Lanny Marshall
Lead & jazz trombone
(Founding Member)

Retired Air Force trombonist Lanny Marshall is one of America’s leading jazz authorities. He was featured on several albums and on countless nationwide tours with one of the most prominent military bands in existence, the United States Air Force Academy Band, the Falconaires, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Lanny was the “Falc’s” lead trombonist for over 20 years, and his long-standing commitment to musical and military excellence in his service to the nation is a source of pride to the NDO. As a member of such a high profile big band as the Falconaires, Lanny was often asked to present clinics throughout our great nation, and has served as adjudicator at jazz festivals including the highly acclaimed Witchita Jazz Festival in Witchita, Kansas. http://www.usafacademyband.com/falcs_bio.html

Following his stint with the Air Force Academy Band, Lanny became a full-time student earning his Bachelor of Music degree from Lamar University where he performed with the school’s top musical ensembles, including the Grand Chorus and A Cappella Choir. He has been featured on the increasingly popular Lamarissimo concert series with the LU jazz bands, and was also invited back to perform with Lamar’s alumni jazz band. That group, led by President of Lamar Dr. James M. Simmons, released a CD entitled “Jimmy and Friends” in 2005 (available through the Lamar University Alumni Office). http://dept.lamar.edu/alumni/jsf/

Lanny currently teaches 4th grade (along with his wife, interestingly enough) for the Kirbyville ISD. He and his wife tour the countryside each summer as motorcycle enthusiasts.

Wayne Dyess
Jazz Trombone and Leader
(Founder and Musical Director)

The founder of the Night & Day Orchestra is a former trombone section leader and tour soloist with a band known as “The World’s Finest”, the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C. Wayne served in the Navy Band from 1971 to 1975, performing for countless thousands and always getting a standing ovation with his virtuoso performance of Claude T. Smith’s “Rhapsody for Trombone” based on the haunting melody from Tommy Dorsey’s “Gettin’ Sentimental Over You.” http://www.navyband.navy.mil/

Wayne continues to tour our nation's towns and cities with Keith Brion and his New Sousa Band. Mr. Brion appears throughout the world as a guest conductor and is considered by many to be the foremost authority on John Phillip Sousa, along with historian and author Paul Bierley. Mr. Brion asked Mr. Dyess to join the band after hearing him play Arthur Pryor’s “Blue Bells of Scotland” with the Symphony of Southeast Texas in 1993. Wayne’s first appearance with the New Sousa Band was that same year in Branson, Missouri where the band performed in the Christy Lane Theatre for a one week run. Dyess has since toured from L.A. to Orlando and Vermont to New Orleans with the band, but a tour highlight was the 3 week tour of Japan the band made in August 1996. http://www.newsousaband.com

Dr. Wayne Dyess is Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, a position he has held since 1977. Dyess came to Lamar directly out of the U.S. Navy Band, teaching as an Adjunct Instructor of Trombone from 1975 to 1977. He was also the director of the sweepstakes Nederland Junior High Band, and the IAJE award-winning Nederland High School Jazz Ensemble during those same years. During his tenure at Lamar, Dyess has served as Associate Director of Bands, director of the Concert Band, director of the 300 piece BIG RED Marching Band (“The Grandest Band in the Land”), director of the highly acclaimed LU Pep Band and the award winning Lamar University jazz bands ‘A’ and ‘B’. He has also taught music education courses, oversees the Music Department’s computer lab and recording studio, and teaches graduate courses as called upon. http://dept.lamar.edu/cofac/mtd/music/index.htm

Wayne married his high school sweetheart, Lynda (McBride) in 1971. They have two children, Christopher and Kimberly.

The Night & Day Orchestra was two years in the making, and the NDO received a great deal of guidance, encouragement and other assorted help from Henry Mason and Hector Bourg Jr of the Sentimental Journey Orchestra in Atlanta, Georgia. The NDO is indebted to these two individuals and can’t thank them enough for helping to make this dream a reality.

