Chris plays saxophone, clarinet, and flute in Jazz, Rock, Funk, and Christian worship settings, and has enjoyed working on different recording projects, including UK's Mega Sax and Jazz Ensemble recordings, "Profound Like Gumbo" and Self Contained". Chris has also been involved in the Lexington Bethel Harvest Community Church's Gospel recording "Rain" and Lexington's DJ Messenjah's recording entitled "DJ Messenjah and Friends". His favorite musician list is long, but includes Chris Potter, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderly, Maceo Parker, All Together Separate, and Sting. Chris played in multiple ensembles and studied music theory in high school, going to UK in 1999. There he studied under Miles Osland and left with a BA in Music Education. He is currently a student at Asbury Theological Seminary, working on a MA in Intercultural Studies, and he teaches private saxophone lessons.
Dora loves playing and learning about Jazz, as well as playing in chamber groups such as brass quintets or trombone quartets. She also enjoys listening to, watching, and participating (when able)in drum and bugle corps. Dora generally likes something from every genre of music; her favorites including almost any Jazz, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Over the Rhine, and most Bluegrass music. She recently graduated with a Bachelor in Music Education degree from the University of Kentucky. She has played trombone for the last 14 years and has played in various ensembles including jazz bands, symphonic ensembles, chamber groups, marching bands, and drum and bugle corps.
Josh is from the Chicagoland area and his musical influences include Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Nickle Creek, Megadeath, Michael W Smith, Cake, Five Iron Frenzy, and Phish... He has a bachelor's in music from Asbury College, currently serves as Music Minister at Mt Freedom Baptist in Wilmore, and drives a school bus for Fayette County Public Schools. Josh has been a member of "The Mad Hatters", a ska band (sax, guitar, keys, harmonica), "Small Price to Pay", a rock band (bass guitar), "Nailed", a goth band (drummer), and now "The MetroGnomes", where he plays alto sax. He spends his spare time with his wife, Rachel, his cat Orion, or his Finale, Fernando Raul, writing or composing for the church choir.
Casey DeMattina is a professional percussionist and educator residing in Lexington, Kentucky. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Merchandising and Performance from Eastern Kentucky University, where he studied under percussion professor Jason Koontz. As a member of Eastern's percussion ensemble and steel band, Casey performed with the award-winning indoor drumline at PASIC in 2003 and 2005, at the 2007 KMEA In-Service Conference, and alongside renowned pan players Andy Narell and LiamTeague at the 2008 PANorama Festival at Virginia Beach. In addition to the Metrognomes, Casey can be seen gigging around the Lexington area with Big City Groove, The Moonlighters, and in the pit at Woodford County Community and Lexington Children's Theatres.
Jim Foster likes a variety of music, but particularly progressive jazz, and some later jazz-fusion experiments, including both big bands and combos. He especially appreciates the big bands of Stan Kenton, Gordon Goodwin, and Rob McConnell. His favorite saxophonists would be Getz, Pepper, and Beckenstein. Jim joined the union and began playing jazz around Lexington at 15. Later, He received a degree in music education from Asbury College. Although his work took him in another direction, pastoral ministry, He has tried to stay involved in music in some way over the years. Jim states, "Upon returning to the Bluegrass, I have had some excellent chances to play my horn in the community and in the church. My time with the MetroGnomes has been a great experience!"
Kevin Dennison is a retired music educator who has taught band, jazz and music in Nelson, Woodford, and Fayette counties. In addition to teaching, Kevin is an active music arranger and composer. His arrangements and compositions are for a variety of performing groups. His arrangement of Carl Schlesinger’s “The New York Times Color March” is recognized as the official march of The New York Times, which was premiered in New York City by The Goldman Band in the summer of 2000. He continues to write, arrange, and publish music (with an emphasis on small ensemble music for young musicians) through Dennison Music Service, a small publishing and instrument repair business.
Kevin’s second career is as an instrument repair technician. He repairs woodwind and orchestra instruments in a shop at his home and for Hurst Music in Lexington, where he is a part-time employee. He has twice been invited to Mexico to teach instrument repair to area band directors and musicians in Queretaro and Fresnillo. He gigs in the central Kentucky area with a variety of groups including The MetroGnomes and Big City Groove. He lives in Lexington with his wife Ellen, an orchestra teacher in Fayette County. Together they spend as much time as possible spoiling their 6 grandchildren.
Joe Gierlach has been providing sound and lights for The MetroGnomes since 2005. He is a local craftsman who is highly involved in the local music scene. Joe plays Dobro, mandolin, and guitar and performs with the local bluegrass group, "Blue Dawg." He also participates in the planning and production of various musical events and festivals in the central Kentucky area including Wilmore's Stonebridge Summer Concert Series. You can also hear him on the radio on WRFL-FM on Saturdays from noon till 2:00 pm playing an eclectic variety of Americana Folk and Bluegrass music.
Kenny is a native Kentuckian who likes a variety of music including jazz, rock, R&B, funk, alternative, blues and classical. Some of his favorite jazz musicians include Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis. Kenny also plays in the funk/r&b band Funk Seminary and has played in the Southland Christian orchestra since 1991. Kenny enjoys spending his spare time with his wife & his pet parrot, traveling and riding motorcycles.
Dan studied music in college before changing his major to Law Enforcement and becoming a State Trooper. He continued his love of playing the trombone as a member of the 202nd Army Band for 31 years. He currently plays in the the brass section at his church and for various charitable groups. His favorite musicians are Carl Fontana,Frank Rosolino,Gordon Goodwin and Rob McConnell. Dan considers it an honor to have the opportunity to play with such a talented and dedicated group of people as the MetroGnomes.
