Rhythm Section
Michael Arrington – Piano and Keyboard
Michael was born in Washington DC and started playing piano at the age of seven, trumpet at age 11, and composing at around the same time. Michael holds a degree in music from The Catholic University. His teachers there included Dr. David Flowers (trumpet), Dr. Walter Pate (piano), Martin Piecuch (jazz and woodwinds), and Dr. Robert Garafalo and Frederick Fennell (conducting).
Upon graduation from Catholic University, Michael began a career as a conductor for the New Music Orchestra in the Washington, DC. The ensemble specialized in world and national premieres and works of local composers. He also served as choral director and organist for several denominations and congregations throughout the District of Columbia and Maryland and he continues his career today as a church musician, conductor and jazz musician.
Due to his versatility, Michael has been a member of many professional and amateur ensembles. Notable experiences include performing piano with the Potomac Trio, playing a 19th century cornet with Heritage Americana, serving as musical director of cable television shows, conducting 150 voice choirs at National Presbyterian Church, and happily, the occasional cocktail piano/piano bar gigs around the Washington DC metropolitan area.
Michael is a member of the Rockville Concert Band playing both trumpet and cornet and also has distinguished himself as a guest conductor of that ensemble.
Jack Bilby - Guitar
Jack was born in Washington, DC. His earliest musical memory is of regularly singing “Happy Trails to You” with his mother at the end of every Roy Rogers TV show in the 1950s. (She was Dale to his Roy.) Jack’s singing became more serious during high school when he sang with the James Madison Madrigal Singers from Vienna, Virginia. This superb group performed to glowing reviews in such places as the Kennedy Center, the National Cathedral, the Phillips Collection, the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and Carnegie Recital Hall. He even got to meet President Johnson and Lady Bird after performing for a White House luncheon.
Jack’s first guitar? A Roy Rogers model from Sears Roebuck, of course! Jack’s first performing experiences with guitar (now a Gibson Les Paul Junior) began during junior high school playing in a rock band. Enjoying some local success, he continued to perform throughout high school. At age 14, he studied jazz guitar with a local jazz professional. Because he couldn’t really apply what he was learning at the time, Jack says he could never have guessed how valuable the information would be some forty years later.
Since 2004 he has played with the Civil Air Patrol Big Band and since 2005 with the Olney Big Band. Jack says, “It’s been really satisfying to perform again with a great group of musicians before audiences that love the music.”
Liz Grevé Schwendenmann - Electric and Upright Bass
Liz has been playing in the local music scene since her move to the area in 2004. She grew up in a South Jersey home within a musical family and played piano, flute, drums, alto saxophone and accordion. She was a regular in many musicals and participated in bands during grade and high school. After college she moved onto the corporate scene and currently works as an IT professional for a mid-west based law firm in Washington DC. After many years Liz was drawn back to music as a way to soothe the soul and reconnect with herself and those around her. As an adult she was drawn to the one sound that resonated with her most and made her feet dance - Bass.
Although the bass clef was a nemesis when she played the piano in earlier years, her first pluck on an electric bass embarked her on a renewed love affair with music and has made very close friends with the clef notation. Although she is mainly heard in local jazz and big band scenes she is also interested in all genres from classical to bluegrass to rock. Liz can be found playing her upright bass, the orange BIG FIDDLE, or one of her many unusual electric basses. She loves the versatile sound of her silver star adorned Bootzilla, an eye catching Bootsy Collins ditty that she plays most often.
Liz has played with the Star Spangled Big Band of Frederick and currently plays with the Howard Burns Jazz Ensemble, Mainstream Jazz, and most recently The Olney Big Band. Eventually Liz also hopes to team up with her talented guitarist and husband, Jason. Although smaller ensembles are a wonderful experience in the use of space, she loves playing and dancing alongside larger groups and enjoying the dynamics of a full rhythm section, teamwork and listening power.
She is currently studying with the great local talent of Lou Hinds, and has worked with Anthony Wellington, bassist for Victor Wooten, Pete Goodwin, Joel Newman and Maurice Arenas. “It’s both exciting and overwhelming to know you can study and play every day and only know a fraction of what music is about. As long as I keep playing I’ll never stop dancing and I’ll have endless Ah-Ha moments!”
Gregory Williams - Drums
Greg grew up in Tampa, Florida. He was introduced to the Big Band swing music of the 1930’s and 40’s by his grandparents, and quickly developed a passion for it. Once he discovered the sounds of the Benny Goodman Orchestra and the musical styling of drummer Gene Krupa, he was hooked.
When Greg was 13, his father bought him his first drum set. He spent countless hours listening to his records, pounding away in his room, teaching himself how to play and memorizing all of the drum parts of his big band heroes. When he wasn’t playing the music, he was reading about the musicians and busy meeting many of them. Buddy Rich, Ray McKinley and Bob Crosby (just to name a few of the musicians he met) must have been very surprised to have 15 year-old Greg asking them questions about their musical careers.
Slowly, Greg moved from playing along with records to learning to read music and playing with bands. He has been a member of many local area big bands, Dixieland bands and small classic jazz combos.
Greg takes pride in the vintage drum equipment he collects and uses to produce that “original” sound from the big band era of the 1930’s and 40’s. He has since acquired vintage drum sets, countless cymbals, calf-skin drum heads, and hardware. Greg thinks playing with The Olney Big Band is special because of the quality musicianship, the commitment the band places towards musical excellence and playing those wonderful original arrangements from the big band era. Greg works as a Federal law enforcement officer by day, and is married with two beautiful children.
