Gateway Band has been the “house-band” for the Mostly Jazz Mass at Trinity Cathedral for almost fifteen years. They bring a special brand of jazz-gospel fusion to every church service. They’re a talented and versatile group of musicians who are comfortable performing jazz standards, gospel, pop, rock, musical theater, country and more. They have performed for many events including greater Cleveland area church and temple services, concerts, weddings, funerals, parties, and more. Performance venues of note include the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway, the Cleveland Playhouse, Legacy Village, Willoughby Fine Arts Association, Cuyahoga County Board of DD Adult Activity Centers, Fox 8 News, numerous elder care facilities, area bars and bistros. Out of town venues have included St. John the Divine and The Chapel Wall street in New York City, and St. Paul’s Cathedral in Buffalo New York.

The band has produced one album and is currently working on their second. See more information at:

www.Gatewayband.net

-------------------------------

The Musicians of Gateway Band
Jennifer Cochran received her BM and MM degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University. She has performed major roles in many opera/musicals most notably the Ohio premiers of Ligeia, and Regina, in the title roles. She has performed major roles at Cain Park, Cleveland Opera, Tri-C West, and Eldred Theater at Case Western Reserve University. As soprano soloist and cantor at Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland she performed many classical, gospel and jazz works. She is now the Director of the Mostly Jazz Mass at the Cathedral and vocalist for the house band “Gateway”. She has performed as soloist with the University of Buffalo's Civic Symphony; at St. George's and St. Michael's Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland; St. John the Divine in New York City; and numerous churches in the Greater Cleveland area. Jennifer is currently the Director of the Music and Theater Departments at Trinity High School in Garfield Heights. She is the director of “MusiGals” an adult women’s choir. Previously, Jennifer was a choral and drama teacher at Hathaway Brown for 18 years, and arts teacher for the Cuyahoga Board of Developmental Disabilities Adult Activity Centers. Jennifer created and managed the acclaimed vocal ensemble NEOVocE (Northeastern Ohio Vocal Ensemble). She was a finalist and prize winner in the Savanah “American Traditions” vocal competition in 2012. Her vocal quartet A Note of Class performed in the greater Cleveland area and was invited to perform at the White House. Jennifer's voice can be heard on the original soundtrack of the video Not a Jealous Bone which premiered on PBS nationally. She and Gateway Band are about to embark on the creation of their second CD!

Christopher Burge began his musical career at The Ohio State University where he studied saxophone and music theory with Gene Walker and Hank Marr, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance in 1997. During that time, Christopher toured Thailand with free-jazz group Honk, Wail, and Moan, toured Europe with the OSU Jazz Ensemble, played on a USO tour of maximum-security prisons, and played concerts with Barry White, Louie Bellson, Stanley Turrentine, The National Black Music Caucus Big Band, and the Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show. Since moving to Cleveland in 1998, Christopher has played with internationally known artists Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gino Vannelli, David Sanborn, Cyndi Lauper, Mavis Staples, Ronnie Spector, Clark Terry, David "Fathead" Newman, "Little" Jimmy Scott, Bobby Caldwell, Benny Golson, Eddie Holman, Nancy Wilson, Diane Marino, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, The Jazz Heritage Orchestra, Ernie Krivda and the Fat Tuesday Big Band, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame House Band, and area musicians such as Evelyn Wright, Helen Welch, Joe Hunter, Joe Bell, Sammy DeLeon, Dave Sterner, Ray Porrello, and Bill Ransom. Christopher also is active in the recording studio, playing saxophone, flute, and clarinet for American Greetings e-cards, and he wrote and performed the theme song of the WVIZ-PBS TV show "Applause". Currently, Christopher teaches saxophone at Skyline Music in Westlake, Ohio, and performs with his trio and the band Blue Lunch, which just released its 8th CD, ‘Above the Fold’, on RipCat Records.

LR Smith was born and raised in Cleveland and started playing piano at the age of five. He began formal training as a freshman at Cleveland State University. LR also received his BA in music at Ashland University. He studied with Luba Deninzon at the Cleveland Music School Settlement. He has played with many local artists in bands of varied genres. LR has worked with Broadway star Helen Welch, International society pianist Peter Duchin, and glass harp bass player/vocalist Dan Pecchio. Besides being the pianist for Gateway Band at Trinity Cathedral every Sunday morning in the “Mostly Jzz Mass”, LR is currently the music director at New Life Missionary Baptist Church. Previously, he performed with the Avenue, one of Jerry Bruno’s most popular wedding bands in the greater Cleveland area.

George W. Lee, bassist, was born in Dayton Ohio, He received his first musical training in Toronto, Ontario. He later studied music at Berklee in Boston MA, Central State University in Wilberforce OH, and Kent State University in Kent OH. He has played with many of the best musicians in Ohio and enjoys playing all styles of music. George frequently travels to surrounding states and Canada to play with numerous and well-established Jazz combos. He is currently the regular bass player, just as talented on the electric bass as he is on the double bass, at Trinity Cathedral in the “Mostly Jazz Mass”.

Michael L. Janowitz received his Bachelor of Music Education from Cleveland State University and began his public-school teaching career upon graduation. Michael spent 17 years as a public-school music teacher, having served as the Band Director for the Maple Heights City Schools, as well as teaching Band and Choir in the Cleveland Municipal School District, where he also spent two years directing the All-City Concert Band. Michael is now a full time Real Estate agent in the Northeast Ohio area. As a performer, Michael has been a percussionist with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, the Heights Chamber Orchestra, Suburban Symphony, the Cleveland Winds, and various church and community groups throughout the area. As a drum-set performer, Michael has recorded, toured, and performed with several the finest blues, jazz and rock bands in the Cleveland area.