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Blue Jasmine

About Me

Linda Merrell and Blue Jasmine are perfect for large or small venues, and their style of music can be tailored for any occasion. Personnel include the core quartet of lead vocalist, piano, bass and saxophone and Linda can add or subtract from there. Drums, Trumpet, flute, percussion and guitar are also available. The ensemble plays traditional jazz, ballads, contemporary, soft blues and standards that make for a truly unique sound and entertaining evening.

EMAIL: [email protected]

BAND BIOS

Linda Merrell (vocals/Band Leader): From a young age Linda has been deeply involved with music. As early as the first grade, she began singing on stage for school productions and special events. She soon became an active member of her church and school choir, as well as performing in many local plays, musicals and school concerts. After performing in small venues around the Reno/Tahoe area, she moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, to continue her music with the gifted arranger and talented pianist, Tom Johnson and was honored to sing with the great jazz pianist, Donald Brown and sax legend Lance Owens. She returned to Reno where she performed with some of the most professional and talented local musicians, being a featured performer at many popular Northern Nevada Jazz venues that included EJ's Jazz Cafe, Plan:b, The Hacienda, Stew's Brewery, The Plaza, 4 Pints, The Gold Hill Hotel, Piper's Opera House, Thunder Canyon, The Sierra Arts Foundation, as well as public and private venues throughout the North West. Linda has been a leader for live music in the Reno performing arts community, a Vice President of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) local 368 and also created and hosted the popular Jazz Jam sessions at the 3rd Street Blues night club. Her music passions are jazz, standards, ballads, blues, caberet, but also include contemporary and soft rock. Linda Merrell, is truly “A Singer With Style”.

Peter Supersano (Piano): Peter has played many styles of music including rock, pop, top-40, show music, solo piano, big band, and jazz professionally since 1973. While in Connecticut, he studied for a short while with John Mehegan, jazz pianist and author of an acclaimed series of books on jazz improvisation. In reno, he has played in clubs, casino lounges, showrooms and jazz concerts. He has played with many local artist such a Pat Collins “ The Hip Hypnotist”, and the Reno Jazz Orchestra. Peter has accompanied some well-known artist including The Four Aces, the Four Lads, Frank Goshin, Rich Little, Phyllis Diller and jazz greats including Carl Fontana, Don Menza, Bill Watrous and Teddy Edwards. He has played for dance revues at Harrah's Tahoe and was assistant conductor for the Reno Production of the Broadway show “Smokey Joe's Cafe”. He also played at Harrah's in Reno in the Greg Thompson production, “Sunny:Blondes and Boy Toys”, at the Eldorado, in the Reno production of “Grease”, at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in the Reno produciton of “The Producers”, and he has been the musical director of Nevada Performing Arts production of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”.

Phil Jerome (bass & trombone): After attending University of North Texas as a performance major, Phil played with the Glenn Miller Orchestra based in New York City for two years with Buddy DeFranco leading the band, starting in 1966. From 1968 to 1970 he joined a quartet featuring two great singers doing jazz oriented Broadway show music. Much of that work was working Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas and similar show rooms. In 1970 through 1972 he was based in Los Angeles playing with the Page Cavanaugh trio working many jazz clubs around the country. All of that work involved traveling all over the nation and a good part of the world. Most of '72 up to '73 he was in Los Angeles breaking in to the “casual” work, (clubs, shows etc.), and some recording on major labels. In 1973, he was hired to play in Harrah's Headliner Room (now know as “Sammy's Show Room”). Phil worked 12 straight years there with wonderful musicians, playing for major stars such as Tony Bennett, Sammy davis, Jr., Henry Mancini, Vikki Carr, Debbie Reynolds. since the demise of the main showroom work, Phil has focused on his primary instrument, trombone and doingwriting for a variety of different style bands.

Rocky Tatarelli (Tenor Sax): Rocky began studying classical music in Detroit at the age of ten with Gasparo Pellegrini. He was later encouraged to play the tenor sax by Louis Hayes, then an unknown young drummer in his neighborhood. Soon it became his major instrument. An exciting and charismatic performer, Rocky plays many styles of music-jazz, avant-garde, fusion, R&B, blues, rock and roll as well as originals (his own and those of others) - with many accomplished musicians and groups: Louis Hayes, George Bohannon, Roosevelt Brown, Markus Belgrave, Bobby Anderson, Orthea Barnes, George Chambly, Teh Chisel Brothers (1990 “Rhythm and blues Group of the Year”), Bobby Cook, Kenny Cos, Martin Fierro (of Santana and the Grateful Dead), Ron Panghborn (of Was Not Was), Teddy Harris, Eddie Kesler, MadCat Ruth, the evelyn Martin Tiro, Maruga (of Weaterh Report), Emmanuel Riggins (formerly with Grant Green), Alexander Zonjik (on his very first recording), and Gene Dunlap (formerly with Earl Klugh), John Trudell, Dough McKeehan, Kelly Park, Mark Little Bob Scott, John Witala, John Mader, Jack Dorsey, Linda Merrell and many other too numerous to mention. A few of his more well-known recording credits include Holland/Dozier/Holland (on their Warlock album): producer John Fiori (with more than 19 gold and 2 platinum records). Not only has Rocky been in demand as a recording artist, he is also a prolific composer and talented producer with over 200 original compositons to date. He has written custom music scores and programmed them for films, radio shows and commercials.

Perry Marshall Arnn (vocals/dance): Having performed for many years at the Brewery Arts Center, Perry later joined the Gold Hill Hotel players where he created, directed, sang and danced in the “Gold Hill Follies”. A natural performer, Perry is a great addition to Blue Jasmine.

Neil Strocchio (drums): Neil “ the stroke” Strocchio was born in San Francisco and raised in Southern California. Early influences include Tower of Power, Tito Puente and Buddy Rich. Played clubs and did some recording in Los Angeles in early years. Moved to Northern Nevada in late 70's and has been teaching and performing there ever since. ..

You can reach Linda at “[email protected]” or “[email protected] for bookings as a duo, trio, quartet or big band.

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