Sax Section
Jim played in great competition and touring Midwest school bands from grade school into college, but put down his horn for a number of years. He finally got his priorities straight and is overjoyed to be back playing in multiple big bands and small groups. Jim is also an avid ultra-marathoner, with over 50 races run, and a hi-tech veteran of the local Silicon Rainforest.
The Grandson of a Trumpet player, Dan is from Indiana, not far from where Conn, Buescher and Martin once manufactured the finest saxophones in the world. Dan played in big bands in both High School and College, before closeting his horn. After realizing he still had some music in him, he dusted off his sax and joined up with Nopo.
Mark hails from St. Louis, a place with a musical heritage that includes ragtime, blues, gospel, rock & roll, and German beer hall music. Since playing an instrument seemed to be a requirement if not a birthright, Mark chose the sax because sax players got to play jazz and pop. That led to a bachelor’s in music, part of which was paid for by playing lead alto for the university’s jazz big band. Since then he has played with several big bands in the Portland area.
Like at least one other member of NoPo, Graham stopped playing sax around the time of college to pursue a proper “career.” Missing having music in his life, he taught himself guitar, but several years ago he returned to his first love, saxophone, and is thrilled to be playing with NoPo. Graham works for a law firm, where he spends his days wishing he could play music full time.
