The Dixie Demons
have been dazzling audiences for the past 26 years! Anyone who has seen this stellar 6-piece band on stage knows that the chemistry they share is what makes the Dixie Demons tick.
Their performances are a real treat of great music, amazing virtuosity and showmanship!
Video Samples:
That’s A Plenty
Caravan
Band Members:
Dan Douglas
Dan Douglas is a Toronto born Trombonist and euphonium player who has been steadily working in the Toronto jobbing and Jazz scene for over 20 years. As an avid student, Dan began playing professionally while in high school and was quick to move up the ladder. His musical studies took him to Toronto’s famous Humber College where he refined his technique and found out the importance of knowing “lots of tunes”.
Dan plays regularly with the Galaxy All Star Orchestra as a featured soloist and singer. He is a member of the Alleycats band led by Alex Pangman and also appears with Jeff Healey and the Jazz Wizards in concerts around Ontario and Quebec. Dan is the co-leader of the Dixie Demons, a jazz band that gigs around Toronto and which will record their first album this year. Dan also plays with many other local bands including Bob DeAngelis, Taylor Made, The Starlight Orchestra and Robin Langdon. He has recorded with artists such as Kevin Breit, Eddie Graf, George St. Kitts, Jeff Healey, Lenny Graf, Alex Pangman and others.
Ross Wooldridge
Ross Wooldridgewas born 1962 in Hamilton Ontario. He showed early musical ability, and was taking piano lessons by age four. He was self taught on clarinet at age 13, and took saxophone at Ancaster High and Vocational School.
While attending Mohawk College and Humber College (where he also picked up the flute), he honed his skills as a multi instrumentalist and arranger. After finishing his education, he added to his portfolio of skills the titles of producer, conductor, transcription specialist and teacher.
He enjoys co-leading the Dixie Demons with Dan Douglas, as well as a busy career of playing and recording with Jeff Healey and the Jazz Wizards, Alex Pangman and her Alley Cats, Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra and many other local artists.
Another of his notable achievements is his critically acclaimed Tribute to Benny Goodman Sextet, and additionally he is the co-leader/musical director of Toronto’s Galaxy All Star Orchestra.
As well as his extensive local performance resume, Ross has performed with and arranged music for a number of international stars, among them Ben E. King, the Drifters.
Ross also teaches elementary school band classes for the Toronto District School Board.
Phil Disera
Phil Disera has been a freelance musician in the Toronto scene since the early 80’s. His versatility has taken him down a wide variety of avenues. With a Diploma in MusicPerformance at Humber College, Phil has played Jazz for decades. Also trained Classically, he is amongst those rare players who can bridge the gaps between styles.You could hear Phil perform one day in his Classical guitar and flute duo “Ambiance”,and the next day you might hear him with the “Dixie Demons” playing Traditional Jazz on the banjo! It was in fact the banjo that afforded him his first professional work from the beginning, playing a Ragtime show at a local theme park. Shortly thereafter, Phil was recruited by Dan Douglas and Ross Wooldridge to join the Dixie Demons, thus helping to create the first incarnation of the band.
Phil’s wide range of musical experience also helps to enhance his abilities in Production, another one of his musical passions. Through the years, he has produced a number of CD and demo projects of many styles. Also a composer, Phil also has two original CD’s to his credit. It was with much pleasure that Phil joined Ross and Dan in the production of the Dixie Demons debut CD, “Live At The Rex”.
Stephen Crowe
Stephen Crowe has been working as a professional trumpet player in and around Toronto for 20+ years. He has played with and for some of the world’s greatest entertainers from Bob Hope to Michael Buble. He has dabbled in big bands, ethnic, recordings, jazz, radio, television, teaching (Humber College), theatre shows ranging from Cats to the recent production of Wicked. Steve enjoys playing with the Dixie Demons when his busy schedule allows and has been the bands principal trumpet player for 17 years.
Steve is a graduate of Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, Humber College , and the Orr Lake school of musical jobbing. (Thanks to his parents) Stephen relies on family, Parents, and renowned brass guru Don Johnson for their unending support and for making this career in music a reality.
Doug Burrell
Doug Burrellwas born in Montreal where he began to play the tuba at the age of seven. He studied privately in Montreal and attended Vanier C.E.G.E.P. Doug moved to the Toronto Area in 1976. From 1977 to 1981 he attended the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto where he studied with Claudio Engli.
Doug Burrell has been performing professionally in the Greater Toronto Area since the late 1970’s. He is much in demand both as a jazz tubist and as a classical artist having played with numerous ensembles including Borgy’s Banjo Reunion, the Juno Award winning NOJO jazz orchestra, The Dixie Demons, the Brian Barlow Brass and Drums and Jeff Healey’s Jazz Wizards. Doug has performed in a number of Jazz Festivals including the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival, the Northumberland Jazz Festival, the Markham Jazz Festival and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Orvieto Italy.
Doug also performs as a classical musician, playing with a number of brass ensembles and orchestras in the Toronto area.
Chris Lamont
Chris Lamontis a drummer who has been experimenting with various styles of music from rock to traditional jazz since the age of eight. He has been working extensively both live and in the studio with New Orleans trumpet man Kevin Clark, known for his time with the Dukes of Dixieland and the New Orleans Nightcrawlers. Other recent credits include EMI recording artist Damhnait Doyle, Nettwerk recording artist Martina Sorbara, and the legendary Sass Jordan. Chris has been rapidly becoming one of Toronto’s most versatile and in-demand session drummers.
Chris has had a wide range of musical experience, working with artists such as jazz great Peter Appleyard, Canadian blues icon Jeff Healey, the first “Canadian Idol” champion and BMG recording artist Ryan Malcolm, Bill Dillon (Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson), Jamie Oakes (Tom Cochrane, Marc Jordan), Alex Pangman and her Alleycats , Harrison Kennedy (Chairmen of the Board), Dale Martindale (Images in Vogue), The Greg Bush Quintet, The Dixie Demons, and many others.
Chris endorses Taye Drums and Sabian cymbals.
