Central Florida Jazz Society, a Florida 501(c)(3) non-profit organization since 1974

P.O. Box 540133, Orlando, Florida 32854 | (407) 539-2357 | Jazz@CentralFloridaJazzSociety.com  

Copyright © 2011 Central Florida Jazz Society. All rights reserved.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GREG PARNELL, 1st Vice President

A Vandergrift, Pennsylvania native, Greg Parnell spent many years on the road with the Glenn Miller Orchestra as drummer and road manager. Now living in Sanford, Florida with his wife Amy, he enjoys performing in a wide variety of settings including big bands, backing headliners, and small jazz groups. He is also the Assistant Vice President of Glenn Miller Productions, Inc. Greg has performed with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Les Brown Orchestra, Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Terry Myers Orchestra, Fat Tuesday Big Band, American Vintage Orchestra and Michael Andrew & Swingerhead.  He has also backed headliners such as The Mills Brothers, The Four Aces, Kay Starr, John Davidson, Eartha Kitt, Bowzer, Della Reese, Jack Jones, The Four Freshmen, Smokey Joe’s Café, The Pied Pipers, Rita Moreno, Petula Clark and many others. Recently Greg, with the help of John Orsini, formed the Orlando Jazz Orchestra now in it’s second season at the Plaza ‘Live’ Theatre in Orlando, FL.

SUE RYERSON, President

This Hoosier has loved big-band jazz music since her high school graduation dance featured none other than Count Basie! She’s a musician only by way of years of piano study years ago. That gave her a love of music - all kinds, from classical to Broadway to Dixieland. Now, a day without music is, well, not a very good day. One of her three children became a trombonist and was, for several years, a middle school band director. Guess who fitted his horn and provided the first few years of lessons? Moe Lowe, of CFJS fame! Sue began an early career in sales promotion, with several years of retail advertising copywriting in New York City and Hartford, Connecticut. The move to Orlando, when her children were young, prompted her to free-lance her writing skills to the area’s top ad agencies specializing in resorts and tourist destinations. A rewarding second career – totally unrelated! – developed in sales and family counseling for the funeral industry. Regarding CFJS, Sue says, "It's great to be among people who are so knowledgeable, enthusiastic and dedicated to spreading the sound."

MOE LOWE, 2nd Vice President / Musical Director

Moe has an extensive music background, including holding a BME degree with a trombone major. He has performed as a musician for such groups as the Ralph Flanagan Orchestra, the Vaughn Monroe Band, Henry Mancini, Johnny Mathis and the Sonny and Cher Show. He also played at Disney’s Top of the World where he played for Mel Torme and Patti Page, among others. He currently is an arranger for the Florida Symphony Orchestra, and performs with the Jazz Repertory Orchestra and P.J. Leary at the Villages in Lady Lake. In recognition of his continued, longstanding contributions to the Central Florida Jazz Society and to the Central Florida jazz community, the Board of Directors granted a Lifetime Membership in the Central Florida Jazz Society to Moe in 2006. Moe has been married to Helen for more than 50 years; they have four children and six grandchildren.

DOLORES NEVILLE, Treasurer

CONNIE ZABUKOVEC, Recording Secretary

MARY UITHOVEN, Correspondence Secretary / Membership

Growing up in Orlando, Mary witnessed the evolution of the city from a quiet pre-Disney local community to the bustling area it is today, and she watched as the arts scene grew as well.  "I remember the Central Florida Jazz Society's beginnings at Rosie O'Grady's at Church Street Station downtown!" Mary performed in the band in high school and college, where her enjoyment and appreciation of  music grew - classical, concert music and jazz.  Her interest in serving on the Central Florida Jazz Society Board of Directors is to promote and support jazz in the area and to keep good music alive in Central Florida. Mary is currently working in the healthcare field and has 3 children.

