A Tribute to Contemporary Jazz

Bassist Ronnie France - Long time collaboration with vocalist Ronnie Leigh and keyboardist Larry Arlotta led to two Grammy nominated CD’s!

From there he went on to become the touring bassist for Doc Severinson of “Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”. . He was a bassist for jazz vocalist Nancy Kelly whose first album went to number eight on the Billboard Jazz Charts. 

Ronnie has recently worked with such luminaries as Paul Schafer (David Letterman) - drummer Steve Smith (Journey - Vital Information) - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels - Dean Brown (David Sanborn) - Felix Cavaliere & Gene Cornish (The Rascals) -  David Clayton Thomas (BS&T) - drummer Dennis Chambers (Steely Dan, Santana) 

Ron has been an Upstate NY favorite bassist playing with Primetime Funk, and The Funky Jazz Band with Dave Hanlon.  

Saxophonist – Multi Instrumentalist Brian Scherer has shared the stage with many national recording artists including Don Menza, Dave Kerzner, The Smothers Brothers, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra Jr. and Martha Reeves. He received his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Fredonia State University College and has done graduate work at both Potsdam and Oswego State Universities. Brian is an active touring artist, clinician, and private teacher in New York and Florida and has been a featured player with The Desantis Orchestra, ESP, Stroke, and the Funky Jazz Band.  

Guitarist Rick Balestra has been a featured artist at a number Jazz Festivals including the M&T Jazz Festival, the SUNY Oswego Jazz Guitar Festival, Glenora Wine Jazz Series, North Hampton Jazz Festival, Rochester’s Jazz Festival and Cornhill Festival. He has also been featured soloist with the Syracuse Symphony and Pops Orchestra and Syracuse Opera Company.  

For 10 seasons Rick was the originator and facilitator for the “Jazz Guitar Festival” held in upstate New York, where he shared the stage with internationally known artists such as Peter Bernstein, John Abercrombie, Gene Bertoncini, Pearl Django,  Rodney Jones, Vic Juris, and Mike Stern.

Rick received his Masters Degree in Music from Ithaca College and is currently the Professor of Guitar at SUNY Oswego, Colgate University, and Hamilton College. He often performs with Gene Bertoncini & Rick Balestra Guitar Duo, Mescolare Trio,  The Cayuga Latin Jazz Project, and as a duo with bassist Chris Colabello.  

Keyboardist Ed Vivenzio Has had major label success with his band 805 recording two albums with R.C.A. Those records Stand In Line, 1980 and Question of Tomorrow, 1985 hit the US charts. The first record, Stand In Line ended up crossing over to chart on AOR radio airplay the first week of its release. Ed has been playing contemporary jazz in an around Syracuse most of his professional career — since the 1980’s. In that time he’s produced his own original music and was the keyboardist for Dave Hanlon's Cookbook and The Funky Jazz Band 

Drummer Evan DuChene has toured with Inner city Recording Artist Dry Jack, backing up artists such as McCoy Tyner and Freddie Hubbard. Evan also toured with Philip Myers throughout the US playing many of the nation’s finest Five Diamond resorts as well as performances in Cancun, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Beijing China.

In addition to playing with Actual Proof, Evan is a member of the three time SAMMY award winning band E.S.P. , as well as being a member of the Five Families Ensemble lead by Utica legend Monk Rowe. He has also worked with many upstate New York greats such as Ronnie Leigh, Larry Arlotta and Rick Montalbano to name a few.