Young Razzcals Jazz Project Performers' Biographies

Individual members of Young Razzcals have done exceptionally well in their careers as jazz musicians.
Razzcal biographies will be listed alphabetically.

Mikey Alderson

In 1995, Mikey's mom got him involved in some jam sessions every Thursday night at the Gulf Coast Eatery and Jazz Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico in early 1995. He used to sit in and drum away with the jazz that Dave Adams and some kids his age were playin'. They started having Saturday rehearsals and in no time, they were playing some very challenging Charlie Parker tunes. They called themselves the Young Razzcals Jazz Project. They began playing at banquets and social club meetings. Later in the year when he and 3 friends were discovered while playing on a streetcorner in Telluride, they were invited by Paul Machado, the Festival'sdirector, to play on the main stage at the Telluride Jazz Celebration.

Mikey has Blue Monk, one of the YRJP tunes they recorded on their first CD, playing in the background in his website. He designed the cover art on the YRJP Volume 1 CD. Mikey continued with the band until they cut another CD. Shortly after that, Mikey began to find interest in other things and decided to call it quits a few months before the third CD was produced.

Mikey has continued his interest in jazz by organizing various charitable functions where jazz group performances are highlighted.

Mikey, in 1995 and present

Corey Fonville

Corey and the Grammy Jazz Ensemble also appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" in February, 2005.

** Notice 2005 ~
Corey Fonville auditioned and made the cut for the 2005 Grammy performances. He will be flying to Los Angeles to appear with the Grammy Jazz Ensemble as the drummer in the Jazz Combo which will play during the 47th Annual Grammy Awards Program which will be televised in February. Click here for full details.

Corey Fonville, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been playing drums since he was 2 year old. He acquired a taste for the art while sitting behind a junior set of drums and playing along with CD recordings of great fusion and modern jazz greats from his father's collection.
By the age of 8 Corey had lent his talents to a CD entitled "The Land of Make Believe." He played on 6 of the 13 songs. Corey's debut was due in part to his work with the Birdland Express, which is led by pianist Dave Adams and trumpeter Steve Nygaard, both of whom are long time jazz musicians. Corey has since recorded on several other CDs including one that featured saxophonist Richie Cole. Corey has played at the Telluride Jazz Festival, the Herdan Jazz Festival and many other events. In 2003, Corey was voted best drummer at the James Madison University Tri-State Jazz Festival and the Virginia District Seven Jazz Festival Competition in Williamsburg, VA. Corey, now 13 years old, continues to play drums and hopes to attend the Governor's School for the Arts in 2004-2005, which will be his first year of high school.

Tyler Lindsay

Tyler and his family will be the subject of a TV special called "Finding the Groove" which will air the summer of 2006.

Tyler Lindsay, 9, began his musical studies of the trumpet and piano at age three and the viola at age four. He has been performing since he was 6 years old in a brass trio with his parents. Tyler discovered his love for jazz when he was 7 and began studying jazz with Dave Adams when he joined the “Young Razzcals Jazz Project” in November, 2004. Two weeks later Tyler opened with the “Razzcals” for Steve Wilson of the Chick Corea Band. In March 2005 he won the award for outstanding trumpet performance in the high school division at the Tri-state Jazz Festival held at James Madison University. Most recently he was featured at the Richie Cole concert in Richmond Virginia. The Richmond Times Dispatch review of the Cole concert referred to Tyler as a “preteen dynamo”. The Times went on to say Tyler “went blow for blow with Cole on Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee.” The two musicians stood center stage and exchanged improvisational lines back and forth for about five minutes. The youngster showed no sign of tiring.” Tyler performs regularly with his brother (age 8), sister (age 5) and parents in their group the Lindsay Family Brass.

