New Reformation Jazz Band

Classic Jazz. Hot Jazz. Blues. Big Band. Swing.

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Characters Since ’70

NRB’S CAST OF CHARACTERS SINCE 1970

Musicians who were/are with The New Reformation Band (NRB)

Prepared by David W. Oppermann (a character since the beginning) Contact him with stories you may know of or heard concerning any of the folks here. newrefband@charter.net or dwo@nationwideintelligence.com

989.793.0123 (24/7)

*Recorded with NRB;

# Deceased; City, State (current or last known residence)

BANJO/GUITAR

  1. Campbell, Dave
  2. Durham, Bobby Nashville, Tennessee 
  3. Forbes, Jim
  4. Foslein, Orrin Detroit, Michigan #
  5. Kadwell, Dave Grand Rapids, Michigan
  6. Leal, Hugh Windsor, Ontario, Canada
  7. McDonald, Rod* Ann Arbor, Michigan
  8. Miller, Dave* Princeton, New Jersey
  9. Newbauer, John Swartz Creek, Michigan
  10. Niessink, Jim Suttons Bay, Michigan
  11. Oppermann, Nick* Saginaw, Michigan#
  12. Rivard, Jim
  13. Stevens, Bob Nashville, Tennessee 
  14. Teachout, John Ann Arbor, Michigan#
  15. Vincent, Pete Flint, Michigan#
  16. Whiteman, Stu* Lagoon Beach, Michigan# 

CELLO

  1. Karoub, Mike Wyandotte, Michigan

CLARINET/SAXOPHONE

  1. Amaro, Jimmy
  2. Bechtold, Bud Bellaire, Michigan#
  3. Bennett, Dave* Waterford, Michigan
  4. Bogardus, Tom* Columbiaville OR Davison, Michigan
  5. Chesebro, Don (Wisc?)
  6. Cliff, Jerry Flint, Michigan#
  7. Draga, Bob Largo, Florida
  8. Ferran, Peter Hilton, New York
  9. Foder, Joe Michigan#
  10. Fuller, Jerry Chicago, Illinois
  11. Hooks, Charles River Forest, Illinois#
  12. Leeds III, Bud Ripton, Vermont
  13. Light, Norm Bridgeport, Michigan#
  14. Matese, Pee Wee Marine City, Michigan
  15. McKenna, Claire Everett, Washington
  16. O’Keeffe, Vince* Grand Blanc, Michigan
  17. Roper, Bill Detroit, Michigan#
  18. Simpson, John* Lansing, Michigan
  19. Snyder, Jim Winter Garden, Florida
  20. Whitman, Russ
  21. Wynn, John Michigan#

DRUMS

  1. Bacon, John Tonawanda, New York
  2. Barron, RonChicago, Illinois
  3. Best, Ron* Michigan
  4. Blume, Joe
  5. Bryant, Rick* Millington, Michigan
  6. Carden, Mike* Michigan
  7. Casey, Leo Michigan
  8. Cobb, Doug Saginaw, Michigan
  9. Deal, Pat Michigan
  10. Fizzel, Dick Lansing, Michigan#
  11. Freyre, Joe Flint, Michigan#
  12. Fudge, Mel
  13. Fulkerson, Jim Midland, Michigan
  14. Gunther, Bob Saginaw, Michigan#
  15. Halm, Tom* Williamston, Michigan
  16. Harris, Bob Michigan
  17. Hill IV, John Swartz Creek, Michigan
  18. Ioppolo, Tony Saginaw, Michigan
  19. Knust, John
  20. Maley, DickLakeland, Florida
  21. Maslanka, Dan Michigan
  22. Miller, Duane Michigan
  23. Nawrock, Harry* Michigan#
  24. Piskos, Tom
  25. Pokriefka, Mike Detroit, Michigan#
  26. Roberson, Dan Millington, Michigan
  27. Schulz, Milt* Saginaw, Michigan#
  28. Sernick, Milt* Grand Rapids, Michigan
  29. Siers, Pete Ann Arbor, Michigan
  30. Stark, Tim
  31. Tacia, Bob* Essexville, Michigan
  32. Templeton, Steve* Ionia, Michigan
  33. Thibedeau, Bob
  34. Tyle, Chris Milwaukie, Oregon

