Jazzin' Jeanne Brei &
The Speakeasy Swingers!
The Speakeasy Swingers!
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Speakeasy Swingers 2015 lineup:
Jazzin' Jeanne Brei (vocals), Charlie Shaffer (keys),
Bill Bailey (bass), Paul Testa (drums), Bill King (trumpet), Don Hill (sax) & Bobby Scann (trombone).
Appearing Bi-Monthly in
The Speakeasy Swingers'
Swanky Supper Club Soiree!
Very Vintage Vegas Italian American Supper Club
2333 E. Sahara @ Eastern (NE corner next to Sonic)
The FIRST & THIRD Throwback Thursday of each month Swinging Standards & Gems with
floor shows featuring special guests!
Free Dance Lesson at 6:15
Dancing/Show sets at 7 & 8
Large dance floor! All ages!
$10 cover (includes 3 raffle tickets)
No minimum
DINNER RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
Call (702) 457-3866 for reservations and ask to be seated in the ballroom
Call (702) 457-3866 for reservations and ask to be seated in the ballroom
Come for early or late dining & dancing in the Ballroom!
"And then we'd like to thank the Academy and all our fans..."
JAZZIN' JEANNE BREI & THE SPEAKEASY SWINGERS WERE HONORED
BY THE ENTERTAINMENT CONSUMERS EXCHANGE, LTD. WITH A
2011 EXCELLENCE IN ENTERTAINMENT AWARD FOR
JAZZ ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR & in 2013, EACH BAND MEMBER WAS inducted into the legends hall of fame! AND IN 2014, JAZZIN' JEANNE BREI WAS HONORED AS CLASSIC VEGAS ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED FOR US!
WE LOVE OUR FANS!
The Speakeasy SwingersBY THE ENTERTAINMENT CONSUMERS EXCHANGE, LTD. WITH A
2011 EXCELLENCE IN ENTERTAINMENT AWARD FOR
JAZZ ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR & in 2013, EACH BAND MEMBER WAS inducted into the legends hall of fame! AND IN 2014, JAZZIN' JEANNE BREI WAS HONORED AS CLASSIC VEGAS ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED FOR US!
WE LOVE OUR FANS!
at Bugsy's in 2008!
Jeanne Brei & The Speakeasy Swingers on July 19, 2008 - with Michael Ray Tyler on trumpet, Don Hill on sax, Bob Scann on trombone, Ty Lemley on bass, George Pollock on piano and Bruce Harper on drums (out of frame).
Here's some video of The Speakeasy Swingers on opening night - June 25, 2008 for the CD launch party of "Jazzin' With Jeanne: Live From Las Vegas!" - with Don Hill on sax, Corey Gemme on cornet, Bob Scann on trombone, Ty Lemley on bass, Jim Racey on drums and Charlie Shaffer on piano.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9RP36-AltA
In October 2014 celebrating legendary tap dancer Prince Spencer's 97th birthday at the Italian American Club: Standing L-R: Charlie Shaffer (keys),
Bill Bailey (bass), Bill King (trumpet). Sitting L-R: Don Hill (sax), Paul Testa (drums), honoree Prince Spencer, guest vocalist Paul Stubblefield and sweet substitute Graham Berry (trombone - subbing for Bobby Scann).
Some nights are tough to book these fabulous musicians - so here's some bios on the "regulars" and a few of the "sweet substitutes" too!
The Speakeasy
On the keys,
Charlie Shaffer
Charlie hails from Houston, TX and has performed at virtually every hotel in Las Vegas plus
Liberace's "Tivoli Gardens". He appeared in a Warner Bros. movie, on
the Dick Clark TV Show, and other network shows. Charlie has written several award winning Las Vegas hotel commercials as well as orchestral arrangements for performance on the TV shows of Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Sammy Davis Jr, and Joey Bishop. As rehearsal pianist for the Jackie Gleason Las Vegas TV Show he worked daily with June Taylor, Ben Vereen, Lola Folana and others, creating dance sequences and musical arrangements. He has accompanied Peggy Lee, Debbie Reynolds, Dean Martin, Steve Lawrence, Robert Goulet, Joe Williams and others.
