Bones Southwest Group Photo
Spring 2007 Rehearsal

From left to right: Tom Leander, Earl Cosbey, Joe Savard, Dick Johnson, Michael Eastin, Kevin Bembry, Bob Cochran, Bob Weller, Yolanda Johnson,
Michael Walker, James Arthur
Bones
Southwest Active Players
This section
includes players who have performed at the last few Bones Southwest concerts.
James Arthur

James Arthur was born in Portsmouth, Ohio but
grew up and went to school in Minford, Ohio. He went to The Ohio State
University under Joseph Duchi (bass trombonist in the Columbus Symphony
Orchestra) where he preformed with the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band,
Symphony Orchestra, Men's Glee Club, Marching Band, and other groups.
He was also a substitute trombonist with the Central Ohio Symphony
Orchestra. James moved to Phoenix in 2005 and plays with the Arizona Winds
Premier Concert Band, Bones Southwest, the Scottsdale Symphony Orchestra,
and euphonium in the Glendale Summer Band. He also plays the piano. He
worked for the Washington Elementary School District for three years and is
now the band director at Madison Park Middle School in the Madison
Elementary School District.
Kevin Bembry

Kevin
Bembry was born in Atlanta, Georgia and stayed there until the eighth
grade. He attended high school and college in Iowa.
In
Decemeber of 1988,
Kevin
graduated with a degree in Music Education and minor in Spanish. He
then moved to Arizona and worked at fast food restaurant for almost a
year.
In the
fall of 1989,
he began
a teaching position in Yuma and stayed there for 12 years. He returned
to Phoenix in 2001 and taught 3 years in the Alhambra district, and for
the last 3 years has been teaching in the Littleton School District.
Kevin is both a strong lead/solo player and improvisationalist.
Dale
Bergersen

Dale Bergersen is a
Phoenix native who started playing trombone at the age of 8. Attending
high school at Moon Valley, Dale was selected for the all-region band
during his freshman year -- prior to starting private lessons. After
studying privately under Bob McAllister, Dale made the all-state band
for the next three years. During high school Dale had the honor of
playing with: the Phoenix Symphony's Youth Orchestra (2 years), Arizona
Young Sounds Jazz Ensemble, and Sunday Services in the orchestra at the
Valley Cathedral. Dale also participated in the valley-wide marching
band for the short-lived USFL's Arizona Wranglers--and in his spare
time, Dale played for hire doing musicals, community theater, and
various "church gigs."
Dale attended the
University of Arizona on a music scholorship, studying under tombone
professor Tom Ervin. While there, he performed in the Wildcat marching
band, pep band, Concert band, and Jazz ensemble.
Dale is a returning
player whose horn went silent for (*too many years to admit to*) and is
in the process of getting his old chops back. He has always wanted to
play in a trombone choir and enjoys the time spent with Bones Southwest.
Bob Cochran

Bob Cochran started
playing the trombone at age 12. His trombone teachers include Jack
Harris, Lauren Buslee, Robert Bailey, Edward Huttlin and Tom Ervin.
Bob has attended clinics given by Urbie Green, Ralph Sauer and Bob McChesney.
Bob competed as a trombone
soloist in music contests through junior high and high school. He was
selected as first chair in the Minnesota All State High School Honors Band
in the summer of 1975. The following summer, he was named principal
trombonist with the Minnesota All State High School Honors Orchestra. He
was lucky enough to play alongside Bruce Eidem (now a top New York
professional trombonist) in the Fargo-Moorhead Youth Symphony, and assumed
the principal chair duties when Bruce graduated from high school.
As a trombone performance
major at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, Bob was a featured
soloist with the Concordia concert band, jazz ensemble, orchestra
and brass ensembles. He played lead trombone in a "Twenty-One
Trombones" section that backed Urbie Green when Mr. Green visited Fargo
North, Dakota in 1980.
Bob played first trombone
with the Fargo-Moorhead Opera and was a substitute
trombonist with the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony from 1974 to 1981.
Bob's
horn was silent for 12 years as he served in the US Army, pursued more
schooling, and started his civilian career as a software engineer.
Today, Bob is active with Bones Southwest and miscellaneous groups in the Phoenix
area. He enjoys playing "church gigs" and working on personal recording projects at home.
Earl Cosbey

