2024 Festival Jazz Clinicians

Dr. Steve Roach — TJF Director

Steve has been the Director of Jazz Studies at Sacramento State University since 2001. He has also served as Director of Jazz Studies at Baylor University and has held teaching positions at the University of Northern Colorado and Northern Illinois University. Steve’s duties at Sacramento State include directing large jazz ensembles, the Latin Jazz Ensemble, and teaching courses in jazz pedagogy and jazz history. In addition, Roach directs the annual Winter Jazz Festival and Trad Jazz Youth Band Festival at Sacramento State. Steve holds a Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance from Indiana University, a Master of Music degree in trumpet performance from Northern Illinois University, and a Doctor of Arts degree in trumpet and jazz pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado. Professional appearances as an assisting artist by Roach include studio and live sessions with such jazz/pop musicians as Tito Puente, Louis Bellson, Conrad Herwig, Lou Rawls, Jon Tchicai, Ben Vereen, Melissa Manchester, Toni Tennille, Roberta Flack, Rosemary Clooney, Jeffrey Osbourne, Carl Fontana, Paquito D’ Rivera, the Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestras, and others. Steve is currently serving on the Executive Board for the California Institute for the Preservation of Jazz and the Capital Section of the California Music Educators Association. Roach also works as a clinician and adjudicator for jazz festivals and workshops nationwide and has directed several California high school honor jazz ensembles including the Sacramento Capital Section Honor Jazz Band, the San Mateo Honor Jazz Band, the Fresno-Madera County Honor Jazz Band, and the Solano County High School Honor Jazz Ensemble. For more information on the Sacramento State Jazz Studies program, visit: www.csus.edu/music/jazz

Danny Coots / Featured Guest / Drums

It was 1964 in upstate New York when Danny Coots began playing drums at the tender age of 6 years old. Since then, he has studied with Nick Baffaro, Rich Holly, Alan Koffman and Jim Petercsak in percussion. Danny attended the Crane School of Music and St. Lawrence University. He eventually served as adjunct faculty at St. Lawrence University, Clarkson University and Potsdam State University from the 1970s into the 1990s. He continued traveling and performing with David Amram, Ray Shiner, Daniel Pinkham, Herb Ellis, Will Alger, Jack Mayhue, Speigle Wilcox, Mimi Hines, Phil Ford, Bob Darch, Pearl Kaufman and Arthur Duncan.

In 1996 Danny moved to Nashville, Tennessee and has lived there ever since. Danny has recorded extensively in Nashville, New York and L.A. and has appeared in over 100 countries. He has played on over 160 recordings, one of which won a Grammy in 2005.

After moving to Tennessee, Danny joined the Jack Daniel’s Silver Cornet Band for 5 years and helped found the Titan Hot Seven. During this time he played and recorded with Dick Hyman, Russell Malone, Mark Shane, Freddie Cole, Houston Person, Bob Wilber, Johnny Varro, Jeff Coffin, Tim Laughlin, Harry Allen, Frank Vignola, Dave Hungate, Bill Allred, John Allred, Randy Reinhart, Ron Hockett, John Cocuzzi, John Sheridan, Dan Barrett, Vince Giordano, Rebecca Kilgore, Ken Peplowski, Duke Heitger, Neville Dickie, Bob Shultz, Nicki Parrott, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Yve Evans, Chuck Hedges, Warren Vache and Allen Vache to name a few.

Dr. Roach is pleased to announce the following outstanding clinicians for 2023 Festival (in alphabetical order):

Justin Au / Trumpet

Justin was introduced at a young age to a fun world of traditional jazz by his uncle Howard Miyata (trombone), and his older brothers Brandon (trombone) and Gordon (trumpet).  He is an alumnus of the former Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society’s jazz education programs and Rio Americano, one of the finest high-school jazz programs in the nation. Playing a variety of jazz styles, Justin has toured New York, Japan, Puerto Rico, China, and Brazil.  He has also played at jazz festivals all over the nation.

While earning his Bachelor and Master degrees at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Justin served as co-director of the official youth band of the Basin Street Regulars Jazz Society in Pismo Beach, and has worked as a clinician with student musicians at the Teagarden Jazz Festival. As a passionate music educator, he taught after-school jazz programs in the San Juan and Sac City Unified school districts for 4 years and substitute-taught in music for 2 years, before becoming a fully-credentialed teacher in 2019. He served as the Director of Jazz Ensembles for the Sacramento Youth Band (2018-2023); and instrumental music teacher for Vacaville Unified School District (since 2019). Justin can be heard regularly with such various groups as The Crescent Katz, Peter Petty, Harley White Jr. Orchestra, Jessica Malone, The West End Stompers, Element Brass Band, Jessica Malone, Katie Knipp, Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, Cap City Brass, Chicago the Tribute, and the Cunha Big Band.

Clint Baker / multi-instrumentalist

Clint Baker is one of the few musicians to lead a traditional jazz band at the world-renowned Monterey Jazz Festival, joining the ranks of Louis Armstrong, Turk Murphy, and Jack Teagarden.  He has been a bandleader since 1984, and he produced his first record album in 1991. Since then, he has produced seven recordings including “In the Groove,” “Going Huge,” and “Tears.”

