1954 with a group known as the Catatonic Five. Throughout the 1950's he played college dates, toured Europe and topped it off with a performance in Carnegie Hall in 1956. Donn worked on both banjo and guitar with several bands in the Washington area, including Southern Comfort for 12 years, and while assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Denmark from 1989-1991 was a member of the Louisiana Jazz Band of Copenhagen. Donn first joined the Federal Jazz Commission in September 1992 and rejoined in 1996 upon his return from assignment in Greece.

TOM GRAY - BASS

Playing bass professionally since 1960, Tom has received several awards in the field of Bluegrass music and has performed on 83 recordings. His best known work was as a member of The Seldom Scene (1971-87) and the Country Gentlemen (1960-64). Since the early 1970's, Tom has appeared with a number of traditional jazz groups, including the New Sunshine Jazz Band, with which he recorded, and the Federal Jazz Commission, which he joined in October 1994.

SONNY McGOWN - DRUMS

An avid record collector, Sonny knows how good jazz music is supposed to sound. He draws his inspiration from his favorite drummers, Gene Krupa, Big Sid Catlett, Cliff Leeman, and George Wettling. Since resuming drumming in 1980 after a respite of a few years, Sonny has been associated with a number of bands in the Washington area. He joined the Federal Jazz Commission in November 1985, contributing measurably to its collective knowledge of classic jazz and swinging style.