Steve Matthes

Woodwinds Instructor

Steve Matthes, clarinetist with the Black Swan Classic Jazz Band since 1992, is a busy and versatile musician in the Corvallis area. Besides playing with Black Swan, he plays with Gratitude Jazz Band in Corvallis and Track Town Swing in Eugene. Steve is the recently retired (40 years!) Director of the Corvallis Community Band.

Some career highlights include stints with Uptown Lowdown, Stumptown Jazz, Hume Street, Dr. Jon’s, OSU alumni jazz bands (including Homer Welch and George Bruns) and several other bands. He is a past director of the Oregon State University jazz band and pep band, and an assistant director of the OSU Marching and Symphonic bands. He has performed with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra.

Rick Holzgrafe

Cornet/Trumpet Instructor

Rick has been a traditional jazz performer and aficionado for over 50 years on both cornet and trombone. A former member of the Fink St. Five, the Apex Jazz Band, and the Mission Gold Jazz Band, he currently plays with the Black Swan Classic Jazz Band. From time to time he has also performed with Ted Shafer’s Jelly Roll Jazz Band, Professor Plum’s Jazz, the South Frisco Jazz Band, the Cherry Blossom Jazz Orchestra, the Evergreen Classic Jazz Band, the Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band, and others.

A lifelong resident of California and now Oregon, he has performed at festivals throughout the American West including San Diego, Pismo Beach, Napa Valley, Sacramento, Seaside, Olympia, Kalispell, and Sun Valley. He is pleased to have been able to perform alongside some of his lifelong jazz heroes from bands such as Turk Murphy, the Bay City Jazz Band, and the Firehouse Five Plus Two.

And if that’s not enough, he can also juggle. A little. Badly.

David Weatherby

Trombon Instructor

David Weatherby began his musical journey in sixth grade after earning a perfect score on a district-wide music aptitude test—an early indicator that music would play a lasting role in his life. Guided by a perceptive band director, he was steered toward the trombone, an instrument that rewards a strong ear, precise intonation, and musical imagination. Those early years were marked by rapid progress and private study with respected educators in Oregon.

Although David ultimately pursued a career as a consulting geologist, music has remained a constant. Over the years, he became an accomplished guitarist, bassist, and arranger, leading and performing in numerous bands around the Portland area across styles including blues, rock, bluegrass, swing, and jazz. Improvisation has always been central to his musical identity, regardless of instrument or genre.

In recent years, David returned to his first instrument, the trombone, reigniting a deep connection to low brass through renewed practice and study. In 2022, he began immersing himself in traditional jazz, quickly becoming a regular presence at Portland-area jazz jams. Today, he performs with multiple traditional jazz, swing, and brass bands, playing trombone, bass trombone, and sousaphone as needed.

As an instructor, David brings a unique perspective shaped by a lifetime of listening, improvising, and learning across instruments and styles. He is passionate about helping students develop their ears, understand harmony intuitively, and translate musical ideas into confident, expressive playing on the trombone.

Tami Trowbridge

Piano Instructor

Lance MacLean

Banjo/Guitar and Bass Instructor

Lance has played at least some kind of music most of his life. As early as age eight he started with Ukulele, then later took up the banjo. As a teenager, he played with Banjo Bands and small groups in Southern California; later at ‘Shakey’s” Pizza Parlors. In 1985 Lance joined the famous “Hot Frogs Jumping Jazzband”. He was with them for ten years and then joined the “Night Blooming Jazzmen”. It was during his 25 years with them that Lance performed at many Dixieland Jazz Festivals across the country each year. These festivals included the Sacramento Jubilee, the Seaside Dixieland Jazz Festival, the Monterey Dixieland Jazz Festival and the Sun Valley Jazz Festival -- just to name a few. Lance can be heard on many recordings with these groups, as well as with other artists.

Lance plays several instruments professionally, including Banjo, Piano, Bass, Tuba, Mandolin and Guitar. He also plays each of the various tunings on Banjo: These include Guitar, Tenor, Plectrum, and Five-string.

Sandy Schaefer

Drum Instructor

Dr. G. W. Sandy Schaefer is professor emeritus from Chadron State College and formerly a member of the faculties of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and California State University Additionally, he participated in 300 concerts a year with the NORAD Band USAF.

Sandy has performed as a classical percussionist and a jazz musician on both drum set and vibes. As a jazz musician he has performed in all styles, Traditional Jazz, swing, bop, cool, and hard bop. As a show percussionist/drummer Dr. Schaefer has performed with Henry Mancini, Milton Berle, the Temptations, Suzanne Somers, Ben Vereen, the Drifters, the Coasters, the Diamonds, Cleo Laine, the Lennon Sisters, Melissa Manchester, Roger Williams, Charro, and Bobby Vinton.

At Fresno State, Sandy started a Dixieland Band that performed at events of the Central California Traditional Jazz Society and placed as Runner-Up and Honorable Mention in the Southern Comfort Traditional Jazz Contests. In Oshkosh, he was co-leader of the Professors of Dixie, a band that entertained on the Valley Queen Riverboat and Sunset Concert Cruises.

We're very sorry to report that Rose Marie Barr will be unable to attend the jazz camp due to health concerns. She is very happy that Bert Barr, her late husband, will be honored by our event.

Tami Trowbridge has graciously agreed to "step up" to the piano bench in Rose's place.

Rose Marie Barr

Tami was raised in a family that was heavily invested in music of all types. She started taking piano lessions from her mom at an early age and grew into playing for the jazz choir in high school under the direction of a fierce instructor who would not let her just use the music.

Her family also spent several years cheering her brother on in The Jazz Minors, which made a deep impression on her. You might remember that the Jazz Minors were a group of youngsters who made their mark in traditional jazz by being awarded a contract to play at Disneyland. These influences sparked a love for improvising in Tami that she continues to stretch and enjoy.

She has played in many different venues with different groups as well as branching out into other genres of music including trad jazz, 40’s swing and country. From comping at the Florence Trailer Trash Bash, to playing with Bill Allred at the LaPine Jazz Festival, to jamming with Calamity Jazz many times, to playing with her son’s country band, to inheriting the piano position with the Storyville Jazz Band (Roseburg) from her mom, her passion is to help build the back line into a solid, cohesive unit that swings…every time!

Contact

Questions? Reach out anytime, we're here.

Email

Phone

info@bertbarrjazzcamp.com

541-232-3653

541-206-2129

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