Member Bios
Saxophones
Gregg Gelb, founder and musical director, alto saxophone/clarinet (1990). Gregg has contributed greatly to the music of North Carolina since moving here in 1979 to teach in the public schools. He and his groups have been a popular choice for concerts and dances.Throughout Gregg's career he has received numerous awards and grants including a 1996 commission by the Duke University Institute for the Arts to compose dance music and the 1997 North Carolina State Arts Council Jazz Fellowship Award. In 1998 the Gregg Gelb Swing Band performed with the North Carolina Symphony for a Young People's Concert that was televised by WUNC-TV featuring Gregg's compositions. In 2000 he arranged and recorded with the Swing Band the soundtrack to the documentary, War Zone, also aired on WUNC-TV. He has performed with Claudio Roditi, Mark Whitfield, Bill Charlap, Butch Thompson, Sir Roland Hanna, Jon Metzger and other top jazz artists. Gregg has produced four CDs of the Swing Band and co-produced three CDs of Group Sax. In 1992, he co-founded the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, a professional big band. This orchestra has earned an excellent reputation from its performances of music by Duke Ellington and other great jazz composers. Its annual Holiday concert featuring Ellington's interpretation of the Nutcracker Suite is especially popular.
Pat Gallarelli, tenor saxophone (1997). Pat grew up in northern New Jersey and moved to North Carolina in 1979. He has been playing saxophone off and on in various bands since high school. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology and a M.S.in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. Pat is currently employed as a mechanical engineer at IBM in Research Triangle Park. Pat's other interests include bicycling, sailing, backpacking, classic VW's and walking the dog.
Darin Knapp, baritone saxophone (1994). Darin, an Associate Professor in the Psychiatry Department at the University of North Carolina, was the orchestra's 2nd alto sax player starting in 1994 then became he baritone sax player in 2001. His earlier musical experience includes playing in stage and concert bands while in college. He has previously served as secretary of the Society and now serves as a board member for a second term. Darin is also the originator of this web site and its webmaster. A native of Port Allegany, PA, he moved to Chapel Hill in 1992 after completing graduate studies at Rutgers University. When not playing with the orchestra, Darin gardens, dabbles with the bass guitar, sings with the Chapel Hill Community Chorus and Cantari, and conducts research at UNC on neuro-adaptive mechanisms following chronic exposure to therapeutic drugs or drugs of abuse.
  Charles Shermer, alto/tenor saxophone (2001) Starting on clarinet in grade school, Charles later switched to saxophone and played throughout high school and college in various big bands, small jazz combos, and pit orchestras. After moving to Raleigh in 1994, he has continued his involvement in music by studying privately and performing with community based groups in the area. As a member of HOCJO, he is inspired and challenged by the group's high-level of musicianship. Charles is a Senior Engineer at BD Technologies where he designs medical products.
Don Larson, alto saxophone (1993). Inspired by his parents' record collection, Don started playing alto in fourth grade. In high school he was fortunate to hear many big bands at Atlantic City's Steel Pier in the Ocean Ballroom. Among these were Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Woody Herman . While attending Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Don joined the Left Bank Jazz Society which presented jazz greats at the Famous Ballroom in weekly concerts. Many of those concerts are now available on CD. Don has presented jazz artists in local schools and performance spaces. These artists include Claudio Roditi, Mark Whitfield, Jon Metzger, Gregg Gelb, Butch Thompson, and Bill Charlap. He is a past president of the Society and a builder/developer with projects ranging from the rehabilitation of historic structures to the building of new homes.
Trumpets
Robert Hill, trumpet (2005). Mr. Rob Hill is currently the band director at Union Pines High School in Cameron, North Carolina. He holds a bachelor's degree in music education from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and a master's degree in music education from Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. He has taught middle school band and orchestra, and is a former Army bandsman trumpet player, having served in the 82nd Airborne Division Band at Fort Bragg, NC. While in the Army band, Mr. Hill was section and group leader, responsible for training instrumentalists in their military occupational specialty, which included instruction for instrumental performance in the concert band as well as on the parade field as a drill and ceremony marching band section leader. Also, while in the Army band, Mr. Hill played the solo book for the jazz band and performed frequently with the brass quintet and jazz combo groups at many high profile functions. Mr. Hill has received the Award of Distinction for his notable contribution to musical excellence, has consistently received superior and excellent ratings at numerous marching band competitions and state festival contests, and has recently served as the guest clinician for the Southeastern All-District high school band. Mr. Hill is also a freelance trumpet player and is currently playing the lead trumpet book for the SCC Jazz Band, The Eddie Barrett Big Band, and a 13-piece salsa band, Orquesta Ideal, which specializes in live Tropical and Caribbean music. Mr. Hill also is a member of the Moore Brass Quintet and plays the trumpet frequently for many local community events to include performances by the Moore County Choral Society and the Gregg Gelb Swing Band. Mr. Hill resides in Whispering Pines, North Carolina with his wife Carole and their three young sons, Nathan, Andrew, and Landon.
