Caesar E. Rob - drums
Caesar was born into a musical family in Santa Barbara, California.  His father was a dance band drummer and prior to that had been in the United Army Band.  His mother and older brother were also drummers filling in when Dad was overloaded with gigs. By the age of 13, Caesar was already performing professionally while studying music with Henry Brubeck, brother of Dave. Following high school graduation, Caesar then moved to Washington, D.C. in order to further his studies with Jack Dennett of the National Symphony Orchestra. While living in D.C., Caesar played with the Barnee’-Lowe Shoreham Hotel Orchestra, Meyer Davis, and other society orchestras in that area.  After a few years Caesar decided to return to Santa Barbara to study business and accounting, while continuing to play music.  He worked with the I. Newton Perry Orchestra, of Santa Barbara, playing throughout Southern California, Chicago, and on occasion at Yale University in New Haven, CT.  He backed George Shearing and Mel Torme’ on various occasions, and also played for gospel singer Thelma Huston and other national acts.  Caesar was a member of an Air Force Band, and for a number of seasons was a percussionist with the Santa Barbara Symphony.  He also lead the “9 to 5 life” for a number of years while working  in accounting for the City of Santa Barbara and serving as its Purchasing Director.  He was also a partner in a music store as well as a band booking service.  After that Caesar decided to go into music full time and became part of the vocal-instrumental group “The Happy Sounds” , playing 12 successful seasons at Camelback Inn and other Marriott properties throughout the U.S.: The Broadmoor Hotel (Colorado Springs, CO); La Costa Resort (San Diego area), and other top quality engagements.  In 1982 with wife-partner Madelyn Roberts, Caesar formed the contemporary group KANDU, originally a quartet that included two of his sons, Rod (keyboards and flugelhorn) and Mitch (drums and bass). For 10 years, and in varying configurations of size and instrumentation, KANDU traveled the continental United States. Playing hotels, clubs, and fine resorts and performing a great variety of music and musical styles to suit the tastes of widely divergent audiences was an adventure and important learning experience. Returning to the Phoenix area in 1992 and until 2005, Caesar became a  licensed Private Investigator, doing extensive work for the State of Arizona Risk Management Department as well as a number of high profile cases.  Today, Caesar is a regular member of Joe Hopkins’ “52^nd Street Jazz Band”.  KANDU stays actively engaged in the Phoenix area, along with Caesar and Madelyn’s duo, “The Robs”.  Both musicians are members of the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Praise Team Ensemble, performing at contemporary 11 AM Sunday services.  Caesar is proud father of three sons, Rod, Mitch and Chris, and grandfather of 5. He is also proudly a Life Member of the American Federation of Musicians, and holds membership in both the Santa Barbara and Arizona Locals.

Bruce Voris – drums
He played over the years in various high school and college orchestras, symphonic, and marching bands, as well as jazz and big bands. He played the Dixieland/Swing jazz festival circuit for 12+ years with several local groups, including currently with the Desert City Six and the 52nd Street Jazz Band. Bruce used to sing in the Phabulous Phoenicians barbershop chorus (as a bass) and a couple of their quartets for a number of years, even serving as an associate director for awhile. (He actually earned an International Champion Chorus gold medal with them in 1983.) He also was director of a Sweet Adelines women's barbershop chorus for a couple of years.

John Howe – drums
John originated from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He was the first percussion major graduated from UNoDakota and later received a masters in music ed at the UofAZ.  He has been playing professionally for 40 years starting as a rock drummer but broadened to the jazz scene, leading a small combo at the Westward Look Resort for 10 years plus many other combo, dixie and big band gigs.  John has a main career as a neuro-muscular masseur associated with the famous "Canyon Ranch."

Kevin Krull - trombone
Kevin has played with a variety of swing and traditional jazz small groups for the past 30 years. In addition, He has played with the following people and groups:
Steve Allen, Robert Goulet, Jerry Vale, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Jazz Cowboys, Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Great America Theme Park, Great London Circus, Messiah Brass Ensemble, Mary Lou Metsker, Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Chicago Six, Harry Blackstone Jr. Kevin has a BA degree in Music Performance from Cal-State Hayward.

