Smooth Jazz Singer Kathy Bonaccorsi & Metro Jazz

Kathy Bonaccorsi, vocalist, was born and raised in Hartford Connecticut. In 1974, she moved to the San Francisco Bay area and lived there for 36 years, studying with vocal coach Jan Emerson, singing, writing and recording originals with musician and promoter Dan Daniels and Ron White, performing with The Light House Singers, and was the featured singer with many jazz, blues and pop bands in California. Kathy has returned to Connecticut in 2010 and began singing with the Vintage Vox Quartet. Kathy currently brings her cool, smooth vocal style to Metro Jazz.

Drew Amendola, guitarist, composer, and arranger Drew has performed studio and live work, in Connecticut, Boston, Nashville, New York and Los Angeles. He has an undergraduate degree in music composition with studies at Juilliard School, the Hartt School of Music, and the Berklee College of Music. He has a graduate degree in Law from the University of Connecticut and has studied privately with Marc Mommaas, Wayne Krantz, and Rodney Jones.

Garry Lapidus, drums / percussion, is a life-long musician drawn to jazz for its complexity, improvisation and creativity. He likes to explore jazz rhythms focusing on phrasing, articulation, and dynamics, while keeping accurate time. Garry plays all jazz styles but enjoys Bebop, Cool, Funk and Latin jazz in particular. He currently studies percussion at the Hartt School of Music under the direction of Sal Ranniello. By day, Garry directs the injury Prevention Center at Connecticut Children's Medical Center/ Hartford Hospital and is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics & Public Health at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

James Hunter, performer on Bass guitar and acoustic bass. A public school teacher for New London, New Haven, and Groton over the past thirty six years. James worked with rock, Latin, and jazz bands in Connecticut. He is a member of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony and currently performing jazz on the 1st and the 3rd Sundays at the Steak Loft in Mystic Connecticut. James also performs gospel music Sunday mornings at Madry Temple in New London.

Mark Vickers, piano / flute, has been a performer in Connecticut since beginning accordion at the age of eight Mark went on to study jazz piano, improvisation, and arranging with Neil Slater at the University of Bridgeport while earning his bachelor's degree in Music Education with an emphasis in flute with Julius Baker from Juilliard. he later earned his Ph.D. in music education at the Hartt School and continued study of jazz flute. During his 35 - year career as a public school music educator in CT. Mark performed with various jazz groups and big bands on piano while performing flute with and conducting various concert bands an orchestras in the Hartford area. Currently in addition to performing with Metro Jazz he is co - principal flute with CT Valley Symphony Orchestra, co - directs the New York Flute Club Ensemble program in Manhattan, and is an adjunct music education music professor at the University of Bridgeport where he leads the UB Knight's Ensemble Wind Band.