Steve Callas, trumpet (2005) Steve started playing trumpet in the 5th grade in Raleigh, NC. Having come from a musical background, he grew up tuning and rebuilding pianos with his father. He attended Berklee College of Music in the 70's, and subsequently spent the next 15 years on the road playing and singing Top 40 and Beach Music. He played with Spirit of Atlanta, The Fabulous Kays, and The Breeze Band, to name a few. In 1990, he retired from playing to concentrate on his insurance practice. After 15 years of musical celibacy, he started back again in 2005, quite by accident. He now plays jazz and in brass bands for enjoyment, and is more dedicated to personal development than ever.
  Kyle Santos, trumpet (2008)
  Doug Lilly, trumpet
Trombones
Doug Bristol, trombone (1995). Doug, a/k/a "Dr. Slide", played trombone through high school in Rochester, NY, but put the instrument down with the onset of rock 'n roll and to concentrate on other pursuits. Almost 30 years later in the Research Triangle Park area, he picked up the horn again with the Chapel Hill & Carrboro Village Band. In the interim Doug earned a Ph.D. in chemistry, launched two sons, and served stints in New York City, Salt Lake City, Fargo, ND and Washington, DC. He now plays with Brass on the Slide, a trombone ensemble. Employed by the NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, he manages quality assurance for the National Toxicology Program and conducts research with computer scientists to model chemical carcinogenesis.
Joel Leipzig, trombone. Joel is a fine trombone player and plays lead trombone with the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra. He has been a tremendous helper for the Heart of Carolina Jazz Society over the years. He knows a lot about everything and he can build and fix just about everything! He has lots of common sense and enlightning perceptions about jazz and people. He is always willing and able to help including donating his fine graphic artist skills (he does all our programs and posters). He runs Carolina CD a company that provides professional CDs art related artwork for recording studios, bands, choral groups, marketing companies. He also plays with the Raleigh Jazz Orchestra.
Christopher Shaw, trombone (2002). Chris, a native of Needham, MA, started playing with Boston area big bands in 1975 at age 15. Gigs and rehearsals with 17-piece groups such as: The Two Car Garage Band, Roy Nutile, Dick Donovan, Mary Karl/Ray Pineau, Big Band Inc., Ray Leech & the Suburbanaires, and the reorganized Gene Krupa Band, kept this trombonist's slate quite full through the 80's as did membership with A.F.M. Local 393. The fabled "Day Job" has been a necessary evil for Chris since 1978 when he became a printer. In 1986 he took a caretakers position at an estate/horse farm in Dover, MA which relocated to Southern Pines in 1988. There Chris formed "Nightcast", a 4-piece swing group, which he directed for the next ten years. He returned to printing in 1993 at Whistle Stop Press in Southern Pines while still freelancing for both jazz and classical ensembles. Since 1988 he has been a member of the "Sandhills Community College Jazz Band" and is presently it's lead trombonist. Chris and his wife Dee enjoy the solitude of their secluded log cabin in Roseland.
George Ellwanger, trombone (2007). A North Carolina native, Dr.Ellwanger earned a bachelors degree in music education and a masters in trombone performance at Appalachian State. One of his earliest achievements was in 1978 when he was asked to be the conductor of the Charlotte-based choral group, The Sounds of America on its tour of the western United States where they performed patriotic and American folk songs on stage and for televised special programming. Having studied trombone with Joseph Belk, John Driver, Dr. Harold Van McKinney, he enjoyed a tour of duty with the Air Force Bands of New England and of Europe (The Captain Glenn Miller Band). There, he also studied with Dr. Lawrence Isaacson, former trombonist for the Empire Brass Quintet. While stationed in Germany played bass trombone and sang for Commander Craig Jessop. He has played with Clark Terry, Richie Cole, Jon Faddis, Doc Severinsen, Victor Borge, Dianna Ross, the Russ Morgan Orchestra, the Anderson Sisters, Karel Husa, and Frederick Fennell. He has performed in most of the U.S. and Germany, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey. After leaving the Air Force in 1989, he earned his doctorate in chiropractic at Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, IA, and has practiced in Virginia and now Cary, NC. He continues to play trombone in several area big bands and in more classical ensembles whenever possible.
