Art Hovey Bio:
"Art grew up in a musical family on Long Island, came to Connecticut for college, and stayed here.  He started playing in Dixieland bands while an undergraduate, and worked with future members of the embryonic Galvanized Jazz Band during graduate school.  While teaching physics a Amity Regional High School and working regularly with the GJB, he found some students who showed interest in traditional jazz."

"He had several informal groups over the years.  One group rehearsed on his back porch and was called the "Squabble Hill Intercollegiate Backyard Band".  While working with that group he taught himself to write arrangements, using notation software.  After that band broke up he started over, calling the new group the "New Black Raspberry Jazz Band".  Working with both of those bands was very rewarding, and he was able to rope his two sons into performing with them." 

"After retiring from Amity in 2000, he no longer had the opportunity to brainwash kids into performing our kind of music; and was fairly inactive on the Youth Band scene until he had the opportunity to form this band.  We salute Art for his efforts to continue to expose future musicians to traditional jazz."