Ernie Landes - Trombone
Ernie took up the trombone in high school and began jamming with neighborhood musicians. While attending Stanford University, he heard the bands of Bob Scobey and Turk Murphy in live concerts, and spent many Friday afternoons playing for free beer in college hangouts. He began his career as an aerospace engineer, and helped form a band called the "South Bay Seven", which was popular in the San Jose area during the sixties. In 1973 he was recruited by Frank Goulette to join the "Monterey Bay Classic Jass Band" of Santa Cruz, CA. With this band he performed at  most of the jazz festivals on the West Coast, and enjoyed an eight-year run of Sunday afternoon gigs at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz. Ernie and Lynne retired to Port Ludlow, WA in 1995, and joined the "Dukes of Dabob", a band that plays during the summer months in taverns and clubs near Port Townsend.  Ernie now spends the winters in Sun City, where he enjoys sitting in with the many talented musicians playing "happy music" here in the valley.

Ray Templin -piano, drums, vocals
Ray hails from Chicago where he played in many jazz, comedy and show bands, including The Riverboat Ramblers of Milwaukee, which also featured Bob Schulz on trumpet. In 1979, he moved to Los Angeles, and became a favorite at local jazz clubs playing both piano and drums. He joined the Great Pacific Jazz Band, shortly after its formation, in 1980. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and may be seen often in reruns of NBC's long-running TV series "Matlock". His voice can also be heard on many "Married...With Children" episodes. Ray appears regularly at Disneyland, playing piano in New Orleans Square and alternating between piano and drums with the park's various show bands. In 1986, he formed his own group, Ray Templin's Chicagoans. He also plays with several other bands, including Bob Schulz's Frisco Jazz Band.

Jim Nickerson - trombone
Jim moved to AZ from the NW beginning his career with  US Navy bands.  In the NW he was associated with George Haviland, Johnny Lewis and others.  Since moving into the Rio Rico/ Green Valley area he has been active in nearly every band in the region and was a first choice when the DixieCats needed a replacement for their longtime dixie boneman, Jim Hockings.  Jim said he enjoys the  different challenges of the many bands in which he plays but enjoys playing with the DixieCats the most.

Ron Plude - piano
For Ron, Music has always been a hobby.  His first piano job after high school was playing for a tap dancing school.  He used playing to finance college at the U of Minn. Was told on his first job after college that he'd be much too busy to play and should drop it. 
He didn't of course, but kept it to himself. He played some jobs with Doc Evans in Mpls, some were Dixie jobs and some were casuals. He spent about 20 years with a Jewish band, playing mostly weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish country clubs. He retired and moved to Phoenix in 1980, and got into the convention work thru the various agencies. For ten years or so he worked 4 to 5 jobs a week. Joined Cheryl Stevens Vintage Jazz Band in 1991, was with her for 5 years. Also played with Jeff Woodhouse, Bill Tinklers Dixie band, Hal Kelly and the AZ Classic Jazz Band.

Cheryl Thurston - Piano
Cheryl began playing stride piano professionally at age 14 in Canton Ohio.  She got influenced by her father John Lewis who played cornet in various Dixieland bands around the Cleveland/Akron area. She starting playing piano in her Dad’s band, the “Rainbow Ramblers” until he passed away in 1981. At age 16, she toured Europe playing the trumpet with the American Youth Symphony. While living in Ohio, she was a member of the New Orleans Stompers and got recognized as one of Cleveland’s most interesting people. She has played with the Earlville Jass Band, Rubber City Retreads, Ted Witt Trio, Dixie Ramblers, Eagle Jazz Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and performed at the EARLYJAZZ Jazz Festival. She moved to the Phoenix area in 1990, and was a member of the Sun Lakes Stompers, Sun Lakes Dixieland Band, and Sun Lakes Big Band. Currently, she plays at L.J.’s Pizza weekly and has her own group the Cheryl Thurston Combo. She occasionally subs in the Gary Church Band, Joe Hopkins Band, Bob Wardlaw’s Swingtime Jazz Band, and the Bob Beck Trio. She is also a member of Music Al Carte. She has played the Tucson Jazz Festval and Arizona Classic Jazz Festival.

