Laurent Fourgo & His Ensemble is comprised of seasoned musicians with 15 to 30 years of experience: vocals (female & male), piano, upright bass, electric bass, drums, guitar, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone sax, clarinet, flute, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, violin, viola, cello and accordion.
Laurent Fourgo
Vocalist, Band Leader
BORN IN PARIS, FRANCE, Laurent Fourgo grew up in the southwest suburb of Paris and began studying the saxophone when he was eight years old. By the time he was 12, he switched to oboe and played in the local classical orchestra. At 16, he had decided that singing would be his main instrument.
One person who encouraged his interest in music was his father, an avid fan of all the early American Rock’n’Roll music of the Fifties and Sixties masters such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Fats Domino, and Jerry Lee Lewis. "I think Papa had every recording Elvis Presley ever made and I tried to learn as many as I could."
Another influence was his paternal grandmother who’s been a passionate singer since childhood. She’s been singing for friends and family all the hits from before and after the Second World War. While spending summer vacations every year in the South West of France, Laurent had the opportunity to listen to tunes from the 30s, 40s and 50s that he would have never heard without being around his grandmother. She told him that his grandfather (who died before he had a chance to get to know him) was also a singer, as well as an accordionist. “Singing was in my blood – there was no way to avoid it!” said Laurent.
Laurent started his first band while in the army, playing at various local city fairs and also at a black tie event attended by all the Air Force officers to celebrate the change of commander that occurs every 2 years.
After his military duties, Laurent put his desire to perform professionally aside and pursued a Masters in Business in the southwest of France. While in school, he studied with renowned French vocal coach Christiane Depero and after graduating he recognized that music was indeed his true passion.
America would be his destination. “Since age 10, I knew I wanted to live in the US: the desire possibly inspired by movies and music I was exposed to during my childhood”. Laurent landed in San Francisco, put his band together and began performing at various clubs and private parties.
Angie Doctor
Vocalist
If you want one of the most talented vocalists in the Bay Area, look no further than Angie Doctor. Doctor can sing an impressive array of styles, including Jazz, Pop, choral music, solo, and group singing. Since returning to the Bay Area in 1995, Doctor has been sharing her vocal talents with music devotees.
Doctor has been a professional singer for live bands and studio recordings, including performing commercial and voice-over work in Chicago and other recording projects. She is also a talented songwriter and arranger. In addition to performing as the lead singer in the jazz vocal quartet Clockwork, Doctor has been a background vocalist for artists such as Billy Paul, Barbara Morrison, Heatwave, GQ and Gene Chandler. Doctor has also sung in musical projects with Sufjan Stevens, Sweet Honey in the Rock, John Zorn, Meredith Mond, and Kent Nagano.
Recent recordings include:
- Featured “blues” soloist and member of the American Street Chorus on the Grammy-nominated recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass—which was recorded in Berlin, Germany with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester conducted by Kent Nagano (Harmonia Mundi).
- Featured guest artist on Richard Bob Greene’s new CD Low? Bottom? Me? Doctor sung solo and backgrounds on The Waters of March.
Kaitlin McGaw
Vocalist
East coast bred, Harvard graduate Kaitlin McGaw struck gold in San Francisco when she moved west, ditched all rationality, and pursued what really made her happy: music.
A graduate in African-American studies, she had intended to dive into the scene and continue her efforts in social change and nonprofit development. It was after her second false start in the 9-5 world that she realized that she could no longer put a job ahead of singing and performing.
Fast forward to 2009, and Kaitlin has released two critically acclaimed and award-winning albums, collaborated/worked with musicians and professionals tied to GRAMMY-winning jazz, hard rock and rap recordings, brought audiences to tears and laughter coast-to-coast, and become a integral part of the San Francisco music scene. Oh. And she once spoke to Aretha Franklin on the phone.