Earl
Cosbey began playing the trombone in the 8th grade (1936) when the first
band program was started at South Kitsap Jr.-Sr. High School at Port Orchard
Washington. Classes were once a week for the first two years. During his
junior and senior. years he won superiour ratings as he competed as a
trombone soloist in the National School Music Competitions. During this time
he joined the Port Orchard Town Band and was also invited to join the
Bremerton Elks Band. In his junior year he was invited to play his contest
solo, "Blue Bells Of Scotland" with the U.S. Navy Band stationed on the
Battleship Arizona at one of their Sunday Band Concerts. This was a special
honor. Earl attended the University of Washington playing 1st trombone in
the Concert Band and the Marching Band directed by Prof Walter Welke, and
the University Symphony Orchestra directed by Prof. George Kirshner. He
studied trombone with Edward Benson, Prof. Walter Welke, Kenneth Cloud and
Joseph Burnside.
Returning home his profesional playing began after playing 1st trombone with
the 701 AAF Band for three years. Joining the Seattle Symphony Orchestra,
the Seattle Opera Orchestra and the Summer Symphony in the Parks Orchestra
he had the priviligeto play under such fine conductors as Manuel Rosenthal,
Arthur Fiedler, Andre Kostelanetz, Alfred Wallenstein, Maurice Abavanel,
Gaeamo Mevola, Milton Katims, Leopold Stokowski, Alexander Hilsgurg, Carlos
Chavez, Jonathan Steinberg, Igor Stravinsky, Sir Thomas Beecham and Henri
Mancini, among others.
As a freelance trombone player Earl was a member of the theater orchestras
that played for the New York road companies for Oklahoma, Carousel, Music
Man, Sound Of Music, West Side Story, Man of La Mancha, among others. He
also played for other shows such as the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and
Bailey Circuses, the Shrine Circus, Ice Follies, Ice Capades and Aqua
Follies every year and played backup, accompanying solists such as Eartha
Kit, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin and Perry Como, among others. He
also played shows such as Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis with whom he toured. Earl
played with local dance bands when not working other gigs and played many
miscellaneous gigs too numerous to mention. He is a member of the
International Trombone Association.
Earl taught elemenary, junior high school and high school band in the
Seattle area for 35 years and taught brass students privately for 30 years
at his studio in Burien Washington.
After retiring in 1985, he and his wife, Ruth, traveled around the world,
finally coming to the Sun Cities area in 1998. Earl started playing again
and has been active in many stage bands, concert bands, and orchestra since
that time, retiring from the Sun CityConcert Band in 2007.
Earl has been especially interested in trombone ensembles since retiring and
helped to organize the first trombone ensemble in the Seattle area. He
returns to Harstene Island in Washington each summer and while in the Puget
sound area plays with the original group. He is especially encouraged that
Bob Weller has organized the Bones Southwest and feels it is a special
privilege to play with so many great young players. He will be 84 in
2007.
Michael Eastin

Michael Eastin
is the band director at Greenbriar Elementary in Glendale, Arizona. He
plays first trombone in the Palmcroft Church Orchestra. He usually
plays the first parts and leads by example with well developed chops and
musicianship. Michael is a founding member of Bones Southwest,
along with Bob Weller.
Dick Johnson

Dick has a degree from
Texas A&M in History and American Literature. After college, Dick became a
member of the North Phoenix Baptist church in Phoenix, Arizona and has
played in their orchestra for 26 years. In addition, he also played for 10
years in the well known Salt River Brass of Phoenix. Over the years Dick
has had the opportunity to perform in show bands behind such performers as
Gordon MacRae, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Glenn Campbell and Dale Evans ( yes,
they played “Happy Trails To You”). Dick plays the bass trombone in
Bones Southwest and lightens the mood with his wonderful laugh and warm
personality.
Kevin Krull

Kevin Krull has been playing
professionally since the early 1970’s. He dropped out of college to run
away and join the circus, where he played in the band. After returning to
college and working as a musician, he received a BA in music from Cal State,
Hayward. He has performed with Steve Allen, Robert Goulet, Jerry Vale, Ray
Charles, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Igor’s Jazz Cowboys, Clyde Beatty-Cole
Brothers Circus, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Great America Theme Park,
Messiah Brass Ensemble, Bay Bones, Great London Circus, Mary Lou Metsker,
Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Chicago Six, Harry Blackstone Jr., Connie Francis,
and the 52nd Street Band. More of a jazz player than classical,
Kevin is currently playing casuals with several jazz bands in the area. His
day job is at Scottsdale Insurance as an underwriter.
Peter Kyhn
Peter moved to the Valley of the Sun in 2006 from
Denver, CO where he played two seasons with the Rocky Mountain Brassworks
British Brass Band. He is the worship pastor at Trinity Bible Church in Phoenix.
While living in San Jose, CA he played with the Touch of Brass big band, under
section leader Joe Davis, father of New York trombonist Mike Davis. While living
in the Tacoma, WA area, he played in a quintet led by the commander of the
McCord AFB band. Peter started playing trombone in the third grade in Oakland,
CA, was a member of the Weldonian Marching Band, and played under the legendary
west coast arranger and band leader Lyle Bardo in Youth of America. He received
a Bachelors of Art in Music Performance from California State University at
Hayward (now East Bay), studying with Dan Livesay. Kevin Krull always sat one
chair ahead of him!
Tom Leander