Larry Crinklaw - Piano
Born in Arizona, he has worked with every major musician in hte Valley of the Sun. He is a graduate of The School for the Blind in Tucson. He has been with Fantasy Jive for 9 years.

Gary Church - cornet, piano, trombone and guitar (Click Here for Gary's web page)
Gary started his musical career in Phoenix and after 25 years has returned. He has performed at countless jazz festivals and clubs. He was with the Silver dollar Jazz Band, Boondockers, Desert City Six, Fulton Street, and many others. Although jazz is his main love, Gary performed and recorded with such Country greats as Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Mel Tillis and Merle Haggard. He is currently on tour with the Mel Tillis Show.  In 2002 Gary was the 23rd musician elected to the Western Swing Hall of Fame.
His career has taken theses twists and turns.
1970-1974- Jeff Woodhouse Dixieland Band, Desert City Six, The Barehanded Wolf Chokers Oldtime Dixieland Band Inc.
1974-1976-  Walt Disney World -Orlando Florida, Bill Allred's Reedy Creek Jazz Band, Sammy Gardner's Dixieland Band at Rosy O'Grady's in Pensacola Florida, Central Florida Hot Jazz All Stars with Jim Maihack, ( backing up Bobby Hackett in Orlando).
1975-  Worked as a replacement trombonist in Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band in San Antonio, Tx.
1976-  Crazy Ed's Place in Deer Valley with Igor, George Rock, Bruce Leeland and The Desert City Six and Igor’s Jazz Cowboys.
1977-1979 Went on the road with the Freddy Powers Show from Nevada, while with Freddy got to work with, Al Hirt, Peanuts Hucko, Milton Quackenbush, Wild Bill Davison, Tiny Moore, Jimmy Ivers, Roger MIller and Willie Nelson.
1980-Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida worked with the Pearly Band and The Banjo Kings, with Lee Floyd, Eddie Erickson, Randy Morris.
1981 - was in the house band at Willie Nelson's Jazz club in Austin Texas called DJANGOS with Ray Benson's Band "Asleep At The Wheel".
1982-1991- traveled with Merle Haggard's Strangers playing Western Swing and the Sac Jubilee each year with Jimmy Rivers, also subbed in the Fulton Street Jazz Band and Jan Sutherland and Custer’s Last Band.
1991-2000 worked with Mel Tillis and The Statesiders in Branson Mo. and with The Creole Jazz Band from Springfield Mo.
2001- Joined the Boondockers in Sacramento Ca, returned to Phoenix and worked with his own groups , The Desert City Six, The Joe Hopkins Quartet, The 52nd Street Jazz Band Band, Bob Wardlaw’s Swingtime and others.
2004- returned to the Mel Tillis Band.
He has recorded with;Larry Joiner And the Mavericks,,The Desert City Six, Freddy Powers, Bill Allred, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, The Joe Hopkins Quartet.
 

Bill Oakes - trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn
Bill was a professor of Experimental Psychology at Brooklyn College and the Graduate School of the City University of New York when he retired. In his youth, before giving up playing professionally in 1952 in order to study for his PHD in Psychology, he spent a number of years playing lead trumpet with big bands, most notably the Henry Busse Orchestra. Around 1980 he again unpacked his instruments and began playing with dixieland groups in New York. In 1982 he put his band, The Canal Street Dixieland Jazz and Blues band into the Cajun Restaurant in the Chelsea District of Manhattan as their Friday night band. Although Bill retired to Scottsdale in 1988, that band is still playing at the Cajun. Since moving here he has been a member of a number of dixieland groups, including Dr. Sasparilla, Desert City Six, Cheryl Stephens Vintage Jazz band and currently the AZ Classic Jazz band and the Swingtyme Jazz band. He has also played lead with several big bands in the area.  

