By Todd Baldwin on Sep 25, 2007 | Reply

I’m living in the Washington DC metro area, playing in the Army Band (Ceremonial Band and Herald Trumpets) and loving it. My wife, Robin, and I have been married for…(counting)…21 years and we have 3 great kids - two in high school and one in college. I am old (but will never be as old as Bill!).

Shameless self-promotion: here’s a link to one of the local bands I play with. Check it out - I’m the handsome one: http://www.rkoswing.com/

Where’s Bill Centera, Kevin Wylie, Marco Valdes, Steve Maxwell? Come on, guys; give it up!

By Shawn Rampy on Oct 9, 2007 | Reply

Hello Guys,

Freshman trombone player in 2nd Band 80-81′. Married next year and finished out at Texas A&M (no music program ) thereafter.

Just celebrated 25 years with wife Jennifer. 11 (yes, eleven) kids; ten still at home!

Playing has been sporadic since school - mainly church related. However, just moved to Houston a few months ago with new job. Wife’s relative down here is a trumpet player (Maynard freak) and invited me to sit in with the local community college jazz band that he plays with. Half college kids and half old guys like me. A few good players, though, and the book has some quality charts, so I’m enjoying it.

Thanks for site, guys. Hope all are well.

Regards,
Shawn

By Bill Snodgrass on Oct 13, 2007 | Reply

Rampy? You have 11 children? Did I read that right?

By Shawn Rampy on Oct 22, 2007 | Reply

Yep. 10 still at home. Oldest is 22 and in FTW at Southwestern Seminary. Baby is 26 months. Never a dull moment!

By Glenn Shuping on Oct 22, 2007 | Reply

Hey guys, I’m still living in Arlington. I’m working for a company in Fort Worth designing walk in cooler and freezers for supermarkets. Todd, Debbie and I have been married for 21 years also. We have 2 boys. The oldest is a senior and Martin High. He’s playing lead bone in the jazz band. The youngest one is 9 and has already decided he’s playing the drums. I’m still playing. I got a nice little gig with Buddy’s Big Band.

Later,
Glenn

By Glenn Shuping on Oct 22, 2007 | Reply

Oh, and I played Bass Trombone in the JO from 82-85.

By Brian Gill on Dec 8, 2007 | Reply

I live in Jersey City, NJ and in January will be on the National Tour of Little Women, the Musical playing trumpet!

Lee Harris, a fellow UTA Alumni, is the Music Director.

By Monte Murphy on Dec 16, 2007 | Reply

Hey…I’m still kickin’. I was Bill’s first choice for last chair of the third band (78-82)but but I earned it! I guess I marched OK so Ray let me fill a hole on the field.
I’m still in the Air Force (Colonel) and am stationed @ the Pentagon (third tour) . Also, married UTA grad Robin Cox with two kids, Shannon (nearly 17) and Ryan (11).
Shoop….long time….sounds like you’re doing well. Todd…I ran into Lisa Launders a few weeks ago and she told me about your Army gig…outstanding! EMail is gunkmurphy@hotmail.com….later

By Bill Snodgrass on Dec 16, 2007 | Reply

MURPHY, You goober! I’ve been looking for your email address FOREVER. I got the announcement of your promtion, and you’re just lucky I didn’t attend. You might have still got promoted, but after I filled them in on your dark and shady past, you would have been the only full bird doing daily latrine duty. It’s about time you made yourself known. Write to me at utajazz@suddenlink.net. Give my best to your far better half, sweet Robin.

By Monte Murphy on Dec 17, 2007 | Reply

Bill,
Always nice to get the continued positive reinforcement. Robin said “Bill who?”
I send you a note @ your personal account

By John Moates on May 13, 2008 | Reply

This is great!

UTA JO Trumpet: 1984-5 (I think)
I’ve played off/on since then.
Church mostly.
I played with Buddy’s Big Band for about a year several years ago and recently hooked up with The Joshua Experience.

Hey Todd, I saw Kevin Wylie a couple years ago. He was managing at BJ’s in Lewisville.

