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| BIOGRAPHIES
Dan Gabel  Founder, Leader, Arranger, Trombone, Tuba, Trumpet, Vocals  __________________________________________________________________________ Dan Gabel has LOVED music since he was very little. The first concert he attended was at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA, hearing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. His favorite classical composers are J.S. Bach and Beethoven, and he still loves to go to Tanglewood.
He was first introduced to Jazz/Swing when his parents bought him a Tommy Dorsey CD, "The Seventeen Number Ones." He instantly fell in love with the man, the instrument, and the music, and the rest, they say, is history. "I've been collecting all types of Records and CDs most of my life, and now I'm running out of room for them all!" he says.
Dan has been playing trombone since he was ten years old in 4th grade. "I chose the trombone first because my Dad played it in high school, and second because there weren't any in the band at the time, and they needed some good low brass" recalls Dan. After picking up his Dad's great old King 2B (which Dan still plays), Dan was first taught to play by Mrs. Barri Baggett in middle school. He then received private lessons from Mrs. Avril Waye, and studied with Mr. Tony Lada. Later, Dan went under the tutelage of Mr. Lou Borelli, "who has been a source of infinite inspiration and knowledge." Dan currently studies arranging and composition with Mr. Borelli and Mr. Dick Odgren, both providing a wealth of knowledge and experience in the music business.
He studied trombone with Professor David Sporny at UMass Amherst, which Dan says "Is one of the best things I have done, I enjoy and learn very much from Mr. Sporny!"
Currently, Dan is taking lessons with Mr. Norman Bolter, recently retired Boston Symphony Orchestra Trombonist, and Lead Trombone in the Boston Pops.
_____________________________________________________________________________________ "I first got the idea to form a band a few years back," he remembers, "when I began talking with my friends about Dorsey, Teagarden, Goodman, and Miller, and they had no clue who these people were!" He decided to make a band that would help keep alive the sound of the great sounds of Jazz, Ragtime, and Swing. The "Abletones" were born in 2003, as a quartet. Nick Helpa came up with the name, with Nick and Dana Howes on sax, Jim Gancarz (Dan's best friend) on drums, and Dan writing all the arrangements, playing trombone, tuba, baritone horn, trumpet, and singing. It soon became apparent that more musicians were needed to fully capture the sound of a big band, so Dan gradually added more players. "I am so happy and proud to be the leader of this band. It has been great playing with so many excellent musicians. We all love the music, playing together, and enjoy each others company as well. The players are not just musicians but have become good friends as well!" Dan Gabel studyed at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, triple-majoring in Political Science, Legal Studies, and Jazz History. Trombone Influences: Tommy Dorsey, Jack Teagarden, Turk Murphy, Bud Trow, Kid Ory, Buddy Morrow, Larry O'Brien, Glenn Miller, Spiegle Wilcox, Miff Mole, J.C. Higginbotham, Roy Palmer, 'Big Jim' Robinson, Jack Jenney, Bill Rank, Dicky Wells, Abe Lincoln (the trombonist), Urbie Green, Bill Harris, Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Bob Havens.
~Dan now works for Larry O'Brien with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and got to play with Buster Cooper in St. Petersburg, FL, and meet Buddy Morrow several times! L-R Dan with Buster Cooper, Buddy Morrow, and Buddy DeFranco. Dan got to spend the evening along with members of the Glenn Miller Orchestra with the legendary Buddy DeFranco. "It was truely a humbling and incredible experience spending time with this Jazz Legend and Gentleman," says Dan. Instrument Information:
---Dan's first trombone, and one that he still uses for some gigs, is an old beautiful King 2-B Liberty, from around 1950. "My Dad gave me his trombone that he used when he was a kid!"
---In 2005, Dan got a custom-made Shires Trombone. "I tried many other brands of bones," says Dan, "but none can even compare to the awesome quality and craftsmanship of my Shires trombone, made right in Massachusetts!"
---Dan uses two mouthpieces for his bone. The first is a Bach 5GS for section playing and trad jazz work. The other is a Jiggs Whigham 1A mouthpiece for he uses for lead work.
---For classical or "legit" work, Dan uses a Benge 190 large bore Trombone with an F-valve
---For trumpet, Dan uses a Jean Baptiste "pocket trumpet". Also, for a mouthpiece, he uses the biggest one that Bach makes, a 1 1/2c. He was recently featured with Camp Sunshine on The Today Show playing "Muskat Ramble" on this trumpet!
---For cornet, Dan plays a vintage 1950's Olds Ambassador model. "Best tone out of a high-brass instrument I've ever heard!" says Dan.
---Dan uses "Bud" Trow's tuba, which recently was given to Dan. It is a very old Orsi model from Milan, probably from around 1915. "It may be old, it may not look the best, but I'm sure proud to play Bud's tuba." It gets a great big sound, perfect for the 1920's arrangements. "Whenever I play it, I will remember fondly my friend Bud" says Dan.
---Dan also has a collection of instruments including a soprano trombone, a bugle, an alto sax, an accordion, among other things. He has a small but growing and vintage percussion collection, with a set of 1929 Ludwig Temple Blocks, parts of a 1928 Slingerland set, and a 1929 Slingerland Hi-Sock (Hi-Hat) cymbal stand and cymbals that still work great! Jim Gancarz
 Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Assistant Leader, Sound Technician, Chief Recording Engineer
Jim has been with the Abletones since before the band even started. Back in 2001, Dan asked his best friend Jim to play drums in a swing band that Dan was eventually going to begin. "We've got a trombone and you hopefully you on drums. A great start!" Dan told him while in their 7th grade history class. Thinking that perhaps his friend was a bit crazy, Jim said "Sure, that sounds good I think." When finally "The Abletones" began as a jazz quartette, Jim was right there ready to play. Now, he is the most swingin' drummer around and wow's audiences every time with his incredible technique, style, speed, showmanship, and great humble personality. Influences: Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Ray Bauduc, Chick Webb, Zutty Singleton, Baby Dodds, "Big Sid" Cattlet Dr. Warren "Bud" Trow Trombone, vocals, arranger, teaching mentor Influences: Turk Murphy, Kid Ory, Lu Watters
Mr. Lou Borelli Solo Trumpet, vocal, teacher Influences: Bunny Berigan, Harry James, Louis Armstrong, Boots Mussuli
Mr. Paul Tomashefsky Lead Trumpet, arranger
Mr. Tony D'Angelo Trumpet, solos
Kelley "Ozzy" (aka the ocillascope) Farwell Trumpet, occasionally audible  Dan and Kelley proudly display the HN Jazz award of a Platinum!: the highest award given!
Mr. Wes Trow Lead Alto, Clarinet, Bari-Sax
Jon Loya Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Ewi
Carlos Davis Alto Sax, Clarinet, Percussion
William "Billy" Nelson, Jr. Alto Sax, Clarinet, occasional vocal
Maxwell "Max" Hegedus Baritone Sax, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
Mr. Bill Doyle, esq. Rhythm guitar
Mrs. Esther Trow Piano
Scott Ploysungwan Bass
Mr. Rich Jervais Vocals
MORE BIOGRAPHIES TO FOLLOW!
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