What makes this singer stand out is her power and soulfulness in each song, and her depth of performance. Able to escalate from a low whisper to a wail in the same breath, her vocal performance has drawn comparison to Rickie Lee Jones, Cowboy Junkies, and Liz Phair. “With Kaitlin McGaw’s mesmerizing, big, soulful voice… The Simple Things music is at once intimate and powerful.” Nick Phillips - Vice President of Jazz, Catalog and A&R at Concord Music Group
On her debut release The Simple Things, Kaitlin worked with vocal producer Raz Kennedy (Metallica, Counting Crows) to create a delicate collection of bittersweet, modern songs that feature her vocals with jazz piano and electric bass. The Simple Things has been featured by podcasters, local radio, and has garnered a “Best Performance” nod in the West Coast Songwriters competition. Meanwhile, Kaitlin released a multi-award winning album of R&B, reggae, funk and hip-hop songs…for kids. Collaborating with musicians/producers from 4 Non Blondes, Marian McPartland, Ludacris, and Matt Nathanson, Kaitlin showcases her rap styling, songwriting prowess, humor, and love for kids on Alphabet Rockers. The music continues to land on the top 10 lists of kiddie tastemakers nationwide and draws record crowds. It's an appropriate milestone for Kaitlin, since her first taste of performance was onstage at age four, when she joined children’s music performers RosenShontz onstage... of her own volition.
Now as for Aretha: Kaitlin has helped program events for GRAMMY membership in San Francisco. Along the way she has shared a moment with notable folks such as Aretha, Dave Brubeck, Steve Miller, Kara Dioguardi, and M.I.A., and has found that regardless of notoriety, genre, or background, every musician is tied to one another – all in the path of expression and joyful noise. Whether songs of love & loss to an older, intimate crowd, stomping in high heels to a dirty funk tune, or laughing and singing to kids and families, Kaitlin touches people’s hearts and minds. She brings her intellect, love of humanity, and soulful humor to every show; and it’s powerful.
Enrico Kemp
Vocalist
Doug McKeehan
Piano / Keyboard
Doug McKeehan began playing the piano at a young age. A music aficionado, McKeehan joined his first band at the age of fourteen. Trained in classical piano, he has been playing jazz in the Bay area for the past twenty years. McKeehan has performed at venues such as the Great American Music Hall, Yoshi’s, and Herbst Theater—as well as steady engagements at San Francisco’s Fairmont, Park 55, and the Convention Center Marriott hotels.
McKeehan works frequently with Bay Area jazz artists such as Denise Perrier, Glenn Walters, Jim Grantham, and Warren Gale. He tours regularly with his original group Ancient Future. As a producer, McKeehan has found a niche in the ‘world music’ genre, producing albums for the noted Pakistani vocalist Shafqat Ali Khan and Chinese gu zheng virtuoso Zhao Hui. McKeehan currently resides in Oakland and runs his own recording studio there. As a dedicated artist, he loves playing music and is always looking for that next hit right around the corner.
Dave Miotke
Piano / Accordion / Vocals
After singing and playing piano as Music Director at Max’s Opera Café in San Francisco for five years ending in October, 2002, David is currently freelancing, performing solo and with groups in styles as varied as jazz, cabaret, tango, Italian, French, strolling strings and classical. He specializes in performing the standard American songbook repertoire, Cole Porter, Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, etc. He has also recently released a new CD of original songs set to the poetry of Francis Brabazon entitled “In Dust I Sing.” While he takes his inspiration from many sources and is always trying to grow spiritually and well as musically, he is most often compared to Bobby Short, Michael Feinstein, Mel Torme and Tony Bennett. Never having tried to sound like anyone but himself, he considers these comparisons to be the highest of compliments.
David studied at Northwestern University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition and a master’s degree in applied piano. He graduated with honors and proceeded to be successful at singing, playing and arranging countless national radio and television commercials. While still an undergraduate at Northwestern, he took time off to tour as co-lead singer and keyboardist with the well-known folk-rock group H.P. Lovecraft, recording two highly successful record albums.
Steve Hanson
Upright Bass (+hi-hat)
The multi-talented Steve grew up in Minnesota, and graduated from Moothead State University, after which he toured Europe as the trombone soloist with the U.S. Navy NATO band for three years. While studying for his master's degree in music at North Texas State University, he was a staff musician at Six Flags Over Texas in Dallas. After moving to New York City, he played tuba with Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band and performed at the White House with actor/musician George Segal. He has toured Japan, and has also performed in the Eddie Davis off-Broadway production of The Roots of Jazz. Steve is currently active in the San Francisco Bay Area as a string bass player.
