Shane Chalke -Trumpet

Shane Chalke began his love affair with the trumpet at age 10.   Over the years, he has played in a variety of funk bands, swing bands, and jazz groups.   In 2007 he left his career as a mathematician to pursue jazz full time.   When he and his wife Monique moved from the Washington DC area to Banner Elk, NC in 2011 he formed BE Jazz to bring straight ahead jazz to the high country. This core group of jazz musicians has stayed together over the years, playing several times a week in the NC Mountains during the tourist season.   In the winters Shane and Monique live in Sarasota, FL, where Shane performs frequently with his group “Shane Chalke’s Jazz Trio”.

“I’m fortunate to play extensively in both NC and Sarasota, with a different group of stellar musicians in each locale – it’s almost like I have two families!  I believe that I sound very different in each place, but I love both experiences.”

Ben McPherron – Bass

Ben McPherron studied Music at Appalachian State University, graduating in 2001. Since then Ben has worked as a professional bassist playing in various groups and a wide variety of genres including Bluegrass, Rock, Country, R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Reggae and Jazz. In 2007 Ben began an apprenticeship with Alfred Michels of Solitude Violin Shop, and is now a luthier building and repairing violins, violas, ‘cellos and double basses.

“While I love playing a wide variety of styles, small combo jazz has always held the place closest to my heart. So you can imagine my interest and curiosity when I received a call out of the blue from a trumpet player from D.C. wanting to see if we could play together. That was Shane Chalke, and we’ve been performing together for 9 years now during the summer season in what became BE Jazz.”

Jim Fleri – Piano

Jim Fleri began his professional music career as a drummer with a variety of performance situations and styles–from small jazz combos, to big bands, classic rock, and wedding bands. A self-taught musician, Jim made the leap from percussion to piano a decade ago, forming his own group, The Lucky Strikes. The group performs in the High Country area, including Banner Elk, which is where Jim first met Shane. His influences include Erroll Garner, Nat King Cole and Vince Guaraldi, and in his skill-set, Jim utilizes a left-hand “bass” technique popular among traditional jazz organists and introduced to him by his father, Gene Fleri, a much respected East Coast pianist. Jim is an accomplished graphic artist/illustrator and is the former Art Director for Mountain Times Publications. Also an avid movie buff, his extensive knowledge of cinema and the origins of many jazz standards often provides an insightful foundation to his performances. Jim currently serves on the board of The Blowing Rock Jazz Society and is the in-house Illustrator for University Communications at Appalachian State University.

“My background in jazz prior to joining BE Jazz was primarily Great American Songbook Standards. Growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina didn’t provide consistent, economically feasible opportunities to delve into pure jazz. Shane’s BE Jazz now provides me with that opportunity. The experience has strengthened my abilities in all areas of performance. Few have accomplished what Shane has in this area, and I’m happy to perform regularly with such talented musicians.”

Rob Falvo – Vibes

Rob Falvo is head of the percussion department at Appalachian State University. Rob teaches applied lessons and directs the New Paradigm Percussion Quartet and ASU Percussion Ensemble. In the “classical” music world, Rob is a member of the Philidor Percussion Group, an ensemble-in-residence at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and has performs regularly with the North Carolina, Asheville and Greensboro Symphonies. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe, China, and Japan and can be heard on many orchestral and chamber music recordings. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in percussion performance from the Manhattan School of Music. In 2011 Rob expanded his musical studies to include jazz on vibraphone. In the “jazz” music world, Rob has studied with Jon Metzger, Gary Burton, Dick Sisto, Todd Wright, and Jamey Aebersold. He has performed jazz on stage at ASU’s Hayes School of Music and has performed regularly for the last four years with Shane Chalke’s BE Jazz.

“I am tremendously grateful to Shane for including me in BE Jazz. It is such a pleasure to perform with such talented musicians and the experience is invaluable.”

Mike Willis – Drums

Mike Willis studied music at Brevard and at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. He has extensive experience playing professionally with a variety of musical groups. He played percussion with the New York Quartet and with the Jerry Lambert Trio in Charlotte, Raleigh and Atlanta. A pianist and harpist in addition to a percussionist, his unique style of jazz piano developed while working with Milton Clapp with the New York Quartet. He studied harp with Jean Morehead in Raleigh and Lorraine Little in Charlotte. He played harp and piano at the Esseola Lodge in Linville from 1982-87, and harp and piano at the Tower Club in Charlotte from 1989-96, and does freelance work with a number of musical groups in Western NC. Mike has a lifelong interest in fitness and sports and is a fair weather motorcyclist.

“It’s been a wonderful musical experience playing with Shane and BE Jazz these past nine years. We’ve performed so many gigs together we can read each other’s minds. That makes the jazz focused, tight, and satisfying!

John DeWitt – Bass

Originally from Rochester, NY by way of Long Island, John has played with many different artists in many different styles. His credits include stints with artists as diverse as Patti LaBelle and Edie Adams, Bo Diddley, Julius LaRosa and Al Martino, The Artistics, The Intruders, Samantha Sang and the Jimmy Dorsey and Larry Elgart Orchestras. John has played on numerous New York jingle and record dates. His Broadway credits include “Dancin’” and the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra as well as the national touring company of “Hair”. Jazz credits include a 13-year stint as part of the David Amram Trio. John also taught at the Mannes College of Music for twenty years.

“Playing in a trumpet-piano-bass trio with Shane has been a great experience.  The openness of that trio allows the sound of each instrument to be clearly heard and enables us to create some interesting soundscapes.  Every night is a new adventure!”

Keith Carman – Piano

Keith Carman is a part-time Bradenton, Florida resident. He and his wife, Nancy, enjoy a summer home near Kalamazoo, Michigan. Nancy, a professional vocalist, works with Keith in many area combos. Keith was a dual-major at Michigan State University: Mathematics and Music. He played the sousaphone in marching bands, the tuba and baritone in concert bands and the trumpet in basketball pep bands. Early combo performances were on the upright bass, piano and Hammond organ. Following his college years, Keith was a musical director in Las Vegas and toured the country for several years. Upon settling down in Kalamazoo, MI, Keith wrote computer software for machine control, robotics and material handling systems with numerous international site installations.

“I am tremendously grateful to Shane for including me in his jazz trio, savoring new challenges and discoveries nightly.  Each performance contains so much history and tradition, allowing the trio and the audience to participate in a celebration of artisan-ship and the deep pleasures of life.  Shane’s jazz is like a fine Scotch whisky -smokey, smooth, mellow, aged.”