Jim Wonnacott
Music Director

Larry Patch Paciorek
Managing Director & CFO
216-524-BAND

Ron Davis
Marketing Director
216-244-0646

Board of Directors
Ron Davis
Doug Day
George Ellis
Larry Patch Paciorek
Jim Wonnacott

To make a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation, please
make your check
payable to:

CLEVELAND TOPS
SWINGBAND FOUNDATION

mail to:

PO Box 31666
Cleveland, OH 44131

Click on the CD covers
above to hear some song samples.

Above: TOPS at Avon Lake High School

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MUSICIAN PROFILES

Cosenza, Frank - Trumpet is a retired band director (West Geauga Schools and Kent State University). He is active in the Ohio Music Education Association and adjudicates numerous events and has played trumpet for over 50 years. He currently appears with the W.D. Packard Concert Band and Big Band Sound. He also has played for many shows and artists including Johnny Mathis, the Manhattan Transfer, Holiday On Ice, Wayne Newton, Bob Hope, Vic Damone, Diahann Carroll, Frankie Avalon, Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Day, Doug - Piano. Retired Band and Orchestra Director, Bay Village High School. Married to Jackie, two kids. Has played piano, trombone and bass professionally for over 50 years, including eight years as the bassist for the Harry Hershey Orchestra. Presently the pianist for the Swing City Big Band. Recently has performed with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, the Pied Pipers, the Four Aces, the New Chordettes, Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack and locally with Lou Armagno, Cindy Smith and the Skatch Anderssen Orchestra. Very active in the music and worship program at Avon Lake Prebyterian Church as an accompanist and as a member of the Bell and Chancel Choirs. Hobbies - The Cleveland Indians and singing with the Cleveland Pops Chorus and Orchestra

Ellis, George - Trombone. Retired from a career as a civil engineer with the City of Cleveland, has had a life-long love of music, started playing the trumpet but switched to trombone about 21 years ago. He caused a minor blow-up about his practicing in the attic of Cleveland City Hall which was resolved when it was determined that it was his lunch time...not work time!

Galloway, Mike - Trumpet. Education: BME Baldwin Wallace University; MM New England Conservatory; DMA Hartt School of Music (U. of Hartford). Mike began his career as a member of "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band, Washington, D.C., performing concerts, as well as playing at the White House for various state functions. He was on the faculty of Federal City College and U. of Wisconsin-Superior before spending over three decades at Mansfield University (Mansfield, PA) teaching trumpet, directing the MU Jazz Ensemble and arranging for and performing and recording with the MU Brass Quintet. In addition he has served as principal trumpet in the Duluth-Superior Orchestra and the Elmira Symphony and as a freelance musician has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian and Wolf Trap.

Ingersoll, Dick - Baritone Sax. Graduate of the University of Michigan and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Over 40 years as a professional musician: clarinet and saxophone. Performed in orchestral, band and chamber music venues. Also, played with (among others) Ringling Brothers Circus, Ice Capades, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Vinton, Four Tops, Hal Lynn Orchestra, Harry Hershey Orchestra, Ernie Krivda Fat Tuesday Big Band, and the Hermit Club Jazz Orchestra. Retired heavy equipment mechanic, student of history, tinkerer, home-brewer, husband, father and grandfather.

Joseph, Ralph - Trombone. Retired music teacher (Mayfield Schools), has played trombone for 80 years. Served his country in WW2 (Marines), then attended Julliard School of Music and earned an Master of Arts degree from Kent State University. Ralph performed with Name Bands out of New York City and in Cleveland at Musicarnival, Front Row Theater ,Music Hall, Palace & State Theaters and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Lehtinen, Bruce - Trombone. Retired control systems engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center, starting his 72nd year playing the trombone (high school, community bands and orchestras). Began performing professionally 39 years ago, primarily dixieland, swing, big bands, and small dance bands and a 1920's "hot jazz" orchestra.

Mehalko, Ken - Alto Sax. Retired band director (Strongsville City Schools), active as a player and director of the Strongsville Community Band and co-director of the Strongsville City Jazz Band with Jim Wonnacott. A five-time teacher-in-residence at a school for music in Chile as a guest of the Chilean Ministry of Culture and the Ohio Arts Council. A total of 66 years in music. He is a recipient of many honors and awards, most recently was inducted into the Ohio Band Directors Hall Of Fame. Married to Beverly, 2 kids, 4 grandkids. Hobbies centered around music.

Patch Paciorek, Larry - Tenor Sax & Vocalist. A professional saxophonist, flutist and vocalist with a variety of groups locally and nationally, and a music businessman for over 50 years. Music director for many Cleveland fashion shows and manager of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra for ten years.

Twining, Gary - Bass Trombone. Gary interrupted a Masters Degree in Bass Trombone Performance at Indiana University to tour with the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for a year, has performed on trombone, bass trombone and tuba in the Cleveland area with many of the shows and stars featured at the Palace, Hanna and Front Row Theatres. He spent seven years as a staff musician in the Las Vegas main showrooms, performing with both star policy acts and production shows. One of Ohio's few Certified Wine Educators, Gary is also a Wine Writer and Wholesale Wine Industry member.

Wonnacott, Jim - Trumpet and Music Director. Retired in 1996 as a school music director, Strongsville Schools, 66 years playing trumpet, various bands area bands including his own as leader. Co-directs the Strongsville City Jazz Big Band with Ken Mehalko. Jim has toured with Al Martino, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, the Lawrence Welk Chrismas Show, and The Platters.

Davis, Ron - Vocalist. Retired Street Superintendent, City of Cleveland. Started playing trombone at age 14, a jump-start into the music business for the next 44 years. Studied acting and playwriting at the Karamu House and the Cleveland Playhouse. Vocal lessons with Bob Beck of the Cleveland Opera. Studied and performed with Ace Carter and with Eddie Baccus the past 26 years. "Thank God for trombone lessons."
Ron has recently performed with the Satin Doll Jazz Orchestra, the Strongsville City Jazz Swing Band, Gabriel's Horns and can be heard on radio station WKHR 91.5 FM twice a week as Ron "The Jazzman" Davis playing a variety of jazz classics.

SUPER SUBS
Anthony Anastasi, trumpet
Jim Bair, sax
David Betts, trombone
Jack Brndiar, trumpet
Al Couch, trumpet
Don T. Day, bass
Mike Fisher, trumpet
Brian Griebel, trombone
Larry Herman, trumpet
David Kay, sax
Bruce Koscheck, sax
Tim Keehn, trombone
Eric Rowles, trombone
Dave Sterner, sax

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Contacts:
Jim Wonnacott: E-mail Jim
Ron Davis: 216-244-0646 E-mail Ron
Larry Patch: 216-524-BAND E-mail Larry