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Joe Kleykamp - Alto SaxJoe Kleykamp is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, where he studied music education. Now retired, he started his career as a high school band director, but left public schools for a business career. He has continued his musical work playing with numerous local groups and has performed in concert with national acts such as, The Temptations, Four Tops, Lou Rawls and Franki Vali among others. He resides in Lexington, Kentucky with his wife Debbie and spends his time boating on Lake Cumberland and being a certified British car nut.
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David Threlkeld - Tenor SaxDavid earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Morehead State University and a Master of Music in performance degree from Northwestern University. He is the director of the University of the Cumberlands Jazz Ensemble and is also the woodwind specialist at UC. He remains active as a performer in a number of groups throughout central Kentucky including The Metrognomes, The Somerset Big Band, Quintessence and his own eight-member band Miss Direction that performs frequently throughout KY and TN. He has also appeared with such notable artists as Lou Rawls, Shirley Jones, The Temptations and the Four Tops. He currently serves as the vice-president of the Kentucky Association of Jazz Educators. Most recently, he was presented with the Excellence in Teaching Award by the University of the Cumberlands.
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Jason Moseley - Tenor SaxJason is a practicing attorney in Lexington but enjoys playing music as much as possible in his spare time. In addition to the MetroGnomes, this has included playing with churches, community bands, and musical theater. If he isn’t spending time with his family, he’s at rehearsal somewhere.
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Willow Cooper - Baritone Sax, VocalsWillow is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Music Education. During her time there she had the opportunity to play baritone saxophone in one of the UK saxophone quartets. Even before college she played baritone saxophone in the Henry Clay High School Jazz Band. She also participated in the UK Wind Ensemble, UK Symphony Band, UK Concert Band, UK Marching Band, UK Symphony Orchestra, UK Pep Band, UK Women’s Choir, UK Clarinet Choir, and was the uniform manager for four years. Other activities include playing clarinet in the orchestra at Tates Creek Christian Church, directing the bell choir, playing keyboard, and singing on the praise team. Willow is the current assistant band director at Beaumont Middle School in Lexington, KY, where she lives with her four dogs.
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Dan Long - TromboneDan 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.
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Chase Clark - TromboneChase graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters degree in Music Performance from Eastern Kentucky University. He enjoys teaching and performing and currently teaches private lessons in central Kentucky. As a performer, Chase has appeared with an extensive variety of musical groups with artists such as the Annie Moses Band, Wycliffe Gordon, and Bob Mintzer in venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry House. He had the privilege of recording on the album "Go" with Bob Mintzer. Chase currently serves as a Music Education Representative with the NAMM Top 100 Company, Willis Music and also owns his own business tuning and working on pianos.
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Matt Barnhill - TromboneMatt Barnhill grew up in Florence, Kentucky and is a 2003 graduate of Boone County High School. He received his Bachelors in Music Education degree from EKU in 2008 and his Masters in Trombone Performance degree from EKU in 2012. While at EKU, he won the music department concerto competition twice, in 2006 and in 2008. He also performed solos with the EKU Symphonic Band and was active in many ensembles, including the Jazz Band, Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Pep Band and Marching Colonels. Upon graduating in 2008, Mr. Barnhill was hired as the band director at R.A. Jones Middle School in Florence where he taught for two years before returning for his Masters degree. Since 2012, he has been the director of bands at Berea Community Middle and High School in Berea, Kentucky. He has performed with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra as a substitute and continues to perform with the Madison Community Band and Lexington Community Orchestra.
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Michael Bourne - Bass TromboneMichael is a senior at the University of Kentucky studying for his Bachelors in Music Education. During his time at UK he has had the opportunity to play in the UK Symphony Orchestra, the UK Wind Symphony, the UK Jazz Ensemble, the UK Trombone Quartet, the UK Trombone Choir, the UK Symphony Band, and the UK Lab Band. In addition he has performed at the 2013 CBDNA, KMEA, and Midwest Clinic with the above ensembles as well as recording with International Jazz Musicians Wycliffe Gordon, Bob Mintzer, Vince DiMartino, and Miles Osland. Upon graduating, he hopes to continue his education by pursuing a Masters in Music Performance.
