|
|
|||
Member BiosLook here every month or two for a new profile of the members of KOS! This month... Bryn Swartz
Bryn is seeking to become general counsel to KOS in the future. Bryn is finishing his second year of law school at the University of Richmond will be getting MARRIED in May!!! woo-hoo Bryn!!!!!! Previous Bios...Richard “Lockjaw” Wray
Paul Murrell
David Dryden
Pat Bragg
and the #1 reason (as speculated)!!!!
Well Pat, our dear friend. Now that you have your own personal bio, you have truly arrived. And much to your possible chagrin, we're all the same knuckleheads you knew and loved all those years ago. So, here's to you Pat......welcome back, sit a spell, and enjoy all that fame and glory you missed out on!!!!! Amy Swartz
Even though her husband is the official founder and CEO of the band, we all know who actually runs this thing. Whew!! We're done. Whose bio is next? What? It's not long enough? Do you have any idea how stressful this is?? Jay Mullins
Bruce Woodson
Talk about becoming a “star” at an early age. The Kings of Swing have rarely, if ever had anyone as a member that was attending high school. Bruce joined The Kings of Swing in 1978 while attending Douglas Freeman High School with barely a driver’s license. Bruce plays alto and baritone saxophone, but we particularly like to feature him on solo clarinet (he was 1st or 2nd chair All-State in high school). In fact, Bruce decided to forego his last All-State concert because it conflicted with a Kings of Swing gig. Man, what a high school kid would do for $25 in those days. Bruce owns a few superlative honors in the band.
Bruce, co-owner and founder of Mercer and Woodson Automotive, has rescued our rear ends on more than one occasion with his Johnny on the Spot fixes to whatever was toting our equipment up and down I-95, I-64, or I-81. Bruce is also a member and former President of the British Car Club. In addition to all the great stuff he does in and for the band, many of us will never forget the day he loaded 5 of us (members of “the late car”) up in Richmond in his classic 1920-something Rolls Royce, and delivered us to the gig in Williamsburg in fine style. Gas for trip: $12.96 Allen Brown
Allen is truly a long-timer in the local Richmond music scene. While The Kings of Swing were tearing up the country club and theme park circuit in the mid-late 70s, Allen was sporting bell-bottoms, chains, and cranking out disco/soul music up and down the east coast. For you native Richmonders, how many of you remember the hot dance club on Broad Street called MUCH MORE? Remember the band, Sandcastle? Remember the way, way, too cool dude playing trumpet in the front of the band with the jammin’ dance moves. Yep.....that’s Allen Brown. Before joining Sandcastle, Allen spent some time honing his skills at Berklee College of Music in Boston, hanging out with some of the nation’s elite touring and studio musicians, then it was off to fame and fortune on the Road of Hard Knocks up and down the east coast. After losing most of his hair up and down this road Allen came back to Richmond and played in, YES! a country band called Buckwheat. YEEHAW! Uh, then in 1993, Allen found KOS (or KOS found Allen) and the rest is history. Allen plays keyboards, a mean trumpet, and when we can untether him from the keyboards, he comes out front to deliver some great vocals and a pretty authentic moonwalk. Allen also arranges a ton of charts for the band and is the ‘go-to’ guy for that “got to have this song played at my wedding” that brides request a few hours before the gig. Allen has no aspirations to play tambourine, although he has tried unsuccessfully on several occasions to make aforementioned tambourine disappear. Rich Moncure
Rich’s claim to fame in KOS is, he the only person in the entire band that knows EVERY SINGLE NOTE of EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF MUSIC...FOR ALL OF US!! Let one of us play a SINGLE wrong note...Rich will turn around (so nobody sees it in the audience sees ) and say something like: “What was THAT??” AND, he will do this without missing a single dance step! Rich tends to be somewhat “distracted” at times and because of that has, at one time or another, been forced to wear (sad to say) an extra uniform piece or part belonging to every other member uhh….EXCEPT Amy (we think). He has been known to change clothes in the late car, in the parking lot at the gig, and even at a railroad crossing! He is rumored to cheat occasionally at the “dollar game” in the late car (none of the rest of us even know what the “dollar game” is!) Instruments Rich plays include: Trombone, Keyboard, bass, drums (electronic only...what’s up with that??) acoustic guitar, electric guitar and flute. Rich is also one of our lead singers...he also has arranged a large part of the KOS library...he also has a cool recording studio in his basement where we have the occasional recording session. (That is, IF we can keep all the neighbors quiet that Rich invited over while we record!) About the only thing he has NOT mastered is the tambourine. Rich graduated from East Carolina University (something he NEVER lets us forget!) and while there, was in a group called the “Swing Kings” (something he thinks is hilarious because they used to get some of our gigs!) Ha, ha Rich....very funny!!! Rich owns his own company, “On Hold marketing” and we will know we've made it when we hear OUR music on his companies hold message! Bruce Swartz
