EASTWOOD PRODUCTIONS - Key Persons

Dave Chamberland is the ensemble's bassist. His musical diplomas are from Berklee College of Music and the University of Lowell. He studied with Steve Swallow, John Neves, Ron McClure, John Reppuci, Frank Gallagher and Larry Senibaldi. Dave has performed at venues throughout New England including Romie's Dinner Theatre, the 1369 Jazz Club, Ryles Jazz Club, the Odyssey cruise ship, and the North Shore Music Circus. In addition to performing with the Eastwood Swing Orchestra, he also led the band aboard the Spirit of Boston for several years. Dave has performed with celebrities including Peter Nero, Jackie Byard, Rosemary Clooney, Margaret Whiting and Helen O'Connor. He can be heard on Gian Weigner's recording "Hangin' With M". Music is an integral part of Dave's life.

Gil Boule has been the Eastwood Swing Orchestra's trombonist since the band's beginning more than twenty years ago. For two years he commuted from New York City, where he was working at the time, to perform with the band on weekends. Music runs in his family: his father played bass in a popular band for many years. Over the past several years Gil has appeared in major latin music festivals throughout New England, performing with famous salsa recording artists including Nino Segarra, Viti Ruiz, La Soluccion, Paquito Guzman, Johnny Rivera, Maelo, and Mulanze. And he somehow finds time to substitute in various latin and salsa bands, several pop music wedding bands, and also to perform in parades with several military bands throughout Massachusetts. When not playing music, Gil is an experienced cost accountant.

Janice Norton has been the ensemble's bassoonist since 1991. She's also the Director of Instrumental Music for the Millis Public Schools, a Visiting Lecturer at Bridgewater State College and bassonist for the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra. Janice has studied with Edward Gobrect, Donald Bravo,Sr., and Atillio Poto. She received her Bachelor of Music in both Music Education and Performance from Ithaca College and her Masters in Music Performance at Boston Conservatory of Music. While specializing in double reed instruction, Janice also plays and teaches clarinet, flute, and saxophone. She has been an All State MENC Adjudicator for many years, serves as the Musical Director of the Millis Theater Group and still finds the time to perform in musicals including Oliver, The Music Man, South Pacific, Pirates of Penzance, and The Sound of Music.

Joe Cincotta, the drummer of the band, while a relatively new member (having been with the band for only four years), is the propulsive spark of the band's rhythm section. His Masters degree in music performance from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell may be what allows him to read the band's sometimes challenging drum parts with ease. In addition to being a busy freelance drummer and percussionist throughout the New England area, Joe has been a show drummer at Busch Gardens in Virginia and on numerous cruise ships for both the Costa and Carnival cruise lines. As comfortable performing classical music as with all the numerous styles performed by the Eastwood Swing Orchestra, Joe has also toured with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra.

Matt Cross has been the flutist with the ensemble since its inception. At North Texas State, he studied flute with Mary Karen Clardy. He has performed in a master class with Julius Baker. Matt is the principal flutist with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra and has performed with Betty Buckley (from "Cats") and Ron Della Chiesa. His hike of the entire Appalachian Trail is one accomplishment he'll never forget! In his meager spare time, Matt enjoys restoring old houses.

Job Titles:

• Principal Consultant for Daoust Associates

In addition to acting as the leader of the Eastwood Swing Orchestra, one of its musical musical arrangers and vocalists, Norman serves as either the guitarist or bassist. He has enjoyed musical performing since 1965 when he made his professional debut with The Twilighters. His guitar studies with Dave Huxtable, Steve Carter, and Jack Wilkins have served him well as has his musical education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Berklee College of Music. Norman has accompanied nationally acclaimed artists including Bob Eberle, Anna Maria Albergetti (star of the original "West Side Story"), Al Martino, Marvin Hamlisch, and Tommy Tune. He has appeared as the banjoist with the Portland Symphony Orchestra in their performances of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" featuring pianist John Novacek and conducted by Edwin Outwater. He enjoys playing music of various styles including swing, pop, jazz, dixieland, and classical. In addition to performing, he has contracted orchestras of up to 20-pieces to accompany internationally known entertainers including Anna Maria Albergetti and Al Martino, Carol Channing, Mickey Rooney and Donald O'Connor, and Wayne Newton. When not involved in musical activities, Norman is the principal consultant for Daoust Associates providing data modeling consulting for organizations around the country and is an avid organic gardener.

The Eastwood Swing Orchestra's female vocalist, Skye Hurlburt, has been singing (and sometimes playing flute or piano) with leader Norman Daoust in various bands since 1975. She has been with the band since its first engagement in 1983. As a classically-trained vocalist with degrees in music education and audiology, Skye has sung under John Oliver with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, and at Tanglewood, under Robert Shaw with the Boston Opera Company, and under Margaret Hillis with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus. In the jazz realm, along with the Eastwood Swing Orchestra, Skye has performed with numerous groups including the Downtown Jazz Orchestra, Brown University Jazz Band, Arthur Medeiros Swing Band, the Al Vega Trio, and Travelin' Light, a jazz duo. As a solo artist specializing in the Great American Songbook, she accompanies her singing with harp, and, under her company's name Traveling Sound, gives 300 to 400 solo concerts per year throughout New England. In addition to her busy performing schedule, Skye travels around the country giving workshops based on her book "Songs in Season: the Business of Being a Daytime Entertainer" and, with her husband, Matt (whom she met when performing with another of Norman's bands, the Downtown Jazz Orchestra) travels extensively around the globe.

Steve has been the band's trumpeter (also playing cornet and flugelhorn) and principal arranger since it began in 1983. He received both his B.M. and M.M. Ed from the Boston Conservatory of Music. His notable teachers include John Coffey, Gerard Goguen, Carmine Caruso, and Jimmy Owens. Steve has performed extensively throughout New England with the Boston Jazz Orchestra, the Suburbanaires, the Continentals, Dick Doherty, Dom V, and Big Band Incorporated. He has also performed with the Gary Wofsey Latin Ensemble. Steve has been an adjunct faculty member at Brown University. His original compositions and arrangements have been performed by Gary Burton, Annie Ross, and Joe Henderson. Steve's original arrangement of a George Gershwin medley can be heard on J. Michael Leonard's recording on the Academy Sound & Vision label.