Florida Jazz Plus MUSICIANS
LISA KELLY
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DON ZENTZ
J.B. SCOTT
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JEFF TIPPINS
Originally from Wilmington, N.C, Lisa Kelly was singing on the stage by the age of 7. Born into a musical family, she began her career in the late 70’s as a session vocalist for various recording studios and as a member of several well-respected variety groups. With an interest in exploring jazz, she formed her own group, performing on her first major jazz festival in 1988. As a leader, she has appeared at major clubs, venues, and festivals throughout the southeast and as a guest artist with small groups and big bands. Kelly is a five-time Down Beat Magazine vocal soloist award winner, has won numerous outstanding vocal awards at The Mobile Collegiate Jazz Festival and The Notre Dame Jazz Festival, and is a recipient of the “Mullikin-Matteson Memorial Scholarship,” the “Joe Perkins Memorial Scholarship,” and a “Astral Grant” from the N.F.A.A. She has performed at The Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, The North Sea Jazz Festival, Holland, The Jacksonville Jazz Festival, the Savannah Jazz Festival, The Walt Disney World Jazz Festival, the Lakeside Jazz Festival, the International Association of Jazz Educators Convention, and The SS Norway’s “Big Band Cruise.” In 2000, Kelly won the vocal position with IAJE/Sisters In Jazz Combo, performing at the IAJE Convention (New Orleans), at the Kennedy Center (Wash., D.C.), and to a sold out house at the Vienna State Opera House for the Festival Vien (Austria). She was the premier vocalist for 6 years with the renowned UNF Jazz Ensemble I big band, with Florida’s official state band, the St. John’s River City Band, for over two years, frequently sings with the Larry Elgart Orchestra, and is the vocalist with the Swamp Dog Jazz Band.  She has appeared with such artists as Jack Petersen, Bunky Green, Carmen Bradford, Kevin Bales, and Ed Metz.  Kelly is featured on numerous recordings, including her debut CD, "Lisa Kelly, By Request", which has sold over 4,000 copies with limited distribution, and the recently released CD,
Born April 10, 1959, in Ithaca, NY, Tim Ornato attended school in Portchester, NY and Greenwich, CT.  Tim is a 20 year Navy veteran who performs mainly on trombone and electric bass.  Tim has played in many different size groups through the years, in many various styles. 

His credits include work with Aretha Franklin, Sandi Patti, Bobby Caldwell, Jerry Lewis, Slide Hampton, Barry Manilow, The Manhattan Transfer, The New York Voices, Ira Liss Big Band, and Ringling Brothers/Barnum Bailey Circus. His show experience includes: Annie, Fiddler On The Roof, West Side Story,  Hello Dolly, Big, The Wiz, Ain't Misbehavin',  and Saturday Night Fever. He has also performed with Her Majesty's Royal Marine Band, The San Diego Symphony, The Charleston Symphony, The London Symphony Orchestra, and The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. He has participated in the New York Brass Conference as a performer for 3 years. 

He has been involved in numerous recordings both as instrumentalist and recording engineer.  Personal highlight is his wife of 20 years, Joan, and their 3 children, Madeline, Robin and Ellen.
Don Zentz is an honor graduate of Valdosta State College (GA) where he earned his B.M. and M.M. degrees in music.  He is a former college professor of twelve years with tenures at the University of North Florida, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, and Valdosta State University. While at UNF Don was named an "Outstanding Undergraduate Professor" in 1996 and was selected to receive a Florida Board of Regents TIP Award for "Excellence in Teaching" in 1999.  Prior to college teaching, Don was a band director at the middle and high school levels in Georgia and most notably at Wolfson Senior High School in Jacksonville, Florida.

Don received national acclaim for his work and leadership in jazz education during his time at the University of North Florida.  As the director of the UNF Jazz Ensemble, he produced two critically acclaimed CD's with tracks selected by BMG for their collegiate jazz compilation project, and brought international recognition to the UNF Jazz Program with the jazz ensemble's selection to perform at the 1997 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.  That same year, the jazz ensemble won the National Collegiate Jazz Festival in Mobile, Alabama.  The band also received an enthusiastic standing ovation at the conclusion of their Notre Dame Jazz Festival performance in 1998.  Down Beat magazine recognized the UNF Jazz Ensemble as one of the top four collegiate jazz ensembles in the country in May, 1998.

