Jazz Faculty

Barry Oosterwaal

Originally from The Netherlands, Mr. Oosterwaal studied music at the “HAVO for music and dance,” and general psychology at LOI Institute, the Netherlands. He came to the United States in 1991 and again in 1995 to march with the Madison Scouts drum and bugle corp. In 1996, he began study at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he received his BM in Trombone Performance, studying with Steve Wiest. He continued his education at UW-Milwaukee, where he received his MM in Trombone Performance, studying with Dr. Noreen Harris-Baer. In addition to his MYSO duties, Mr. Oosterwaal is a trombone and theory teacher and a free lance musician in the Milwaukee and Chicago area. He has served as a long-term substitute music teacher with Kettle Moraine H.S. and Burlington H.S., and he is the trombonist with a variety of groups in Milwaukee (North Coast Orchestra, Swing Nouveau, Skeleton Crew, D'calleSon, North Coast Brass Quintet). He enjoys the opportunity to share his love of music each week with students in the MYSO program.

Jazz Studies Instructors

Dean Lea - Combo/Piano

Dean Lea is a well known and accomplished pianist and keyboardist in the Milwaukee area. He is the recipient of the 2003 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award as instrumentalist-keyboardist of the year, and also shared in the 2004 WAMI Paul Spencer Band award. Lea has enjoyed a varied career having been artist in residence pianist and music director for public radio’s Hotel Milwaukee for more than seven years; he was pianist in the musical, “Jazz,” house pianist for the Heidel House and the Hyatt Regency Hotel, and he has played at many area hotels including the Wyndham, Pfister, Sheraton, Embassy Suites and the Hilton. A respected musician, Lea has accompanied many Hollywood stars including Hildegard and Dinah Shore and Doc Severinsen. He has also played with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra and with jazz artists Richie Cole, Frank Morgan, Berkeley Fudge. Lea began studying piano at the age of four with the late Emily Herrwig at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. At six he studied classical piano at the Conservatory with the late Adelaide Banaszynski and continued with her until he was 18, winning numerous awards for his accomplishments from the Conservatory, Music Teachers’ Associations and city competitions. He also studied with the late jazz artist Tony King and with the late piano great Will Green. He graduated from University School of Milwaukee and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette University.
 

Ethan Bender - Combo/Bass

Milwaukee born bassist Ethan Bender has been on the professional music scene since he was in his teens. During this time, he has performed with Clark Terry, Red Skelton and Ed Shaughnessy. As a member of various bands, Ethan has shared the stage with such artists as Al Jarreau, Tower of Power, Richard Marx and Jeff Healey. His musical influences run the gamut from Parliament/Funkadelic to Miles Davis and are reflected in his funky, groove-laden style.

Mr. Bender performs in some of the most high profile bands in the Milwaukee area. Locally, his career has consisted of stints with Streetlife, Christopher's Project, and Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans, just to name a few.
 

Chris Mell - Combo/Drums

Chris Mell has been playing drums for 23 years. While attending UW-Whitewater pursuing a music degree, he studied and toured with John Becker, Steve Wiest, Ed Shaughnessy, Brad Leahi, Dave Pietro, Mike Spiro and the Maynard Ferguson Big Band. Chris also toured Europe two summers playing the North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival and several club dates in Germany, London and Paris. As a percussion instructor, Chris has taught students ranging in age from 5 to 50 in a large variety of percussion styles. Chris most recently worked with Cudahy Marching band and Franklin High School Marching band. Chris lives in Milwaukee and currently plays with North Cost Orchestra, Eric Jacobson Group, Avengers Assemble and Spanglish.

 

Jason Goldsmith - Combo/Sax

Jason Goldsmith is a fourth generation musician who started playing piano at age three. By age eight, he could play guitar, banjo, and mandolin. In fourth grade, Jason wanted to play trumpet in the school band, but his braces cut his lips when he played, so he switched to saxophone as a compromise. He didn't take the instrument very seriously until, at the age of 15, he encountered a Charlie Parker recording. That record lit a spark and inspired him to practice with renewed interest. Since that time, he has pursued the art of improvisation.

Jason attended UW-Whitewater, where he received his bachelor's degree in saxophone performance under the tutelage of Maynard Ferguson alum Steve Wiest, who is currently professor of jazz at North Texas University. He played in the UWW Jazz Symposium, which provided opportunities to play in European jazz festivals, as well as alongside some of our country's finest jazz musicians, including Ernie Watts, Ed Shaughnessy, Vinnie Calioutta, Bob Mintzer, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Brad Lehli, Dave Pietro, Tim Reis, and Rick Margitza. He also served as a jazz clinician at UWW's jazz camp for five years.

