Saxophones

STEVE CLARK
Favourite song in the repertoire: S’Wonderful
Steve started clarinet lessons as a kid because there was an old clarinet at the house that nobody played. Many times as a child he thought, "Why did I pick such an uncool instrument, when the cool kids all played guitar or drums like the Beatles?". However, he persisted and eventually found S’Wonderful to be THE number one clarinet nerd in the school. About 20 years ago, Steve made an excellent discovery: If you can play clarinet, it is quite easy to learn any of the saxes or bass clarinet. Since moving to the Perth area, Steve has played clarinets and saxes in pit bands for many of the musical theatre shows produced in Perth. He is also a long standing member of the Perth Citizens’ Band. When his fingers get tired, he sings tenor and bass in local choirs.

FRED OTTERMAN
Favourite song in the repertoire: Sing, Sing, Sing
Hailing from Fisherville, ON near Lake Erie, Fred's desire for the sax was influenced by many great 70s bands with large horn sections. He joined the RCAF in 1981 to pursue a career in avionics and, after tours in BC and Germany, it was decided Fred required a cooling off period. He was posted to Cold Lake, AB, where he was introduced to military bands. He once again picked up the sax, and enjoyed opportunities to play for Queen Elizabeth, the cast of the “Royal Canadian Air Farce”, and many others. After 30 years, he retired in Ottawa to focus on his passion. He is the sax section leader in the Ottawa Community Concert band, directs a sax ensemble, and plays in the Ottawa Rube Band as well as the Main and Abbot Dance Band. Proficiency on everything from soprano to bass ensures Fred never becomes bored with requests to make his saxophones Sing, Sing, Sing!

IAN SCHWARTZ
Favourite song in the repertoire: Achy Breaky Heart
Ian was classically trained at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal but, ever since he was a teenager, he had other ideas. His entree to the world of jazz was through the fusion bands of the '70s. He wore out the grooves on Return to Forever's Where Have I Known You Before. Weather Report, Pat Metheny and Keith Jarrett because they were in constant play on his turntable. He took a couple of decades off from music to spend time being a father, but got the jazz bug again when his kids became more independent. He’s been playing standards around the city with various ensembles and loving his personal jazz renaissance, and his Achy Breaky Heart has been soothed by becoming one of The Wild Ones.

DAVE HADDEN
Favourite song in the repertoire: Come Rain or Come Shine
Born in South Porcupine, Ontario, Dave’s musical studies at McGill included clarinet and sax lessons with Gerry Danovitch. After teaching elementary and high school music for many years, and playing in several bands in southwestern Ontario, he retired to the Ottawa area to practice and play – come rain or come shine! Although big band music is his greatest love, when not playing music, he enjoys playing with his grandchildren.

DOUG MARTIN
Favourite song in the repertoire: Zoot Suit Riot
Doug became passionate about the saxophone after being captivated by Boots Randolph’s “Yakety Sax”. Having discovered his instrument of choice, he graduated from the jazz program of Humber College in Toronto, studying sax, theory, and composition. Recently, he was thrilled to be invited to perform at the Havana Jazz Festival.
Doug is a jazz saxophonist, composer, and teacher who has been working in the Ottawa area for many years. Audiences come to hear him because of his engaging, emotional style and his fresh approach to jazz standards. As leader of several groups, he has played every venue in the Ottawa Valley and has been a regular participant at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival.
Zoot suits of the 1940s represented freedom and self-determination, which match Doug’s approach to life . . . but you won’t find him wearing one!

STEVE SAUDER
Favourite song in the repertoire: Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Steve learned the clarinet at 14 and took up the saxophone three years later. He loves playing for an audience and never stopped even playing during COVID. There’s no song called “musical ear candy” or that would be Steve’s favourite because that’s what we get whenever he’s with us. Steve appreciates our eclectic repertoire and his solos, whether he’s with the big band or the pocket/dance band, always enhance our selections. Steve’s not a permanent member but we have a lamp from which a genie pops up when rubbed and there’s Steve when we need him. An always-welcome addition, we don’t worry; we’re happy any time he’s in an alto or tenor chair.

FRED SCHMIDT
Favourite song in the repertoire: Respect
Fred started playing music at 8 with the Stradella accordion outside Toronto in one of the private conservatories that were popular at the time. After showing proficiency, his parents decided to ferry him to the Royal Conservatory of Music at UofT every Saturday to study with one of the world's best accordion innovators, Joe Macerollo (who led the way to having the free bass accordion accepted for study at Queen's and UofT). This event marked a change from Stradella accordion (think oompah) to free bass accordion (a concert instrument with a full range of individual notes on both hands) and the study of classical music. While in high school, Fred completed his ARCT diploma at RCM while learning to play reed instruments - which presented an opportunity to play in jazz bands, the orchestra, and concert bands. Upon graduation, after making a tough decision between music and science, he decided to follow a career in engineering. But respect for his first love led to a rekindled interest in picking up his accordion again, quickly followed by the clarinet and the alto and tenor saxes, and he is happy to be a part of The Wild Cards’ family.

PETER GEMMELL
Favourite song in the repertoire: Stray Cat Strut
Sourdough Pete blew in from the north many moons ago. Before settlin’ in Ottawa couple of years ago and concentrating on the low end, he was struttin’ around the globe blowing his horns. We've got this stray cat on a bari sax all the way down to a low low A.

NICK ROY
Favourite song in the repertoire: Sweet Georgia Brown
Nick Roy is an Ottawa-area saxophonist and woodwind doubler, currently working as a high school band director in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. He holds a Bachelor's of Music in saxophone performance and music education from Queen's University, where he studied under Peter Freeman, as well as a Bachelor's of Education with a focus in secondary school music and community-based learning experiences. As a musician, Nick has performed with a wide variety of artists in many styles, including the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Stan Clark Orchestra, Aardvark Jazz Ensemble, Big Band Ottawa, Encore Sax Quartet, and Suzart After Dark. In addition to his extensive performance experience, he is an in-demand clinician and educator, and has directed multiple ensembles and master classes with the Ottawa New Horizons program, Dovercourt Band Camp, and Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy. Nick serves on the Executive Committee of Capital Region MusicFest, the National Capital Region's largest instrumental music festival, and is the current executive director of Dovercourt Band Camp, with whom he has been affiliated since its inception in 2007. We’re thinking of renaming the title of our chart to Sweet Nicholas Roy!!!

ADAM CWINN
Favourite song in the repertoire: We’ve Only Just Begun
Adam feels so fortunate to have studied classical clarinet with Peter Smith (NAC Orchestra) at the University of Ottawa in the 70s and flute as a private student of Jean Guy Brault. Then came a pronged hiatus from making music in order to pursue other passions but he remained an enthusiastic audience member at jazz and classical concerts. In recent years, Adam renewed his fervor for playing saxes, clarinet and flute. In addition to loving big band music, he is a member of a quintet that performs traditional jazz, funk, blues and some classic rock. Adam’s favourite tune reflects his take on life: each day is the next of all our journeys.

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Saxophones