Member Bios
Saxophones | Trombones | Trumpets | Rhythm | Vocals
Saxophones
Carolyn Jakes - Alto Sax
Carolyn Jakes is currently a student at Elmhurst College, where she is majoring in Music Education with a minor in Jazz Studies. She has studied with Mark Colby and Frank Portolese, among others. At Elmhurst, Carolyn plays in a jazz combo, in the wind ensemble on tenor sax, and in the jazz band on alto sax. This past year she has also joined the Harper College Jazz Ensemble, playing tenor. She is a member of Music Educator's National Conference, Lambda Sigma Psi (a music honor society), and Sigma Alpha Iota (an international women's music fraternity). During the summer, Carolyn teaches woodwind lessons, works at high school marching band camps, and subs for area big bands.
Paula Cebula - Alto Sax
Paula has been playing saxophone on the jazz scene for the past seven years, having trained as a classical saxophonist. She is the founder and soprano sax player in the "No Strings Attached" saxophone quartet performing throughout the Chicagoland area as well as at the Maastricht Festival in the Netherlands. Paula's latest educational accomplishment is the completion of a Masters in Music degree in 2004 which, coupled with an MBA in marketing, serves her in her position as manager of New Philharmonic orchestra and DuPage Opera Theatre. Continued inspiration comes from participating in master classes with some of the greats - Phil Woods, Nick Brignola, Ralph Lalama, and Ernie Watts - and studying with local greats Mark Colby and Stephen Duke. Paula's musical calendar also includes private studio instruction of saxophone and clarinet, as well as performing in pit orchestras for local theaters, concert bands, small jazz combos, percussion ensembles, and flute choir.
Linda Kottis - Tenor Sax
Linda is a co-founder of the Chicago Outskirts and plays tenor sax. After several years away from playing jazz, she could not take it anymore, and began playing with the Warrenville Moonlighters and studying with Mark Colby. Linda subs with the Wheaton MusicMakers and has appeared with the College of DuPage Arts Center Jazz Ensemble and the Swing Street Big Band. She is active at the College of DuPage's jazz combo program and has appeared numerous times at the College's Jazz at Sunset as well as with small combos professionally.
Shari Heda - Tenor Sax
Shari plays 2nd tenor for the Outskirts. She received a degree in music and a second in graphic design from St. Xavier University. After teaching clarinet and saxophone lessons for five years she decided to take a hiatus for personal growth. Right now she is back in the student role, taking lessons from Joe Caruso on piano. Some of her previous teachers include: Gene Collard, Sean McNeely, Kathy Pirtle, Tim AuBuchon and Aaron Moe. Some interesting high points to her musical career have been performing at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, playing the cat part for "Peter and the Wolf" with the St. Xavier Flutes Unlimited, and opening with the Moraine Valley Jazz Ensemble for such greats as Maynard Ferguson, Mark Colby, Orbert Davis and Elizabeth Doyle. Shari is working on becoming a better player, which means a lot of practicing. Luckily, inspiration can be found easily in Chicago with all the wonderful live music available.
Carol Baker - Bari Sax
The bari sax part is covered by Carol Baker who currently plays in the Fox Valley Concert Band, Elk Grove’s Switch Time Jazz and the Warrenville Moonlighters Big Band in addition to subbing in other area bands. Her musical career began on the clarinet at the tender age of 8 but she did not experience the saxophone family until 1983 (post college and then some). After dabbling on tenor and lead alto, she was given the opportunity to try the bari - a fit which is working extremely well for her. An advantage to playing this horn wasn't immediately apparent, but a few times through "Intermission Riff" convinced Carol that her nicotine habit was not conducive to playing the bari. She’s happy to report that she hasn’t had a cigarette since November, 1989.
During the day, Carol earns her reed money as an Assistant Regional Manager (Canada, eh?) in the horticultural industry.
Martha Lambert - Alto/Tenor/Bari Sub
Martha Lambert plays Tenor Sax and Bari Sax for Chicago Outskirts. She also plays keyboards. Her recent music courses were at College of Dupage, with Tim Omerod, and Skip Green as her private teachers. She also learned jazz the traditional way, by playing in various community bands with the "old-timers" that demonstrate and explain the era's style. Workshops with the Three Rivers Saxophone Quartet in the Pittsburgh PA area, and the Weekend Program with Berklee School of Music in Boston MA, and The Fox Valley (IL) Chapter of the American Guild of Organists continue her performance training.
Martha's musical mission: "I think music has the power to develop a focused mind and promote world peace. You can't fight with people when you are practicing scales on your horn. I think live music performance is an art that brings beauty to an otherwise stressful and edgy world - for players and listeners."