Upcoming recording projects in Charlie's studio (Charmar) include new albums of beautiful piano music. The album he arranged and produced for Willie Nelson and Don Cherry, It's Magic, is now available--Boots Randolph and Charlie McCoy added some outstanding sax and harmonica, under the supervision of legendary Nashville producer Fred Foster. One track from it ("It's Magic") can be heard on the album Joy by Willie Nelson & Friends. The earlier album Augusta (featuring Willie and Don, and produced-arranged by Charlie) is still available.
Charlie's many CDs are heard nationally on the ABC Radio Stardust Network, and other syndicated programs, also on the new digital cable systems' easy listening audio channels, as well as Internet radio and XM and Sirius satellite radio. His music is available as MP3 downloads (complete albums or solo tracks) at iTunes.com and Amazon.com. Visit www.charlieshaffer.com for his upcoming cruise schedule and more info.
On trombone,
Bob Scann
Originally from Philadelphia, Bob began work with a hitch in the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C., then as a freelance trombonist in the Big Apple for a year before moving to Las Vegas in 1976. His first LV gig was on an Elvis Presley Tour for two weeks. In Vegas, he played in the Ice Show Review at the Hacienda Hotel, then was the lead trombone chair in the Al Ramsey Orchestra at Caesars Palace for the next 13 years; then on to the Lou Elias Orchestra at the Desert Inn Hotel for another 3 years. He has played in most of the Casinos on and off the “Strip” over the years for the many legendary stars on the Las Vegas Strip, including two tours with “Old Blue Eyes” Frank Sinatra to Japan/Hong Kong and Manila and with Pia Zadora's Vegas Band that performed for the 1985 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He was the trombonist in Stan Mark's “Hot Horns” a local Las Vegas Dixieland/swing band that toured the festival circuit nationwide. He performed in the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra during the '70s and as leader of his own brass quintet. As a part time trombone and euphonium teacher at UNLV, he has organized trombone choirs (both classical and jazz), Euphonium/Tuba ensembles (both classical and jazz) and private lessons leading to juries and recitals. He was also a Band Director in the Clark County School District. He occupies his time now teaching privately, composing, arranging and playing trombone when and wherever he can.
Bob Scann
Originally from Philadelphia, Bob began work with a hitch in the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C., then as a freelance trombonist in the Big Apple for a year before moving to Las Vegas in 1976. His first LV gig was on an Elvis Presley Tour for two weeks. In Vegas, he played in the Ice Show Review at the Hacienda Hotel, then was the lead trombone chair in the Al Ramsey Orchestra at Caesars Palace for the next 13 years; then on to the Lou Elias Orchestra at the Desert Inn Hotel for another 3 years. He has played in most of the Casinos on and off the “Strip” over the years for the many legendary stars on the Las Vegas Strip, including two tours with “Old Blue Eyes” Frank Sinatra to Japan/Hong Kong and Manila and with Pia Zadora's Vegas Band that performed for the 1985 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He was the trombonist in Stan Mark's “Hot Horns” a local Las Vegas Dixieland/swing band that toured the festival circuit nationwide. He performed in the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra during the '70s and as leader of his own brass quintet. As a part time trombone and euphonium teacher at UNLV, he has organized trombone choirs (both classical and jazz), Euphonium/Tuba ensembles (both classical and jazz) and private lessons leading to juries and recitals. He was also a Band Director in the Clark County School District. He occupies his time now teaching privately, composing, arranging and playing trombone when and wherever he can. 
On bass, Bill Bailey
East Coaster Bill Bailey is from Arlington, MA and lived in Yonkers, NY before moving to Las Vegas. He studied Arranging and Composition at Berklee College of Music and has played with many bands and many styles in Las Vegas - including blues bands, orchestras and jazz combos.
