Musician History for SOJO Web Site
 

Corren Hileman Lead Trumpet & Bandleader

photo by Joel John Summerhays

         Corren began, like most trumpet players, saying to his parents,”I want to play the loudest instrument.” After completing high school in Paso Robles, California, Corren joined the Army in the mid-60’s and wound up playing in the 30^th Army Band in Germany. After discharge, life happened.  He married Ronna, worked as a middle school teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey, California and stopped playing for almost 20 years during the 70’s and 80’s

         He picked up the horn again in 1990 and played with the Monterey Peninsula College Jazz Band. Later he joined the Del Monte Express, a Big Band in the Monterey, California area.  In 1998, he founded the SRO Big Band, 15 musicians and two singers. In 2007, he and his wife Ronna, retired from their professional careers, moved to Oregon and bought a B & B in Ashland. In the Spring of 2008, he began playing with the Rogue Community College Big Band. During that time he met many outstanding musicians in the Rogue Valley.  In April 2008 he created SOJO.

Rich Agee Trumpet III

photo by Joel John Summerhays

 bio coming soon

Pat DeBellis Trumpet II

                Pat DeBellis was born in Poughkeepsie, New York and moved to California at age 10. Like many other musicians, he started his music career playing his trumpet in school bands for concerts, dances, festivals , continuing through junior college.

                 After college in 1958, he spent some time in Palm Springs where he had the opportunity to jam with jazz giants saxophonist Art Pepper and drummer Bill Goodwin, unforgettable experiences for Pat.

               He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1962 and played in an infantry army band in Georgia.  After discharge in 1964, he went back to California, married, and started a career in the title business. He played his horn on weekends and every other opportunity that presented itself. In 1970, he had a chance to cut an LP with Conte Condoli, himself a California musical institution. Another unforgettable experience for Pat.

                In 2006, after working 40 years, Pat retired and moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, where he and his wife now live. Look for Pat playing at the Avalon Bar & Grill in Talent, at the Rogue Valley Jazz Exchange, at local wineries, and with the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra.

Carl DeBellis

        As early as he can remember, his older brothers, Mike and Pat, were the jazz influences in his life. Later, the music of Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderly, Stan Getz, and John Coltrane filled his ears. As a young man in 1958 he took piano lessons for three years, quit, and took up the alto sax. He played through high school in the concert and marching bands. Because his high school offered no jazz band, he lost interest in the sax and took up the bass, playing late 60's rock. In the 70's rock bands never seemed to stay together, so he just dabbled with guitar and drums, playing with friends.

          In 1972 he became involved in the piano tuning trade. Through mid 70's and 80's he tuned for Jimmy Van Huesen, Frank Sinatra, and Bob Hope in the Palm Springs area. He found himself in Grants Pass in 1992 tuning pianos locally. Several years ago he picked up the sax after 35 years. After all those years without playing, he now appreciates the challenge and opportunity to play sax again with the RCC Jazz Band and SOJO.

Tim Kasdorf Trombone I
 

            Tim began playing his first trombone in 1969 at age 10.  In high school, in Ionia, Michigan, his parents bought him a Conn 73H Bass Trombone which he used in his school’s jazz and symphonic bands. High school jazz band was Tim’s favorite class, allowing him to put his bass trombone to good use. His teacher, Andy McFarland, stressed playing a chart the way the masters played it, playing recordings of chart, playing it down once, finally working individual sections until they were perfect. Through Mr. McFarland, Tim learned from the likes of Don Ellis, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, Sammy Nestico and Count Basie, to name a few. 

            Post high school Tim has played in community college Jazz and concerts bands wherever he has lived.  He calls the Rogue Valley his home and has had the pleasure of playing in many small community groups. He is currently playing trombone with the Rogue Community College Jazz band and the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra.  His “weapon” of choice these days is a 1959 King 2b Silversonic. Tim currently lives in Grants Pass with his wife Marla, and son Nathan, both musicians.

 Gary Nelson Trombone 3

Gary Nelson began playing the trombone in the fifth grade at Jefferson Elementary School in Medford under the patient tutelage of Tom Muller. He continued at McLoughlin Junior High, Medford Mid High, where he joined the stage band, and Medford Senior High. While in high school he attended the Stan Kenton Jazz Workshop two years in a row at Sacramento State University. In college, he played in the Willamette University Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Martin Boehnke, now directing bands at Southern Oregon University. After college, there followed a hiatus of approximately 27 years during which he played little or no trombone, although he sang in community choirs including the Yakima Valley Chorale in Yakima, Washington and the Rogue Valley Chorale, and appeared in the role of

Father in the Camelot Theater production of "Children of Eden" in 2006. He was inspired to rediscover the trombone when he sat in with the Rogue Suspects at his 25th wedding anniversary party -- they couldn't very well refuse, since he was paying them. He now appears occasionally with the Suspects and with the Karen Lovely Band.

  Colleen Callan Trombone 2

Colleen started playing the trombone in the 6^th grade in Fortuna, California,  (Back in the days when according to her music teacher “girls don’t play the trombone”) and has not stopped since.  She went to Humboldt State University where she earned degrees in trombone performance and music education.  In 1990 she moved to Medford where she began her teaching career.  Colleen taught for the Eagle Point School District for 19 years.  As an elementary and middle school educator, her focus was building students’ skills and self esteem through music.

