Dick Max was raised in San Jose, California where he started piano lessons at age 5. He began playing the String Bass in the 8th grade and has been at it ever since. He studied music and bass at San Jose State College for two and a half years before joining the Marine Corps. His music studies included lessons from Charles Siani, a bassist with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He started doing dance band gigs in high school with the “Naturals”, a local high school band. Since then he has continued in the Dance Band and Jazz genre as well as Big Band and Light Opera Orchestras. In the Dallas Ft. Worth area he played for 18 years with Pinky Purinton’s Big Band as well as for Musicals put on by TWU, TCJC and Stage West. He has also played with the “Nobles of Note”, a Dallas Shrine Big Band and the Lockheed Big Band. While summering in Minnesota he plays in the Northern Light Opera Company’s pit orchestra (“Oliver”, “Oklahoma”, “Into the Woods”, “Music Man” and “Sound of Music”), The Upper Mississippians, a 15 piece swing band, a Lutheran Church’s Praise Band and various other small groups. The opportunity to play with “JUST JAZZ” allows Dick to continue his lifetime of playing great music.