The Speakeasy
Swingers on CD:
Swingers on CD:
On cornet/trumpet
Corey Gemme
Corey, a native of Los Angeles, picked up the trumpet at
about age 10 and studied music at Pasadena City College and California State
University Los Angeles. Corey has performed with many groups including the Hot
Frogs, Conrad Janis and the Beverly Hills Unlisted Jazz Band, The 10th Avenue
Jazz Band, Janet Carroll, Johnny Crawford, Dean Mora's Modern Rhythmists, The
Black Swan Jazz Band, Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band, The Reynolds Brothers'
Rhythm Rascals, The High Sierra Jazz Band, The Titan Hot Seven, and Banu
Gibson. He currently performs around the Los Angeles area with Dwight Kennedy's
Le Jazz Hot and Dwight Kennedy's New Orleans Dixie Kings, Janet Klein And Her
Parlor Boys, Dutch Newman And His Musical Melodians, Suzi Williams And her
Solid Senders, Ginger and the Hoosier Daddys, The Mike Henebry Big Band,
Daniell Glass's Rhythm Club All Stars, John Reynolds and His Hollywood
Hotshots, The Jonathan Stout Big Band, and Mark Tortorici and the Torchlighters
and in Las Vegas, with Jeanne Brei & The Speakeasy Swingers. Corey has traveled throughout the US,
Canada, Japan and China, England, Sweden, Europe, and appeared as a featured
guest at the Sancy Snow Festival in France. He is regularly featured at the
Sweet and Hot Jazz festival in Los Angeles. See his website at www.coreygemme.com!
On drums & comedy
Jim Racey
Jim Racey, a wonderful drummer and comedian honed his craft by spending many years performing with the Dumkoffs, a wonderful oompa-band that specializes in comedy! You can currently catch him at Nora's on Saturday nights (darn, he was already booked for Saturday nights)!
Jim Racey
Jim Racey, a wonderful drummer and comedian honed his craft by spending many years performing with the Dumkoffs, a wonderful oompa-band that specializes in comedy! You can currently catch him at Nora's on Saturday nights (darn, he was already booked for Saturday nights)!On bass,
Ty Lemley
Ty Lemley
Ty, originally from Pittsburgh PA, was with the Sorta & Kinda Dixie Jazz Band for 17 years at the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas. Also experienced as a writer and arranger, Ty has played night spots and hotels in Las Vegas since 1981.
For 10 years, he was a member the famous Guy Lombardo Orchestra. He's also worked with a number of other legendary orchestra leaders, including Art Mooney, Lawrence Welk, Sammy Kaye, Freddie Martin and Wayne King. During his spare time, Ty found time to write and record on his own label, Tymena, and released a CD called Legacy.
Swingers Bios
On saxophone,
Don Hill
Don Hill
Don grew up in the 9th Ward of New Orleans during the Roaring Twenties! He's celebrating his 89th birthday on Nov. 4 playing with the Speakeasy Swingers at The Sorrento Room in the Italian American Club in Las Vegas. He attended Alabama State in 1939, rooming with Claude Trenier - who left college to sing with Jimmy Lunceford's band. Don left college in his junior year to play with Tiny Bradshaw, one of the most prominent jump-blues bandleaders of the '30s and '40s. Tiny led jazz-trained musicians into the developing and more commercial
field that came to be known as rhythm & blues. After Tiny Bradshaw, Don played, toured & recorded with Louis Armstrong for three years (from '44-'46). He then started his own band in 1947 and joined forces with his old college roommate in 1948 to start The Treniers! They performed continuously for 55 years -- signing with the legendary Okeh label and producing a
remarkable string of killer rock 'n roll sides, including Rockin' Is Our
Business, Rockin' On Saturday Night, and It Rocks, It Rolls, It
Swings! They appeared on various TV shows, including Jackie Gleason's and Red Skelton's programs, Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin's Colgate Comedy Hour, and through a number of movies, including Don't Knock the Rock and The Girl Can't Help It, appearing with
Alan Freed, Little Richard and Bill Haley. After their final engagement in Atlantic City in 2003, Claude Trenier passed on and Don Hill found himself playing for Jeanne Brei, a vocalist whom the Treniers had always invited up to sit in with them. Don Hill was again a founding member of yet another swingin' band - The Speakeasy Swingers! To order his autobiography, "House Party Tonight: The Career of Legendary Saxophonist Don Hill," visit www.Amazon.com or at one of our gigs. On drums,
Paul Testa
Paul grew up in Brooklyn, NY and began studying drums at 13 with Vincent "Muzzy" Mizzoni in Dover, N.J. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and studied drumming there with Alan Dawson. From 1970-73, he was in the Army band and then began freelancing in the NYC area and going on the road with various show bands. In 1979, he moved to Las Vegas and worked as the house drummer at the Sands Hotel Copa Room, for the "Lido de Paris" show at the Stardust Hotel and at the Sahara Hotel’s "Congo Room". He’s performed with such luminaries as Steve Allen, Danny Thomas, Al Hirt, Joe Williams and many more. He worked 13 years with the longest continually performing lounge act in Las Vegas, The Las Vegas Classic Jazz Band (as it was known at the end of it's tenure at the Gold Coast Hotel, it began as the Sorta Dixie Jazz Band).
