Live Jazz in the Wisconsin Fox Valley
For bookings, call 920-915-9700, or see me at the bandstand!
The JJRT Quartet is our current combo Jazz and variety band, featuring Jim Faz on piano, Roger Teske on bass, Tim Vosters on drums, and myself on guitar. Our song list is from the Great American Songbook, including hits from 1910 to the current day. We have recently been adding hit songs from the sixties, seventies, and eighties. Let us know your requests; at the bandstand and for your coming events. Promotions: We are working up a logo and more recent photos, more recorded songs for promotional downloading, and a presence of Facebook. Out of scope: band merchandise.
About me: Over a thousand local performances (temporarily halted raising children and recently by the pandemic) in various bands since ’66, and locally since ’96 (yes, from the past century). We performances in and around the Appleton and Fox Valley. Please see my calendar for all coming events and band appearances. The date book is continuing to return since the pandemic.
I got my start in the Fox Valley playing the the Geriatric Jazz Group, with steady gigs at the Gibson Grill for three years, and other city and area events. These are fond memories. Tim still books retirement community events under the name of with The Jazz Rats. Harry Boll founded this band and was a true entertainer. Harry has passed away but his legacy lives on! We played with him for his 89th birthday. A good time was held by all! Good news, he is with many other musicians we have had the honor to play with from years ago.
Easy Pieces: This is a combo band based out of Hortonville, active since the 70’s. I had the privilege of playing with this band first as a backup guitarist.
John Pfeiffer as band leader: steady gigs at The Seasons Restaurant, which was out by the Fox Valley Mall.
I played regularly with the Neenah Ambassadors since 2014. This band specializes in 1940’s big band vocal and instrumental standards. The Ambassadors play the first Thursday of every month at Luigi’s Pizza in Menasha (6:30 pm downbeat), and many area community concerts. They also regularly play for King Veteran’s Home.
I played regularly with the Fox Valley’s own Big Band Reunion from 2017, and now in occasional events. The BBR winter schedule (beginning August) is Monday’s at Crazy Pat’s Pizza in Neenah (7:30 downbeat). This band plays a mix of big band music, from standards to modern compositions, some written by veteran members of the band. The band has a priceless collection of charts.
I am returning to playing live outdoor venues for solo and small combos. My current focus is on recording my top 10, 50, and 100, etc selections, again borrowing from the Great American Songbook. Okay, maybe a little Steely Dan and selected Classic Rock.
I played with an Americana band, based out of Hortonville. This band goes by many alias’s: Folks Like Us, The Big Fish Band, The Bottom Feeders, Guitar Group, and Expansion Band. This band plays predominantly fundraisers but also retirement homes and occasional parties. This band plays folk, country, country rock, and blues. Lots of good time music!
I played with the HASband Jazz Band, a big band based out of Hortonville, that plays a dance music mix of classic rock big band and big band standards. They a great group and a lot of fun!
I play in various combo bands, 2 to five members, at area restaurants and private parties, most recently with the Marc Sackman Quartet for the Winnebago Democratic Party events (a personal favorite). I have also played venues from Chicago to the UP, also jamming with musicians in California and Cincinnati. I continue to perform at public events and private parties. Event appearances include: numerous retirement homes and wedding receptions, Appleton’s Art in the Park and Farmer’s markets, The Appleton Arboretum, The Neenah Jazz Festival, The Ripon Jazz festival, Appleton’s Octoberfest, Bergstrom Automotive, Fox Valley Animal Referral Center, Fox Valley Home Remodeler’s Association, HRH of Appleton, BABES, and Hospice Rocks.
I am also owner, engineer, and producer of JCP Recording Studio. I managed to capture multiple years of live band recordings from the bands above. Literally hundred’s of songs and hours of recordings, great tunes, great memories. I am now focused on self-recording, solo guitar, multi-instrumental recordings, and sequenced music using “Band in a Box” for ‘quick’ backing tracks. The concept is to use the backing tracks where needed and substitute other musicians whenever we can. Music is about the relationships and interaction with others. The pandemic has been cruel in this regard, many time worse for millions of others.
Please see About Me for more information.