Bruce created The Kings of Swing in 1974 by putting together a group of University of Richmond students to audition for the summer bandstand gig at Kings Dominion. Won the summer-long gig and created one of Virginia’s longest running performing groups of its kind. The epitomy of The Energizer Bunny. Just keeps going!!!! Dave Carper
Speaking of those ’gatherings’, let’s just say that over the course of 30 years, they’ve calmed down a bit thanks to a couple dozen offspring in the band. But, if you happen to talk to Dave, ask him about the early versions of the “after Dell” parties. Then, please tell some of the new members in the band (anybody less than 25 years tenure). The old guard won’t tell us. They simply will not tell us. It’s like some secret society or something. Oh...back to Dave. He’s also our CTO (Chief Truck-packing Officer) empowered with instructing the road crew on proper placement of the gear in the truck for the trek home. Some say it’s his analytical mind and ability to use space efficiently. A more prudent and plausible explanation is that he’s just getting older and lazier and would prefer to bark out orders rather than do heavy lifting. Doug Adams
Auditions were held for the coveted Cowbell part to Honky Tonk Woman, and Doug won hands down. Probably because he owns the Cowbell. Doug’s history is.....well.......broad. Let’s see. His resume includes stints with with The Catalinas, Band of Oz, The Entertainers, Fat Ammons, Catalinas, Band of Oz, Fat Ammons.......well, you get the picture right? Approaching his 16th year with KOS. |
|||
| KOS: 804.672.2345, 804.672.6445 (fax) email: | website by |
Though the youngest KOS member, Bryn has nearly 8 years at the helm of the stage lighting. Also, Bryn has played often onstage with KOS and been featured on multiple instruments to include tenor sax, guitar, and drums. Bryn is an accomplished writer and musician in his own right, with multiple years of recording and performing experience. Bryn took some time before college and toured the East Coast with his band Opening Day in the 'old' (1985 Ford van) KOS band truck!! That was quite an adventure and included a truck breakdown in Miami..AND the experience of seeing their album in the Virgin Record Store in Times Square, New York City!!
Bryn's gig at KOS is an exercise in patience. It's often a thankless job. First of all, both mom (Amy) and Dad (Bruce) are just...well...around all the time. They're nice people, but they still are...parents. You'll find Bryn on a 3' x 3' platform at most KOS venues, either off to the side, or smack dab in the middle (works best for us for spotlight reasons) of the room. This platform has morphed into a multi-faceted shelf, quite by accident. Amazingly, the platform has developed some sort of bizarre magnetic properties that attract glass and plastic containers! Typically, the containers have some sort of brew, or high-test flammable liquid in them, complete with a shriveled up fruit floating in it in the form of a lime or lemon. These glasses congregate on the platform at Bryn's legs and keep Bryn company. In an effort to curb this 'congregation', KOS is developing and will be patenting an 'air stand', which will provide a floating 'virtual' stand for Bryn and his equipment, but will jettison the glass and plastic containers to the roof. We're just kidding, folks... but please finish your drinks or dance with them!!!! :)
It happens all the time. Just when you think things are going great, your senior All-American quarterback moves on due to graduation. Folks...Richard "Lockjaw" Wray has announced that his graduation is upon us. His senior (well...like his 28th) year with KOS will be his last, as Richard is packing up the family and moving to Hilton Head. KOS has been busy pursuing sponsorship from the local helicopter companies in an effort to fly him in for gigs, but the price of fuel has stymied those efforts. We'll miss Richard. That means the KOS family, and for sure...the folks in the audience that have been mesmerized by his antics. No dance floor in Virginia will be as clean as it was when Richard was busy mopping up the floors with his R-E-S-P-E-C-T sax solo...lying on his back while being dragged around by his feet, only to be spun like a top at the end of his solo. His "James Brown" cover will be...uh...missed. So, as we prepare to part with our dear friend...we seek resumes for his replacement. The candidate must possess serious vocal abilities akin to Richard's, dance steps...uh...like no other. Oh...and they need to play a mean tenor sax and instantly commit nearly 150 songs to memory. Richard, we wish you well...but we urge you to read the first line in Paul Murrell's bio! How can you leave all this?
