Meet the Woolies
Mel
Mel Kubik, the vocalist, began singing during her college years as she played her saxophones and piano all over North America with the award-winning traditional jazz band Timbuktu Plus Five. After moving to Portland, Oregon, she played keyboards, saxophone and sang for world beat band Dub Squad and pop rock sensation Quarterflash.
Gavin
Gavin Bondy (trumpet, cornet, founder, arranger, artistic director) currently performs also with internationally renowned Pink Martini. He loves many styles of music, some of his favorites being renaissance, Armenian folk music, early jazz, and heavy metal. He formerly played with La Mayor Salsa Orchestra and the neo-funk/groove band Rubberneck.
Dan
Dan Stueber (drums and percussion) attended Boston's Berklee College of Music, where he specialized in jazz and classical percussion. Dan performed extensively with The Flying Karamazov Brothers on Broadway in New York City. He currently plays early American folk music with The Trail Band and country & western with Nashville artist Tim Schneider.
Clark
Clark
Bondy (saxophones, clarinet, and flute) is featured on countless recordings
(including the famous Wee Sing children's series.)
He also plays with electric guitarist Jaybird Koder,
R&B man DK Stewart, and the cover band Hit
Machine.
Tom
Tom Hill, trombone, formerly performed with John Stowell, Ghanaian master-drummer Obo Addy, and The Mazeltov Orchestra. He has also been on call for rhythm & blues acts The Four Tops and The Temptations when they come through the area.
Tom
Tom Sandahl, guitar and banjo, has studied music extensively since the age of 6. He earned a degree in classical guitar performance from the University of Wyoming, and his Masters of Jazz Studies from the University of New Orleans. He has performed in every imaginable type of venue, in widely contrasting musical styles. He led the Tom Sandahl Quartet every monday night at The Funky Butt in New Orleans for about 2 years and lately, performs his original music in Red Shift.
Tyson
Tyson Schmidling, lead guitar, studied jazz throughout middle and high school. He then studied classical guitar and had master classes with Carlos Barbosa Lima and David Russell. He has since performed with the Vancouver Symphony, Billy Gilman, and musical theater orchestras throughout the Portland area. As musical influences, he sites Van Halen, Steve Vai, Allen Holdsworth, John McLoughlin, Paco De Lucia, and Astor Piazzolla.
Bernardo
As a child, Bernardo Gomez played bass with the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, where he became section leader. He studied with Frank Diliberto, principle bassist with the Oregon Symphony, and continued studies at Mt. Hood Community College. He then won a scholarship to the University of Arizona, where he studied with Patrick Neher. After college, Bernardo explored jazz and has more recently returned to his Latin roots.