2017 guest artists
bill watrous and
​the stockton helbing trio

Watrous' father, a drummer, introduced him to the trombone at an early age. While serving in the U.S. Navy, Watrous studied with jazz pianist and composer Herbie Nichols. His first professional performances were in Billy Butterfield's band.
Watrous' career blossomed in the 1960s. He played and recorded with many jazz luminaries, including Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Quincy Jones, Johnny Richards, and trombonist Kai Winding. He also played in the house band on the Merv Griffin Show from 1965–1968.
In 1971, he played with the jazz fusion group Ten Wheel Drive. Also in the 1970s, Watrous formed his own band, The Manhattan Wildlife Refuge Big Band, which recorded two albums for Columbia Records. The band was later renamed Refuge West when Watrous moved to southern California.
He has continued to work since the 1980's as a bandleader, studio musician, and performer at jazz clubs. In 1983, Watrous collaborated with Alan Raph to publish Trombonisms, an instructional manual covering performance techniques for trombone. He has recorded as a solo artist, bandleader, and in small ensembles. These recordings include a Japanese Import album in 2001 containing material recorded in 1984 with Carl Fontana, whom Watrous has cited as his favorite trombonist. He travels to San Diego periodically to play with his good friend and former student, Dave Scott, a noted jazz musician himself and TV broadcast host.
Watrous has resided in the Los Angeles, California, area since the late 1970s with his wife, Mary Ann.

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Stockton Helbing is not very good at sitting still. When not drumming he is being a composer, arranger, producer, band leader, educator, music director, author, and entrepreneur.
Stockton maintains a busy schedule of performing, recording, and teaching around North America. He is a frequent guest artist at colleges and high schools due to his hefty resume of past performances. In recent years, Stockton has been heard across the United States playing drums for American music icon and trumpet player extraordinaire Doc Severinsen.
Stockton has released six albums to date: Lodestar (2005) , For Nothing is Secret (2007) , Battlestations & Escape Plans (2010) , Crazy Aquarius (2012), Handprints (2014), and, his most recent Patina (2015). Each album showcases not only Stockton's drumming abilities, but his composing, arranging, and producing skills as well. Stockton also released his first educational text in 2015, Big Band Drum Set Sight Reading Etudes Volume 1 , which helps drummers learn how to improvise and succeed in a big band setting.
Stockton has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists including Maynard Ferguson, the Maniacal 4, Erika Badu, David Braid, Steve Wiest, Jennifer Holiday, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Denis DiBlasio, The Cincinnati Pops, Chip McNeill, Darden Purcell, Clay Jenkins, Phil Woods, Wayne Bergeron, Randy Brecker, The Imperial Brass, Mary Wilson, Paul Tynan, Ernie Watts and many more.
Stockton currently teaches drum set at the University of North Texas as an adjunct professor of music. In the past, Stockton held positions as Jazz Artist in Residence at Oklahoma State University (2012 – 2015) and Artist in Residence at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (2011-2013) and he has appeared as guest artist at schools including the University of North Texas, San Jose State University, the University of Illinois, George Mason University, the University of South Carolina, and St. Francis Xavier University.
Since 2007, Stockton has owned and operated Armored Records, an independent Jazz record label that focuses on releases by up and coming Jazz artists. To date, Armored Records has released over fifty albums from artists coast to coast.
Stockton lives in Dallas, TX, with his wife Denise, John their son, Liliana their daughter, Jack the dog, and Aquarius the turtle.

Josh Hanlon
Noted for his distinctive spark on the instrument, Canadian pianist and composer Josh Hanlon has made his musical home in the jazz oasis of Denton, Texas, for over a decade. His focused, yet versatile approach to the instrument has kept him well in demand as a performer and educator.  Recent examples include his upcoming release, "The Baytree Sessions, Vol. 1" (Armored Records), and sideman work with the Stockton Helbing Quintet and the Maniacal 4.

Hanlon earned a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, where he played piano in their flagship ensemble: the One O'Clock Lab Band. He served as Visiting Assistant Professor at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, as well as taught Jazz Piano at the University of North Texas and St. Francis Xavier University.  Perhaps Hanlon’s most notable credit is his five years as pianist and conductor for country music legend Ray Price.  You can keep up with Hanlon at his website, joshhanlon.com
 
James Driscoll
Bassist James Driscoll has been an active member of the Dallas/Ft. Worth music scene for 20 years. He has performed with Doc Severinsen, Dan Haerle, George Garzone, Stockton Helbing,  Joe McBride, Ed Soph, Marvin Stamm and many more. After earning a BM in Jazz Performance from the University of North Texas, Driscoll began an adjunct faculty position at Richland College (DCCCD) where he teaches bass performance. In addition to his busy performing and recording schedule, Driscoll operates a small studio in Dallas where he composes for music production libraries and mixes and masters artist recordings.

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