Stella Heath - Vocals
Singing since the age of eight, Stella feels wholly blessed to be able to express herself through music and song, and to carry forth the torch of Jazz Music that she loves so dearly. She grew up in the North San Francisco Bay Area, steeped in her mother’s eclectic music collection; some of her early musical influences were Louis Armstrong, Edith Piaf, Buena Vista Social Club, Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Bod Dylan and Ella Fitzgerald. Her education was primarily in Acting at Interlochen Arts Academy and Syracuse University, where she received a degree in classical acting and cultural geography. She spent many years as a Shakespearian actress based out of New York City, where she began to sing Jazz again with the incredible Marjorie Eliot in Harlem. She moved to her home state of California in 2014, and began playing music full time, starting the Bay Area based band Bandjango Collectif, a wild around the edges band that mixes French Jazz Manouche, New Orleans Hot Swing, and Eclectic Global Folk, allowing Stella to explore and play in vocal improvisation, different languages, and song interpretation. In 2019 she debuted The Billie Holiday Project, a historically centered musical tribute to the great Lady Day; The show was met with great success and quickly moved into some of the Bay Area's most reputable listening venues. The pandemic brought fruitful new musical connections and collaborations with musicians such as Marcus Shelby, Gunhild Carling, and Ben Levin in Cincinnati. Stella has a passion for uncovering old gems from the library and music archives. She has a deep love for Jazz and its history, and believes it should be an integral part of American childhood curriculum.
Singing since the age of eight, Stella feels wholly blessed to be able to express herself through music and song, and to carry forth the torch of Jazz Music that she loves so dearly. She grew up in the North San Francisco Bay Area, steeped in her mother’s eclectic music collection; some of her early musical influences were Louis Armstrong, Edith Piaf, Buena Vista Social Club, Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Bod Dylan and Ella Fitzgerald. Her education was primarily in Acting at Interlochen Arts Academy and Syracuse University, where she received a degree in classical acting and cultural geography. She spent many years as a Shakespearian actress based out of New York City, where she began to sing Jazz again with the incredible Marjorie Eliot in Harlem. She moved to her home state of California in 2014, and began playing music full time, starting the Bay Area based band Bandjango Collectif, a wild around the edges band that mixes French Jazz Manouche, New Orleans Hot Swing, and Eclectic Global Folk, allowing Stella to explore and play in vocal improvisation, different languages, and song interpretation. In 2019 she debuted The Billie Holiday Project, a historically centered musical tribute to the great Lady Day; The show was met with great success and quickly moved into some of the Bay Area's most reputable listening venues. The pandemic brought fruitful new musical connections and collaborations with musicians such as Marcus Shelby, Gunhild Carling, and Ben Levin in Cincinnati. Stella has a passion for uncovering old gems from the library and music archives. She has a deep love for Jazz and its history, and believes it should be an integral part of American childhood curriculum.
Neil Angelo Fontano - Piano
Neil grew up in Petaluma, California. He began playing classical pieces on piano at age 10. After his grandparents exposed him to ragtime, he started taking lessons. At age 12, he began studying under who would become his musical mentor, the internationally-acclaimed American classical pianist and composer, Peter Vincent Marlotti (now deceased). Once Marlotti introduced "Rhapsody In Blue", Neil fell in love with the music of Gershwin and through his curiosity discovered jazz and stride piano. Currently, he plays professionally throughout the Bay Area and serves as the assistant music director at his former high school.
Neil grew up in Petaluma, California. He began playing classical pieces on piano at age 10. After his grandparents exposed him to ragtime, he started taking lessons. At age 12, he began studying under who would become his musical mentor, the internationally-acclaimed American classical pianist and composer, Peter Vincent Marlotti (now deceased). Once Marlotti introduced "Rhapsody In Blue", Neil fell in love with the music of Gershwin and through his curiosity discovered jazz and stride piano. Currently, he plays professionally throughout the Bay Area and serves as the assistant music director at his former high school.