Doc Chaney - trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone, vocals
Played with Benny Goodman -1980, Wayne King band,  Jim Nabors and many others.  Leader of the Crazy Ed's band for 5 years,  With the Mike Dunham Quintet in Laughland, Nev.,  Kay Star voc.,  Many dates with the Army band,  Mini fest at San Marcos with Mike Vax,  The 52nd st.Revival Dixieland Band, Fantasy Jive Band,  Wolf Chokers at Nick Fink's,  Jed Nolan's,  Desert City Six for many years.  He has lead The Fantasy Jive Jazz Band for 10 years.

Len Fontana - trumpet
 Originally from upstate NY, Len began trumpet at 12.  He spent four years in one of the top Army Bands followed by college and a teaching /band director  career of 30 years, retiring to Tucson.  Locally, Len has blown lead or ride horn in 3 dixie bands, bigbands and many small combos.  His diminutive stature is in contrast to the big sound from his horn.

Ted Babcock - banjo
Ted has played locally in polka bands which has included playing with Frankie Yankovic. He has also played guitar with a local Hawaiian band. He has worked with the Desert City Six which involved playing in the Netherlands and Scotland along with five jazz cruises.  He has played many jazz festivals on the West Coast, including the Sacramento Jubilee ten times. He played with Cheryl Stephens Vintage Jazz Band for five years and has been a part of five recordings with various groups.

Al Farmer - banjo
Originally from Illinois, Al played with several local bands moving to Tucson in '54. He attended the UofAZ, majoring in electrical engineering, minoring in music.  He has worked with a variety of bands and styles locally including for Mel Torme on a Tucson appearance.  Al doubles on vocals and guitar.

Matt Mooney - banjo
Matt's only exposure to traditional Dixieland music came from listening to his father's jazz record collection while growing up in New Lexington, OH. Living in a small town, there was not an abundance of Dixieland jazz music, but the local Lion's Club put on an annual minstrel show for their spring fund-raiser. That was Matt's first introduction to this "alternative music" and eventually led him to taking up the banjo. Little did he know that some 21 years later he would be playing with the 10th Avenue Jazz Band, which was formed nearly 4 years before he was born...!While in high school, Matt did mostly solo work performing for club meetings, dinner parties, and school function. One of his favorite places to play was in Lancaster, Ohio at "Old Bill Bailey's" with the owner and piano player, Ben Smith. As is the case with many musicians, he used the banjo to help "play" his way through college and graduated from Ohio State University (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) and moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1986. During his first several years in Phoenix, Matt could be found "sitting in" at various jazz clubs before he really became aware of the Dixieland festival circuit. In 1992, he took over the banjo seat in Dick Knutson's Desert City Six. After three years with the DC6, Matt hooked up with the 10th Avenue Jazz Band in December 1994.

Madelyn Roberts - guitar, banjo
The eldest child of late jazz and studio guitarist Howard Roberts, Madelyn Roberts began her musical career in childhood as a violinist. Having played with the Michigan Youth Symphony, she became popular in the Detroit area as a "ringer": someone who performs for hire in the string sections of community orchestras to help them sound more professional at their public concerts. Following a rotator cuff injury to her bowing arm, Madelyn took up the guitar in her early 20s but shortly thereafter put music aside to pursue a career in professional billiards. In the 1970s, she was one of the top competitors in the U.S., appeared on "Wide World of Sports" and performed billiards exhibitions with legendary players Minnesota Fats and Willie Mosconi. IN 1975, Madelyn founded and became the first executive director of the Women's Professional Billiards Association (WPBA), a group still playing matches that are regularly televised on ESPN.In the late '70s, Madelyn moved to Arizona, gave up billiards and re-discovered the guitar. Her first professional job as a guitarist was in a Western Swing band, "The Bar 7 Bunch". In order to continue to learn and to improve her guitar skills, Madelyn formed "Desert Seminars", an educational program that allowed guitarists from all over the U.S. and Canada to come to Arizona and study in a group with jazz guitar greats such as her dad, Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis. In 1981, Madelyn joined a full-time professional trio and went on the road.It was in this group that she met her partner and husband, drummer Caesar Rob. The trio later morphed into "KANDU", a variety band that toured the U.S. for 10 years. In the early '90s, Madelyn and Caesar returned to Phoenix and began performing at various private clubs and functions as a varity band. In 1996, Madelyn was elected President of American Federation of Musicians Local 586, Arizona's professional labor union, an office she currently holds. In 1994, she returned to billiards as an amateur player and in 2000 won the North American Senior Women's title, was a member of the winning North American Women's Open Team and was inducted into the WPBA Hall of Fame as its founder. Currently, Madelyn continues to play guitar as a member of  bands such as "52nd Street Jazz Band", "KANDU" and "The Robs".