EUPHONIUM

  1. Lyons, FritzFenwick, Michigan

ORGAN

  1. Long, Page Sun City, Arizona

PIANO

  1. Barnhart, Jeff* Connecticut
  2. Cronley, Pat Flint, Michigan
  3. Dapogny, Jim Ann Arbor, Michigan
  4. Donovan, Mike
  5. Ford, James
  6. Harre, Bill Gaylord, Michigan
  7. Hirsch, Bobby
  8. Izenson, Sandy* Okemos, Michigan#
  9. Kaye, Connie Palm Springs, California#
  10. Kresler, Jeff DeWitt, Michigan
  11. Lowry, AnnGrand Rapids, Michigan
  12. Miller, Dave* Princeton, New Jersey
  13. Mitchell, Sid Flint, Michigan#
  14. Mudica, Jan* Jackson, Michigan#
  15. Nuckolls, Jim
  16. Oppermann, Dave* Saginaw, Michigan
  17. Phillips, Jeff Lakeland, Florida
  18. Tucker, Glen Ann Arbor, Michigan
  19. Vanston, Paul Grand Blanc, Michigan

STRING BASS

  1. Austin, Will Detroit, Michigan
  2. Baldori, Peter
  3. Bolle, Bill Troy, Michigan
  4. Bruske, Jack Saginaw, Michigan#
  5. Cameron, Jerry Mancelona, Michigan
  6. Cannon, Bill
  7. Cavera, Katie Los Angeles, California
  8. Coburn, Eddie
  9. Desormeau, Jim
  10. Dundas, Bruce
  11. Eastham, Bob Vassar, Michigan
  12. Fisher, Hal Traverse City, Michigan
  13. Fredenburg, Jack Flint, Michigan#
  14. Gulick, Berdette “Doc”* Ithaca, Michigan#
  15. Harley, Ted “The Animal”* Ypsilanti, Michigan#
  16. Hay, Dave
  17. Isabel, Clarence Detroit, Michigan#
  18. Kauffeld, Chris New Baltimore, Michigan
  19. Kinder, Dave Flint, Michigan
  20. Knurr, John Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  21. Korba, Georgia Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada
  22. Krahnke, Kurt Ann Arbor, Michigan
  23. Lewis, Bill
  24. Mayberry, Don Detroit, Michigan#
  25. McCree, Jordan Flint, Michigan#
  26. Miller, Bob
  27. Morehouse, Bob Midland, Michigan
  28. Pliskow, Dan Royal Oak, Michigan
  29. Rebeck, Gene Haslett, Michigan
  30. Short, Mike
  31. Smith, Jim East Lansing, Michigan#
  32. Steed, Frank* Gowen, Michigan
  33. Surgeson, Ron Columbus, Ohio
  34. Swick, Max Lansing, Michigan#
  35. Trombley, Marty Pleasant, Michigan
  36. Vines, Elgin Grand Rapids, Michigan

TROMBONE

  1. Anderson, Chuck
  2. Bartlett, Tom Elmhurst, Illinois
  3. Beebe, Jim Chicago, Illinois#
  4. Daines, Paul Bridgeport, Michigan#
  5. DeWitt, Keith* Flushing, Michigan
  6. Dygert, Don Chicago, Illinois
  7. Huntley, Dennis Traverse City, Michigan#
  8. Kimura, Terry Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan
  9. Kozal, Dave Flint, Michigan#
  10. Mitchell, ShermFlint, Michigan#
  11. Moss, Chuck* Rochester Hills, Michigan#
  12. Olsen, Bob
  13. Paauwe, Jerry Grand Rapids, Michigan#
  14. Roth, Guy
  15. Ryan, Dave
  16. Sanders, Stu Detroit, Michigan#
  17. Smith, Bob Michigan
  18. Smith, Chris South Lyon, Michigan
  19. Smith, Hal* Freeland, Michigan
  20. Sutton, Gary* North Branch, Michigan