Patrick Sullivan Okimura - Drums
Patrick Sullivan is a predominantly a drum set player. He grew up in San Francisco, beginning drumming at 11 and studying with players such as Lorca Hart, Garth Applegate and eric Harland. The music and words of figures such as Jason Moran, Eric Harland and Ronnie Vannucci has lead him to play mostly jazz, however he has performed rock, blues, symphony and gospel music as well. He has played predominantly in and around the bay area, performing with the Joyful Noise Gospel Singers in Sebastopol and the Billie Holiday Project, as well as various appearances at the Healdsburg jazz festival. He has helped to write and produce an original musical the Murder at Thornton Terrace, taught both piano and drumset privately as well as with Bandwith in Chicago and is set to graduate from Lewis and Clark as a part of the class of 2021.
Patrick Sullivan is a predominantly a drum set player. He grew up in San Francisco, beginning drumming at 11 and studying with players such as Lorca Hart, Garth Applegate and eric Harland. The music and words of figures such as Jason Moran, Eric Harland and Ronnie Vannucci has lead him to play mostly jazz, however he has performed rock, blues, symphony and gospel music as well. He has played predominantly in and around the bay area, performing with the Joyful Noise Gospel Singers in Sebastopol and the Billie Holiday Project, as well as various appearances at the Healdsburg jazz festival. He has helped to write and produce an original musical the Murder at Thornton Terrace, taught both piano and drumset privately as well as with Bandwith in Chicago and is set to graduate from Lewis and Clark as a part of the class of 2021.
Trevor Kinsel - Bass & Trumpet
Celebrated musician Trevor Kinsel has had the opportunity to play with luminaries such as John Handy, Will Bernard, Dan Hicks, Steve Kimock, Larry Vukovich, Jaz Sawyer, Dayna Stevens, Jaimeo Brown, and Ambrose Akinmusire, He comes from a musical family being the third generation to receive radio play. He is also involved in music education having taught privately and at schools after receiving a university degree with honers, in music, on scholarship. Trevor Kinsel continues to record and play dates and looks forward to performing at a venue near you in the near future!
Celebrated musician Trevor Kinsel has had the opportunity to play with luminaries such as John Handy, Will Bernard, Dan Hicks, Steve Kimock, Larry Vukovich, Jaz Sawyer, Dayna Stevens, Jaimeo Brown, and Ambrose Akinmusire, He comes from a musical family being the third generation to receive radio play. He is also involved in music education having taught privately and at schools after receiving a university degree with honers, in music, on scholarship. Trevor Kinsel continues to record and play dates and looks forward to performing at a venue near you in the near future!
Michael Fortunato - Tenor Sax & Clarinet
Michael Fortunato is a woodwind player, recording artist, and sideman. Proficient on nearly all woodwinds (clarinets, flutes, saxophones, auxiliary woodwinds, double reeds except for bassoon), he has played in musical settings ranging from nationally- and regionally touring bands at major clubs and festivals, to professional pit orchestras, dance bands, jazz ensembles, and experimental and improvisational groups — playing and improvising across dozens of diverse musical styles. He is an experienced recording artist, with five internationally-selling albums on Alanna Records, and dozens of other recording credits with independent artists across the United States. He currently plays with a variety of North Bay ensembles, including The Billie Holiday Project, The Syllables, Snaps for Sinners, Eki Shola, X Confidence, and others; and has recorded with Buck Thrifty, The Syllables, Twin Soles, Star Blue Band, and Christopher Alexander. He also plays with Midnight Express (Texas) and the Alex Meixner Band (Florida/national).
Michael Fortunato is a woodwind player, recording artist, and sideman. Proficient on nearly all woodwinds (clarinets, flutes, saxophones, auxiliary woodwinds, double reeds except for bassoon), he has played in musical settings ranging from nationally- and regionally touring bands at major clubs and festivals, to professional pit orchestras, dance bands, jazz ensembles, and experimental and improvisational groups — playing and improvising across dozens of diverse musical styles. He is an experienced recording artist, with five internationally-selling albums on Alanna Records, and dozens of other recording credits with independent artists across the United States. He currently plays with a variety of North Bay ensembles, including The Billie Holiday Project, The Syllables, Snaps for Sinners, Eki Shola, X Confidence, and others; and has recorded with Buck Thrifty, The Syllables, Twin Soles, Star Blue Band, and Christopher Alexander. He also plays with Midnight Express (Texas) and the Alex Meixner Band (Florida/national).