Danny Shannon - bass guitar (Click here for Danny's QWIK ™ SEAT web site)
Danny has been a key member of the Phoenix jazz scene for many years. He has also toured and appeared with Honky Tonk Pianist Big Tiny Little, Jazz Guitarist Mundell Lowe, and was even a member of the Grand Old Opry with country music legend Dottie West.  Danny has also played at 2 president's inaugurations, 10 USO shows, 5 jazz cruises, 2 European tours, 2 movies, 2 TV shows, 5 commercials, and 5 major recordings.
Eddie Fisher USO Show , Japan 1950
Famous "Make Believers" Phoenix 61-62
The Max Dan Trio 63-64
Owned "The Bucket Club" with live radio broadcasts 6 nights a week with "The Four More" 1964-66
Lloyd Eliss Quartet 1965-69
Merril Moor Trio at the Del Webb Townhouse in Phoenix 75-78
The Desert City Six 80s - 90. Played Sacramento Jazzz Fest. 9 years in a row.
Mike Dunham Quintet (Scopus Out) 80s
Steel Guitar International Festival with Terry Bethel & Milt Quackenbush
Gary Church - 2005
Dick Contino (Accordian) Trio Phoenix - 2003
Al Monty (Pres. of the Accordian Assoc.) 2002-2005
Gene Mason Trio - 50s
Ted Newman - 2002-2005
Blue Notes Dance Band (Bob Waters) - 80s
Parker Lund Band and Miss Pat Yankee in Iceland & Greenland - 1967
Phil Kirk, Bob Havens, Tommy Loy, Mike Vax.
Titan Hot Seven, Joe Ashworth, plus many more.

Chuck Stewart - tuba (Click Here for Chuck's web site)
Chuck moved to Arizona in 2000 and brought a wealth of experience with him.  He has been recorded on over 16 CD’s and has performed with 27 different groups in over 100 jazz festivals (too many to list). He has made 9 radio/TV appearances, including the Ed Sullivan Show, and has played on over 10 jazz cruises.  He regularly appears at jazz festivals with The Paramount Jazz band, The Buck Creek Jazz Band and Tex Wyndham's Rent Party Revellers. Some of the  most notable bands he has played with are; Bobby Hackett,  Uptown Lowdown, South Frisco, Golden Eagles, Golden Gate Rhythm Machine, New Black Eagles and The Desert City Six. He has also appeared with Billy Butterfield,  Pee Wee Irwin, Johnny Mince, Banu Gibson, Speigle Wilcox and Butch Thompson. He also leads his own “Crackerjack Jazz Band”.  The group recorded a “music minus one” type CD for December 1996 issue of The Jazz Player magazine.