TRUMPET/CORNET

  1. Bogan, Chet Grosse Pointe, Michigan#
  2. Carden, Gary* Traverse City, Michigan#
  3. Cobb, Bob Flint, Michigan#
  4. Cooper, Brandon South Lyon, Michigan
  5. Finkbeiner, Paul Ann Arbor, Michigan
  6. Freiwald, Tom Saginaw, Michigan
  7. Grafing, John Toledo, Ohio
  8. Heitger, Duke New Orleans, Louisiana
  9. Ingle, Don Baldwin, Michigan#
  10. Jacobs, Dan Bellaire, Michigan
  11. Kelso, Jon Eric New York, New York
  12. King, Bob “Hughie” Midland, Michigan#
  13. Klinger, Paul* Ann Arbor, Michigan
  14. Kosal, Dave Flint, Michigan#
  15. Krebs, Marty Sister Bay, Wisconsin
  16. Lilac, Dean North Tonawanda, New York
  17. Lorenz, Lee Easton, Connecticut
  18. Mason, Bill Florissant, Missouri
  19. Miller, Rev. Gary* Malone, Wisconsin#
  20. Oakes, Flip Oceanside, California
  21. Olsen, Bob Caro, Michigan
  22. Panicacci, Nate* Brighton, Michigan
  23. Pletcher, Tom Michigan
  24. Saunders, Tom Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan#
  25. Skonberg, Bria New York, New York
  26. Tatrow, Dave* Otisville, Michigan
  27. Tyle, Chris Ocean Shores, Washington
  28. Vax, Mike Dewey, Arizona
  29. Welch, Mack* Bridgeport, Michigan#
  30. Wynn, Red#
  31. Yon, FrankBurton, Michigan

TUBA

  1. Carlson, Paul William Grand Rapids, Michigan
  2. Fisher, Hal Suttons Bay, Michigan
  3. Hodnett, Craig “Hurricane”* East Amherst, New York
  4. Johnson, Kit Portland, Oregon
  5. Keen, Paul Rockford, Michigan
  6. Lehr, Red Louis, Missouri
  7. Mallett, Ed Big Rapids, Michigan
  8. Saunders, Tom* New Orleans, Louisiana
  9. Smith, Chris South Lyon, Michigan
  10. Stutsman, Gary Charlevoix, Michigan

VOCALIST

  1. Brege, Casey Midland, Michigan
  2. Lewis, Laurie San Diego, California
  3. McCay, Brady Sacramento, California
  4. Seabury, Anne* Saginaw, Michigan
  5. Schmidt, Claudia* Pomfret Center, Connecticut

MUSICIANS MISSING INSTRUMENT INFO IN NRB RECORDS

  1. Barbeau, Wilfred Barrington, Rhode Island
  2. Blakeman, Robert Valley Stream, New York
  3. Denton, Gary Petersburg, Florida
  4. Fentriss, Steve Ann Arbor, Michigan
  5. Haybenstricker, Harvey Somerset?
  6. Kately, Julia Fort Collins, Colorado
  7. Pierson, George Goodrich, Michigan
  8. Schock, David Grand Haven, Michigan
  9. Skalski, Ray Blasdell, New York
  10. Sluter, Mark West Olive, Michigan
  11. Stirling, Paul Flint, Michigan
  12. Wiegand, Roy North Hollywood, California
  13. Wyse, Jim Livonia, Michigan
  14. ‘Yannaccone, Robert Watsontown, Pennsylvania

SOUND TECHNICIAN

  1. Bob Barcalow Bay City, Michigan

ACCORDION

(none) Play the accordion; go to jail. It’s the law.

BAGPIPES

See note for Accordion players