Review from Style Weekly, April 13, 2005

VA Beach Beacon article, September 8, 2005

Geoff Nielsen
Geoff performed at the Telluride Jazz Festival on August 4, 2004 along with the Young Razzcals Jazz Project. He has been studying with jazz great Phil Wilson and plays piano, guitar, bass, and trombone. Geoff opened for Steve Wilson, saxophonist for Chick Correa, along with members of the Young Razzcals Jazz Project on November 13, 2004 at the American Theatre in Hampton, Virginia.
Geoff, currently a senior in highschool, has earned a $48,000 scholarship from Berkley School of Music. He will begin studies in Berkley fall of 2005.

Brynn, in 1995 and 2002

Brynn Rector

Brynn is currently a 3rd-year student at the the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music, majoring in Jazz Studies. At University of Denver: solo trumpet in the Lamont Jazz Orchestra, lead trumpet in the University Jazz Orchestra, is principal trumpet in the Lamont Wind Symphony, plays with the Pioneer Pep Band, performs in a brass quintet, performs in a jazz combo (recently the combo performed at the Colorado Jazz Educators Convention in Colorado Springs) and performs with the Lamont Symphony Orchestra when needed She was recently spotlighted in a University of Denver publication.
While in highschool, she was Drum Major of the EHS 160 piece marching band for 3 yrs (head drum major 2 yrs); Who's Who Among American High School Students Junior and Senior Years. Throughout her middleschool, highschool and college years, Brynn has performed and competed at numerous jazz festivals and performances and earned countless awards and scholarships.
During her 6 years with the Razzcals, Brynn has scat sang, played electric bass, drums, and trumpet.

Brynn at present

Demetrius "DJ" Turner II

With only 3 years of musical experience, Demetrius J. Turner II, nicknamed “DJ” has received local notoriety in the Philadelphia, Delaware and New Jersey area for his musical ability in both playing jazz and classical music. 13 months after his first saxophone lesson, he won first place at the Kennett Symphony Instrumental Contest. His first love is the alto saxophone, but he plays flute and some piccolo as well. Demetrius (13 yrs. old) has been featured on local television in Philadelphia and Delaware and was featured in a Philadelphia musical production as the young Charlie Parker. He’s performed with the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz at The Clifford Brown (Delaware), The Tony Williams (New Jersey), and Cape May (New Jersey) Jazz Festivals and the United Nations in New York. Demetrius has performed for countless sorority and fraternal functions and recently performed for the Catholic Bishop of Wilmington, Del. and several hundred of his guests. He recently received a Music Excellence Award from Wilmington’s Mayor, James Baker, and the Council of Jazz Advocates (COJA). Demetrius was recently honored to be a guest performer for the Delaware based, U.S. Chemical giant, E.I. duPont’s MLK celebration at the Wilmington’s Chase One Convention Center, which he performed for 5,000 Delawareans and guest speaker, actor Danny Glover.

In August, 05’, he won 1^st place at the Apollo Amateur Night, Star of Tomorrow, contest in Harlem, New York. Two months later, he won a talent competition sponsored by the New York Knicks at their home opener at Madison Square Garden in front of 22,000 people, which was featured on the front page of the local paper 11/17/05. Demetrius has even been noticed in the Smooth Jazz community by Cameron Smith, President of Smooth Jazz Television and was mentioned in a recent article of Cameron’s Jazz Journals.

Veronica has been creating songs from her imagination since she was 4 years old. The first one she made up in her head was in 1999. She called it "The Kingdom Song". Her parents Hod O'Brien and Stephanie Nakasian used it for the opening song for their 2000 Millenium Concert at Pikes Peak in Colorado with their jazz band. They have since used variations of the same tune using different instrumentation and musical styles with phenomenol results and success.

At age 9, she wrote another song she entitled "Good Guy, Bad Guy" using her own lyrics about Julius Caesar- "bad guy", William Shakespeare- "good guy", and Paul Revere- "good guy" and herself -"good guy". Veronica has been registered as composer of record with BMI and both of Veronica's songs have been featured on her parents' latest CD.

Veronica Swift

Her repertoire includes
"Route 66", "Twisted", "Just in Time" and "A Tisket-A Tasket". "She's a swinger"- says dad.

