Join our mailing list!

  Your email

Bookmark and Share


About All of Us


Piano, Bass and Jazz
is a musical collaboration founded by Robert Glatzer (piano) and Jim Pepper (bass). It exists to advance and promote live performances of traditional Jazz in the Delaware Valley Region. Here is who we are.

   
   
 

Robert Glatzer
Piano
email

Born and raised in Bucks County, Robert is a long time regular of the area Jazz scene. He studied Jazz piano with John Coates Sr. and John Coates Jr., and classical piano with Ed Ferdinand. He was a Jazz Performance Major at Temple University.

As the original piano player for the City Rhythm Orchestra Robert has played throughout the Philadelphia region. He has played at many venues, in settings ranging from solo piano and small combos, all the way up to full big bands. In addition to piano, he currently plays clarinet in several area concert bands.

Robert has always lived in 19067, where he resides now with 1 wife, 2 kids, and 1 dog.

   
   
 

Jim Pepper
Bass
email


While earning his Bachelor’s in History at Saint Joe’s, Jim was involved in the growth of the university’s music department, where he helped direct the school’s jazz band and started the University Jazz Combo. In 2012, Jim earned a Master of Arts in Jazz History and Research from Rutgers University. In addition to performing, he also gives presentations and lectures on various topics related to jazz history.

A lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, Jim currently resides in Doylestown, PA.


 

Piano, Bass and Jazz
Alumni

 


Steve Kyle
Bass
email

 

 

Steve Kyle lives in Lower Makefield and taught instrumental music, strings, for 32 years in the Neshaminy School District. Active as a free-lance double bassist with several jazz groups and regional orchestras, including the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey, Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, Newtown Chamber Orchestra, Warminster Symphony, Bryn Athyn Symphony, and the Bravura Philharmonic. Member of the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County’s Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of the Capital Philharmonic."

   

Mike Dettra
Drums
web
email

Mike Dettra has been performing music of some sort for all his life. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from Temple University in 2007. He is interested in all styles of music and performs as a freelance drummer/percussionist/piano player with many ensembles in the area. He currently leads the Dettra Mental Jazz Ensemble, and performs with the Newtown Arts Company Musicals, The Delaware Valley Wind Symphony, and Cairn University’s Orchestra/Wind Symphony. He is the Music Director for the Advent Lutheran Church in Richboro, runs the band program at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Southampton, Pa, and teaches at The Conservatory of Music in Doylestown. He also plays several concerts a month for the residents and staff of Woods Services.

Mike recently wrote and recorded 4 jazz albums entitled Raison Dettra, A Dettra Christmas Album, Jazz on a Sunday, and the most recent Dettra Mental. They can be listened to at http://www.mikedettra.bandcamp.com

Mike lives in Bucks County with his wonderful wife Katie and two amazing children Will and Teddy. He is thankful each day for the precious gift that is life.

   

Kiyoshi Nishiji
Drums
web
email

Kiyoshi was originally self-taught, playing drums in Fusion scenes in Japan during the ‘80’s. He also toured throughout Japan, backing up popular singers of the era, worked in studios, and musicals. After relocating to the US in 1988, Kiyoshi studied drums with the legendary drum instructor, Justin “Jay” Bruno in Northeast Philadelphia. Kiyoshi was awarded a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied Jazz Composition and studied drums with Kenwood Dennard, Casey Scheuerell, Joe Hunt, Jon Hazilla, and Larry Finn. He was also a founding member (Drummer / Horn Chart Transcriber) of Berklee Tower of Power Ensemble. He graduated with Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition, in 2002.

Some of whom Kiyoshi has performed with include: Wayne Naus (Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Arturo Sandoval), Tony Grey (Hiromi), Russell Ferrante (The Yellowjackets), Ruslan Sirota (Stanley Clarke Band, Josh Groban), Chrissi Poland (Dave Weckl, Will Lee, Tommy Igor), Annie Clements (Sugarland), Mitch Cohn (Lady Gaga), Princess (A&M Records), Walter Smith III (Concord Records), Denise King, and The Platters.

Kiyoshi currently resides in Chalfont, PA. His CD/Streaming “Available Light” is available on Spotify, iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon.

   


Adam Pfannenstiel
Vibes
email

Adam Pfannenstiel earned a degree in Music Education and Jazz Performance at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music, where he studied percussion and jazz with Bill Kerrigan, Glenn Steele, Dan Monaghan, Steve Fidyk, Bruce Barth, Dick Oatts, and Terell Stafford. He has performed with some of the great names in jazz including Branford Marsalis, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Joe Wilder, Jon Faddis, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra among others. His credits also include performances at the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Hague Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Carnegie Hall, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Alice Tully Hall in New York City, and The Kimmel Center, Chris’ Jazz Café, and Ortlieb’s Jazz Haus in Philadelphia.

In addition to performing, Adam is an avid composer and arranger. He has been commissioned to write music for the Temple University Jazz Band, The Missouri All-State Jazz Band, and various music ensembles at Hershey Park. He also arranges Marching Band and Jazz Band music for area middle and high schools. Currently, Adam serves as the Director of Bands at Pennwood Middle School in Pennsbury School District.