Clint Baker’s New Orleans Jazz Band appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1992 and has toured festivals in the U.S. and Canada.

A multi-instrumentalist, Clint performs regularly with The Yerba Buena Stompers (tuba), The Delta Stompers (guitar/banjo), Hot Club of San Francisco (bass), The Cafe Borrone All-Stars (trumpet, trombone, drums, clarinet, guitar, etc.), The Reynolds Brothers Rhythm Rascals (clarinet, trombone, and bass), The Ray Skjelbred Quartet/Ray Skjelbred and His Cubs (bass), The Grand Dominion Jazz Band (trumpet) and Usonia Jazz (various).

Clint is also a noted jazz educator. He taught on staff with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band at the Stanford Jazz Workshop. He frequently guest-lectures at San Mateo Community College and the Community School of Music and Arts at the Finn Center, and is currently an instructor at numerous adult jazz camps including the Teagarden Jazz Camp. He has been the Staff Archivist and Curator for the San Francisco Traditional Jazz Foundation.

Dan Barrett / Trumpet / Trombone

Born in Pasadena, California, and raised in nearby Costa Mesa, Dan Barrett began playing the trombone at the age of eleven, and the cornet shortly thereafter. In high school he formed his first group, the Back Bay Jazz Band. This sextet presented the music of King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton and other early jazz greats to Southern California audiences. During this time, Dan played many local jobs with the great New Orleans musicians Ed “Montudie” Garland; Alton Purnell; Mike DeLay; Joe Darensbourg; Nappy Lamare; and Barney Bigard, hearing about the “old days” first-hand.

In 1977, Dan made the first of many trips to Europe, to appear as a young man at the Breda International Jazz Festival in Holland. Many passports later, he is a welcome guest at dozens of jazz festivals abroad, and has formed close friendships with many musicians overseas.

Dan and his wife, Laura, moved to New York City in 1983. (Their son Andrew is a native New Yorker, and a talented ragtime pianist). At Eddie Condon’s jazz club in Manhattan, Benny Goodman first heard Dan play. Shortly thereafter, the Swing Era icon asked Dan to join what would be the King of Swing’s last orchestra. While in New York, Dan also co-led the popular Howard Alden – Dan Barrett Quintet (the ABQ).

Dan has played both valve and slide trombones for many motion pictures, including The Cotton Club and Brighton Beach Memoirs, as well as Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite, Everyone Says I Love You, and Bullets Over Broadway. If you look fast, you can see Dan on the screen in the latter film. (He’s featured a bit more in Wild Man Blues. This award-winning film documents a three-week tour of Europe by Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band). Dan has performed five times at Carnegie Hall, including once with Woody Herman and the New York Pops Orchestra, and another time in a tribute to Louis Armstrong featuring Wynton Marsalis.

Barrett has recorded under his own name, and as a sideman with many respected jazz Artists including Doc Cheatham; Scott Hamilton; Bob Haggart; Ralph Sutton; Rosemary Clooney; Sweets Edison; Houston Person; Ruby Braff; Joe Bushkin; Jay McShann; Dave Frishberg; Benny Carter; Buck Clayton; and Benny Goodman.

Katie Cavera / Banjo / Guitar

Katie Cavera is a renowned jazz musician celebrated for her mastery of 1920s and 1930s classic jazz. Nicknamed the “California Sunshine Girl” for her lively vocals and stage presence, she is a rhythm guitar specialist inspired by Freddie Green and Al Casey. Katie also performs on tenor and plectrum banjo, string bass, and sings in the vintage styles of Helen Kane and Ruth Etting.

Originally from Southern Indiana, Katie studied jazz performance and composition with Dr. David Baker at Indiana University, performing Duke Ellington masterworks at the Smithsonian Institution. Since moving to Southern California, she has become a sought-after musician, having performed with the Ellis Island Boys at Disney California Adventure, Vaud and the Villains, and legends like Jim Kweskin and Jim Cullum.

Her international credits include the Molière-nominated production à la recherche de Josephine, which toured Europe and the U.S., blending New Orleans jazz and cultural history. Katie notated the production’s original score and performed on guitar and banjo.

As a member of ASCAP, the Academy of Magical Arts, and a Loar Performing Artist, Katie continues to captivate audiences with her technical skill, versatility, and dedication to jazz’s rich traditions.

Neal Fontano / Piano

Neal started playing piano at age 10 and played his first professional gig at 14. He also plays a bit of trumpet, drum kit, and bass. His piano studies began with classical and ragtime, and soon after, he discovered Jazz. He still loves classical piano, has a passion for the music of George Gershwin and is known for playing a mean stride piano. He is currently the pianist for The Billie Holiday Project, led by Stella Heath, and has played at most of the top local Bay Area venues, including Blue Note, Napa, The Back Room, Red Poppy Arthouse, Occidental Center for the Arts, Healdsburg Hotel, and the Mystic Theater in Petaluma to name a few. He has numerous gigs lined up with The Billie Holliday Project in New York City as well as other parts of the country. He is a humble and generous man with a lot of talent, a great work ethic and a charming sense of humor. Neal is a school band director in Petaluma and performed with Gunhild Carling at the 2025 Teagarden Jazz Festival.

