Band Member Bios
Peter Dunphy - Tenor Banjo, Tenor Guitar & Vocals
Peter has played banjo and guitar since the age of fourteen. He studied classical guitar at the University of Southern Maine. A natural entertainer, vocalist and banjo virtuoso, Peter was impressed at a young age by the music of Louis Armstrong in his Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. He also has a special love of the music of Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and Duke Ellington and enjoys finding and performing rare and sometimes humorous tunes by these and other artists. He is also a highly skilled finish carpenter and furniture maker.
Peter has played banjo and guitar since the age of fourteen. He studied classical guitar at the University of Southern Maine. A natural entertainer, vocalist and banjo virtuoso, Peter was impressed at a young age by the music of Louis Armstrong in his Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. He also has a special love of the music of Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and Duke Ellington and enjoys finding and performing rare and sometimes humorous tunes by these and other artists. He is also a highly skilled finish carpenter and furniture maker.
Barry Daniels - Clarinet
Barry took his first clarinet lesson at age 8. Through elementary and high school, he studied under Maurice Lane, first clarinetist in the Portland Symphony Orchestra.
In the late 1960’s, Blackbird Theater, an offshoot of Peter Schumann’s Bread and Puppet Theater, set up shop in Portland. Barry joined Blackbird’s three-piece orchestra for its first performance. From that moment onward, he was hooked by the music of protest – unwashed, ragged and irreverent.
In his heart of hearts, he remains a street musician. He has performed with several jazz bands over the years, including Bellamy Jazz and the National Sidewalk Over Easy Brass Band with Strings. He is a founding member of State Street Traditional Jazz Band.
Barry received an M.Ed. from the University of Southern Maine. He lives in Biddeford.
Barry took his first clarinet lesson at age 8. Through elementary and high school, he studied under Maurice Lane, first clarinetist in the Portland Symphony Orchestra.
In the late 1960’s, Blackbird Theater, an offshoot of Peter Schumann’s Bread and Puppet Theater, set up shop in Portland. Barry joined Blackbird’s three-piece orchestra for its first performance. From that moment onward, he was hooked by the music of protest – unwashed, ragged and irreverent.
In his heart of hearts, he remains a street musician. He has performed with several jazz bands over the years, including Bellamy Jazz and the National Sidewalk Over Easy Brass Band with Strings. He is a founding member of State Street Traditional Jazz Band.
Barry received an M.Ed. from the University of Southern Maine. He lives in Biddeford.
David Ellis - Drums
David is a 35 year veteran of the Southern Maine musical scene. A master of many styles, he has been a first call drummer for numerous local bands. He spent 15 years at the Mount Washington Hotel with the Bob Carabia Orchestra and toured with circus bands, swing bands and has shared the stage with renowned jazz greats.
David is a 35 year veteran of the Southern Maine musical scene. A master of many styles, he has been a first call drummer for numerous local bands. He spent 15 years at the Mount Washington Hotel with the Bob Carabia Orchestra and toured with circus bands, swing bands and has shared the stage with renowned jazz greats.
Tom Wilbur - Tuba
Tom Wilbur has been playing the tuba for many years with a variety of groups around Maine. He began playing the sousaphone when he was nine years old. "I was going to play the flute", Tom recalls, but Robert Lucia, his first band director, had another idea. A product of New York State's public music education system and the youngest of three musical brothers with classically-trained parents, Tom has played ensemble-style bass lines for half a century. The rich diversity of styles, the very talented musicians he has performed with, and the unique opportunities to make music have shaped Tom's ensemble sense for what the bass line can be in a variety of performance settings. Tom was a founding member of Fanfare Jazz Band with Joe Mageau on trumpet, The State Street Traditional Jazz Band with John Page, and Maine Street Paraders with Craig Johnson. He also plays seasonally in Tuba Christmas, Chandler's Military Band, The Oktoberfest German Band, and Olde Thyme Jazz. He is also a retired high school science teacher, a carpenter and sailor.
Tom Wilbur has been playing the tuba for many years with a variety of groups around Maine. He began playing the sousaphone when he was nine years old. "I was going to play the flute", Tom recalls, but Robert Lucia, his first band director, had another idea. A product of New York State's public music education system and the youngest of three musical brothers with classically-trained parents, Tom has played ensemble-style bass lines for half a century. The rich diversity of styles, the very talented musicians he has performed with, and the unique opportunities to make music have shaped Tom's ensemble sense for what the bass line can be in a variety of performance settings. Tom was a founding member of Fanfare Jazz Band with Joe Mageau on trumpet, The State Street Traditional Jazz Band with John Page, and Maine Street Paraders with Craig Johnson. He also plays seasonally in Tuba Christmas, Chandler's Military Band, The Oktoberfest German Band, and Olde Thyme Jazz. He is also a retired high school science teacher, a carpenter and sailor.
Mike Berkowitz – Bass
Mike started his musical journey at a young age, taking piano lessons in kindergarten before moving on to trumpet in elementary school. He soon was in the high school marching band and added guitar and bass to his repertoire around the same time. After playing in a wide variety of bands for many years - rock, folk, funk and more - Mike discovered the double (upright) bass and immediately found his musical “home.” In addition to playing with Hadacol Bouncers he can often be found busking in Portland on his tuba and sousapone.
Mike started his musical journey at a young age, taking piano lessons in kindergarten before moving on to trumpet in elementary school. He soon was in the high school marching band and added guitar and bass to his repertoire around the same time. After playing in a wide variety of bands for many years - rock, folk, funk and more - Mike discovered the double (upright) bass and immediately found his musical “home.” In addition to playing with Hadacol Bouncers he can often be found busking in Portland on his tuba and sousapone.