Dr. Milton Lowe is the Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and an affiliate faculty member at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. He spent 26 years in full-time and bi-vocational ministry and worked for 5 years for a church software company. His first experience with a jazz band was when, as a masters student in seminary, he played in the Asbury College Jazz Band under the direction of James Curnow, internationally renown composer, arranger, and director. Milton enjoys helping fulfill the mission of The MetroGnomes, providing music that is fun to play and fun to listen to.
Cheryl has been singing professionally since 1985. She has
been featured on hundreds of albums and commercial jingles including award
winning work for clients such as McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, General
Electric, The Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism, the Chrysler/Plymouth
Corporation among many others. She is a first call vocalist locally, as well
as for producers in Nashville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Orlando, Dallas, Seattle
and Atlanta. She has traveled as a soloist with the international “Americana
Music Group” representing the U.S.A. in efforts to share the Gospel in
China and Ukraine. On Sunday mornings, she participates in local church music
ministries. She is a glass artist and operates her own glass-blowing studio
when not on the road. Cheryl lives with her Grammy nominated husband Michael
and their three children in Lexington, Kentucky. Cheryl has a hard time narrowing
down her favorite artist or style. “Ella and Aretha will always fascinate
me as a vocalist, although I am probably most comfortable singing and arranging
parts as a backup artist. My dream gig would be singing studio backs for Donald
Fagan”
Frank began playing clubs on Long Island (New York) at the age of 16, in 1963. Throughout the next 15 years he continued playing in all sorts of bands, mostly weekends, while earning several degrees, including a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In 1978 he formed a trio named Richardson/Messina which toured the Southeast, playing clubs and lounges full-time (6 nights per week, 48 weeks per year). That group was followed by another full-time group, Messina & Co. Both those groups were essentially "Country" bands - the only thing that was commercially viable during that period. By the early 80s Doc was working solo and becoming an entertainer as well as a musician, working primarily in Kentucky. However, in 1986 he returned to public school education, ending his career as the head of Arts and Humanities for the local school district in Lexington, Kentucky. In November of 2007 Doc returned to his first love, performance. Working now as a singer/song writer/entertainer, he began with a sold-out show at Natasha's Cafe (bistro) in Lexington and is in the process of developing a regional presence in Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH as well. Still working solo, Doc relies on many of his professional friends to do guest appearances. His show has been described as "Intimate, delightful, bistro entertainment at its best."
Kyle is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Music Industry. While at MTSU, he was an active participant in the university's Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Salsa Band, and acclaimed Band of Blue Marching Band. Kyle worked in Nashville for a music publishing company upon graduating and decided to head back to school. He now attends the University of Kentucky College of Law in hopes of becoming an entertainment lawyer. His musical influences include Miles Davis, Bela Fleck, Frank Sinatra, Frank Ticheli, and Tower of Power.
While saxophone is Jason's main instrument, he really enjoys taking up new ones like piano, guitar, and some percussion. on the list: uilleann pipes. His favorite saxophonist would have to be Cannonball Adderley. In addition to jazz, Jason listens to a wide range of rock, country, classical, rap, blues, Celtic, and funk. Current favorite musicians/bands include Wilco, Old 97's, Guster, and Soulive. He studied music for a short time at the University of Kentucky but switched majors, received a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications, and then a law degree from Northern Kentucky University.
Mark's musical interests are Classical, big band, and brass bands/ensembles. He studied accounting at Asbury College, and participated in the College's brass ensemble and stage band under the direction of Dr. Ron Holz. Mark's favorite musicians include Handel, Holst, Copeland, and Tchaikovsky. He also likes the Basie and Ellington big bands, and loves to listen to the music and message of the Salvation Army Staff band.
Colby is a student at the University of Kentucky pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Music Performance on trombone(s). He is very interested in many styles of music including orchestra, chamber, and wind ensemble but his favorite is swing. Colby plans to further his study at the doctoral level and hopes to teach at the college level and perform in the top orchestras and jazz ensembles in the world. Colby's idols include Charles Vernon, Ben van Dijk, Joe Allesi, Christian Lindberg, Matt Nies and Maynard James Keenan.
Doug Oatley is a retired band director who, during his 31 years in the public schools, specialized in jazz performance and jazz theory. As a bass trombonist, he played with Stan Kenton, worked as a studio musician in New York City, played in the orchestra for “A Chorus Line”, and has backed up celebrities such a Bob Hope, Vickie Carr, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. He is an accomplished composer and arranger whose work has appeared in a variety of venues including 88 jingles for T.V. and Radio and orchestrations for 14 albums of various artists. The MetroGnomes are the current beneficiaries of his writing and conducting skill and include in their repertoire a number of his compositions and arrangements. In addition to all this, he is a hot rod enthusiast who buys, sells, and restores classic cars.
David is a software developer with Avnet, Inc. He completed a dual degree with a Bachelor of Music in Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at the University of Kentucky. He enjoys Jazz and Symphonic music. David was raised in Lexington and is an avid Cats fan, who spent five years in the UK marching and pep bands. He enjoys music in his spare time, as well as a healthy dose of video games. David also serves as director of the Brass Guild at the UK Newman Center.
Kristen's favorite musician is Freezepop. Not traditional,but still a good choice! Her musical interests are rock, funk, jazz, techno, swing, show tunes, and orchestral music. Kristen's musical education includes training in Violin for two years, string bass for nine years, and bass guitar for six. She was mostly raised with orchestras, but likes playing with this band as well!
JR enjoys listening to a variety of music and especially likes jazz from the 1950's and 1960's (Davis, Coltrane and Shorter). He has a Master’s Degree in Chemistry and has worked in the music industry as a recording engineer, producer and composer. He has album, jingle and film credits. As a producer he has worked with various artists and has produced a national award-winning jingle. As a composer, JR has written songs for animation and album projects.