Meet the performers! Tickets still available: https://gtownpac.vbotickets.com/event/Ella_Meets_Mel/80511
Ellen Winters is an award winning jazz singer, educator, and vocalist who has been performing for more than 25 years. Ellen has been the leader of the Ellen Winters Group, as well as a solo performer with other outstanding musicians. She has also been a cast member of award nominated Cabaret theatre productions. She tours as both a performer and a clinician in schools and venues throughout the country. Ellen works as a private vocal instructor in Milwaukee as well as Adjunct Faculty at Columbia College Chicago. Ellen is thrilled to be sharing the stage with these amazing friends and musicians and wishes everyone a happy holiday season.
Johnny Rodgers is an internationally celebrated singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway veteran, and recording artist who is described by Stephen Holden, from The New York Times, as an entertainer “who has show business in his bones” with “fused elements of Billy Joel, Peter Allen and Johnny Mercer.” As an Ambassador of American Music, Johnny Rodgers dazzles audiences with this Americana mélange of original songs and classic favorites. Johnny has toured Russia and performed with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, with Igor Butman and his Jazz Orchestra as well as for the US Embassy Independence Day Celebration and Grodno Jazz Festival in Minsk, Belarus. Rodgers doubled as Music Director and piano man for Liza Minnelli performances/tours and starred in Liza’s Tony Award®-winning Liza’s At The Palace. A native of Florida, Johnny and his family now happily call Waukesha home.
Hal Miller (Bass) is a freelance bassist and has performed with national and international jazz artists such as Louie Bellson, Stanley Clarke, Art Farmer, Bud Freeman, Johny Frigo, Bunky Green, Slide Hampton, Tommy Newsom, Bobby Shew, Lou Soloff, Margaret Whiting and Teddy Wilson. Hal has also appeared backing comedians like Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Pete Barbutti, Bob Hope, Mickey Rooney, and accompanying vocalists such as Anna Maria Alberghetti, Joel Grey, Al Martino, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Tiny Tim, The Crystals, The Drifters, The Four Aces, The Four Lads, The Ink Spots, The Moody Blues, and a variety of other shows. Committed to music education, Hal has taught at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Southern Illinois University and has been teaching at Milwaukee Area Technical College since 1991.
Jim Ryan (Drums) has been a mainstay in the framework of the Milwaukee Jazz scene for decades and is still a first call drummer. He can be seen every season in a number of cabaret and mainstage shows at Sunset Playhouse and is the foundation of the rhythm sections for Swing Explosion Big Band, Jazz Express and any number of Milwaukee's elite jazz performers. Jim was a former MPS school teacher and continues to teach a full studio of emerging drummers every week. His students have won top honors at the WSMA local and state competitions and have been featured at the Birch Creek Summer Music festivals in Sturgeon Bay.
Sam Steffke (Piano/Music Director) has worked with a veritable who's who of the Milwaukee music scene. He's a three time winner of Keyboard Instrumentalist of the Year by the WI Area Music Industry Awards (WAMI), spent six years holding down the keyboard chair in Streetlife (former house band of the Milwaukee Bucks), and recorded his own highly respected CD in 2000 called "This Is My Real Job" , and recently released his second CD "A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed For All", which blends his love of Jazz with his deep affection for the music of The Beatles. In addition, Sam keeps a busy schedule of freelance work with many local theatres, venues, bands and outstanding area vocalists.