Trombones
Colleen Riordan
Originally from Lansing IL, trombonist Colleen Riordan recently returned to Chicagoland after seven years in Boston. She received her degree in trombone performance from Boston University, where she studied with BSO principal Ronald Barron and soloist Scott Hartman. She was a member of the New England Philharmonic, Newton Symphony (principal), and toured with the Synergy Brass Quintet, coached by Eric Ruske of the Empire Brass Quintet. She currently free-lances and teaches trombone privately in Libertyville and Schaumburg. She also serves as assistant director of the Merit School of Music summer Low Brass Festival. In addition to trombone, Colleen has also studied voice and performed widely as a narrator. She is recorded on the Cedille and 3FM labels.
Jennifer Thompson
Jennifer Thompson has taught elementary and middle school band for seven years in the Chicago suburbs. For three years, Jennifer served as the District 1 Chairperson of the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) Junior Jazz Festival. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelors degree in Music Education. She earned her masters in Music Performance from Bowling Green State University where she served as a teaching assistant for the University Band Department. Her primary instruments are trombone and euphonium.
In her spare time, Jennifer is the Orchestra Manager for the Elmhurst Symphony. And she gets out to hear live jazz whenever possible.
Hannah Martin
Hannah has been playing trombone in jazz bands, concert bands and orchestras since junior high. At Hoffman Estates High School, Hannah played in the wind ensemble, marching band, jazz ensemble, orchestra and pit bands for musicals and the yearly variety show each of her four years. Her senior year, she was Co-director of the Variety Show pit band. She also played in the District 211 Honors Orchestra for two years and the IMEA District 7 Orchestra one year. Hannah has also played with the Schaumburg Youth Symphony Orchestra and still subs for them on bass trombone from time to time. She has traveled to Germany, Austria and Japan with the SYSO. Hannah graduated from Marquette University with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. While at Marquette, she played in the concert band, orchestra and pep band under the direction of Nicholas Contorno and the late Jim Krofta, in addition to brass quintets, a big band and a punk/ska band. She has also played with the Nick Contorno Orchestra (professional jazz big band). Most recently, Hannah has taken jazz ensemble and theory classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music with David Jennings. In addition to the Chicago Outskirts, Hannah is beginning her fifth year as a member of the Chicago Businessmen’s Orchestra where she also serves as Vice President of the board. Hannah loves playing trombone in any way, shape or form, and especially loves the fun and excitement of playing jazz and blues music. In her professional life, Hannah is a senior engineer and project manager for Lintech Engineering, where she is involved in water and wastewater treatment plant design and rehabilitation, and serves as Assistant Village Engineer for the Village of Pingree Grove. She loves civil engineering almost as much as she loves playing music!
Amber Love
Amber Love is currently a first year student at Waubonsee Community College studying Music Education. She is currently playing lead in the Jazz Ensemble at WCC. At Oswego East High School Amber played trombone in Wind Symphony, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Pep Band, and Pit band. Amber also played tuba in the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band. Amber's interest in Jazz first grew from attending the Birch Creek jazz sesions in Egg Harbor, WI. The past years Amber has been able to grow in her skills as a player and become a better musician. After college, Amber plans to keep performing and teach music.
Trumpets
Sandy McCurdy
Sandy is a native of Chicago and has been playing trumpet for over 40 years, both in classical and jazz genres. As lead trumpet in the award winning Maine East High School Jazz Band, Sandy was selected to the All-Star Band at the legendary Oak Lawn Jazz Festival in the 60’s. During that time she also began trumpet studies with Vincent Cichowicz of the Chicago Symphony. At Downbeat’s National Stage-Band Camp, Sandy met jazz legend and teacher David Baker and was invited to attend Indiana University where she played lead trumpet in the jazz band. While at I.U. she was was honored to be chosen as the first female student of the legendary Bill Adam. After receiving a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Indiana University, Sandy moved to Montreal where she played in the Nick Martin Jazz Ensemble at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, did free lance and studio recording work, and played for the 1976 Olympics. Sandy received her Master of Music degree at Northwestern University in Chicago where she continued as a trumpet student of Vincent Cichowicz. Highlights of Sandy’s classical music career include years as Principal trumpet of the Victoria Symphony and Principal Trumpet with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra. She was named Associate Professor of Trumpet at the University of Victoria in British Columbia and Department Head of Music at Port Arthur Collegiate High School in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Sandy currently plays Solo Cornet with the renowned Illinois Brass Band, six time National Champions of the North American Brass Band Association.
Karen Olsen
Karen has been playing the trumpet since 1993. Through high school, her background was primarily in classical trumpet playing. She performed with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and was principal trumpet for the Illinois All-State Honors' Orchestra in 2000 and 2001. Karen attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana where she studied with Marie Speziale and Joey Tartell. At IU, she was a member of the Marching Hundred, Crabb Band, Big Red Basketball Band, several concert bands, the Chamber Orchestra, Pat Harbison's jazz band, and sang in the International Vocal Ensemble. She was also involved in the IU chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi and MENC. During a summer study-abroad program, she attended the Jazzwise Summer School in London, England. After graduating magna cum laude with a degree in music education, Karen started her current job teaching band at Crone Middle School in Naperville, Illiniois. Karen also does freelance trumpet work in the Chicagoland area and has appeared twice as a soloist with the Wheaton Municipal Band.
