Kelli Armentrout – Jazz Vocalist

Hometown: South Bend

Education: BS: Music Education, Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, IL

Singing Experience:Truth in Jazz, Jazz Assemblage (Elkhart), IUSB Jazz Ensemble Vocalist, Numerous Jazz combo experiences including: Pat Heiden Jazz Quartet Trading Three’s Jazz Trio, Bobby Charles Quintet, Mystic Blues

Career Highlights:Most recent include: Elkhart Jazz Festival, my first one being in 2006, when I was privileged to share the stage with Bob Mellinger!, Soloist with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in the summer of 2006! Played Aldonza/Dulcinea in “Man of LaMancha,” the inaugural performance for the South Bend Civic Theater, Jan. 2007

Why I Sing With TIJ: For the absolute thrill of it! There is nothing like standing in front of a big band singing the music you love. Jazz is the music of the soul. You can express, find, lose and abandon yourself completely in it!

Dave Plank - Director

Hometown: Goshen. Lived in Paulding and Defiance, Ohio while teaching in Oakwood, Ohio

Education: BS in MusEd from Bluffton University and MS in MusEd from Ball State University

Playing Experience: Performed with university bands and orchestras. Drummer with seven piece band throughout college and a five piece group following college.Principal Tympanist with Lima (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra for two years.Percussion substitute with the Elkhart County Symphony.Past-President of Indiana Chapter of International Association of Jazz Educators. Taught band, jazz and vocal music for thirty six years. Have been judging high school jazz festivals and ISSMA jazz contests.

Career Highlights: Starting the Goshen High School Jazz Ensemble in 1968. Winning the Ball State Jazz Festival, Ft Wayne North Side, and Kokomo Jazz Festivals. At Ball State, Jon Faddis was guest soloist for the festival and when we went on stage as the evening’s Honor Band Jon Faddis was standing in my trumpet section! We were honored to feature him as a guest soloist. Goshen’s Jazz Ensemble was honored to perform as the only high school band whose members were all from one school at the Elkhart Jazz Festival not just once, but twice. Having many jazz guest soloists with my high school jazz band including Ed Shaunessy, Roger Pemberton, Dave Pavolka, Domenic Spera, Jon Faddis, Larry McWilliams and more.

Why I direct the Truth in Jazz: I thoroughly enjoy working with the Truth in Jazz, Jazz is a passion. It has been a pleasure to work with TiJ members and the people at the Truth: Dave Ogle, Melodie Halvorsen, Stan and Karen Lewallen.