          Joe grew up in a musical family. He majored in music while in college and somewhere along the line  learned  to be a musical  repair technician.  

             During his illustrious career, Joe has played with the Dick Fenno Band, at Disneyland, and  in various Latin Bands in the Los Angeles area. He spent time on the road with the Charlie Barnet Band, Nancy Wilson, the Mills Brothers, Shari Lewis, and Barbara McNair. Joe has played with just about every musical group in the Rogue Valley. In addition to playing in SOJO, he plays with several orchestral groups. His specialty is the oboe. Currently he teaches private students in Grants Pass and co-teaches the Rogue Community College Jazz Band with drummer Dave Hegdahl.

Marla Kasdorf Alto Sax II

            Marla’s first exposure to music came early. There was always music around her house. Her parents played LP’s of Broadway tunes and Nat King Cole as she remembers. Then came her chance to play. She started, as most good musicians do, in elementary school and played through high school. She played in concert band, jazz band, orchestra, and choir.

            Marla received a BA in music from New York University and an MM from Eastman School of Music. After a lapse of 10 years from 1988 to 1998, she returned to music playing in the Eugene Symphony, the Rogue Valley Symphony, the Rogue Musical Theater, and the Rogue Opera. She continues to play and teach at S.O.U., RCC, and in local schools. She is married to Tim Kasdorf who plays trombone.

Frank Hunnicutt Tenor Sax I

                 Frank took up the clarinet at age 11, and added the saxophone at age 14. He  played principal clarinet in his high school symphony orchestra.  After high school, Frank played in various dance bands in college and in the U.S. Air Force until his mid 20’s. After what he had seen of his father’s  life as a professional musician, Frank never wanted to play professionally.

                  While he was in the Air Force, an accident caused intolerable vibrations in his front teeth and  forced him to quit playing for 24 years. Frank moved to Gold Hill in 1971 ands started playing the sax again.  From 1983 until the present Frank plays tenor, alto, soprano saxophones, clarinet, and flute as a semi-professional "weekend warrior" all around the Rogue Valley. The list of the groups he has played with include: The Swing Kings, Journey's End, The Easy Valley Eight, Bear Creek Jazztette, Fritz and the Catz, and most recently, the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra.

photo by Joel John Summerhays

          Michael toured and recorded with Robert Cray and Lowell Fulson, and has played with Anthony Braxton, Lauren Newton, and Bud Shank. He has played with the Temptations and the Four Tops and collaborated on songs that were recorded by Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, and Albert King. Michael has performed at the Camelot Theater, Oregon Cabaret Theater, and in many Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Shows. He also performs with his wife, one of the area’s most popular harpists.

Dave Hegdahl Drums

photo by Joel John Summerhays

           David Hegdahl was born in Homer, Alaska and moved to Ashland Oregon at age 5. He graduated from Ashland High School in 1970 and attended Southern Oregon State College (now Southern Oregon University). In 1975 he received a bachelors degree in music education with emphasis in vocal and instrumental music.

             Along with his wife Karen, who has a degree in elementary education, David moved to Oakland Oregon where they taught for four years. In 1979 David and Karen moved to Grants Pass where David began teaching music at North Valley High School and Fleming Middle School. Over the next 27 years Dave taught band and choir at North Valley. During that time he played in the Ashland City Band, directed the Rogue Community College Jazz Band in 1987-88 and again from 2008-present. He also played drums with the Dixie Fat Cats along with various bands around Southern Oregon including the Rogue Valley Symphonic Band.

           David retired from teaching in 2005 and continues playing with local bands. He joined the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra in 2008 to play drums.

Rand Mace Bass

 Alan Berman Vocalist/Piano

photo by Joel John Summerhays

Education: B.A. in Drama, S.F. State Musician/ Entertainer career:

         Alan's cabaret theater work in S.F. led to solo engagements (guitar and vocal) at the once famous Purple Onion.  This exposure brought the opportunity to sing and tour with vocal groups, The Cables, and later, The Other Three, working on the Playboy Club circuit and in other show clubs around the country. He had a 3-year stint with "Cornucopia", a jazz-rock group featuring original tunes brought more focus on the keyboard.

  The 7-8 years of solo work, piano, guitar, and vocal, brought Alan to Monterey, where he settled, found mentors in piano and voice, and played regularly with inspiring jazz musicians.  The Monterey/Carmel area eventually provided him a musical livelihood without travel, the opportunity to meet Corren Hileman, and play with the S.R.O. big band, whose book became the starting point of S.O.J.O.

Dianne Strong Vocalist

        Dianne has been singing since she was a teenager growing up in Southern Oregon.  Her musical roots began with a cappella Gospel with her sisters and in community theater.  As a teenager, she toured Europe with a youth orchestra. 

        Dianne later returned from the UK and finally settled  in Southern Oregon. She has become a popular local performer, appearing at The Avalon Bar & Grill, The Rogue Regency Inn, Roxy Ann Winery and The Ginger Rogers/Craterian Theater.  Dianne is a featured performer at the annual City of Eagle Point July 4th Celebration

          With a 2.5 octave range, her style is strong, smooth, and controlled like the best big band singers of the 40’s.  But it’s that joy she expresses in song that makes her performances memorable.  She says, “The biggest thrill I’ve had as a singer is to be backed by that big band sound”.