Tom grew up in Minnesota, the son
of a high school band director. He started playing the Euphonium in the fifth
grade, and while in high school played in numerous district, festival and honor
bands, including the Minnesota All State Band for three years. As a Junior in
HS, Tom auditioned for the Ted Mack Original Amatuer hour, and played "The
Carnival of Venice" on national TV in 1965. He attended Mankato State College
in Mankato, MN and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education.
While at Mankato, Tom was able to study with members of the Minnesota
Orchestra, and also spent a year at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT,
studying Euphonium, Trombone, and conducting. Over the years Tom has played
with community bands, British Brass bands, large brass ensembles, brass
quintets, quartets, Jazz bands, Orchestras, and has also conducted many of these
groups. He taught high school band for ten years in Minnesota, and has worked in
the insurance industry for the last 27 years to support his music habit. Tom
currently plays with a brass quartet, the Glendale Community College band,
various churches and small groups in the Phoenix area, and Bones Southwest.
2008 celebrates 50 years of performing music on the Euphonium and Trombone.
Joseph L. "Joe" Savard

Joseph L. Savard has been
playing trombone professionally in the Phoenix area since 1983. He first began
playing in 1965 at Pasadena California. He studied jazz at Oakland University,
Rochester Michigan under Marvin “Doc” Holiday. In 1980, he was a featured
soloist on an album recorded by the group “Revelation”. From 1989 to 1995
Joseph performed with the 108th Army Band as lead trombonist. He
currently plays with several small groups and big bands in the Phoenix area.
Joe is an accomplished improvisationalist.
Nathan Vander Stoep

Nathan Vander Stoep comes from
Golden, Colorado. He began trombone at eight years old and was trained by his
father through high school, when he was also taught by Buddy Baker. Nathan
played in many of the local honor groups, including 1st chair at All-State his
eligible years, and the Denver Young Artist Orchestra from 1993-1998. He
decided to take a year off from school, and during that time got a job with a
professional ballet company (he had been studying ballet as well since 10 years
old). Joining Ballet Arizona this August brought him to the Phoenix area.
Bob Weller

Bob Weller attended
Coronado High School in Scottsdale, Arizona during the late ‘60s. He played
tenor trombone through out high school. In addition to high school
instrumental groups, Bob was also a three year All State band and orchestra
member.
Bob attended college at
Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona as a music education major. He
studied tenor and bass trombone with John Shipp, David Walters and Gail
Wilson. While at A.S.U., Bob was a member the Sun Devil marching band, wind
ensemble, brass choir, orchestra and jazz band. He graduated with a Bachelor
of Arts in Education.
While in college Bob joined
the local musicians union and played professionally for fifteen years in the
Phoenix area. During that time he had the opportunity to play in show
bands behind artists such as Sammy Davis Jr., Barbara Eden, Liberace, Eddie
Arnold, The Pointer Sisters, Glen Campbell, Mitzi Gaynor, Bill Cosby and
Henry Mancini. His playing also included The Ringling Brothers Circus,
Ice Follies and Ice Capades. Bob was also a member of the 108th
Army Band stationed in Phoenix.
The trombones were put away
when the family activities and the day time teaching job became more
important. Bob taught band in the Phoenix area for 34 years. His teaching
included high school, middle school and elementary bands.
On retirement from teaching
the trombones came out of the closet. The trombone choir and other groups
such as local big bands and orchestras have given Bob the chance to play
again.
Bob is a founding member
and the leader of Bones Southwest. His many duties include: anchoring the
bass trombone parts, maintaining the music folders, and organizing rehearsals and performances.
Friends of
Bones Southwest
This section
includes players who were previously active in Bones Southwest or have visited
our rehearsals at least once. Some of them are well known, even famous!
John Lofton

