Dave Washburn and the Three Quarters Fast Dixieland Jazz Band

	DAVE WASHBURN'S


WHO WE ARE


DAVID WASHBURN Clarinet Saxophone Vocals		David grew up in Garland Texas. One summer at around 11 years old he was so keen to play a musical instrument, he rode his bicycle (about 20 miles round trip) to his Aunt's, a clarinetist and piano teacher, to learn to play clarinet in exchange for mowing her lawn each week. Later he went on to learn saxophone and guitar. David, a former air conditioning contractor and now music store owner, played guitar with a small band for about 25 years. During that time he was also an avid self-taught student of music theory and improvisation. When the band broke up, David decided to return to his first love, playing clarinet Pete Fountain style. He relishes music from the big band era, traditional and Dixieland jazz; but, also enjoys the precision of playing the snappy German style music with a 12 piece wind band, called Kleinblasmusik. David also performs and sings frequently for seniors groups and retirement communities as Dave's One Man Jazz Band. In addition, he performs with the Three Quarters Fast Band for seniors, restaurants and other events and locations. They are very popular at Mardi Gras time. In his music store, located in Terrell, TX and founded in 2002, he has gained a reputation as an excellent musical instrument repairman. He also, provides a free community service on Saturday afternoons in his store tutoring school students in theory and improvisation who have a passion for playing their musical instrument.

DEREK SNEED Trumpet Vocals		Derek “Red-Man” Sneed studied music at West Texas State University in Canyon, TX before transferring to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX where he received his Bachelor of Music degree. Derek performed as a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall in New York with the Texas Tech Symphonic Band in 1993. He has also recorded and performed with Dale Underwood, Eddie Daniels, and Larry Gatlin. Derek has taught band, choir, jazz, and general music in Texas schools since 1992. He currently teaches band in Quinlan, TX and also serves as Worship Leader and Director of Education at First Baptist Church of Quinlan, TX. Derek plays every musical instrument ever created and some that haven’t been created yet with the exception of the banjo. (no offense, Larry!) He spends most of his musical time on trumpet, piano, and guitar. In addition to TQFJB, Derek has a classic rock & blues band called “Right Turn Only”. Derek also does DJ work for dances and special events and writes commercial jingles. Derek lives in Quinlan with his wife Raenell and their two daughters, Alexia and Annette.

LARRY SULLIVAN Plectrum Banjo		Larry has been playing the banjo since 2001. In addition to playing with The Three-Quarters Fast Dixieland Band, he plays with the Dallas Banjo Band and with the Sentimental Swingers, a small group playing out of the Highland Park United Methodist Church. Larry and his wife Pat live in McKinney, Texas. Between them, they have four children and four grandchildren. Larry is a semi-retired mechanical and electrical engineer and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. He holds a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas. During his career, Larry worked for Humble Oil (now Exxon-Mobil), General Electric, Texas Instruments and the Atlantic Richfield Company. The bulk of Larry’s career was spent in marine oil exploration R&D. He holds twelve patents (9 domestic, 3 foreign) and was twice awarded an ARCO Outstanding Technical Achievement Award. Larry and Pat enjoy travel and attending live theater and musical performances. In addition to playing music, Larry enjoys reading and tolerates gardening.

MIKE MCSWEENEY Drums		Mike "Sticks" McSweeney has been playing drums since his school days. As a percussionist he has played all kinds of music from polka bands to drum corps to Dixieland jazz. He has performed in venues from New Orleans to Las Vegas. In 2000 he toured Europe for three weeks playing in concerts throughout Germany and Austria. Mike is a practicing CPA . He lives in Dallas with his wife and two small dogs.

YANCEY ARTHUR Trombone		Yancey "Slideman" Arthur Yancey was born in 1960 in Dallas, Texas and grew up on a quail farm. He moved to Coppell in 1969 and graduated HS in 1978. He attended Northlake College for two years on a Voice & Trombone scholarship. At age 5 Yancey started voice lessons with Gertrude Mann, a Juliard graduate, until he was 15 years old. He has performed many times in church, on T.V. and radio and has appeared in Parade Magazine, in Newspapers and on the "Ted Mac Amateur Hour". Yancey has performed as a musician and vocalist in many different types of bands. In addition to playing the trombone he also plays guitar and harmonica. Yancey now lives in Terrell with his wife Peggy and has been employed by American Airlines for 19 years.

RONNIE TOTORA Tuba		Ron was born and raised in the Greater New Orleans area. Since the age of 15 he has been playing Dixieland music throughout New Orleans. There he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Loyola University. Ron moved to Mesquite, Texas in 2001 and now teaches Orchestra in two elementary schools for the Dallas ISD. He is also a member of the Mesquite Symphonic Band where he plays tuba, upright bass and bass guitar, and is Vice-President. He is also the resident composer/arranger having written, arranged and conducted 6 pieces of music in the last 4 years. In addition to the Mesquite Symphonic Band and Dave Washburn's Three Quarter Fast Jazz Band, he is a member of A Study in Brass Quintet. Currently he is taking classes at Texas A&M Commerce to earn his Master's in Music.

CHRIS DREWS Trumpet		Chris Drews was introduced to trumpet playing through the band programs in Aldine, Texas and has continued to enjoy music even when not actively performing. While working as a manager for B. Dalton Bookseller, a division of Barnes & Noble, he played with community bands in the Houston area and since 2002, with the Mesquite Symphonic Band. After a twenty-five year career in bookselling, he returned to college to complete his degree in Music where he studied with Bert Truax, principal trumpet of the Richardson Symphony. Since graduating from Texas A&M University – Commerce he has been doing freelance trumpet playing and teaching in the Dallas Metroplex. He has performed with the Richardson Symphony and with members of the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Richardson Symphonies in various ensembles. This is his first venture outside the world of “legit” trumpet playing. He and his wife, a fellow music teacher, divide their time between Rockwall and East Tawakoni where they enjoy fishing, woodworking, arts and crafts, gardening, and reading.