Paul Testa
Paul grew up in Brooklyn, NY and began studying drums at 13 with Vincent "Muzzy" Mizzoni in Dover, N.J. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and studied drumming there with Alan Dawson. From 1970-73, he was in the Army band and then began freelancing in the NYC area and going on the road with various show bands. In 1979, he moved to Las Vegas and worked as the house drummer at the Sands Hotel Copa Room, for the "Lido de Paris" show at the Stardust Hotel and at the Sahara Hotel’s "Congo Room". He’s performed with such luminaries as Steve Allen, Danny Thomas, Al Hirt, Joe Williams and many more. He worked 13 years with the longest continually performing lounge act in Las Vegas, The Las Vegas Classic Jazz Band (as it was known at the end of it's tenure at the Gold Coast Hotel, it began as the Sorta Dixie Jazz Band).On trumpet,
Bill King
Bill King
Bill hails from Texas and has played with the ghost bands of Lawrence Welk, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, as well as playing with such stars as Jack Jones, Sam Butera, Louie Bellson, The Buckinghams, Deep Purple, Jan and Dean, Sam and Dave, the Righteous Brothers, Dell Shannon, Peter Noone, Bob Hope, Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, Red Buttons, Rich Little, Jay Leno, Frank Gorshin. Bob Newhart, Wayne Newton, Frankie Avalon, Charo, Rita Moreno, Bobby Vinton, Dick Contino, and many, many more.
Our Sweet Substitutes...
Keys:
Ron Simone, Joe Darro, Ned Mills, David Decosta, Vita Corimba, Doug Taylor
Bass:
Dick Jones, Danny DeMorales, Bob Baker
Trumpet:
Charlie Niehoff, Tom Ehlen, Merv Harding, Charly Raymond, Loren Little
Trombone: Graham Berry, Brian O'Shea, Matt Johnson
Reeds: Jim Fischer, Roger Hall
Guitar: Tom McDermott
Drums: Howie Agster, Clyde Duell
Keys:
Ron Simone, Joe Darro, Ned Mills, David Decosta, Vita Corimba, Doug Taylor
Bass:
Dick Jones, Danny DeMorales, Bob Baker
Trumpet:
Charlie Niehoff, Tom Ehlen, Merv Harding, Charly Raymond, Loren Little
Trombone: Graham Berry, Brian O'Shea, Matt Johnson
Reeds: Jim Fischer, Roger Hall
Guitar: Tom McDermott
Drums: Howie Agster, Clyde Duell
On bass,
Dick Jones
Dick Jones
Dick Jones grew up in North Carolina, studied music at East Carolina University and then toured for three years with the Airmen of Note and the USAF Top Hats while stationed in Washington, D.C. in the U.S. Air Force. He came to Las Vegas in 1967 and played with the Si Zentner Orchestra until joining forces with the Johnny Haig Orchestra where he stayed for over 25 years - beginning with the relief bands and then as the house band for Caesars Palace for over 10 years. He has accompanied multitudes of stars including Frank Sinatra, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, Sammy Davis Jr., Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett and so many more!
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