Tom Martin
Upright Bass / Electric Bass
Tom Martin, Bassist, is heard at premier San Francisco area jazz venues with, among others, pianist John Allair (of Van Morrison fame) and vocalist Opie Bellas (also featured on her recent release 'How Do You Keep The Music Playing?').
As music director and composer for theater, Mr.Martin's commissions have taken him throughout North America and Europe, including Washington DC's Kennedy Center, Knoxville's Clarence Brown Theater, and Project Istopolitana in Slovakia.
Rick Silvestri
Upright Bass / Electric Bass / Guitar / Banjo / Mandolin
Jeff "Jeffo" O'Sammon
Guitar / Vocals
Jeff "Jeffo" O'Sammon is a well known guitarist playing for many years in the Bay Area. Jeffo studied classical guitar but plays all genres from rock and jazz to country. He performs with big bands, rock groups, a jazz octet and his own swing jazz trio, Le Hot. Jazzplanet is Jeffo's quintet, playing all original pieces.
Bill Belasco
Drums
Bill started drumming at the age of three. He played in various school groups
and orchestras until he went on the road with “The Graduates”, a brass rock
band that played all over the country at the age of 17. Bill finally settled in the Bay Area.
Today Bill is a well respected drummer on the San Francisco music scene.
Upon arrival in the Bay Area Bill studied with George Marsh and Tony Williams,great drum set teachers.
After playing drums with the Pickle Family Circus for fifteen years, Bill has been continually adding musical diversity to his repertoire by playing with such diverse groups as Patrick Maier, Majestic Swing, The Sharmen Duran Trio, The Dave Miller Trio, and the Mike Vax Big Band. Bill currently freelances with many different singers such as Faye Carol, Pamela Hawkins, and Tony Lindsey, as well as, instrumental groups, such as, The Moodswing Orchestra, The Medicine Ball Band, and Jazz Caliente, playing in night clubs, cabaret shows, weddings, concerts, and recording sessions.
Bill has studied timbales with the great Louie Romero from Masacote and Afro-Cuban theory with Michael Spiro. Having a long love affair with Afro-Cuban rhythms Bill has realized his dream with The Kenny Dorham Project playing at Yoshi’s and Pearl’s. This band, with arrangements by trombonist Jules Rowell is a tribute to Kenny Dorham using his compositions in a Latin jazz format.
Bill also performed 7 summers in The Catskills in New York with Speedy Garfin and The Garfin Gathering, a variety show band, from 2001 to 2007.
Matthew MacGillivray
Drums
In 1968, drummer Matthew MacGillivray was born in Buffalo, New York. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of Buffalo (S.U.N.Y). During his undergraduate years, MacGillivray also studied under renowned educator Jan Williams. He performed symphonic and avant-garde music. During the 1980s, when still residing in Buffalo, MacGillivray performed with the members of 10,000 Maniacs, legendary funk band Shok-Z-Bop, Populuxe, and many other staples of the music scene. He earned a Masters in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduating, MacGillivray worked as both an architect and musician in New York City, New York.
In 2005, MacGillivray relocated to the Bay Area with his wife, Leah. MacGillivray has performed in numerous jazz settings, as well as world music, funk, and rhythm and blues. In addition to playing with Laurent Fourgo, MacGillivray regularly performs with Quinn Devaux and the Blue Beat Review, Jacques Ibula, Suzanna Smith and Stephanie Crawford. In addition to his musical pursuits, MacGillivray also teaches in the after school program, Rhythm Rocks—which was founded by Bay Area music legend Alan Hall.
Bill Nawrocki
Drums
What can be said about Bill?
Bill backed and traveled with:
Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Connie Haines, Helen O'Connell,Ernie Ford, The King Sisters, Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme, Mary Martin, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, The Ink Spots, The Mills Brothers, Joe Williams, Pat Yankee, Rosemary Clooney, Keely Smith, Page Cavanaugh.
Bill played at the theatre in the following productions:
Annie, Man of La Mancha, Guys and Dolls, Peter Pan, 42nd Street, To Bessie with Love, Ain't Misbehavin', Anything Goes and The Rat Pack
Bill toured with The King Family, Mary Martin, Pat Yankee and Connie Haines.
Rob Gibson
Drums
Rob is a S. F. Bay Area drummer with a varied experience of playing many different styles of music: Top-40 club bands, Jazz groups, original rock/pop projects and Broadway-style musicals - he's even toured with a circus!