Don Wazenegger, trombone (1990). Don Wazenegger, a native of Pittsburgh, PA, is a mechanical engineer for Eaton Cutler-Hammer in Fayetteville. He hopes to keep his day job. He is almost a charter member of HOCJO, having joined a few weeks after its first rehearsal. Don also plays in the Lee County Community Orchestra, and occasionally with the Sanford Brass Group/Little German Band, and rings handbells with the Brick city Belles and Beaux. In his spare time he enjoys reading and collecting model cars and would love to own a real antique automobile someday (something between a Model T and '53 Chevy might do).
Rhythm
John Brookes, drums (1990). John grew up in London, England during WWII and served in the RAF following the war. He emigrated to Canada in 1965 where he became a full time musician, performing in night clubs and hotels all over Ontario. In 1981 he moved to North Carolina where he married a local girl, drummed in rock and country rock bands and took a job as a carpenter at the University of North Carolina. John became one of the Orchestra's originals after hearing Gregg Gelb appeal for musicians during a concert at the university. Extremely dedicated, he not only drives a round trip of 100 miles to most rehearsals and performances but also tapes them to use for practice at home.
Fred Brush, bass/guitar (2005). Fred (Freddy) has lived in North Carolinas since January 2005. He came here from Billings, Montana where he spent most of his working life in the petroleum industry, finally as a manager on an inter-state pipeline and working part-time as a musician. He majored in music at (then) Montana State University in Missoula then went into the U.S. Air Force as a Russian linguist. After his military service he attended (then) Eastern Montana College in Billings and received his B.A. in English. While living in Billings Fred played in many musical situations, including the Billings Symphony Orchestra, and his own groups, one called Meadowlark and the other, a seven piece swing band, called the Swing-a-roo's. (There wasn't a single patio, log cabin, hotel, night club, arena or horse corral in the Montana area that could have hosted a party or function that Freddy didn't play in! ) Playing music was highest on his agenda so, soon after he retired in 2004, to escape the Montana winters, he moved to Pinehurst, North Carolina and became a full-time musician. Guitar has always been his first love although Fred also plays bass. Freddy and his vocalist partner, Lynn Nelson work in the Sandhills area as a duo (or trio plus.....) and have several CD's to their credit: Love Notes and I Thought About You (featuring his son, Keith on bass) and a soon-to-be-released Christmas Album entitled Christmas Dreams. Fred's seven children are scattered all over the globe. Two of them are also professional musicians.
Bill Falconer, piano (1990). Bill, a retired Gillette financial executive, has been the band's pianist since its founding and Treasurer for most of that time. Not having played in bands since college days he appreciates the opportunity afforded him by the orchestra. Bill is a native of Montreal where he was a contemporary of Oscar Peterson and Maynard Ferguson. His "Short Takes" column covering local jazz events has appeared in Cadence Magazine since late 1981. Bill's CD reviews appear in the Cape Cod Jazz Society's "Jazz Notes", CODA Magazine and on www.JazzReview.com. Other jazz interests include record collecting and education. He is a Trustee Emeritus of Berklee College of Music.
Alan Daubenspeck, (piano sub) (2008). Alan started playing professionally in 1978 in Charleston, WV. He attended Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky where he studied trumpet, guitar, piano and arranging and earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree. While in Kentucky Alan continued to perform with various ensembles throughout Kentucky as well as being Principal Trumpet in the MSU Orchestra. After Morehead Alan moved to South Charleston, West Virginia to become the Instrumental and Choral Music Director at South Charleston Junior High School from 1984 to 1988. In 1988 he decided to return to school to earn his Masters of Music degree at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. At UM Alan studied Studio Writing and Production. In 1992 Alan and his wife Debra returned to West Virginia to work with his father in the insurance industry. In addition to being an insurance agent Alan became the Pianist and Choral Director at Mt Juliet United Methodist Church and continued to perform in various dance bands with his wife Debra on vocals. Alan was asked to perform with composer Paul Haley at the grand opening of the Clay Center for the Arts in Charleston, WV. Alan also owned and operated Daubenspeck Music Studios which was a Recording and Teaching studio. In 2007, Alan, Debra and there 2 children moved to North Carolina to pursue a career in Real Estate. In addition to the real estate business Alan has found many opportunities to perform including the Heart of Carolina Jazz Band, Sandhills Community College Jazz Band, Southern Pines United Methodist Church, and much other small ensemble work.
Vocals
Don Nedza, vocalist (1990). Don has sung with the band since its inception. He is a founding member and past president of the Society and is responsible for its name. Don grew up in New York City during the big band era. Before and after his service with the navy during WWII he worked as a solo singing act in clubs throughout the metropolitan NYC area. During the sixties he was active in the Music Theater of Abington in Abington, PA. Don was President of Keystone Filter Corporation in Hatfield,PA. In 1988 he retired from Doylestown, PA to North Carolina.where he tries to stay fit with tennis and golf.