Jason moved to Milwaukee in 2003 and has performed with local bands including The Booze Brothers, Cold Sweat, Paradise String Band, The Paul Silbergleit Quintet, The Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra, Rockin' Robins, The Pipe Circus, and The Acid Sextet. He's also performed with The Temptations and The Dorsey Brothers Band.

Currently, Jason can be heard playing his sax locally with The North Coast Orchestra, with polka icon Steve Meisner, and of course, with the All-Star SUPERband. Watch for Jason's new jazz quintet to make a splash on the local scene in the near future.
 

Matt Antoniewicz - Combo/Trumpet

Trumpeter, Matt Antoniewicz, has been performing for over 15 years. Originally from and currently living in Milwaukee, he studied trumpet performance with an emphasis on jazz studies at UWSP. He has performed with such national acts as Kenny Rogers, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Frank Sinatra Jr., Aretha Franklin, Johnny Mathis, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, Frankie Valli, Natalie Cole, Doc Severinsen, Dennis DeYoung, Mannheim Steamroller, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Caldwell, Diane Schuur, Kurt Elling, Don Rickles, Monica Mancini, Frank Stallone, Bob Newhart, Lena Prima, Slide Hampton, Bob Mintzer, James Moody, Melissa Manchester, Peter Cetera and several others. He also performs with local and regional groups, such as, The North Coast Orchestra, The North Coast Brass Quintet, Velocity, George Busateri, Madisalsa, La Chazz, The East Town Jazz Orchestra, and many more.

He has performed in the orchestra for the touring Broadway productions of Little Shop Of Horrors, The Color Purple, A Chorus Line, My Fair Lady, Peter Pan, All Shook Up, Legally Blonde, and Dreamgirls.

As an educator, he has been a guest clinician for Pius XI High School of Milwaukee, Iola High School, Burlington High School, Verona High School, Brookfield Schools, Wausau West High School, and De Pere High School. He has been a faculty member of UW-Whitewater Jazz Camp and Birch Creek Jazz Camp. He has been a traveling music teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools since 1998 and has been teaching private lessons since 1992.

Jeno Somlai - Latin Ensemble/Piano/Drums

Jeno Somlai is a jazz and Latin jazz musician. Since first playing out professionally at the age of 13, Jeno has worked with a variety of musicians and now spearheads his own projects. His latest project is the Jeno Somlai Sextet, a Latin jazz group heavily influenced by a variety of styles in the Afro-Cuban/Latin genres. The group's first CD, Let It Go, was released in the Fall of 2004.

Doug Syme - Combo/Guitar

Doug Syme has been the director of the award winning Milwaukee High School of the Arts jazz program since August 2001. Before accepting the position at MHSA Mr. Syme had been the band director / department chair at Vincent high school, and had taught in the jazz studies and classical guitar department at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Mr. Syme began teaching for the MYSO jazz studies program in the fall of 2004. He has also maintained an active private guitar studio since 1980. Doug holds a BM from Northern Illinois University, an MME from UW Stevens Point, completed his teacher licensure at Alverno College and is currently studying to receive his D.M.A. from Boston University. Since arriving at MHSA Mr. Syme''s groups have earned numerous awards at both the regional and national level and continue to be recognized as some of the top HS jazz groups in the country. In addition to numerous state festivals their travels have included performances at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., the JVC jazz festival in New York, The Berklee College of Music HS jazz festival in Boston Mass., The University of North Texas Jazz Festival in Addison Texas and the IAJE annual conference in New York City.

Neil Davis - Combo/Guitar

Neil Davis is an emerging talent. He started playing jazz in Milwaukee in 2002. Also in that same year Neil began teaching private lessons to aspiring guitarists at all levels. As time went on he reached a peak of 72 students per week. The grueling schedule led him to yearn for an environment where he could focus his methods on students who were interested in jazz. Davis is honored and excited to be a part of the Jazz Studies Program at MYSO. Neil is sought after as a sideman and also leads his own quartet. He is also half of the Davis\Peplin Duo. As well as playing jazz Neil uses his talent in the world of Modern Dance. He is has been an accompanist for the UWM dance dept. since 2005.