Because he's a Bay Area native Rob has been fortunate to study with most of its great players including Scott Morris, George Marsh, Al Coster, Steve Mitchell, Narada Michael Walden and Michael Spiro.
He's also had one-time lessons with Steve Smith, Mike Clark, Colin Bailey, Dave Black and Casey Schuerell. His career has included gigs with the Coasters, Rich Little and he has performed at the Monterey, San Jose and Reno Jazz festivals. Currently Rob is backing up singer Laurent Fourgo as well as playing with the Jules Rowell Quintet which features Mario Suraci on Bass. Lastly, he is on the just released Claudio Madierios CD, 'Esperanca' that features Pete Escovedo.
Jason Bellenkes
Alto & Tenor Sax, Clarinet
Since the age of nine, Jason Bellenkes has been playing reed instruments. He honed his saxophone skills by performing at his school concert and jazz bands in his hometown of Los Gatos, California. His musical interests have been inspired by family members. In fact, during his childhood, Bellenkes’s uncle introduced him to jazz and blues. At the age of fifteen, Bellenkes grew in his musical confidence, and began playing with local big bands and jazz combos. Bellenkes later earned his music performance degree from California State University, East Bay, and studied under saxophone instructor Dan Zinn and clarinetist William Wohlmacher.
During his college years, Bellenkes played in a variety of bands—ranging from jazz to “top 40 rock/pop/R&B” to original rock. He even performed at established Bay Area venues, music festivals, weddings and corporate events. In addition to performing with Laurent Fourgo, Bellenkes can be seen playing with Bay Area swing band, JP and the Rhythm Chasers, at different venues. When he is not performing, Bellenkes teaches a full studio of private saxophone and clarinet lessons in Fremont, California.
John Stafford
Soprano, Alto, Tenor Sax, Clarinet, flute & percussions
John makes San Francisco his home base and has performed in the finest venues in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii. His long and varied career in music includes extensive touring of the US, Europe and Asia. He is proud of his New Orleans roots, the city he calls his “second home” and the place where his loyal following of jazz fans began. John excels at jazz, rock, blues and standards.
Randy Johnson
Baritone Sax
Born in Würzburg, Bavaria in 1975, Randall A. Johnson has been playing baritone saxophone for almost two decades. Randall studied saxophone with Harvey Weinapple, Ernie Small, and Chris Carnie. After graduating from Sonoma State University with a degree in jazz studies and performance, he studied composition and arranging with Dave Rivello at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.
Randall has toured the entire West Coast as a musician from Canada to Mexico and in such Bay Area venues as Candle Stick Park, the Great American Music Hall, Phoenix Theatre, Slims, and many wineries. He also plays piano, guitar, bass, and alto saxophone. A full time musician/composer/arranger he currently plays with several San Francisco classical and jazz ensembles as well as a few top 40 cover bands. Randall composes and arranges for several Bay Area singers/song writers/ensembles and has had the pleasure to play and perform with such musicians as Adam Thies, Eric Lindell, Randy Vincent, Joe Cohen, Bennett Friedman, Judah Nagler, Julian Lage, Josh Staples, Vivian Lee, Ernie Small, Steve Wolfe, Mel Graves, the late Chuck Rio, and the late Bob Lucas.
His hobbies include: snowboarding, photography, studying French/Spanish/German and helping his girlfriend Bombshell Betty (http://www.bombshellbetty.net) run her burlesque dance and teaching business.
Harvey Robb
Reeds: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone Sax, Clarinet, Flute
Detroit-native Harvey Robb has resided in San Francisco since 1969. After a brief stint as a bass player, Harvey began focusing his energies on saxophone, clarinet, and flute playing.
Harvey has played and toured extensively with the Pickle Family Circus. To demonstrate his dedication, Robb never missed a performance in over twenty years. He has worked with musical theatre groups such as the San Francisco Mime Troupe and Make-a-Circus. In addition to musical theatre groups, Harvey has performed with several swing bands. Harvey spent nine years performing with American Jazz/Blues singer Lavay Smith, and appears on her first two recordings. For ten years, Harvey played with Sara and Swingtime. His musical accomplishments also include recording Two albums each with Cathi Walkup and Jennifer Di Gioia.
