Po'Boys Bios:

Erik Jacobs

Erik often says he was born in Indiana, raised in Florida, but grew up in New Orleans. Erik moved away from his native state of Indiana with his mother and younger sister when he was seven after his parents divorced. His mother moved the family to her childhood home of Fort Myers, FL. It was in Florida that Erik fell in love with music and picked up the trombone. After high school, Erik opted for the Marines and after basic training, combat training, and a brief stint at the Armed Forces School of Music, Erik was stationed with the U.S. Marine Band New Orleans.

Erik has toured as part of the Marine Band New Orleans extensively throughout the entire country and briefly abroad. As a member of the band’s Liberty Brass Quintet, Erik performed all over the country from New York to California and everywhere in between, for two U.S. Presidents, various flag officers and congressmen, and several celebrities. He also performed at several Mardi Gras Parades and secret-society Mardi Gras Balls.

After his tour in the Marines, Erik left the service to freelance in Florida. There he performed with the Southwest Florida and Charlotte Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. Erik also performed with several small ensembles, private events, jazz combos and big bands.

Erik is currently attending the Eastman School of Music where he studies applied music and music education. He also is a founding member of The Po’Boys Brass Band, a throwback to his New Orleans years, and performs extensively with them.

Erik resides in West Irondequoit with his wife Erika, daughter Addyson, and two basset hounds, Dook and Daisy.

Chris Van Hof

Trombonist, Educator, and Arranger Chris Van Hof is a Rochester-based musician. With undergraduate degrees in Music Ed and Trombone Performance froChris Van Hof headshotm Western Michigan University (2006), and a Master's Degree from the Eastman School of Music (2008), Chris performs, writes, and teaches throughout the Western New York region. Chris can be heard playing principal trombone on the Eastman Wind Ensemble's latest 2008 CD release with the Canadian Brass, entitled "Manhattan Music." In addition, he has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, The Syracuse Chorale Orchestra, Mercury Opera Theater Rochester, the Rochester Broadway Theater League, TWENTY21, and with his own groups the Emerald Brass Quintet and the PoBoys Brass Band.

As an educator, Chris is on the faculty of the Hochstein School of Music and Dance, teaches secondary trombone at the University of Rochester, teaches low brass students at the Charles Finney School, and maintains a private studio. He has presented lectures for Eastman's "Gibbs Street Connection," and regularly coaches low brass sections for summer marching band camps.

Chris' arrangements have been performed by the Syracuse Symphony, the Eastman and WMU Trombone Choirs, Eastman New Jazz Ensemble, Emerald Brass Quintet, WMU Jazz Orchestra, WMU Gold Company, and various student chamber groups at ESM. 2008 saw Chris' first commission as a composer: he is working on a set of two tangos for middle school band, and a setting of "Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven" for high school orchestra.

As of March of 2008, Chris is also the interim afternoon drive-time host of WXXI Classical 91.5 in Rochester. Classical 91.5 is a 24-hour Classical Music station. You can catch Chris' broadcasts every weekday from 2PM-7PM at www.wxxi.org.

Chris enjoys running, the Detroit Tigers, college sports, and Bell's Beer from Kalamazoo, MI. He lives with his wife, Andrea, in Penfield New York.

Nick Finzer

Nick is currently in his senior year of study at the Eastman School of Music, pursuing a degree in jazz trombone performance. Aside from being a student, Nick is an active teacher and performer in the Rochester, NY area. Nick can be heard playing regularly with the Rick Holland-Evan Dobbins Little Big Band, the Dave Rivello Ensemble, Orquestra Antonetti, the New Energy Jazz Orchestra, the Po Boys Brass Band, and DubbleStuff. Nick also has five years of teaching experience ranging from private trombone lessons, to leading rehearsals of ensembles with 100+ members.

Upon graduation from high school Nick was chosen by The Commission Project to premiere four pieces (one each year of his studies at Eastman) by trombonist Wycliffe Gordon for both a jazz sextet and for big band. These pieces feature Nick, and have been premiered around Rochester at local high schools.

Nick leads two of his own jazz groups around Rochester: The Nick Finzer Sextet, and jazz-funk project DubbleStuff. Nick is devoted to the pursuit of advancing and modernizing jazz in the 21st century, by fusing more contemporary styles with traditional ones, which can be seen in his wide range of musical output. Having thus far establishing a strong foothold in the Rochester area, Nick enjoys his constantly evolving role in both playing and teaching, and looks forward to a bright future.

Evan Dobbins

T.J. Ricer

T. J. Ricer holds a Bachelor of Music from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a Master of Music from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee and is currently finishing a doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. He has performed with the Cincinnati, Knoxville, Springfield, Lima, Middletown, and Lebanon Symphony Orchestras. In addition to his work as a tubist, Ricer has played bass trombone in the Blue Wisp, Streamliners, and Jack Carr Big Bands and as a soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He is a regularly contributing writer for the International Tuba and Euphonium Association's Journal. When not playing low brass, Ricer is the lead singer and bass player for “CASH Back,” a tribute to the Man in Black and holds a certification as a group aerobics instructor.

Mike Frederick

Mike Frederick began playing guitar at the age of twelve, taking private lessons for approximately six months and then exploring the guitar on his own through high school. By the time he graduated, Mike had won several awards at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and was the guitarist in the 2000 Washington All-State Jazz Ensemble.

Mike earned his B.A. in guitar performance from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, studying jazz improvisation with trumpeter Brian Ploeger, saxophonists Geoff Bradfield and Dave Hagelganz, and pianist Brent Edstrom. Performing with the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble and
as an accompanist for the chamber choir afforded opportunities for travel including tours of Italy, Hawaii, and several regional tours of the West. During this time, he also studied classical guitar with Dr. Paul Grove, earning the Young Artist award in the guitar division at Musicfest Northwest 2004.

After college, Mike worked in showbands and jazz trios on several Carnival cruise ships. During the ‘05-’06 and ‘06-’07 school years Mike taught guitar and coached jazz small groups at Whitworth University and Gonzaga University, taught guitar classes in high schools, played for theater productions, and freelanced around the Northwest with his trio, Localized Tenderness, and several other jazz and rock projects. In the fall of 2007 Mike started the master’s degree program in Jazz and Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He is currently maintains an active teaching and performing schedule.

Chris Teal

Chris Teal is a drummer & percussionist currently residing in Rochester, New York. Chris is pursuing a masters in jazz and contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music, under the instruction of Rich Thompson. He performs with DubbleStuff, the Po'Boys Brass Band, and the Chris Teal Trio, as well as freelancing with other local artists and theater companies. Chris is a member of the groups Localized Tenderness, Fugu Apprentice, the Danny Songhurst Band, Jigsaw Republic, and Don Goodwin and Freefire. Originally from Spokane, Washington, Chris graduated with a BA in Jazz Performance from Whitworth College in 2005.

He has recorded and performed with notible artists Rich Perry, Dayna Stephens, James Pants, Roland Vasquez, Walt Weiskopf, Nicholas Payton, Eric Reed, John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, Ed Neumeister, Dan Balmer, Fred Stone, Brent Edstrom, Danny McCollim, Brian Ploeger, Hal Galper, Dan Keberle, the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and the World's Oldest Living Sax Section. Other cross-country endeavors include playing for Carnival Cruise Lines beginning in 2003.