By Glenn Butler on May 23, 2008 | Reply

It is certainly ironic to me that my comment is the one directly below John’s! Hope everyone is doing well, and was suprised to see Snodgrass retired! I always thought he’d just have an aneurysm at a rehersal during some fit about a crappy tpt soli section! Hope you are well, Bill!

I was an on-off trumpet player probably with the dubious distinction of being evicted from every ensemble at UTA at one point or another. I attended between 1984-1990 but only accumulated about 90 credit hrs, mostly jazz band & trumpet lessons.

In 1991 I transferred to UNT and played three semesters there until I reached a point where I realized I pretty much sucked… (Thanks to Scott Englebright for “enlightening” me!).
When Don Jacoby “Jake” (my tpt teacher there) I never went back.

I find myself now in a suburb of Phoenix AZ. I am divorced and re-married with a 13yo son that is too much like me. I hope he gets over it!

When I left UNT I traded my horn for a computer and was a computer weenie from 1993-2006. Now I own/operate a business making signs/banners, vehicle graphics, laser engraving, braille signs, etc…

My horn is still sits on a stand in my living room next to my couch but mostly I only play scales and Arban etudes (that I never did when I was in school!). I probably play 100x better now than when I was in school, but haven’t played in a section for 15yrs. I really miss it alot!

I wish I would have pulled my head out of my ass lot sooner than I did!

By Robert 'Bob' Alaniz on Jul 31, 2008 | Reply

Tenor/Alto Sax in The JO from ‘86 until about ‘89 or ‘90. Came to UTA with David Tingle, Sean McCurley and Taylor Cowan and Kenny Calloway after attending High School at South Garland under Jeff Barge, another UTA Alum. (Hiya Jeff!) UTA highlights included a great trip to Austria & Germany, as well as some fun local trips(Wichita comes to mind.) Sax section then was David Cote, Jennifer Brown, Manuel Casteneda, David Tingle and myself. Also James ??? Bari/Tenor player… can’t remember the name.

I Defected to UNT where I graduated with a BA in Jazz Studies. I think I was in a one of Tim Ishi’s bands… 4 o’clock?

My wife Estella was transferred to OKC where we moved and now live. I played locally here for a bit, but not any longer. I now work as a web designer for L3 Corp. on government contracts, currently for the FAA.

I also have a 14 yr. old son who plays drums.

Sure was a fun time in The JO. Hope to see some more of you guys check in.

By Gary Ireland on Aug 10, 2008 | Reply

Man !!!! Where do I start. I played tenor in the JO from 80-83. I was introduced to the beautiful metroplex by a couple of clowns (friends) Bill Centera & Tim Gustafson. I’m from San Antonio so they taught me the finer things in life……Beer !!! But seriously, I can’t think of a more memorable time of my life with all the great people in the JO. Mr. Snodgrass told me things a long time ago that didn’t make sense to me then. But today they are as clear as a bell !! I’m married with 2 boxers and a miniature pinture. I still pull out the old Selmer Mark VI every now and then to impress my wife.Other than that life is great. I hope all my brothers and sisters from UTA are doing OK. Bye for now. Hope to hear from more of you folks.

By Snodgrass on Aug 12, 2008 | Reply

ALANIZ—– HEY, it’s good to hear from you. how about sending me your email address so I can put you on the UTAJAZZ exes mailing list. write to me at utajazz@suddenlink.net I am in OKC at least twice a year now. I live in SW Mo near Joplin. I go down to OKC to judge the Oklahoma state jazz festival that is held at OCC in April. Glad to see you’re doing great. AND, if you have Tingle, Cowan or McCurley’s eamil addresses, send them too. I would love to hear from those guys.