Jenni Szczerbinski
Jenni graduated this spring from Elmhurst College with her bachelors in music education. She now teaches band at Belvidere High School. She recently moved to Belvidere and is eagerly looking for ensembles in the Belvidere/Rockford area to perform in. In addition to the Chicago Outskirts, Jenni also performs with the Rock Valley Community Band and as a soloist. Jenni has performed in many places all over the world including Australia, Poland (where she performed for Pope John Paul II), Italy, England, France, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Jamaica. In addition to trumpet, Jenni also plays piano and privately teaches lessons on both trumpet and piano. When Jenni isn't teaching or playing music, she enjoys swing and salsa dancing.
Carol Dickenson
Carol began playing trumpet at Lane Technical H.S. in Chicago, and graduated from North Park College with a B.A. in Music, studying trumpet, guitar and ethnomusicology. She is a founding member of the Prairie Brass Band, where she plays cornet and serves as music librarian, and where she was named Prairie Bandperson of the Year in August 2005. She has most recently studied with Terry Schwartz at the Wheaton College Conservatory. Her favorite trumpet player and inspiration is Philip Smith, principal trumpet with the New York Philharmonic.
Beth Pfauth
Beth plays the trumpet in the Chicago Outskirts and additionally plays saxophone and clarinet in the Music Makers big band. Beth is also the percussion director of the West Suburban Homeschool Band. She enjoys marching snare with the kids in the summer parades. She has studied with Chicago Symphony member Lawrie Bloom and has attended DePaul University music school. She has been a private music teacher for over 20 years, and currently teaches brass, woodwinds, and percussion. Beth is married and homeschools her children.
Rhythm
Jenny Yuhasz - Percussion
Jenny has been an active musician in the South Bend area for many years. She has performed with area artists in combos, orchestras, recitals and Big Bands. Some of her performances have included musicals at the Round Barn Theatre in Napannee and at the Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw. She worked as the Timpanist for the Elkhart County Symphony Orchestra for 2 years and as an alternate percussion for the South Bend Symphony Orchestra for 3 years. Jenny is the percussion coach for the South Bend Youth Concert Orchestra. She earned her Bachelors of Arts in Music Composition from Indiana University South Bend in 2004 and has written many percussion ensembles and other genres of music. She can be heard on CDs with the Mike Vaszari Quartet and with Carol and Kaye's Dixieland Band.
Anne O'Neill - Percussion
Anne has been playing percussion since she was 8. While in high school, she studied with Bobby Christian for several years and she was an alternate percussionist with the Notre Dame Orchestra. Throughout college she played in a number of rock, pop, and jazz bands. After a 15-year musical hiatus, she began sitting in with a number of people. She can be heard on the practice CD for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing Bass and on two tracks on Todd Mack's 2006 recording Square Peg, Round Hole. Anne regularly plays in the Chicagoland area and the Berkshires with her good friends Kathy Reichert and David Hodge.
Michelle Akin - Bass
Michelle began her music studies as a girl in Kansas, studying piano and cello before joining the jazz band on bass guitar. She was asked to travel with different high school ensembles across the US as well as overseas, and was especially fortunate to be interviewed by Down Beat Magazine about being a female bass player. Michelle was pretty much self-taught on the bass until college when she began studying with Larry Gray at DePaul University. Since graduating from DePaul, Michelle has been teaching and playing around Chicagoland
Cheryl Fort - Guitar
Cheryl began playing guitar while in high school studying classical guitar at the American Conservatory of Music. Several years ago, she developed an interest in jazz music and began studying off and on with a variety of musicians and teachers in the Chicago area, Bloom School of Jazz, Lee Metcalf, and Paul Kugot to name a few. She is currently studying privately with Mike Allemana at the Old Town School of Folk Music. She's played with a variety of jazz combos over the years. Her inspiration comes from the great jazz musicians past and present and a family history of musicians where she was exposed to jazz music at a very young age. She considers herself an advanced beginner.
Maria Bolchert - Piano
Maria's interest in jazz grew after graduating from DePaul University. Upon completing her studies in music composition, she attended the Sandpoint Music Festival in Idaho. It was at the Sandpoint festival where Maria was first exposed to jazz and found herself fascinated and inspired by the energy and excitement of jazz. Maria currently studies with Jim Trompeter and teaches piano from her home studio in Riverside.
Vocals
Carol Bennett
Carol is a native of Chicago and is well known to the area, having sung with numerous orchestras. She can also be heard on WDCB 90.9 FM radio. Having studied voice in high school, she has performed in many musicals including Carousel, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, Music Man, and Into the Woods. Carol appears with jazz combos and more recently started singing with the big bands including Switch Time Jazz Orchestra and more recently joined the Chicago Outskirts and is enjoying being with the all-girl big band.