DIANA ALTMAN

JEREMY BIRDSALL

Jeremy received his Bachelor's degree in Music Composition from the University of Idaho’s Lionel Hampton School of Music in 1998. While there, each year during the renowned Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, he received the honor of being chosen to work closely with Dr. Hampton, as well as other jazz luminaries including Ray Brown, Diana Krall, Brian Bromberg and Elvin Jones. In 2000, Jeremy founded Kavode, Inc., a full-service recording studio and independent record label, and in 2011 launched Kavode Entertainment, Inc., an artist/event consultation firm. Jeremy composes and produces music for film, TV and video games, and he plays electric and upright bass, Chapman Stick, keyboards and loops in the instrumental trio, Decoy Beat, for which he was named "2010 Musician of the Year" by Songwriters Showcases of America. Jeremy also plays in several other bands including: Maitreyi, BLaH, Janani and KeyTunes. He is currently developing a restaurant/venue which will have a strong concentration on promoting live jazz in the community. For more about Jeremy, please visit JeremyBirdsall.com.

LYNN BIRDSALL

Lynn feels privileged to call Orlando her home for over 20 years, but is proud to have been born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - where strong roots in jazz heritage run thick. Lynn credits her father, a country rock drummer, with establishing her avid appreciation for music. Through her mother's encouragement, Lynn studied classical piano for 10 years and was nicknamed "Fireball" for her very speedy recital performances! Lynn's career has been largely based in the banking and legal fields; however, music and the arts have always been her passion. In 2003 she married Jeremy, and while on their honeymoon in Mexico, was inspired by the vast artisan jewelry sold by the street market vendors. Drawing from that inspiration, she has since become a successful, self-taught jewelry designer. Lynn and Jeremy enjoy supporting live, local music, attending live theater, and most of all spending time with their beloved and energetic nephews. They support local, non-profits including United Arts of Central Florida and Orlando Union Rescue Mission and have served on the CFJS Board of Directors since 2010.

MARGE ANN COXEY

Marge Ann brings to the jazz society a background that includes working as a professional singer. Some of her past gigs include being the featured vocalist for the University of Michigan’s 18-Piece Jazz Project; singing with the Horace Heidt and Sammy Spear orchestras; and working with Chubby Jackson, Flip Phillips, John Bunch, Billy Butterfield, Charlie Ventura and Ira Sullivan, as well as other excellent musicians. She has been a member of the board since 1993. She loudly proclaims - and quickly demonstrates - her pride in the society, especially the concerts and the scholarship program. She enjoys the wonderful diversity of the Orlando area musicians, and the society's mission to further jazz through scholarships to young musicians is very close to her heart. She says it is a joy to attend the scholarship auditions, knowing that jazz will continue to live through these musicians. According to Marge Ann, "My only regret is that I never got to be a chick singer with Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band."

BOB ESTERBERG, Past President

Bob is a retired civil engineer from Maine who has been playing drums for more than 60 years. He currently is the drummer for the Deltonans, as well as several small groups. Over the years he’s played at all kinds of venues: everything from Broadway-style shows and singer/dancer backup to dog acts and strippers! In fact, he can't count the number of clubs, restaurants, private parties and dances for which he’s played. He was president of the jazz society from 2002-2005, and vice president from 1998-2001. Prior to that he was on the Board of Directors. Bob says, “Music has been an important part of my life, and I would feel lost without it.”

JEAN FUQUA

Jean came to Florida from Brockton, Massachusetts. She enjoys all types of music and took piano and banjo lessons when she was growing up. Her love of music and musical movies was shared by her late husband. Jean became a member of Central Florida Jazz Society in 1995, and in 2003 she was invited by Karen Weinberg to join the Board of Directors. In 2004, Jean assumed the position of Treasurer for CFJS, which she fulfilled for 6 years. She has encouraged many individuals and couples to join the Central Florida Jazz Society and diligently continues her recruitment efforts.