By Snodgrass on Aug 17, 2008 | Reply

HEY EVERYONE! I’m putting a list together of some very brief information on all the UTAJAZZ exes. I’ve mailed it to all the addresses I currently have and received more than 40 responses in just two days. If you aren’t on the UTAJAZZ Exes mailing list, just email me at utajazz@suddenlink.net and I’ll add your name and info. Remember, this alumni group has no meetings, no rules, no bylaws, no dues, no nothin’ except some continued good fellowship. Write to me today. Remember, the reunion this year is on Sunday Oct. 12 at UTA Irons Hall. Hope to see you there.

By Robert Reedy on Aug 17, 2008 | Reply

This site is better than a can of Schlitz when I’ve had a rough day! The Stories never get old, although I am (can’t read the site W/o my bifocals). Found some old lit from the trip to Montreaux & Sao Paolo, and it seemed like yesterday when Jim Mcmillan, Mark Thomas, Tim Squires and I were hiking on The slopes of the Matterhorn,and asking, “What is that red tape back there?” (It was avalanche tape, warning dumb Americans about a very deep Snowdrift!) Ah, the folly of youth!I wish I could attribute it to the lack of Oxygen at that altitude. There are probably Soooo many things that it was best that Snodgrass didn’t know about…Can’t sweat the small stuff if you don’t hear about it. Of course, I’m sure that Bill knew more than we ever imagined! His patience was probably much better developed than his students ever knew…

By Tim Spires on Aug 22, 2008 | Reply

Reedy - Still driving that purple Roadrunner? I think Bill knew more than we thought he did… Great times for an 18 yr old. BTW - Did you find any pictures of the pool at the Casino?

By Robert Reedy on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply

Spires- If only I still had that old muscle car!
Couldn’t Afford the gas thru that old 4BBL Carb.
Will call you to catch up…Spoke to Jim McMillan 4-5 months ago (He,s in Calif). See Mark Thomas periodically. Miss you guys! Kim says HI. Steve Carr Has the Bradley GT that I used to drive. ROB

By Eric Stephens on Oct 10, 2008 | Reply

I was at UTA from 1989-93. Although I was never a member of the JO, I played bass in the JBII, the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, as well as a couple of combos. I was mainly a tuba player at that time.

I have been in Nashville since 1994, having moved here to get my Master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University. Since 1998, I have worked in the music industry for SESAC, the performing rights organization (the third in the US, the other two being ASCAP and BMI).

Although I have a “day gig”, I still play quite abit. About a year ago, I became the first-call bassist for the pit orchestra for the major Broadway musicals when they stop in Nashville. I have also played with a few country artists over the years, as well with as the Nashville Symphony (on euphonium of all things!). Personally, I got married in 2000, but we’ve decided to have no kids.

Brian Gill just told me about this site this morning. I’m glad to find out about it. Snodgrass (I just can’t call you Bill!): my e-mail address is estephens@sesac.com.

By Bill Snodgrass on Oct 21, 2008 | Reply

Hello Eric, long time no see. Been watching your posts on facebook. Will add your name to the UTAJAZZ EXES List. Brian Gill gave you this site? Man, you need to find some new Friends.

By Jeff Jones on Dec 31, 2008 | Reply

Well, I never played in the JO, but I was there for every concert. I had to be, I was the resident roadie/soundguy. 82 to 84

I did not graduate from UTA, but I did finish a B.S. from The University of Houston.
While down there I played with the Houston Civic Symphony.

Since UTA, I have spent time as a Network Engineer, Economic Director, Volunteer Firefighter/EMT, and most important, Dad to three wonderful daughters. I still work part time as an EMT to keep my skills sharp.

Having had enough of the Corporate world I bought a pest control company 7 years ago. Often I work 60 hours a week but would never consider working behind a desk again.

As per music, I am currently talking with a local historical group to revive a Cornet Band.

Jeff

By clint spurgeon on Oct 4, 2009 | Reply

I played 3rd trumpet in 1983 in JO under Steve Carr adn Steve Maxwell… what are those guys doing these days? I have now lived in Japan for 13 years as CFO for a couple of large American companies. Still play in a Big Band in tokyo during my spare time. Never made money playing, but made a lot of friends. Thanks a lot fo the experience…