In 1996 Don and his wife Laurie created "Jazzin' It Up", an educational concert series that interactively teaches elementary students about America's music.  To date, "Jazzin' It Up" has now reached over 20,000 students.  All of Don's professional activity druing the 1990's led to his being named the recipient of Down Beat Magazine's 1999 "Jazz Education Achievement Award".
As a performer Don is a first-call saxophonist and woodwind doubler.  He has performed with the likes of Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Doc Severinsen, The New York Voices, Johnny Mathis, Diane Schuur, Dave Brubeck and the Manhattan Transfer.  He has performed in the pit orchestras for musicals that include A Chorus Line, Chicago, Annie, Grand Hotel, and Hello Dolly with Carol Channing. Don is also a per-service player with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra and the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for their pops programs.  Don is clinician and endorser for Keilwerth Saxophones.
Born in the Philadelphia area into a musical family, J.B. Scott developed a childhood love for jazz while listening to his father’s Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, and Henry Mancini records. A member of an award winning high school jazz ensemble, Scott, upon graduation, moved to Orlando, Fla, and began his career playing with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. He pursued his musical education at Seminole Community College, and completed his BA degree in Jazz Studies at the University of North Florida. While in college, he took time off to perform a six-month engagement with the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus in Japan. Moving to New Orleans at the age of 26, Scott became the musical director and cornetist with the world renowned Dukes of Dixieland, touring internationally for over three years. He was featured on two CD’s, “Hearing is Believing,” and “A Salute to Jelly Roll Morton,” on the PBS special, “A Salute to Jelly Roll Morton” and performed with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Moving to Miami, Scott studied and performed with Arturo Sandoval at Florida International University, earning his MS degree in Music Ed. After teaching for a year at a college and high school in Orlando, Scott began his position as Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of North Florida, where he is currently Assistant Director of Jazz Studies and teaches jazz trumpet, jazz ensembles, and various jazz related courses. Scott is co-leader of the Swamp Dog Jazz Band, with two recordings “Home,” and “Keepin Out Of Mischief Now.” He recently released the CD “Memories of Tomorrow” with Lisa Kelly. Scott has appeared at numerous festivals including The Elkart Jazz Festival, The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, The Hollywood Jazz Festival, The Maceo Jazz Festival in Brazil, The Montreux Jazz Festival, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, the Savannah Jazz Festival, and at the International Association of Jazz Educators Convention.  He has performed with such major artists as Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Paquito D'Rivera, Ken Peplowski, Red Hollaway, David "Fathead" Newman, Eddie Higgins, Jeff Hamilton, John Allred, Marvin Stamm, Lynn Seaton, and Ted Rosenthal, to name a few.  Scott is a Yamaha trumpet artist/clinician.
Philadelphia native Ken Calhoun grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and began playing guitar at the age of six.  After attending Penn State University during his freshman year, Ken's family moved to Miami, Florida.  He attended  Florida Atlantic University where he earned his B.A. in Music Education in 1969.  During this  time, at the age of 19, Ken directed Sing-Out-Miami!, a 150-member musical group affiliated with Up with People. This experience inspired him to further pursue his love of music. As a Duval County music teacher, he started one of the first public school guitar programs in Florida. His first professional gig was as the guitarist in Man of La Mancha starring Howard Keel at the Thunderbird Theater in Jacksonville. Since then, Ken has played guitar/banjo in over 30 musical productions. During the early 70's, Ken was the leading classical guitarist in the Jacksonville area, and performed as a strolling musician. One of the highlights of his career as a classical guitarist came in 1984, when he performed with members of the Oklahoma Symphony in concert with Luciano Pavarotti. In 1976, he started playing plectrum banjo, and began his love affair with Dixieland and Traditional Jazz.  In 1991, Ken began playing the 4-string plectrum guitar, and has become one of its premier players. Over the years, he has played with numerous jazz bands in Oklahoma, New York, and Florida, and has performed at jazz festivals in California, Florida, Alabama, Indiana and Iowa. Ken is an original member of the Swamp Dog Jazz Band, and Florida Jazz Plus.
TIM ORNATO
Drummer, percussionist, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Tippins brings a wealth of musical experience to Florida Jazz Plus. He has performed in virtually every musical genre possible, from symphony orchestras to big bands to rock and roll trios.  Some of the musicians Jeff has worked with include the Atlanta Symphony, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Trisha Yearwood, and Chuck Berry. 
He has produced and performed on over 100 recordings including Jazz, Pop, and television and motion picture soundtracks.  In 2000 Jeff composed and performed an original score for a production of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer's Nights' Dream' which was chosen by the Florida Association of Theatre Directors (F.A.T.E.) for a mainstage performance at that organization's annual conference in Tampa, Florida. 

In addition to performing with Florida Jazz Plus, Jeff is presently Director of Instrumental Music at Episcopal High School in Jacksonville, Florida.
KEN CALHOUN
"Memories of Tomorrow” with J.B. Scott. Her original piece, “My Legacy,” won Down Beat Magazine’s 1999 “Best Original Composition,” award, college level. Kelly has a BM Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Florida. She teaches applied voice and guest lectures on jazz vocal evolution, jazz vocal styles, and music business.