The Musicians of Octobop

Geoff Roach – Baritone, Alto, Tenor, Bass sax and Alto Flute. Geoff is a native of New Orleans where he first became addicted to great music, spicy foods, good times and still managed to obtain masters degrees from Clemson University and the University of Missouri. Working in the United States and Europe, Geoff has performed with Mel Torme, Nelson Riddle, Tom Jones, Bob Hope, as well as many musicals, shows, and other productions. Geoff studied arranging and theory with David Baker, Don Haas, and Charles Barber. His primary influences in playing and writing include Gerry Mulligan, James Moody, Sam Butera, Bill Holman, Marty Paich, Nelson Riddle, and Henry Mancini. Geoff is also Executive Director of San Jose Jazz, producers of the Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival presented by Southwest Airlines every August. He is still trying to create the perfect gumbo.

Matt Kesner – Soprano, Alto, Tenor Sax and Flute. Matt grew up in Southern California, began playing sax in high school, and studied with jazz and studio masters including John Rekovics, Lanny Morgan, and Joe Morillo. Matt has worked as a backup musician for Trini Lopez, Steve Allen, and Pete Barbutti. Matt was an active session player in Southern California recording a number of jingles and demo records. He has also worked as a musician with the tour companies of Annie Get Your Gun, The Fantastiks, 'Lil Abner, and Kiss Me Kate. Since moving to the bay area in 1998, he has returned to his first musical love, jazz.

Randy Smith – Trumpet and Flugelhorn. Randy, a native Californian, has played trumpet since 1960. A PhD from the University of California at San Diego, he has toured much of the United States and Europe playing in jazz, rock, and popular music groups. Randy also plays keyboards, and has written and arranged music for various ensembles.

Jon Schermer - Trombone. Jon grew up in St Louis, MO and started playing trombone in the 5th grade. After college he spent a few years playing music on cruise ships and moved to California in 1982. Before joining Octobop Jon played with Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, The Black Tie Jazz Orchestra, A Touch of Brass and Silicon Gulch Traditional Jazz Band.

Bill Hazzard – Vibes. Bill, from Rockford, Illinois, studied with Ray Mann and later obtained a master's degree from the University of Michigan.  He has been a principal in jazz performances with San Francisco area groups since 1982.  He has been on the faculty of the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View, CA as well as a music educator in Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Bill’s forays into the classical music field include orchestras in Ann Arbor, MI, Battle Creek, MI, and Missoula, MT.

Jack Conway – Guitar. Starting on the guitar in 1962, Jack has studied with Bill Courtial, Jerry Hahn, Charles Gustavson, and Art Lande. Jack has played in many different groups and orchestras from folk groups, jazz groups and community theater.  Among his influences are Groucho Marx, Pat Martino, Wes Montgomery, Father Guido Sarducci, Jim Hall, Freddie Greene and Alan Greenspan. Besides playing guitar in Octobop, Jack arranges and contributes his originals to the band library.

Brian Brockhouse - Bass. Brian (the guy with the bass) grew up in the south -- primarily in New Orleans, with stints in Houston and Midland, Texas. As did so many of his contemporaries, he began playing guitar in his teens in order to meet girls. Eventually, rather than giving up guitar, he started playing bass in order to get gigs. He has lived in the Bay Area for more than twenty years, wielding both instruments in various combos, big bands, and pit orchestras. A recovering software engineer, he also teaches music, writes poetry and fiction, and occasionally works the game clock at his daughter's water polo games.

Roy Kaufmann  –Drums. Roy started playing drums in 4th grade while in school in New York State, and by the age of 14 was playing for dancing and entertainment in small combos with his pianist father . He started playing jazz in high school and continued doing so while in college, and in the army as a musician in the US Military Academy Band at West Point, N.Y. While in the Army he studied rudimental drumming with John S. Pratt and became a member of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers, and studied Jazz drumming with Charles Perry in NYC. More recently he studied jazz drumming with Scott Morris in Redwood City, CA. He has worked with with such notables as Alan King, Dagmar, Buddy Merrill, the Ink Spots, Henry Cuesta, Art Van Damme and the late Smith Dobson, and with various bands, musicians, and vocalists in the bay area, including the Peninsula Pops Orchestra and the Palo Alto Children's Theater.