Five Guys Named Moe
SWING & JAZZ
“Five Guys Named Moe provided a delightful concert for an enthusiastic audience... Their varied styles of music showcased the versatility and considerable talent of each of the musicians...”
V. Newell, Saline (MI) Chamber of Commerce
“…a wonderful evening of entertainment... Your contribution to this season will make our job of promoting next year’s season an easier task.”
S. J. Allgood, Burlington (IA) Civic Music Association
“You sounded wonderful. I had a million compliments on your music.”
S. Personke, Chelsea (MI) Education Foundation
“This group’s individual talents were apparent and their ability to adapt to the crowd was impressive, considering that our event attracts families with small children to seniors. Every comment regarding their performance was positive.”
D. S. Weid, Downtown Development Authority, Jackson, MI
“Both the performers and the audience were obviously having a wonderful time.”
M. Wrighthouse, Secretary, Fountain/Warren Musical Arts, Inc., Attica, IN
PRESS KIT
BIO & PRESS
INDIVIDUAL BIOS
HISTORY
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
SONG LIST
PHOTO
AUDIO
Five Guys Named Moe—Myron Grant, Erin Zurbuchen, Jake Reichbart, Mary Seelhorst, and Eric Nyhuis—is a lively and accomplished quintet from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since 1993, this swing and jazz ensemble has delighted audiences throughout the Great Lakes region with their excellent vocals and high-energy arrangements of old and new standards, soulful ballads, humorous story songs, and unique instrumentals. Recent performances were given in Sandwich, IL (The Sandwich Opera House), Chisholm Trail OK, (Chisholm Trail Arts Council), and Coldwater, MI (Tibbits Opera House). Five Guys Named Moe is also active in the recording studio and released their first CD, Just Say Moe, in 2001.
In connection with traditional concerts, Five Guys Named Moe offers community outreach and school educational programs. They offer a school assembly-type program, “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got that Swing,” designed to help the students explore the evolution of swing and understand how this form of music crosses cultural, geographic, and racial boundaries. They also offer a hands-on workshop for jazz students. Five Guys Named Moe works with the students during the school day in preparation for playing at the evening concert. This is of special interest to community audiences who get to see their kids on stage playing in a large ensemble setting with professional musicians. The kids love it, the band directors get to show the community the good work the kids are doing, and Five Guys Named Moe loves the chance to meet the band directors and their students, and to play with fine young musicians.
Five Guys Named Moe is a Michigan Touring Directory ensemble.
Myron Grant has been a singer and instrumentalist since childhood. Crooning, bopping, and scatting with his huge vocal range, rock-solid swing rhythm guitar, “the bones,” and swinging saxophone-like harmonica solos are his special contributions to Five Guys. He is a multi-instrumentalist whose evolving musical background ranges from church choir to rock-and-roll, to eclectic acoustic, to swing and jazz. He was a founding member of “Footloose,” a long-running string, folk, and swing band.
Eric Nyhuis is a professional percussionist (and closet comic) with over 25 years of experience. His sizzling brush, snare, and high hat work really make Five Guys swing, and his engaging stage presence helps make Five Guys a great entertainment and musical experience. He has played clubs and concerts with numerous bands, covering all styles of popular music, ranging from blues with John Lee Hooker to jazz and swing with James Dapogny.
Erin Zurbuchen received her Bachelors of Music with Highest Honors from the University of Michigan, and her Masters of Music from Michigan State University. In addition to playing acoustic bass with Five Guys Named Moe, she performs frequently with the Ann Arbor Symphony. Erin was a winner of the 1999 International Association of Jazz Educators Sisters in Jazz Competition, and has performed nationally with the group, Sisters in Jazz. She currently teaches music to elementary and middle school students.
Jake Reichbart has won jazz guitar awards, toured Europe and Israel, played with nationally known musicians, and is a mainstay of the southeastern Michigan jazz scene. Well-versed in jazz, swing, and a variety of other musical styles, Jake plays hollow-body electric guitar with Five Guys Named Moe. He is an inspired soloist, bringing excitement and virtuosity to the “standards,” as well as Five Guys’ less familiar selections.
Mary Seelhorst is a powerful and intuitive fiddler and singer. With years of performance experience in bluegrass, traditional, and country music, she is heavily into swing with Five Guys Named Moe. She loves to improvise and perform, often sitting in with all types of bands wherever she goes. Mary’s alto singing ranges from gutsy to sensual and evocative. Five Guys’ western swing repertoire comes alive with her fiery solos.