BARBARA GOLD

Originally from the “Twin Cities” of Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts, Barbara and Howard Gold have lived in Central Florida since 1995. Howard is a retired engineering manager, and Barbara is a Registered Nurse and Legal Nurse Consultant. Both have interests in music of all types, but are not musicians. They became interested in jazz via Paul’s Mall & the Jazz Workshop in Boston, listening to the music of Herbie Mann, Lionel Hampton and others. Their interest in serving on the Board of Directors is to be supportive of jazz in the locale and promote its awareness, especially to youngsters interested in jazz, keeping it alive in Central Florida. They have 3 adult children, 4 grandchildren and a granddaughter-in-law.

HOWARD GOLD

H. DOUGLAS POWELL, ESQ.

Most musicians begin at an early age, as Doug did. Tenor saxophone became his first choice and opened up a wondrous world of work and play. High school and college marching bands, dance bands and jazz bands created a discipline and work effort that has lasted a lifetime. His musical preferences quickly changed from John Philip Sousa to Flip Phillips, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson. Doug's love of jazz has inspired him to work with CFJS and to share and introduce jazz to as many young families that may yet have not been exposed to great jazz. For this reason, Doug generously volunteers his legal services as corporate council for the Central Florida Jazz Society.

ARMAND MARCHESANO

Armand Marchesano, leader of the Orlando Society Orchestra, started his musical training at age seven. By age nine, he was playing cornet with organized semi-professional "Italian Bands" in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. These were bands playing classical type arrangements as played in Italy. While still in high school, he played trumpet professionally in hotels and night clubs with dance and jazz bands in the northern Ohio area. He later toured with such traveling orchestras as Russ Carlyle, Robert Alexander, Vic Stewart and others. In 1961 Armand moved to Orlando, where he became active in the music scene. In 1984, he formed the Orlando Society Orchestra, which ranged in size from 4 to 14 musicians and is comprised of some the top Orlando area musicians. For several years the Orlando Society Orchestra played for many of Central Florida’s social events and charity balls. For the past 13 years, Armand has played music for dancing at the Beardall Center. Armand and Sonja joined CFJS 30 years ago - when the meetings were held at Church Street Station - and have been active on the board for many years.

SONJA MARCHESANO

A Holocaust survivor, Sonja escaped with her family to England from Nazi Germany in 1939. She grew up in London during the war and in 1954 married Air Force officer, Max Unger. They moved to Orlando in 1962. She became a widow with two young children in 1963. Her interest in music began as a very young child as her father’s family all played instruments, mostly strings. Sonja learned to play the violin when she was 4 years old, but her jazz appreciation came from her first husband, Max, who booked bands at Orlando Air Force Base. Many years after Max passed away, Sonja met and married Armand Marchesano and from then on was heavily involved in music. She is now the auxiliary percussionist with the Armand Marchesano Orchestra. In addition to CFJS, Sonja has served on: B’nai B’rith Women of Orlando (President), MDA (Board Member), Winter Park/Orlando Chambers of Commerce (Committees) Symphony Women’s League (Prod. Chairman), 2000 Plus Committee for the Cancer Association and FLAIR, and Femmes de Coeur (President, 1st & 2nd VP, and Corresponding & Recording Secretary).

JARRITT A. SHEEL

Jarritt is originally from Fort Lauderdale, FL, and is currently an adjunct music faculty member at Valencia College where he teaches music history courses and created the college's first summer Jazz Camp in 2010. Academically, he holds a B.S. in Music Performance (Trumpet) from Florida A&M University and a M.M. in Jazz Studies from Northern Illinois University, where he studied with professor Ron Carter. Jarritt continues to create educational opportunities in jazz for young people in Central Florida and looks forward to connecting the Central Florida community through intergenerational programming. As a performer, he leads a successful small jazz group called The BLU-TET. Jarritt has worked with and performed alongside some really great musicians of all genres during his professional career and he is an artist-clinician for the Getzen Company. Jarritt has been blessed with a wonderful wife named Antonia M. Sheel.