Buddy Apfel - tuba, bass, double bass. euphonium, cornet
1970-1973..Buddy played tuba with Clyde McCoy and his Sugar Blues Band. They toured and played in 36 states.
1973-1977...played with Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band. Stints included San Antonio's Riverwalk, radio, TV, recordings, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, movies (Rolling Thunder), Mexico City, Guadalajara, jazz festivals and more.
1973-1990 Buddy sang with various barbershop quartets
1977-1990...played with the Alamo City Jazz Band....stints included many jazz festivals.
1990-1992...played with the Guy Lombardo Royal Canadian Big band. Stints included: London, Ontario, Toronto, Montreal, Nova Scotia as well as 43 states, cruises on the Mississippi Queen and ocean cruises.
1992-2001...Buddy moved to California and played with: K Street Ramblers, Stan Mark, Tuleberg, Devil Mountain, Jasstown Revelators, Cell Block Seven, Hot Frogs, Jean Kittrell from St.Louis, Buck Creek from Springfield, Va, and many more including his own band, the Firehouse Dixie Stompers. 
1993...taught tuba/bass improvisation at the Sacramento Youth Jazz camp.
1996-present...Jambalaya Jazztet, festivals, Big mama Sue, with Tex Wyndham on a cruise ship,
Moved to Carson City in 2002..played with Bill Montague for Little Anthony & the Imperials, Big Tiny Little, Gary Church & Bill Bachman. and various casinos. Also worked casinos with the Love Boat Band with Don Maeder.
2005..moved to Mesa...works with Joe Hopkins, Igors Jazz Cowboys and formed his own group..the "Arizona Crawdaddies". He continues as a bass singer in a barbershop quartet, the Muscle Tones.  

Doug Scott - tuba/doghouse/electric bass/trombone,etc.
Doug originated in Ohio where he degreed at the Capital University Conservatory with a major in tuba.  Following some roadwork with an entertainment group he was called into the U.S.Army, winding up as director and arranger for the Ft. Hood bands, choirs and jazz groups.  After discharge he continued as director and arranger for a touring singer and after 10 road years, settled in a Florida high school as an instrumental music instructor.  Family health needs drove him to AZ where he successfully entered the aerospace Industry/Hughes Aircraft with a new career.  He has continued moonlighting as a pro musician with numerous groups in Tucson and is developing a computer-based one-man show, utilizing his diverse talents.

Anthony Bartlett - trombone
Anthony was born in Sydney, Australia and is a third-generation professional musician with extensive experience in both jazz and classical music. He started playing piano at the tender age of three before moving to trombone and tuba in Junior High School. Since then he has studied jazz at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has had the privilege of working with some of Australia’s favorite artists including James Morrison, Don Burrows, Tina Arena, Human Nature, Marina Prior, Don Lane, Frank Bennett and Tommy Emmanuel. Anthony has toured Australia with Sir Cliff Richard (“Summer Holiday”), Wilson Pickett (“Mustang Sally”) and jazz singer Barbara Morrison, performed with Elvis Presley’s original band, appeared on Australian network television and radio and can be heard on numerous TV and radio jingles and CD releases. Professional theater credits include Hot Shoe Shuffle and the Australia and South East Asia tour of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story. Anthony is a former winner of the prestigious Australian “Mo” Entertainment Award. In his “other” career as the owner of a successful Sydney recording studio, Anthony has produced and performed on CD’s for artists such as Boys In Black and written many well-known advertising jingles.  Since moving to Arizona in 2003, Anthony has had the pleasure of performing with Igor’s Jazz Cowboys, tuba great Sam Pilafian and Joe Hopkins’ 52^nd Street Jazz Band Band.  He is currently adjunct faculty in the music department at Mesa Community College.

Dabney Hopkins and Binky Meyerstein - Swing Dancers
Dabney and Binky have been collectively teaching, dancing, and competing for 12 years. They run The Kats Korner, the weekly Saturday night swing dance in Mesa, and Hepkats, the weekly Monday night swing dance in Mesa. This is also their fifth year organizing the annual Phoenix Lindy Exchange, an event where lindy-hoppers from all over the world come and dance in Phoenix in the fall. They have taught workshops in Florida, California, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, all over Arizona, and on Carnaval Cruise Lines. They have both placed in various national swing dance competitions, including: Lindy-Hop at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Jack and Jill at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Balboa Contest at the National Jitterbug Championships, the Strictly Lindy at Lindy On The Rocks in Denver, and were invited to participate in the invitation only Champions Jack and Jill at Lindy On The Rocks in Denver. They have also performed regularly for corporations and television. Their passion is the original form of swing from the early twentieth century, and their goal is to spread these dances to keep them alive. They specialize in East Coast, Lindy-Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag. Swingdabs@aol.com