Meet the band

     Tom is the band's banker by day but in his off hours can be found in various churches, banquet rooms, bars and parks around Chicago, often with his trombone in hand.  As a youngster, he was fascinated with the drums, but in third grade he picked up the trombone and has never looked back.  

He has played with a number of concert and jazz bands during his school years and beyond.  For many years he was a member of wedding and rock bands with the occasional brass ensemble mixed in.   As a horn player growing up in Chicago during the 70's, bringing you the music of Chicago is tantamount to throwing a block for Walter Payton or playing shortstop next to Ron Santo.  He hopes you enjoy listening to Chicago's music as much as he enjoys playing it!

Paul was born in Chicago and began studying classical piano at age eight before taking up the drums at age twelve.  Paul played his first professional gig at fifteen and from there he has participated in virtually every style of music: rock; jazz; symphonic; theater; country; funk; world music, and R&B. 

Paul continued his musical education with studies at the American Conservatory of Music, Chicago Musical College at Roosevelt University, Wright Junior College, and culminating with a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies and Performance from De Paul University. He has studied with jazz drumming luminaries Les DeMerle, Joel Spencer, and Danny Gottlieb. 

 Paul has been a member of several notable local groups throughout the past 30 plus years including The Stanley Paul Orchestra, Mysteries and Mayhem, Cover Dogs, Luna Blu, the Revolutionary Swing Orchestra, and the College of DuPage Big Band, backing artists Brad Goode, Michael Brecker, and John John Pizzarelli, as well as countless subbing dates. 

Today, Paul enjoys a varied career performing in clubs, at festivals, private parties, and corporate events as well as having a full teaching schedule of private students. 

Terry has played keyboards professional late for the last 20 years in a myriad of bands/genres, from jazz, to pop, to classic/progressive rock, to funk/R&B, and has composed many original works in the same genres.

Terry is also an accomplished saxophonist and flautist who studied under Bill Sears, Shelley Yoelen, and Jim Massoth and was the recipient of the 1988 Elmhurst College Jazz Festival's "Best Saxophonist" award, given  by judges and jazz greats Clark Terry. Pat LaBarbera and Ed Soph. 

Paul Mabin is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan but has lived in Chicago for over 25 years. He began singing professionally in Detroit, Michigan at the age of 12 yrs old while singing on several song demos in the late 1970s for a record deal under the vocal coaching/mentoring of legendary R&B singer Ron Banks of The Dramatics.

He then continued performing with several local bands and then went on to study vocal music performance at Western Michigan University after receiving a vocal performance scholarship under their vocal jazz studies program.

After graduating, he made his move to Chicago where he formed an a cappella group called The Sound opening for artists including: The Beach Boys, Chubby Checker, Al Green, All 4 One, Mark Lindsey of Paul Revere and the Raiders, Dion and the Belmonts and many more.

Paul Mabin then toured as one of two background vocalist with the four-time Grammy Award winning artist Seal throughout Europe and the U.S. while also making appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brian, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Motown Live and many others.

As a background vocalist, Paul's voice can also be heard on several hit songs by Grammy Award winning artist R. Kelly. You can also see him singing on Fox Television's hit TV show "Empire" as part of a 6 piece vocal ensemble in their second series season finale performing live with renowned actor/singer Jussie Smollett.

Paul is currently a SAG/AFTRA professional vocalist/arranger/songwriter.
You may have also heard his voice on several national radio and TV commercials including Kmart, JC Penny, McDonald's, Subway, Celebrex, SC Johnson, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Bob Evans and several others.

Paul currently leads his own society band The Paul Mabin Band performing locally and nationally. He is also contracted as a freelance singer and drummer working for other Chicago area society bands and tribute bands.

Paul Mabin currently continues to write, arrange and produce his own original material while being contracted to sing lead and background vocals for commercials, albums and many other projects.

Prior to arriving in Chicago, Chuck toured as the lead player with Ray Charles, Mel Torme and the Woody Herman Orchestra.  Since 1992 he has been an active freelance player at area theaters, performing with artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder to Tony Bennett, Marie Osmond to Aretha Franklin, the Illinois Philharmonic to the New York Ballet Theatre Orchestra.  He enjoyed a seven year association with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, led by the lat Bill Russo, playing either the lead trumpet or the Cat Anderson/Maynard Ferguson books. 

 In addition to performing, he is active as a teacher and clinician, currently on staff as trumpet instructor at Glenbrook South High School, the 2008 National Grammy Signature School Gold Meal Winner, and several inner city schools.  Chuck was recently on a panel with Marcus Belgrave, Dr. Mabel Johns, Stanley Crouch and others as the Genius Without Borders: A Symposium in Honor of the Genius of Ray Charles, held at The Center for Black Music Research at Cllumbia College.  He has a Masters in Jazz Trumpet Performance from DePaul University and is co-lead trumpet player with the legendary rock band, Chase.  

Reed has played guitar and bass in and around the Chicago area for the past 30 plus years.  Some of the bands he has played with are: Legacy; Take 5; Fanfare; and The Four Man Acoustical Band.  Reed  loves cheeseburgers and is willing to play for them.   

Dan's long career has taken him around the world, from recording studios to overseas tours to Broadway stages. His extensive credits include performance, touring and recording with Dee Snyder (Twisted Sister), Lizzy Hale (Halestorm), Jeff Pilson (Dokken), actress/singerKristin Chenoweth, blues legend Otis Rush, Simon Kirk (Bad Company), Jools Holland (Squeeze), the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, and actor/comedian Joe Piscopo. Dan's band, the West Side Winders, has 2 critically acclaimed and AMA charted albums and has toured the United States and Europe. He also tours the U.S. annually with the holiday themed rock project Luminare Christmas. 

His guitar and voice can be heard on video games from Incredible Technologies (Golden Tee) & Zynga. Theater credits include Rock of Ages Broadway Company, Dee Snyder's Rock 'n Roll Xmas tale, Wicked Broadway Company, School of Rock the Musical, Blue Man Group NYC, Mamma Mia, and Grease. 

John began his formal study of instrumental music in 1970 and has played woodwinds and piano/keyboard for rock, jazz, and classical ensembles including: Park Avenue; Take 5; The Dana Legg Big Band; Fox Valley Concert Band.  He holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in music education and has been a high school band director for the past 32 years.  In this capacity he is active as composer, clinician, and adjudicator.