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.
Lee Sabel has been playing drums for 33 years, and boy, are his arms tired. He attended Morehead State University with a music scholarship, majoring in percussion performance from 1983 to 1986. He attended Percussion Institute of Technology (PIT) in Hollywood, CA. from 1989 to 1990, and graduated with “Vocational Honors” – their highest award at that time, and was chosen “Outstanding Student of the Year” by his instructors. From 1990 to present, Lee has lived in and around Lexington, playing professionally with many different groups and projects. Presently he performs regularly with Handsome Devils (classic/contemporary hard rock/dance), Zydeco Bon (zydeco/blues – Cajun-Louisiana Music), The MetroGnomes (17 piece big band), and Big City Groove (9-piece “horn band” – jazz/rock/soul). He loves having the rare opportunity to play all those different styles of music concurrently.
From 1991 to present, Lee has been employed at Hurst Music in Lexington. In addition to being a percussion sales specialist and current general manager, he also assumed the duties of head band instrument repair technician in 1994, and over the years has expanded the repair shop into one of the largest in the state, with a large and loyal customer base. Lee repairs woodwinds, brass and percussion.
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.
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”
Larry Crawford studied piano performance at The Cleveland Institute of Music and music ministry/education at Alderson-Broaddus College. He enjoys teaching kids to learn the wonders of music: from accompanying many local public schools to private lessons or seminars. His greatest influences are God and his wife, Ellen: both have taught him more than any textbook ever could.
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.
Pamela is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor's degree in Music Merchandising. During her time there she had opportunities to play saxophone with a variety of musical groups including the wind ensemble, the orchestra, the choir, and Saxophobia. While primarily an alto player, she fell in love with playing bari in the jazz band and Saxophobia. She works at Don Wilson Music as a salesperson and a bookkeeper.
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.
Austin is a student at the University of Kentucky pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music education. He is originally from the Elizabethtown area. Austin plays in the UK Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Trombone Choir, and Marching Band. Austin is in his 2nd year as the trombone section leader in the Wildcat Marching Band. In the summer of 2007 Austin marched in the world renowned Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps of Rockford, Illinois. In his spare time Austin arranges music for brass quintet.
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.