JAVATOWN SWING ORCHESTRA
Band Bios

Jake Bergevin – vocals/trumpet
Jake Bergevin has been an active player in the vibrant Seattle Jazz Scene since he was in high school. Accomplishments include a Downbeat award for vocal jazz quartet at age 17, numerous recordings and live performances around the Northwest for the past 20 years as both a leader and sideman. Jake holds a Masters degree in trumpet performance from Central Washington University (Cum Laude) where he was a Theodore Presser Scholarship Recipient as well as Graduate Assistant.

As an educator, Jake has led the Edmonds-Woodway High School Jazz Ensemble to participate in Essentially Ellington Contest in New York twice as well as winning several categories at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow Idaho. Edmonds-Woodway has been recognized as a Signature School by the Grammy Foundation, and several students participate in their prestigious Honor Jazz Bands and Choirs. Jake is also serving his sixth year as Vice President of the Washington Chapter of International Association for Jazz Eduacation.

A partial list of credits include working with Ernestine Anderson, Phil Woods, Bill Watrous, Jeff Hamilton, Eric Alexander, Manhattan Transfer, Bobby McFerrin, Pete Christleib, Marcus Printup, Cuong Vu, Allen Vizzutti, Chris Speed, Annette Funicello, Bob Newhart, Mark Murphy, Colin Raye, the Kingsmen. Jay Thomas and many, many more.

RJ Whitlow – bass
R.J. Whitlow is a graduate of Central Washington University. He began his musical training at Mount Hood Community College where he performed with the award winning groups Genesis and Jazz Ensemble 1. R.J. has toured extensively throughout the world as a professional bassist and is currently living in the Seattle area.

Greg Fulton – guitar
Greg has been a member of numerous ensembles including the 1998 Port Townsend All-Star Jazz Orchestra with Maria Schneider, the Jazz Police, Red Fish Blue Fish, and his own trio, Nudge-Nudge. At home in several styles he has also recorded with a myriad of non-jazz genres including guest spots with Jill Cohen, Northwest Girls Choir, Chris Gross Ensemble and Cowboy-Up. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, he currently teaches privately in Seattle.

Jim Sisko – trumpet
After spending a number of years away from the Seattle jazz scene, trumpeter and band leader Jim Sisko has returned to make it his home. While away, Jim spent fourteen months touring Japan, Europe, Central America, and the US as a featured soloist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Jim holds a Masters in Trumpet Performance from Central Washington University. He can be heard in Seattle groups such as Roadside Attraction Big Band, the Edmonia Jarrett Quintet and his own group, the Downtown Sound.

Travis Ranney – tenor saxophone
Travis is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Music. He has performed at the Port Townsend Centrum Jazz Festival for the last two years with such artists as Pete Christieb, Gary Smulyan, Bob Florence and Kim Richmond. He recently worked with the Seattle Symphony backing up Tommy Tune, and other gigs have included many years in the Fabulous Roadstars Dixieland Band and five years on the Queen of the West Sternwheeler.

Saul Cline – tenor saxophone
Saul Cline comes to the Puget Sound area by way of Boston, Massachusetts, where he spent four years at the Berklee College of Music.  After two years of touring the US and Canada with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, Saul returned to Washington to pursue a Masters Degree in classical saxophone.  After receiving his degree in 1998, Saul spent three years on the faculty of Pacific Lutheran University where he taught applied saxophone and jazz studies.  He has appeared with many nationally-known artists such as the Ink Spots, Mills Brothers, Drifters, Jennifer Holliday, Maureen McGovern, and Ray Charles. Saul performs locally with Lower Monumental and most importantly, Jake Bergevin and the Javatown Swing Orchestra.

Dan Haeck – trombone
A partial list of performance credits include playing with Wayne Newton, Engelbert Humperdink, Tammy Wynette, Joe Williams, Harry Connick, Jr., and the Harry James Orchestra. Mr. Haeck is a member of the Jazz Police and No Bones About It trombone quartet.

Mark Yeend – drums
Mark studied music at Central Washington University and ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. He has kept a busy calendar playing and producing on many recording projects. In addition to playing drums, Mark is an accomplished song writer. He has been a staff engineer at Triad studios and now composes music and does sound design for Amaze Entertainment.

Brad Boal – drums
Brad picked up his first pair of sticks at age ten and hasn't stopped since! After much dedicated study of snare drum and drumset throughout middle school and high school, he received a Jazz Studies Drumset Scholarship to The University of North Texas. While attending North Texas, Brad worked his was through the ranks playing for ensembles such as: The 2 O'clock Lab Band, The UNT Jazz Singers, The Jazz Repertory Ensemble, Zebras and other individualized faculty led small groups.

While at UNT and throughout his years of playing, Brad has received invaluable private drumset instruction from: Jeff Hamilton, Ed Soph, Clyde Stubblefield, Ignacio Berroa, Steve Davis, Gary Chaffee, Steve Houghton, Mark Ivester, Chris Monroe and Doug Spencer. In addition to his drumset instruction, he has studied both in ensembles and privately with: Gideon Alorwoyie (West African perc.), Poorvalur Srinivasan (South Indian perc.), Jose' Aponte (Latin hand perc.) and Paul Rennick (Orchestral Snare).

Brad has performed, recorded or toured with: The Count Basie Big Band, Benny Green, Bob Brookmeyer, Sam Rivers, Anne Hampton Callaway, Nancy King, Vincent Herring, Lynn Seaton, Stephan Karllsson, Bobby Shew, Jamey Aebersold, Dan Haerle, Anthony Cole, Steve Gilmore, Tommy Walker, Othello & The Hipknotics, Tim Noah and Paris Rutherford.

Brad has been teaching private lessons since 1995 to students ranging from ages 8 to 55. He has also worked on staff or as a clinician at several music workshops and colleges throughout the country. They include: Jamey Aebersold's Summer Jazz Workshops, Day Jams Rock Music Camps and Cornish College Of The Arts.

Brad also keeps a busy schedule as a versatile freelance drummer based out of the greater Seattle area. His superb musicianship and steadfast professionalism have made him one of the Northwest's most in demand musicians. Stay tuned for more from Brad Boal!