For several years, Harvey played with Bob Dalpe at the Compass Rose in the St Francis Hotel. He is one of the original members of Jeff Sanford's Cartoon Jazz Orchestra. Since 2000, Harvey has been on the faculty of the Community Music Center in San Francisco. Even as faculty member, Harvey stills continues performing and recording jazz and other musical styles in venues throughout Northern California.
We are very pleased to have the versatile Harvey in our Combo and Orchestra.
Dale Mills
Reeds: Soprano, Alto, Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Flute
Dale Mills started playing clarinet at age nine. A couple years later he added the tenor sax. By then he was playing gigs with his first of many teachers. He's been making a living at music ever since, changing his focus through the years to rock, folk, blues, classical, fusion and various forms
of jazz. He still keeps a foot in each of those worlds, but his greatest love is swing and the Great American Songbook.
Along the way he's been part of many bands, including: Jake Stock's Abalone Stompers, featuring Eddie Erickson and the late, great Jackie Coon, The Jerry Miller (of Moby Grape fame) Band, Mike Vax Great American Jazz Band, The Cool Jerks, Royal Street Jazz Band, John Moore's Fog City Jazz Band, and for many years doing concerts around the world with the unique and wonderful Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra.
He's worked with headliners Martha Reeves, Little Anthony, The Temptations, Frankie Valli, and jazz greats Bruce Forman, George Young and Smith Dobson, to name just a few.
He currently stays busy freelancing throughout the San Francisco, San Jose,
and Monterey areas.
Doug Morton
Trumpet, flugelhorn
Originally from the Midwest, Doug Morton began playing trumpet at the age of 7. In his teens he attended the Interlochen Arts Academy, played with the World Youth Symphony, Michigan Youth Orchestra and was soloist with the Dun Scotus Bach Festivals. He received his bachelor's degree in trumpet (Phi Beta Kappa) from the New England Conservatory, studying with Armando Ghitala, Gunther Schuller, and Daniel Pinkham. He founded and directed the Scholarship Brass Quintet, and was principal in many of Schuller's ensembles and Boston area groups.
Since moving to the Bay Area, Morton has performed with the Sacramento, Berkeley, Monterey, and California symphonies, among others, including being featured with the Santa Rosa, Monterey, Bay Area Concerto and Concord Pavilion orchestras as soloist, and has been invited to perform at many summer music festivals. He has been principal trumpet in Santa Rosa Symphony since 1992. Morton continues to pursue his interests in music of all kinds, performing with such diverse groups as the Jazz Composer's Orchestra, CARMA, Mental Floss, The Grateful Dudes, the Clubfoot Orchestra, SF Mime Troupe, Beach Blanket Babylon, and the Bohemian Club Jinks Band. Morton also composes and arranges. His works have been commissioned and performed by the California Shakespeare Festival, ACT, SF Chamber Singers, Napa Valley Chorale, Santa Rosa Chamber Players and KQED. He currently performs with Orient Express, a world-music group, CJQ, a cross-over jazz combo and the Epiphoné Brass ensemble. He also writes for and plays with the Trumpet Supergroup, the Bay Area Composers' Big Band, Marcus Shelby and many others.
John Halbleib
Trumpet, flugelhorn, harmonica & vocals
John has played with Grammy winning artists such as Roberta Flack, Aaron Neville, John Lee Hooker, Sheila E. and Pete Escovedo to name a few. He's also recorded with Grammy nominated Craig Chaquico, 3rd Force and Jimmy Dillon as well as appearing in and recording for Warner Brothers feature film, Mad City with Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta. Whether performing live, recording, composing or directing John enjoys sharing his love of music with an audience.
Benito Cortez
Violin
I started violin at 8 years old. Largely self-taught through grade school, I pursued more formal violin and chamber music training with Dale King while attending Santa Clara University, from which I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. I used to balance my creative life between engineering and music. While designing audio test equipment, creating sound for stage theatre, and writing software for high tech children's toys, I was also a recording session sideman, orchestra concertmaster, chamber musician, and jazz musician. My favorite career highlight: I designed the sound for 1996 holiday hit toy "Tickle Me Elmo."
Currently, I reside in San Francisco and perform frequently with gypsy swing jazz and salsa ensembles, including Carambola, Panique!, the Tipsy Gypsy Trio, and Oriente Salsa.