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Kenny Knauer - TrumpetKenny 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
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Kyle Morris - TrumpetKyle 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.
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Reg Richwine - TrumpetReg Richwine is a retired high school band director where he spent 35 years in public education. After retiring, he spent 6 years at the University of Dayton as an adjunct professor in the Music Department teaching jazz improvisation and working with the three jazz ensembles and playing in the Faculty Jazz Sextet. Reg played professionally in the Dayton, Ohio area for over 34 years with various local groups including the pit orchestra at the Schuster Center for many Broadway Shows. Reg has also performed in concert with national acts such as, The Temptations, The O’Jays, The Moody Blues, Jack Jones, Franki Vali, and Bernadette Peters. Since moving to the Lexington Area in July 2014 he has been performing with The MetroGnomes, Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors, Young At Heart, The Lexington Brass Band, The Central Kentucky Brass Band, and also as a sub for The DiMartino-Osland Jazz Orchestra. He enjoys spending lots of time with his wife Marthann, daughter Catie and her husband Cameron, and grand-daughter Emma.
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Milton Lowe - TrumpetMilton Lowe is Associate 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 graduate student in seminary, he played in the Asbury College Stage 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.
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Larry Crawford - PianoLarry 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.
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Bob Hackett - BassBob is a graduate of West Virginia University in Electrical Engineering and played bass in the WVU Symphony, marching band, ROTC Band, musicals and was a member of the Bellcastro Jazz Trio that won several awards at Notre Dame Jazz Festivals. Bob has had extensive experience on string bass, 5-string bass guitar and tuba in the New York & New Jersey area and has performed regularly with many groups in central Kentucky. These include the Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors (BAJA), Jim Stone Jazz Band and most recently the Metrognomes Big Band. Bob’s small jazz group experience includes groups such as the Walnut Street Ramblers, Dan Brock & Friends, Jessie Laine Powell, Jazzberry Jam, Colonel’s Choice and O-Zone. He has also played in several Broadway musicals that toured in Kentucky, such as Chicago and Ain't Misbehavin’. As a tubist, he is an original member of the Dixie group, The Honey Creek Stompers. Bob’s traditional jazz roots go back to performances with Max Morath, the noted Ragtime piano player who narrated the PBS series on Ragtime. Bob can be heard on nine CD’s produced locally. Bob’s electronic background includes engineering management of music amplification and speaker design at Ampeg, production & service management at Moog Synthesizers and more recently, as a laser cartridge manufacturing engineer at Lexmark here in Lexington, in Korea and in northern China.
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Matt Skaggs - Drums/PercussionMatthew J. Skaggs has been teaching music and percussion for nearly 20 years. Most recently, Mr. Skaggs was named the Frederick Douglass High School Head Band Director. In addition to teaching privately, Mr. Skaggs previously held the positions of Band Director at Bryan Station High School, Farristown Middle School and Foley Middle School in Berea, Madison Southern High School in Berea, and Director of Bands for the Woodford County High School and Woodford County Middle School in Versailles. While there Mr. Skaggs’ schools received multiple distinguished ratings and awards in concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, and percussion ensemble assessment and competition. Mr. Skaggs also maintains a profile as a performer as well. He has toured throughout the U.S. and parts of Europe with various groups in numerous musical genres. Currently, Mr. Skaggs continues to perform in the Lexington area. Mr. Skaggs enjoys spending his time off with his daughter Katie Beth, and wife Melissa, as well as hunting, fishing, and numerous church activities.
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JR Weddle - Guitar
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.
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Jo Sickles - VocalsJo Sickles has been singing since age 5 with roots in gospel music. As a youth, she participated with church and community choirs. She studied vocal music performance and has trained and showcased her talent. After competing and winning various talent competitions, her interest broadened to other musical artforms in different venues, including, Shakertown's African-American Shaker series, and a local theater musical production, "Smokey Joe's Revue" Organizing and producing church revivals and gospel workshops has also become an interest. In 2015 she participated in a local musical event, which became a part of a documentary commemorating African American churches and their role and influences shaping gospel music. She has recorded original material for a local songwriter/producer, including a jingle that won an award for "best jingle" in its class. She has performed with different bands for over 20 years including, Big City Groove and Network, bands. She is the lead vocalist for The MetroGnomes Band.
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