You can run, but you can't hide. Early in 2008 Paul Murrell came out of retirement to rejoin the KOS circus! In addition to solid trumpet duties, we regained his expertise in sound engineering, trouble-shooting and tambourine maintenance (see 
Wow, did KOS ever 'luck out' in finding David Dryden. Kudos to Doug Adams, who just happened to meet David at a school function in Colonial Heights. The two 'got to talking', and presto...David becomes part of the KOS family. David has a deep background in electronics and sound. Maybe best of all, David is simply one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. On the 'downside', we haven't known David long enough (he's been in KOS since 2004) to be able to share in juicy stories. Plus, we can't seem to entice him to misbehave enough to develop one. He's just steady, solid as a rock, and has a great ear! David's all about 'catching the cues'. That means, when Lockjaw Richard Wray steps up for a solo, David's already on the fader (to turn it down sometimes). He knows the music and knows how to make us sound good on the times we play well, and when to bury us in the mix when we don't play well!!!!!!!
Pat Bragg's re-induction (is that a word?) into KOS happened in the Winter of 2006. For those of you readers who have known KOS for the past 15 years, you may not have even known that Pat took an extended sabatical. However, while he was gone, he substituted often. Though we are ecstatic to have Pat back (he may truly be one of the most rock solid drummers / musicians in this state), many of us continue to scratch our heads and wonder why he agreed to come back. Here are the Top 5 reasons we speculate may have been the drawing card.
Since no member writes his/her own bio, the rest of the band struggled with just who would be offered the duties of writing Amy's bio. Her husband, Bruce Swartz, was officially exempted from the process (to his relief). Therefore, we have all agreed internally to pen this bio anonymously. Amy Swartz has been a KOS member since 1984. Judging by her picture, she must have been 12, huh? (Brownie points for anonymous writers.) In addition to being a member of a saxophone section that has been playing together for over 20 years, Amy is often called on for keyboard duties. But most importantly, Amy simply makes our band MUCH more “easy on the eyes.” She is also an active member in the coveted “late car,” and has been known to really surprise the late car with treats and things to occupy travel time. There was the day she brought a CHICAGO LIVE (the band, of course) video along with a MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL video for a long trip to The Homestead.
Guitarist Jay Mullens comes to KOS with a “plethora” (we love that word......it makes us seem smarter than we are) of playing and teaching experience. That simply means the dude is simply “seasoned”. After a hitch in our nation’s Air Force, Jay started teaching guitar to aspiring local talent and has been at it for 18 years.Jay has his VCU music degree proudly displayed in a basement file cabinet somewhere.His local resume includes stints with The Susan Greenbaum Band, Theatre Virginia and The Greenbrier. Jay is an avid advocate of conserving energy. Just check out his guitar.It weighs in at about 2 lbs and 3 ounces. Looks like a stick. That’s OK, though. With 10 other dudes (and dudette) to share a stage with, any space he gives up, is space Allen (keyboards) gains. Negotiations with Jay were tenuous at best when contact with Jay was initiated. Jay’s contract with KOS stipulates he can wear leather pants and no shirt on 3 gigs per year of his choice. Stay tuned to the KOS website, as Jay neglected to read the fine print which stipulated that KOS reserves the right to publish when he chooses to dress this way beforehand. You are forewarned and our advice to YOU is to stay tuned to the website!!!!
Alto & Baritone Saxophones, Clarinet
Keyboards, Vocals, Trumpet
Trombone, Singer, Arranger, Composer, stage decorum protocol director, occasional musical nag.
How about this for a band member profile. Let’s just string some adjectives together and create the world’s longest run-on sentence. In addition to being the only true charter member, Bruce is CEO, CFO, truck driver, phone call taker, booker, grief taker, spokesperson, and let’s see.......what else?
Oh yeah, he’s also lead trumpet but perhaps his most fulfilling duty is that of lead and solo tambourine. Bruce is willing and in fact, quite eager to share screech and solo trumpet duties with any able-bodied Type A trumpet player. However, keep your mitts off of his tambourine. Those who have reached an unknowing hand onto the KOS royal tambourine have whinced in pain and drawn back a bloody nub. You wanna take the phone calls? Play the high parts? Sing the backup vocals? Schedule rehearsal? Go ahead. Play the tambourine? Not a chance.
Long timer...almost a charter member of The Kings of Swing. Clearly the calmest, most docile guy in the band. Last pulse successfully taken was somewhere in the 25-30 pulse per minute range. Go ahead. Walk up to him and ask him “What's up?” He won’t mind. In fact, he’ll probably just thank you for the attention, then invite you over to his annual KOS party ’after Dogwood Dell’ performance.
In addition to delivering outstanding vocal and trombone talents, Doug also holds “most trusted late night driver” status. Perhaps it’s that disgusting mix of Mountain Dew and peanuts at 1:00 a.m. that pushes him through the night, but God bless him for it!!!!