Bios | Just Jazz Band

Bob Putnam

Piano/Singer

A native of Boston Massachusetts, has been playing piano since the age of six. No stranger to Jazz growing up in a very musical family. His grandfather lead a big band in the Boston area during the 20’s and 30’s, and his father lead a jazz band as well. Bob played piano/organ for more than 20 years with Sounds Unlimited (Boston, MA). He has also performed on piano with The Dixie All Stars (Providence, RI), The Smugtown Stompers (Rochester, New York), the Fort Worth Classic Jazz Orchestra (Fort Worth, TX) the Alamo City Jazz Band (San Antonio, TX) the award winning Moslah Shrine Dance and Dixieland Bands (Fort Worth, TX) and the Southlake Swing Band (Southlake, TX). Bob has worked for more than 50 years at keeping the classic Jazz style of music alive.

Lynn Putnam

Flute/Alto Flute/Percussion

A native of Providence, Rhode Island, has been playing flute with the group Just Jazz since its inception. She has been playing for her personal enjoyment for most of her adult life. Her background is in Classical music, but was highly influenced by her Dad at a young age. Even though jazz was not her first love at that the time (Rock n’ Roll prevailed), she still appreciated the type of music her Dad played with his jazz band, the “Stardust Four”. Lynn had stopped playing by the time she left college. In 1984 she met her future husband, Bob. When they started dating, Bob got her to start playing again. He mentored her to the Jazz genre and she has been honing her jazz improvising skills since. She has a great love for jazz and enjoys listening to the music of Stan Getz, Frank Sinatra and Diana Krall.

Doug Brown

Soprano Sax, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, and Clarinet

A native of Buffalo, New York, has been playing reed instruments over 50 years. He enjoys playing a wide range of music from Trad Jazz, swing, big band jazz, 50’s rock-n-roll, rockabilly, to jump blues. He has recorded on an album with Pat Green produced by Grammy winning producer Lloyd Maines, and backed up Rock and Roll legends Roddy Jackson and Lloyd Price at Viva Las Vegas. In addition to Just Jazz, Doug currently plays in the Maxwell Hall Jazz band and freelances with other groups in the DFW area.

Byron Swann

Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Byron Swann has been playing trumpet since the 6th grade after seeing the film "Hello Dolly" which featured Louis Armstrong. After earning his Bachelor of Music Education at Angelo State University, he began his career as Band Director. Byron has performed in bands of all genres including Gospel, Latin, Blues, R&B,Top 40 Cover, and of course Jazz Ensembles of various sizes. He played in and was also the Adjunct Director of the Waco Jazz Orchestra at McLennan Community College. His travel experience came while he played in the Temple Jazz Orchestra. TJO toured Europe in 2009 and again in 2012. While there, the band performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz a Vienne, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and also the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Getting to perform on stage with such jazz greats as: Carl Fontana, Bobby Shew, Ernie Watts, Bill Watrous, Eddie Daniels, Brian Lynch, Ed Calle, Eric Marienthal, Lew Solof, Allen Vazzutti, Wayne Bergeron, and Randy Brecker have been some of the great experiences of his life. While in education, (38 years) Byron has been an Adjudicator, Clinician, and featured Artist for many TXMA Region 8 Middle and High School jazz bands including ATSSB, and TAPPS organizations. He also served as the Choir Director at Second Missionary Baptist Church for many years while living in Waco, TX. Having relocated to the Ft. Worth area, he is now sharing his gifts and/talents locally and meeting new friends.

Tom Halbouty

Drums

Tom Halbouty, a native Texan from Houston, started drums in middle school and continued in high school playing with the Houston All City Orchestra and later playing in several house bands at AstroWorld (a Six Flags Park). Tom studied percussion with David Wulliger of the Houston Symphony, and drum set with Joe Raynor and Jack Dudney. His favorite drummers include Joe Morello, Buddy Rich, and Bobby Colomby. Tom currently plays in the Southlake Swing Band, the Maxwell Hall Jazz band and played for years with the East Fort Worth Jazz band and the TCC NE Campus Jazz Band.

Jim McKay

Guitar

A native of Goffstown, New Hampshire, began jazz studies in high school and began performing with big bands as a teenager. Studied jazz at UNT with Jack Petersen, Rich Matteson, Lou Marini, and Dan Hearle. After college played the “chitlin” circuit with little Joe Blue, Charlie Robinson, Greg Smith and others. In addition to Just Jazz, currently performs with various vocalist, The Jazz Monsters, and Buddy's Big Band. Currently teaches at Cross Church, in North Richland Hills, in Music Ministry and private instruction.

Sydney Hamil

Singer

Sydney Hamil has a BFA in musical theatre from UT Arlington, where she studied with their jazz program. You can see her performing all around the DFW area, currently you can catch her performing with the Gunfighters during Fright Fest at Six Flags, in the play Noises Off at Theatre Frisco, or with A Charlie Brown Christmas at Dallas Children's Theater. Sydney also performed in the Mainstage Irving’s production of Gypsy in the main role of Gypsy. She also sings jazz around the Dallas/Fort Worth area with Pirate Jazz Band and, of course, here with Just Jazz. Sydney has a passion for classic jazz and enjoys singing tunes from the Great American Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Cole Porter and the Gershwin’s.

David Fike

Bass

David Fike (bass) has performed extensively throughout Texas for many years. He has participated in a variety of jazz festivals including multiple performances at the Montreux International Jazz Festival (Switzerland), the Texas Jazz Festival (Corpus Christi) and Jazz S’Alive Festival (San Antonio). David has performed with nationally-acclaimed artists and entertainers including Tommy Tune, Bobby Shew, Dave Samuels, Butch Miles, Richie Cole, and Dave Tull, to name a few. He has also played acoustic and electric bass in 20 music theater shows, a host of recording sessions and live TV/radio shows. David taught bass at Amarillo College for 6 years. He has a PhD from Touro University.