SKIP GREEN - PIANO / KEYBOARD

JULIE PONCE - VOCALIST / BASSIST
Julie Poncé is on bass and vocals. Her CD has gotten rave reviews internationally and is now being produced in the States. After traveling the world performing her music, Julie Poncé now makes her home in the Chicago land area. Julie Poncé has worked and headlined with Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Joe Farrell, Ira Sullivan, Bobby Enriquez, Richie Cole, Eddie Palmieri, Chuchito Valdes Jr., B.B. King, Lou Rawls, Al Green, Jackie Wilson, Wil Crosby, Pete Fountain, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, The Warren Covington Tommy Dorsey Band and many more.
Julie Poncé has been a featured performer and side man at some of the top Jazz, Blues and World Music Festivals internationally in Austria, Belgium, Canada, throughout the Caribbean, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latin & Central America, Mexico, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Singapore, The Former Soviet Union, Thailand, Trinidad, and throughout The United States.

ROLFE HOKANSON - BASS
Rolfe has been playing electric and acoustic bass for over 30 years in the Chicagoland area covering just about every style of music. From big bands to small combo's, he has worked with singers such as Christy Ogilvie, Robin Watson, Heather Moran, Tony Spavone and Jimmy Damon and pianists Skip Green, Kevin Cline, Dave Gessner and Bruce Oscar. His versatility to assimilate and play many musical styles from jazz, funk, R&B to folk and country has provided Rolfe with a rich musical resume. Rolfe studied with Scott Mason, now on the faculty at Roosevelt University School of Music and jazz theory/composition with saxophonist Bunky Green. He continues to study acoustic bass with bassist Nick Schnieder. In addition to working with the big band and small combos, he can be heard on original compositions by pianist/composer Joe Hasiewicz @ joehasiewicz.com.

ROD JACOBS - DRUMS
Rod is a veteran of many 'dues paying' years on the road (and the high seas) with a variety of bands and orchestras. From an exciting around the world cruise with the Guy Lombardo Orchestra to the slow pace of the Mississippi River steamboatin' with Sammy Kaye, Rod has enjoyed his time afloat. On land he has seen most of the country with the Russ Morgan Orchestra, performing music 'in the Morgan manner'. In the Chicago area he's been the drummer with a number of big bands and currently enjoys the camaraderie and challenge of kickin' it with the Jim Guter Big Band.

GREG SHILAKIS - GUITAR
Greg Shilakis, a/k/a Gregg George, started his professional musical career in the early 1960's, playing "sock hops" with the WLS disc jockeys of Chicago's most popular radio station, and working on contemporary liturgical music & services for the Archdiocese of Chicago.The 1970's were a busy decade: working shows at the Empire Room, Golf Mill Theatre, McCormick Place, and the Blue Max Nightclub,accompanying Lainie Kazan, Barbara Eden, Gabe (Welcome Back Kotter) Kaplan, Manhattan Transfer, and Doc Severinson's Band. At the same time, Greg was doing contemporary worship music for the Diocese of Joliet, fronting a popular jazz/show group, supplying instruments and accessories to the Tonight Show Orchestra, teaching music, and running Gregg George's Musicenter in Elmhurst, Illinois. Greg retired from the professional music scene in the early 1980's, returning to contemporary liturgical music in 1999, working six years with the NeuMann Band of St. John Neumann Parish in St. Charles, Illinois. Now, disguised as a mild mannered insurance agent for a large suburban insurance agency, Greg enjoys working with Jim Guter's Big Band, because.... it's all about the tunes, man! Greg has been an endorsing artist for Heritage Guitars of Kalamazoo, Michigan, for many years.

LUCY MIHALIK - VOCALS
Without any formal vocal training whatsoever, you will hear that Lucy was born to sing. She has been singing professionally in various bands in the Chicago area for more than 25 years. Some of her recent experiences include lead singer of Chicago's south side blues band, "Riff, Raff 'N Blue", and lead singer of the Heart Tribute band, "Allies." Much of her experience comes from singing in rock and blues bands, but, her influences vary from soulful singers such as Etta James and Aretha Franklin, jazz diva Ella Fitzgerald, and rock vocalist, Ann Wilson. Whether she is belting out the blues, or jazzing it up, her heart and soul are in every performance. Lucy also plays guitar and piano, writes her own songs and jingles, and has made several recordings of original and cover tunes.