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Vocalist and jazz violinist Teresa Broadwell is formally trained, holding a BM from the Crane School of Music, and an MA in Jazz Studies from the College of St. Rose. Her vocal influences include: Lambert, Hendricks and Ross; Eddie Jefferson; King Pleasure; Sarah Vaughan; Betty Carter; Ella Fitzgerald; and Anita O'Day. On fiddle, she draws from Stuff Smith, Joe Venuti, Matt Glaser, and Stephan Grappelli.
Other past recordings include: "Sunny Side of the Street," with the "New Moon Swing Band," (a group that performed on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" radio show) and "Everything's Jake," featuring her swing band “Thrivin' on A Riff."
Broadwell moved to the Capital Region in the early ’80’s , where she formed her own groups, performing at concerts, festivals, radio and television shows, and jazz clubs in the greater Northeast. Teresa’s groups have performed with and/or opened concerts for musical luminaries such as Stan Getz, Jon Hendricks, Marc O’Connor; Asleep at the Wheel; Leon Redbone, and baritone sax great Nick Brignola. Broadwell has performed at musical hotspots including Jazzmania in New York City; the Cellar Door in Washington DC; Ryles in Cambridge MA; Sandy's Jazz Revival Bar in Beverly MA; the Van Dyke in Schenectady, NY; and Red Creek in Rochester, NY.
Guitarist Mike Novakowski plays in the post-bebop jazz style made popular by Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino and Jim Hall. Mike provides tasteful support for the groups' improvisations and adds his own warm and swinging solos to the powerful front line. He has performed regularly in the Capital Region with many groups, including Cliff Brucker’s Full Circle group, the Jon Leroy Trio, and the Wee Be3 organ trio. As the guitarist with the Empire Jazz Orchestra, a 19-piece big band, he has backed many jazz luminaries including Rufus Reid, Randy Brecker, Ray Vega, Lee Konitz and John Fedchock.
Leo Russo, local jazz saxophone master, has been a mainstay and inspiration of the Capital District jazz scene for many decades. With his buttery tone and formidable improvisational mastery he captivates listeners and makes each song a unique treasure. In his long career he has performed with Paul Whiteman, Major Bows, Woody Herman, Bobby Sherwood and many other top names too numerous to mention. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music and, in addition to his performing, has taught instrumental music in public schools and at the college level.
Pete Toigo, a versatile and masterful bassist, propels Teresa's groups with a relentlessly swinging energy. His bass lines are the rhythmic and harmonic foundation for the ensembles and his bowed (arco) solos delight audiences wherever he performs. He has played and/or toured with NRBQ, The Lustre Kings, Jay Unger and Molly Mason, and contributed his bass playing to many artist’s recordings.
Jazz pianist and organisMichael Lamkin is from the Boston area via Miami, FL where he attended Miami Dade College and studied with the late pianist Wally Cirillo of Red Norvo and Joe Diorio fame. He also led a number of trios and quintets. In Miami he has performed with multi-horn man Ira Sullivan and altoist Jay Corre of the Buddy Rich band. He relocated to Los Angeles for various studio sessions before returning to the northeast. Michael has performed extensively throughout the northeast region. Groups he has performed with among others are his jazz organ trio, Wee B3, the latin jazz group Caribe Mambo, Groove Nouveau, One Eyed Cat, saxophonist Charles Neville and swing band Nitro Jive.
Drummer Cliff Brucker is an incredibly versatile musician who, in addition to being a world-class drummer-percussionist, is a pianist, keyboardist, composer, producer, arranger and educator. Cliff has a B.M. in Music from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and an M.S. in Music from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY, and has taught extensively on the college level. He’s been performing as a professional musician for over 40 years and has worked with some of the finest talent in the Capital District including the Albany Symphony Orchestra, Capital Region Wind Ensemble, and the Empire Jazz Orchestra. He has also performed with a variety of internationally known jazz and pop artists including Aretha Franklin, Buddy Greco, Rex Richardson, Bob Mintzer and Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack. His latest project, Full Circle, (featuring Leo Russo and Mike Novakowski) recently released their 2nd CD entitled "Cliff Brucker & Full Circle Vol. 2." Both recordings have been getting much national attention and airplay, most notably on PRI's Jazz After Hours w' Jeff Hanley.