ArtistInfo

Dr. Zoot

Band,
Jazz

At first it was just a steady weekday gig in 1998 at a small swing club in Pittsburgh's south side, just a side project. All the musicians had good weekend work in other bands. But the band grew in popularity and soon they were packin' em in. The crowd listened to Dr Zoot but Dr Zoot also listened to the crowd and were exposed to new influences. The dancers and musicians came every week, it became a scene. Sal began writing originals for the band and encouraged the other musicians to write horn charts or chord changes and bring them to rehearsal. Ideas flowed freely, and the new songs and arrangements were really happening. It became everybody's main band. Week after week the band rehearsed, wrote and gigged. Then it was time to record. By the time Dr Zoot's first CD "Ghosts of Swing" was released they were playing the city's largest rooms nearly every night of the week. It seemed time to take the show on the road. Dr Zoot began playing some out of town shows. At first Harrisburg and Hershey and then Philadelphia. They were very well received in these markets. Their music caught the ear of someone at Slimstyle Records and a Dr Zoot song called "Jump Jive and Shake" was placed on the very successful compilation CD "Swing This Baby vol. 2". This opened up more doors for the band including gigs in New Jersey, Washington DC, and eventually to Los Angles and New York City. Dr Zoot's second CD "Ragtop" is a crisply recorded romp of original swing music. It features 13 originals as well as a couple covers and displays an added depth to their music. The band continued to grow. In 2001 the band recorded its third full length CD "Housecall" its most mature record to date. Dr Zoot branched out into Latin, blues and jazz while never forgetting the dancers. 2003 marked the release of Dr Zoot's fourth full length CD "Retrohop". This CD features special guest vocalists and plenty of Swing , Blues , Latin and even a touch of Hip Hop. In 2004 Dr Zoot released its first live CD. Live at Swing City. This CD features many classic swing tunes as well as some live versions of Zoot originals. 2006 brought the acclaimed Pay the Viper album,a back to the roots of swing romp featuring 9 originals and 5 covers. In 2009 the band released it's Christmas CD to rave reviews and a new CD is in the works The band knocks em dead regularly from the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City NJ to Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville in Key west FL and fine clubs and venues in between.

Members

	Reggie Watkins tb US
	Fred Lewis bs, ts, as CA
	Dave Klysz dr, voc
	Sal Ventura p, voc
	Oscar Menosky tr, fh
	Al Peden b
	Chris Goodman sax, fl
	Nick Dibattiste g