Ron Jones / Drums

After Ron retired from playing drums with the US Air Force show bands for many years, he backed up such prime-time entertainers as Frankie Laine, Kay Starr, the Ink Spots, and Diahann Carroll.  Since he moved to Sacramento in the early 1980s, he’s played with many top West Coast jazz bands.  A member of the Teagarden Jazz Festival committee and a Past President of the STJS board of directors, Ron is a very popular drummer on the national jazz festival circuit and regularly performed with Sister Swing and the Draga Quartet. Ron and the festival’s Clinicians Band were selected from a highly competitive, field of applicants to present a performance at the first west coast convention of the national JEN (Jazz Education Network) in San Diego in 2015. Ron is a living example of one of our festival’s tagline, Teagarden Jazz Festival: Jazz with Personality.

Marilyn Keller / Vocals

Marilyn T. Keller, 2016 Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Fame Inductee, is a 40-year veteran of music and stage performance in Jazz, Gospel, R&B, Pop, Blues, and theater, nationally and internationally. Her musical roots are diverse. Marilyn has built a career that has taken her as a feature artist to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Russia and the UK for concerts, festivals, nightclubs and recording work. Her voice can be heard on multiple recordings, movie soundtracks, commercials and documentaries. Marilyn’s formative jazz training was as a member of the Mt. Hood Community College Vocal Jazz Ensemble and as the vocalist fronting the award-winning MHCC Jazz Lab Band. She can be seen frequently at clubs, restaurants, festivals and holiday events throughout the Pacific Northwest. She remains active, performing with Don Latarski, Darrell Grant, Tom Grant, Black Swan Classic Jazz Band, Pressure Point Band and the Augustana Jazz Quartet, among many others.

Marilyn is dedicated to music education and has worked with:

• Dr. Paul Klemme, at Willamette University- choirs and jazz ensembles.
• Dr. Dean Luethi, at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.

Marilyn has given clinics and master classes for the Newport Arts Council, Tigard High School, Rex Putnam High School, Grant High School and The American Music Program, as well as many other grade schools, middle school and high school choirs and bands.

Marilyn is Currently an Adjunct Professor at PSU, teaching Vocal Jazz Improvisation.

Tim Metz / Drums

Tim Metz is a native of Sacramento, having left to attend William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ earning a BM in Jazz Studies in 2001. He returned to Sacramento in the Fall of 2001 where he quickly became one of the top call jazz drummers. In between a heavy teaching schedule—over 40 drum students per week—Metz continues to consistently perform with some of the world’s greatest musicians, including alto sax masters Jeff Clayton and Jacam Manricks, pianists Joe Gilman, the legendary Donald Brown, Art Hirahara, and Jim Martinez, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassists Darek Oles and Todd Johnson, and The Santa Rosa Symphony Pops to name a few. He is also one of YouTube’s most popular Jazz Drum Lesson Creators with over 2 million views on his channel. Tim has been a faculty member of the Teagarden Jazz Camp.

Joe Midiri / Clarinet / Sax

The Midiri Brothers (Joe on Reeds and Paul on Vibes/Trombone) have made music, both jazz and classical, the focus of their lives since graduating Glassboro State College in the mid 1980s. On recordings they can be heard leading groups ranging from trios, quintets, sextets and big bands all featuring Joe’s outstanding clarinet and saxophones, and Paul on the vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, drums and trombone.

After spending nearly a decade working in Philadelphia, New York and Atlantic City, they began to branch out. They performed first at The Great Connecticut Jazz Festival where in July 2009 they can still be heard. In 2002 the group made their west coast debut and since that time are featured at many west coast jazz festivals including Mammoth Lakes Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, The Pismo Jubilee by the Sea, Redwood Coast Music Fest, and Sun Valley Swing-n-Dixie Jazz Jubilee, as well as the Central Illinois Jazz Fest in Decatur, Ill. The Midiri Brothers have also played for many jazz clubs from Chicago to Florida. They have had major articles written about them in both The Mississippi Rag and The American Rag, both respected jazz newspapers. The L.A. Jazz Magazine stated, ” Catch them whenever you can!” as well as “their sextet is one of the most exciting small group swing units around today.”

They can also be heard in their home state of N.J. playing both concerts and dances. Two of the most popular concert venues, both run by their good friend and supporter Bruce Gast, are the Bickford Theater in Morristown, N.J. and Ocean County College. The Golden Inn in Avalon N.J. has featured the Midiri Brothers Big Band as part of their Big Band Get Away weekend package for nearly a decade. The big band features many of the arrangements of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and the Dorsey Brothers as well as many of their own arrangements.

The Diversity of the Midiri Brothers can be heard on their many recordings, notably “Trees”, “A Shaw Thing”, “In the Garden” And “Finger Bustin’”.  Recently they have recorded two CDs with the Brooks Tegler Orchestra and one with Harry Salotti. “