   
   

John Bachalis
Saxophone
email
John plays saxophone and clarinet with many classical, pop, and jazz groups throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He has performed with the Delaware Valley, Trenton, Rhode Island, Hartford, Springfield, Eastern Connecticut, Reading, Bridgeton and Allentown Symphonies, and the Brian Pastor Big Band. He is also a member of the Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet and has been a band member in performances behind Bob Hope, Carol Channing, Rita Moreno, Chita Rivera, Al Martino, The Temptations, the Drifters, Manhattan Transfer, John Popper, Harry James, and Bobby Rydel.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the College of New Jersey, and a Master of Music degree in Applied Saxophone from West Virginia University. After graduate school, he studied clarinet, saxophone, music theory and arranging with Bill Humenay, and arranging under the tutelage of Bill Holcombe.

John also has over 40 years of experience teaching instrumental music in the public schools of New Jersey.
   
   

Pete Neu
Trumpet
email
Pete Neu is a much in demand trumpet player in the region. He has performed in Atlantic City Casinos and Valley Forge Music Fair with such artists as Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Patty LaBelle, David Benoit, Bobby Rydel, and Al Jareau. He has also performed with the Pennsy Pops Orchestra, Allentown Symphony and as part of the Mellon Jazz Festival in Philadelphia; a Christmas special for PBS titled “A Bronze Christmas” and is featured on compact discs by the Brian Pastor Big Band and Andrew Neu.

Pete is an instrumental music teacher in the North Penn School District. He is listed in “Who’s Who among America’s Teachers”, has been awarded the “Jazz Director of the Year” by the Cavalcade of Bands Association, and was named by the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspaper as one of the “Exemplary Teachers of the Year”. He has recently been selected as one of 217 quarter-finalists, out of a field of 30,000 educators, to be considered for the first ever Music Educator Award by the GRAMMY Foundation. The winner will announced during the 2014 GRAMMY week in Los Angeles.

He is also an active composer and arranger whose music is published by Art of Sound Music Publishing. Pete is a member of the International Trumpet Guild, International Association of Jazz Educators, Music Educators National Conference and the American Federation of Musicians.

   
   

Robert Bullington
Recording Engineer
email

So Robert isn't the typical musician on our list (although he could be because of his great singing). He is a very special Alumni because Robert was nice enough to feature Piano, Bass, and Jazz on his radio broadcast, Jazz Discoveries on 89.1, HD2, JazzOn2.

If you need a recording done in a studio or a live event with audio or multi-camera recording Robert is the go-to-guy. Check out his studio, Front Row Seat Productions, for more info.

   
   

Sean Bailey
Saxophone + Clarinet
email

Sean is a Music Performance major at Temple University, studying clarinet with Ricardo Morales. He is a member of Temple’s Symphony Orchestra (which performed in Verizon hall and Alice Tully Hall), the Temple University Big Band (who featured Christian McBride and Jeff Hamilton at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola) and the Wind Ensemble.

He was principal clarinetist of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra for four years, and has played in the Lansdowne Symphony and the Bucks County Symphony.

He is a recipient of the Stuart J. Best Memorial Scholarship and the Dr. Arthur Bennett Lipkin Memorial Fund, in addition to being selected as a Garrigues Scholar at Temple University.

Sean is a member of The Bailey Trio, GKHAT, and the Slowburn jazz ensembles in the Philadelphia area.

   
   

Taylor Webster

Vocals
email

Taylor recently graduated from Temple University with a degree in theater. Originally from Montgomery County, she has lived in New York and Philadelphia pursuing her passion for performing.

She started singing, dancing, and acting at the age of 6 years old. Over the years, you may have caught her in a variety of productions at the Bucks County Playhouse. She just finished a workshop musical in New York and is now currently working on a music project with her boyfriend, Danny Kaplan.

Special thanks to her family and friends for all their support! Love you guys! Stay tuned and thanks for listening!

   
   

Thomas B. Razler

Saxophone
email

Born and raised in Bucks County, PA, Thomas studied music at Bucks County Community College and then Berklee College of Music, earning a degree in jazz performance.

After a few years on the Boston music scene and a national tour with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, he returned to Philadelphia to run the Sedgwick Theater's Teen Jazz Workshop. He now works as a freelance musician in the greater Philadelphia area, heads up the Thomas B. Razler Quartet (TBRQ) which you can hear here. He also plays with the Delaware Valley Wind Symphony and is the Director of the Airport Music Studio in Doylestown, PA.

Former teachers include Ben Schachter, George Garzone, Andy McGhee, Billy Pierce, Dino Govoni and Jerry Nowak.

Thomas is available for private lessons in the Doylestown area on saxophone, clarinet and flute.

   
   

Tom Zaneski
Guitar
email

Tom has been playing guitar since the Fourth Grade. As a child he appeared on a number of local TV programs and played with numerous bands in the Philadelphia area. He graduated from Temple University in 1979 with a BA in Music and a Certification in Music Therapy and worked as a Music Therapist (CMT) from 1979 to 1985 at Philadelphia State Hospital.

Tom studied guitar with local teacher Dick Sierota, and piano and voice with Philly composer and arranger Russ Faith. In the 80’s Tom played guitar and sang on numerous recording dates in the Philly area including a number of TV and Radio commercials. He shifted his focus from Music to Computer Science in 1985 and left music behind in order to raise a family.

After almost 20 years away from music he is back on the scene playing in local pit orchestras and jazz ensembles. He also plays with Jazz4Nothin’, the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra’s Pops Concerts and with a new jazz septet he is organizing called Standard Time.

Tom lives in Chalfont, teaches guitar and is the owner of Clover Promotions, a small business providing marketing support and promotional products to local businesses and major Broadway productions.