Graham Ganter – Fiddle
Graham is a student at the University of Southern Maine who began playing the violin in the Portland Public Schools orchestra program. He studied jazz violin under Scott Tixier at the University of North Texas, and has performed extensively across Maine and Texas. When he’s not playing fiddle, you can often find him on the water somewhere in Casco Bay.
Graham is a student at the University of Southern Maine who began playing the violin in the Portland Public Schools orchestra program. He studied jazz violin under Scott Tixier at the University of North Texas, and has performed extensively across Maine and Texas. When he’s not playing fiddle, you can often find him on the water somewhere in Casco Bay.
Michael Sabine – Trombone
Michael Sabin writes songs and lives in Portland, Maine, two things he likes very much about his life. He’s a performer, a teacher, and a freelance musician who plays all over New England. Over the last few years, Michael has become intertwined in the extensive Portland music scene through a multitude of people and projects. He writes music and plays trombone and trumpet for Future Mailmen, a unique instrumental group that has been described both as “coming of age alien jazz” and “goblin indie rock.” You can catch him playing bass for Emily Irving, backing up the incredible Heather Lynn, hosting jazz sessions at BPM or singing his own songs. Michael has built a home he loves in Portland ME, but he’s a freelance musician that plays all over New England. You may have seen him play with the Diaspora radio series in Portsmouth, touring with Cowboy Bebop LIVE, playing New Orleans jazz with the Hadacol Bouncers, or in the band at your friend’s wedding. If he’s not at a show, he’s in the mountains, or playing basketball at the park.
Michael Sabin writes songs and lives in Portland, Maine, two things he likes very much about his life. He’s a performer, a teacher, and a freelance musician who plays all over New England. Over the last few years, Michael has become intertwined in the extensive Portland music scene through a multitude of people and projects. He writes music and plays trombone and trumpet for Future Mailmen, a unique instrumental group that has been described both as “coming of age alien jazz” and “goblin indie rock.” You can catch him playing bass for Emily Irving, backing up the incredible Heather Lynn, hosting jazz sessions at BPM or singing his own songs. Michael has built a home he loves in Portland ME, but he’s a freelance musician that plays all over New England. You may have seen him play with the Diaspora radio series in Portsmouth, touring with Cowboy Bebop LIVE, playing New Orleans jazz with the Hadacol Bouncers, or in the band at your friend’s wedding. If he’s not at a show, he’s in the mountains, or playing basketball at the park.
Nat Balch - Clarinet
Nat hails from Durham, NH. He works as a mechanical design engineer in Portsmouth. Nat started playing improvisational jazz as a teenager in his hometown of Rockport, Massachusetts, and later played regularly with the Memorial Bridge All-Stars while a student at UNH. He has studied the styles of numerous jazz performers, including Sidney Bechet, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Desmond and Clark Terry. For Nat, playing jazz is as exciting as downhill skiing, is as meditative as yoga and is an amazing adventure into imaginative play and storytelling. Nat is also a folk musician (5-string banjo), and a classical musician. When he’s not playing music, Nat enjoys designing and building fine furniture, and sailing with friends on his 23-foot sloop.
Nat hails from Durham, NH. He works as a mechanical design engineer in Portsmouth. Nat started playing improvisational jazz as a teenager in his hometown of Rockport, Massachusetts, and later played regularly with the Memorial Bridge All-Stars while a student at UNH. He has studied the styles of numerous jazz performers, including Sidney Bechet, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Desmond and Clark Terry. For Nat, playing jazz is as exciting as downhill skiing, is as meditative as yoga and is an amazing adventure into imaginative play and storytelling. Nat is also a folk musician (5-string banjo), and a classical musician. When he’s not playing music, Nat enjoys designing and building fine furniture, and sailing with friends on his 23-foot sloop.
Kris Day - Bass
Kris has been a staple in the Portland, ME music scene for over 20 years playing bluegrass, jazz, rockabilly and everything in between. Kris has done a considerable amount of touring over the years including performances with rock and roll legends Link Wray, Dale Hawkins, Ronnie Dawson and Joe Clay.You can catch him fronting his own band, King Day and his New Imperials.
Kris has been a staple in the Portland, ME music scene for over 20 years playing bluegrass, jazz, rockabilly and everything in between. Kris has done a considerable amount of touring over the years including performances with rock and roll legends Link Wray, Dale Hawkins, Ronnie Dawson and Joe Clay.You can catch him fronting his own band, King Day and his New Imperials.
Tom Whitehead – Piano, Vocals & Guitar
A multi-faceted musician, Tom has been playing jazz and blues piano and guitar since the mid 80’s. Tom is also an active music educator and historian, and has a Masters in music education, with an emphasis in Jazz education. A lover of the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Tom was co-founder of the Fogcutters Big Band of Portland. Tom is also a huge fan and practitioner of the style of New Orleans piano put forth by players such as Professor Longhair, Dr. John, James Booker and Henry Butler, and he loves to merge this style with that of the earlier stride and music of the 1920’s.
A multi-faceted musician, Tom has been playing jazz and blues piano and guitar since the mid 80’s. Tom is also an active music educator and historian, and has a Masters in music education, with an emphasis in Jazz education. A lover of the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Tom was co-founder of the Fogcutters Big Band of Portland. Tom is also a huge fan and practitioner of the style of New Orleans piano put forth by players such as Professor Longhair, Dr. John, James Booker and Henry Butler, and he loves to merge this style with that of the earlier stride and music of the 1920’s.