** Notice 2005 ~
Veronica Swift has just released her first CD entitled "Veronica's House of Jazz", featuring special guest artist Richie Cole.
CD's are available through Young Razzcals Jazz Project.

Veronica has been singing with the Razzcals since 2003. In August Veronica (accompanied by her dad) will go to Albuquerque, N.M. to record and tour with the Razzcals and then to travel with them to Colorado where they will perform at the international jazz festival in Teluride -one of the premier festivals in the world.

Veronica has been on the road with singer mom and pianist dad since birth and taking in all the sounds. She seems destined for strong musical expression as also evidenced by her performances at her school (Brownsville Elementary in Crozet) and at church (Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville). She has also studied acting, piano, dance and movement at various schools in and around Charlottesville. she recently performed on tour with her parents at the Hilton Head Jazz Society in South Carolina.

Matt Zavitz

2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, Matt participated with youth choir jams. Junior and high school students from various churches participate in this 2-day even with a concert at the end. Participates with and has performed numerous times with the church handbell ensemble and choir under the direction of Ellen Birch.
2003 - Played bass guitar with youth choir jam listed above.   Summers of 2002 and 2003 - with alto saxophone participated in and was placed in the top band at midatlantic band camp at Ferrum College in Virginia. Matt received a certificate of merit and record of achievement award in recognition of outstanding performance at the camp recitals. He received another certificate in recognition of a high degree of dedication, individual interest and skill. 2000-2003 - First chair alto saxophone in symphonic and jazz bands in middleschool under the direction of Robert Ellithorpe. 2003-2004 - First chair alto saxophone in symphonic and first co-chair in high school jazz bands under the direction of Dave Allam. Spring 2003 - Recital with alto saxophone mentor, Karl Von Klein.   Spring2003 - Received the outstanding soloist acheivement award for alto saxophone at musicale Williamsburg, VA. Matt participated in Youth Missions fundraisers with voice, saxophone and guitar.   July, 2003 - Dave Adams invited Matt to join Young Razzcals and has performed at Virginia Beach and Newport News, VA Arts Festival. November, 2003 - Competed for and won a talent search for J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, VA.   He performed with their music club and was invited back to "jam" and perform with the club on a regular basis.
     Matt started a jazz band with friends at school. The band is called "52 Card Pick-Up". They have performed at fundraisers for Mission.
     Matt composed a song titled "Matt's Muse". He received first place at the school and county levels in the Music Category for Hanover County Nation PTA Reflections Contest in the senior high division. It has presently gone to district level for competition.    "Matt's Muse" has parts for first and second saxophone, first and second trumpet, piano, bass and percussion. He programmed the parts into the keyboard. He then recorded the music onto a tape as he played and improvised with the alto saxophone.

Karl Von Klein, Matt's private mentor, adds the following: "His technical facility is smooth and controlled due to relaxed, close finger position. He navigates nimbly through major, minor, chromatic, and blues scales. His range is one of his most impressive skills, extending the standard by a full octave. Matt commands the altissimo register at a highly advanced level. This results from a well-developed embouchure, versatile throat position, and pitch recognition. Supporting a full tone spanning a wide dynamic spectrum, he adjusts pitch to maintain accurate intonation. He recognizes and executes classical and jazz articulations, reads complex syncopation in double, triple, odd and changing meters, and easily switches between straight and swung eighth notes. All of these skills surface tastefully from his extensive improvisation arsenal. Blues, jazz, ballad, bebop, latin, rock and modal are among the styles he plays.

He phrases maturely within chord changes, utilizes varied elements of tension and release, quotes melodies, creates rhythm, and takes chances beyond where his ear leads. He performs confidently, often memorizing the music. Additionally, Matt

composes with a keyboard, programming multiple part into a computer for playback. His work contains inventive chord changes drawing from major, minor, sevenths, and diminished. His appetite for music has extended to the self-teaching of the guitar and bass, and he also sings with the church choir. Positive character and rich potential shine through his music."