Yolanda Johnson

Yolanda Johnson is a band
director. She usually plays the middle parts and helps to round out
the warm, full sound of Bones Southwest.
Ralph Sauer

Ralph Sauer is the
recently retired Principal Trombonist of the Los Angeles
Philharmonic. Sauer joined the orchestra in 1974, after serving
as the Principal Trombonist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
for six years. During that time, he was also the Principal
Trombonist with the Canadian Opera Company and the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation, and taught at the University of
Toronto. Sauer made his Los Angeles Philharmonic concerto debut
in 1979, performing Kazimierz Serocki's Concerto for Trombone
and Orchestra with Zubin Mehta conducting - a work whose
U.S. premiere Sauer gave at the Eastman School of Music in 1965.
In March 2003, Sauer premiered Augusta Read Thomas’s Trombone
Concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by
Esa-Pekka Salonen.Born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, Sauer is a graduate of the Eastman School of
Music, where he studied with Emory Remington.
Sauer has appeared as soloist with many
orchestras and has given master classes and recitals throughout
Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada, and the
United States. He has appeared at the Stratford, Marlboro, and
Aspen summer music festivals and recently was visiting professor
at the Eastman School of Music while on leave from the
Philharmonic. Currently, Sauer is on the faculty of California
State University. Sauer frequently performs with the
Philharmonic's New Music Group and is a founding member of
Summit Brass.
He taught Swedish trombone virtuoso Christian
Lindberg.
Dick Strobel

Dick Strobel is a lawyer and very active bass trombonist.
He is a true trombone enthusiast and tells wonderful "trombone lore"
stories. He has known Ralph Sauer for decades and did an excellent job of
organizing a Ralph Sauer seminar in the Phoenix area in early 2007. He
generously spends his time and energy building relationships among musicians in
the Valley of the Sun, and beyond.
Bill
Tole

Born and raised in
Pittsburgh, PA., Bill Tole comes from a musical family. His father was a
high school band director for many years is still active as a professional
trombonist and piano player. His mother also plays the piano and for many years
performed with master chorales in the western Pennsylvania area. They have both
been a tremendous influence on Tole developing an appreciation and love for the
art. Bill is the oldest of four children. His sister Nancy is the featured
vocalist with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, and is the lead singer and leader of
the famous The Pied Pipers. His brother Gary is a busy studio musician and
leader of his own band Legends of Swing Orchestra in the Los Angeles area. And
the youngest of the four children Amy, who has not chosen a career in music as a
performer, enjoys listening to all music and is one of the Tole family's
biggest fans.
Wishing to pursue
a career as a musician, Bill attended Duquesne University School of Music. After
four years of college he auditioned for the Tommy Dorsey Band and went on tour
with the band. He later joined the Air Force dance band, Airmen of Note, a
continuation of the Army Air Force "Glenn Miller Orchestra". Tole was first
trombonist and assistant leader for his four years with that band.
Following the military service he quickly became a much sought after musician.
Bill moved to New York City in the mid 60's and played for many of the top
Broadway shows, worked club dates and was busy doing recordings in the studios.
However, a change in the studio scene relocated Bill to Los Angeles in 1967
where he continued his professional career.
Bill has performed
with many of the great stars in the music business. Some of the big band leaders
he has played with include; Ray Anthony, Tex Beneke, Louis Bellson, Les Brown,
Bob Crosby, Harry James, Quincy Jones, Nelson Riddle and Si Zentner. The great
singing stars include; Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey,
Tony Martin and many more. Bill is very much in demand as a soloist,
teacher and clinician in the United States for United Musical Instruments. Bill
plays King trombones exclusively. He has also performed in Great Britain,
Australia and Japan as a clinician and lecturer as well as leader of the Bill
Tole Orchestra in concert.
On January 1, 2002 Bill became the leader of the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra.
Michael Walker

When not playing
with Bones Southwest, Michael Walker is busy with three children, one of them near
High School age, one in Middle School and one going to Kindergarten next
year. He manages an automobile repair facility in his spare time. He is
deep in the middle of learning his first string instrument (electric bass),
and plays and sings for his church worship band.
Michael is
shopping for a new touring unicycle to cruise his neighborhood.
Michael repairs
band instruments when not doing all the other fun stuff listed above. He
finds great joy in getting together with everyone in Bones Southwest and
playing his trombone with the group.
Lee Wygant
