Rob Boone, Trombone
A professional musician since age 16, Rob has been active in the Tucson musical scene as a performer, composer and conductor for over twenty years. He has performed on trombone with The Moody Blues, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., and others. With degrees from the University of Arizona School of Music, he has worked as a freelance player in Los Angeles, Visiting Lecturer and Acting Director of Jazz Studies at U of A, and Professor of Trombone at Mesa Community College. Rob appears with a variety of Tucson jazz ensembles, including his own quartet, and has served on the Tucson Jazz Society Board of Directors.
Rob Boone's Web Site

Jason Carder, Trumpet
A doctoral student at the University of Arizona, Jason holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Studio Music from the University of Miami, and won First Prize in the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Competition in 1988. Jason's professional experience includes tours with the bands of Ray Charles, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Paul Anka, and K.C. and the Sunshine Band, and contributions to over seventy albums, with artists ranging from Maria Schneider to Arturo Sandoval. Soundtrack credits include "There's Something About Mary" and "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights". He has appeared as featured soloist with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra under Peter Nero, and the New World School of the Arts Big Band.
Jason Carder's Web Site

Ray Templin, Drums and Piano
Ray Templin has gained acclaim as a propulsive, swinging stride pianist and vocalist. Credits include playing and recording with many noted artists such as Steve Allen, Banu Gibson, Blues legend Brownie McGhee, Howard Alden, Zeke Zarchy, Dick Cary, Bob Havens, Dan Barrett and Bob Schulz. Having performed in a variety of venues, from pizza parlors, dinner theaters and cabarets to the country's largest jazz festival, Templin has proven to be quite a versatile entertainer. His acting and voice-over talent has also led him to the world of television and commercials. A three-year stint as the piano playing proprietor of "Ray Templin's Bar" on Matlock also afforded Ray composing credits on the show.
Ray Templin's Web Site

Kelland Thomas, Saxophone
Dr. Kelland Thomas has appeared as a recitalist throughout the U.S. and in Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. As a member of the Michigan Chamber Players, he toured Japan with world-renowned marimbist Keiko Abe. An active jazz musician, Kelland has appeared with such jazz greats as Jimmy Heath, Louis Bellson, and Diane Schuur, and has performed with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. He has also backed up such artists as the Four Tops, Manhattan Transfer, and Bud Shank. He earned the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan in 1997. Kelland Thomas is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Arizona, where he serves as Coordinator of the Camerata Career Development Program. He has been on faculty there for 11 years.
Kelland Thomas' Web Site

Kelly Thomas, Tuba
Dr. Thomas was appointed tuba/euphonium instructor and director of pep bands at the University of Arizona in 2001. A native of Flagstaff, Arizona, he began his studies with R. Winston Morris at Tennessee Technological University. There he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in music education. Kelly completed a Doctor of Musical arts degree at Arizona State University in 2006, where he studied with Sam Pilafian. Professor Thomas participated in the famed Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble (TTTE), under the direction of R. Winston Morris, while at TTU. Kelly has appeared on the following recordings: Euphoniums Unlimited (Mark Records 2004), The Kings of Brass (Mark Records 2001), Tubalogy 601 (Mark Records 2000), and Unleash the Beast (Mark Records 1995). In 1995 and 2007 Kelly performed at Carnegie Hall as a soloist and ensemble member with the TTTE. In 2003 and 2007 he hosted the ITEA Regional Conference at the University of Arizona. In 2005, Kelly conducted the University of Arizona Brass Choir and performed at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Bangkok, Thailand.

Rob Wright, Banjo and Vocals
An accomplished, energetic touring musician, Rob is a former member of the famed folk ensemble The New Christy Minstrels. Now a financial consultant by profession, he has played in all fifty states and extensively throughout the western U.S. Rob’s banjo playing is often compared to the late great Eddie Peabody, and his engaging vocal stylings add a special touch to many of the tunes performed by the Wildcats. Rob also enjoys playing as a guest soloist with symphony orchestras, and exploring different styles of music in the recording studio with the plectrum banjo in non–traditional musical settings.
Rob Wright's Web Site