Lake Jordan Jazz Band

0ur audience can expect energetic performances of songs dating from the early days of jazz with an emphasis on music from New Orleans. In addition to Caryl, vocals are performed by Frank, Mario and Mike. When appropriate, we invite our audiences to "second line" to our music.

Frank Mesich (Cary). Whether playing trombone or tuba, Frank brings over 60 years of musical experience to the bandstand. He has played virtually all styles of music from Symphony to Jug Band. For over 40 years he has been trombonist and co-leader for the internationally known Buck Creek Jazz Band. He has over 40 recordings to his credit covering styles from jazz to Christian music. Since “retiring” to Cary, he stays active playing with big bands, small jazz groups, and community concert and brass bands.

Mike Davis (Pittsboro) has been playing the piano for more than 65 years. As soloist, accompanist, and side-man in combos and big bands, he has played a wide variety of music ranging from jazz and popular standards to classical and sacred choral genres. He has performed with various groups in the Triangle area, particularly the Bloomsbury Boys, and with jazz vocalist Caryl Thomason Price.

Keith Longmire (Durham) plays regularly with the Decatur Street Beat Jazz Band and the Half-Past Six Jazz Band from Raleigh and is a member of Leon Jordan's Continentals Big Band. He was for many years a middle-school band director in the Durham Public Schools.

Mario Millner (Durham) plays acoustic and electric bass in many Triangle blues and rock bands. He provides security for Lincoln Community Health Center in Durham.

Michael Salemi (Chapel Hill) is an experienced percussionist who in recent years played with the Carol Woods Jazz Band and as an instrumentalist for the UNC Newman Center choir. He is a retired professor of Economics at UNC-CH.

Caryl Thomason Price (Chapel Hill) ¬is a mezzo-soprano and favored performer in the Triangle for over 30 years. She has appeared with such ensembles as Voices, Isabella, the Longleaf Opera Company, and the annual Chapel Hill Community Christmas sing-along of Handel’s Messiah. She has given numerous vocal recitals across the state, and has enjoyed solo roles in operas and oratorios. Over the past fifteen years, Ms. Thomason Price’s interest in jazz has blossomed into performances around the Triangle at restaurants, clubs and other venues. She has been a vocalist with the Lake Jordan Jazz Band since 2015.

Lake Jordan Jazz Band requires four microphones, a PA system and an in-tune piano. We are largely acoustic although our bass player may play the electric bass in which case he will bring his own amplifier and speaker. The microphones are for announcements and vocals.