Dr. Bert Brown
Trombone
(Founding Member of NDO)

Bert Brown is a beloved family doctor to many of the Lamar faculty, particularly in the music department. His practice is maintained in Beaumont where Bert grew up and went to school. Bert is also a multi-talent musician. He performs regularly in his church orchestra on an array of brass instruments including trumpet, euphonium, trombone, and tuba. Bert studied low brass instruments under the renowned Raul Ornelas while a student at Lamar University and was active in the Lamar Bands under Pete Wiley and Jimmy Simmons.

While at medical school, he played tuba for the Dallas Cowboy Band. Returning to Beaumont to practice Internal Medicine, he has played for various organizations including the Symphony of Southeast Texas, Jim Boone's Dixieland Band (Jimbo’s Dixie Revue), NDO and church groups. These days, he can be found playing one of several brass instruments including but not limited to tuba, trombone, euphonium or trumpet.

Louis Sanchez
Trombone
(Member since 2007)

Louise Giovani Sanchez is a two-time All-State trombonist, having graduated from Channelview High School near Houston, Texas. Following high school, Louis attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana where he earned a degree in Psychology. While in college, he remained highly involved in the music ensembles, including the highly acclaimed NSU Jazz Lab Band.

Louis lives in Houston, but works as a mental health professional in the Golden Triangle. He enjoys playing all types of music, from brass trios to swing and salsa, and of course big band jazz.

Alex Wells
Bass Tombone (Currently on Sabbatical Leave)
(Member since 2006)

Alex Wells is the Director of Bands at Port Neches-Groves High School, a position he has held since the summer of 2007.

It is interesting to note that Alex followed in his dad's footsteps when making his career choice, since it was his dad, Gary Wells, who was Alex's high school band director (Hamshire-Fannett). After having been selected twice to the Texas All-State Band, he received his B.S. and M.S. in music education from Lamar University where he studied euphonium under Dr. J. Wayne Dyess and Mr. Travis Almany, and conducting and pedagogy with Dr. Scott Weiss and Dr. Brad Kent. He was selected twice to the Phi Mu Alpha Honors Recital and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2001. Before his position at PN-G, he taught three years in Nederland and one year at Hardin-Jefferson.

NOTE: Alex and Crystal Wells are the proud parents of Annika Elizabeth Wells, born June 13th at 3:06 p.m.

Chris Brinkmeyer
Sub Trombone
(Sub since September 2005)

Chris graduated in 2000 from Aldine Sr. High School in Houston and was under Dr. Jeff Laird’s tutelage during those formative years.

Following high school, Chris followed in Dr. Laird’s footsteps and enrolled as a music major at Lamar University in Beaumont. Chris performed in the Lamar University Wind Ensemble at TMEA in 2001 under the direction of Dr. Barry Johnson, and at the Western International Band Conference in Seattle,Washington in 2004 under Dr. Scott Weiss. Chris has also held the duties of the trombone section leader in the Lamar Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band. Between the Lamar Wind Ensemble and Lamar Jazz Band, Chris has backed such artists as Bobby Shew, Marvin Stamm, Allen Vizzuti, Kenneth Che, and Don Rollins. Chris has also been honored to perform under the direction of band legion Frank Batisti and jazz legion Bill Holman.

Outside of school, Chris has made special appearances with the funk, soul, and R&B bands Jive Train and After 8. He has also played with the Cam Pyle Band, which is more rock and roll oriented.

Chris' professional affiliations include having been President of the Gamma Zeta chapter of KKY. He served the bands at Lamar as band manager for both the Wind Ensemble and the Jazz Bands, and was also the first set-up manager for NDO.

While Chris changed career directions in the end, we are very proud of his continuing association with NDO. Chris Brinkmeyer is currently proudly serving our community as a member of the Beaumont Police Department.

COPYRIGHT ©2006 by Night & Day Orchestra, Beaumont, TX


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