Michael Meza, trumpet. Has toured the USA, Europe and the Far East many times, including twelve road productions of “West Side Story.” Has performed with Cab Calloway and Mel Lewis. His favorite photo shows himself standing alongside Maurice André, the French trumpeter regarded as the greatest player in the world. His pet peeve: Smooth Jazz. “It’s neither smooth, nor is it jazz!” says Michael.

Steve Rawlins, piano, arranger, musical director. Active as composer, arranger and orchestrator, Steve has written seven books on jazz for vocalists and instrumentalists published by Hal Leonard and PMI. He’s worked with Steve March Tormé since 1997. Rawlins was a staff arranger at the Merv Griffin Show (1975 – 1978) and has written for The Academy Awards, The Emmys , The Superbowl, and artists including: Benny Goodman, Smokey Robinson and Bette Midler.

Ron Krasinski, drums. The Groovemaster! First played with Steve March Tormé on the “Name That Tune” TV show in the 70’s. Has toured and recorded with Dr. Dre, Seals & Crofts, Sheena Easton and Barry Manilow. Composes music for TV and has appeared on Broadway most recently in “Ring Of Fire,” as both actor and drummer. Greatest memory on the road: hanging out all night after a concert in Beatle George Harrison’s hotel suite… when dawn broke through the windows, Harrison and Albert Lee played “Here Comes The Sun”!

Charles Trundy, sound engineer. For over 25 years this man has been the ears in the audience. On our gig, he manages a complex, multi-channel mix involving from 2-4 separate house mixes (some on time-delay) as well as 6 monitor mixes on stage. Has been sound man for Chicago, Natalie Cole, Duane Allman, the senior Mel Tormé and now the younger Steve March Tormé. Hats off you to you, Charles, we know we’re in good ears with you.

Nicole Dessin, lighting and stage director. Nicole received her degree in Lighting Design from the University of Florida, and was Master Electrician at the Phillips Center for Performing Arts in Gainesville. She and I are the only two Connecticut residents in this company, so we’ve worked a lot of the same places. She’s done lighting and I’ve done music at the Yale Rep, Long Wharf and ESPN.

Meanwhile, last night was a night off in Bethesda, so I visited with my dear old friends, Roger & Pum Cooke, who came to our concert the night before. Roger is a jazz bassist with a PhD in the Philosophy of Mathematics (yikes!) who has lived and taught in Holland for at least 30 years. Now he works 70% of the time in DC at an economic think tank, Resources for the Future, trying to figure out things like how much is global warming going to cost and how to plan for it economically. Heavy stuff…