Joel Penner Sextet

Inspired by the big band and bebop sounds of forties and fifties, the Joel Penner Sextet plays unique original arrangements of some of the most famous standard tunes, jazz classics, Latin, funk and pop related jazz. The music is extremely listenable and is easily accessible to all levels of jazz audiences.

Because of his lengthy experience in the popular music field, Joel knows how to relate to an audience. He has a large following and is usually able to fill a room and keep it jumping.

Joel's first CD, DragonJazz, which was released in 2001 has been extremely well received and has been played on more than forty full time jazz radio stations across the country.

After hearing the Sextet's new CD The Church of The Little Black Dog, Sea Breeze Records has invited them to join their artist roster, which includes such luminaries as Bobby Shew, Nick Brignola, Bob Florence, Rob McConnell, Carl Saunders and many more.

The band has played at many of Los Angeles finest Jazz Clubs, including: The Jazz Bakery, The Jazz Spot, Spazio's, Jax and The Baked Potato. The band was also featured at the 2001 Monterey Hills Jazz Festival. They have also been featured performers at many of the areas municipal concert series, including: Beverly Hills, La Canada/Flintridge, Palm Desert, LA’s Pershing Square, Manhattan Beach and Oxnard's Heritage Square. The band has also performed for private functions and public performances at many of the local colleges and universities in the area, including U.C. Riverside, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, Scripps College, Claremont, McKenna College and Woodbury University.

In April of 2003, the band was featured on KSDS FM 88.3's Jazz Live program in San Diego. They performed a concert at the Saville Theater which was broadcast live over KSDS FM to more than 40,000 listeners.

The musicians in the band are some of L.A.'s finest.

Joel Penner, Trumpet/Flugelhorn - Joel is from Los Angeles, California. He began playing trumpet at eight years old. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Music from the University of California at Berkeley and has been playing professionally ever since. He has backed up many famous artists, such as, The Temptations, Glenn Campbell, Florence Henderson and Stevie Wonder. He has primarily been a band leader and has led groups which have played clubs all over the U.S. and Canada. His present project, The Joel Penner Sextet, has been together since 1999 and has performed all over Southern California at numerous venues including Clubs, Colleges and Universities, Festivals, Fairs and Concerts. His 2001 CD, DragonJazz was very well received, getting airplay on jazz stations throughout the country. His latest CD, The Church of the Little Black Dog on the Sea Breeze label was do to be released in October, 2005. Joel plays a Stomvi Master Series trumpet and a Courtois flugelhorn.

Bill von Ravensberg, Bass - Bill is also from Los Angeles. He started studying guitar and bass at eight years old. At eleven, he took up woodwinds which he played all through college. Towards the end of his college career, he started playing bass exclusively. Bill has recorded and toured with numerous stars including, Tom Jones, Pat Boone, Frieda Payne, Thelma Houston, Helen Reddy, Johnny Rivers, Jennifer Warnes, John Guerin, Bill Watrous, Ray Anthony and more. Bill is a founding member of The Joel Penner Sextet and has been with the band since 1999. Bill plays a 1962 Fender Precision bass through a Walter Woods amplifier and a Goss Speaker.

Doug MacDonald, Guitar - Doug was born in Philadelphia and raised in Honolulu. He is one of the most respected guitar players in the business. He is a well known sideman and leader with many recordings under his own name. He has performed and recorded with Stan Getz, George Shearing, Joe Williams, Ray Brown, Buddy Rich, Dave McKenna, Groove Holmes, Jack McDuff, Ray Charles, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Hank Jones, Jack Sheldon and many others. Doug has been playing with the band sine 2000. He plays a John Buscarino guitar through an Acoustic Image amplifier and a Rich Rezor speaker.

Cengiz Yaltkaya, Piano - Cengiz is from Istanbul. His father was an accomplished pianist and one of the founders of The Istanbul Philharmonic. Cengiz, studied music in Geneva before he moved to New York. He has a Bachelor's Degree from NYU and has attended The New School, Julliard and graduated from The Berklee School of Music in Boston. Cengiz has studied privately with Herb Pomeroy, Gary Burton, Mike Gibbs, Steve Swallow, Johnny Bowden, Jimmy Giuffre and Sir Roland Hannah. He worked for Atlantic Records until 1995 when he moved permanently to Los Angeles. Since that time he has been an active jazz pianist playing and recording all over Southern California. He frequently tours Europe and has performed at jazz festivals in France, The Czech Republic, Cuba, Morocco, Rumania and Scotland. Cengiz is a founding member of The Joel Penner Sextet. Cengiz prefers Yamaha and Baldwin pianos and plays Roland electric pianos.

Michael Rose, Tenor/Soprano Saxophones - Michael was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He started studying saxophone at age eleven and was playing professionally by age fifteen. In 1980, Michael moved to Los Angeles to study with the great Joe Farrell. He has also studied with David Schnitter, Archie Schepp and David Murray of The World Saxophone Quartet. Michael has extensive film and recording work including, Honeymoon in Vegas with Nicholas Cage and Stanley's Gig with Faye Dunaway. He has performed and recorded with Freddy Fender, Charlie Rich, James Intveld, Karen Black and Jules Aiken. Michael has been with the band since 2000. He plays a Selmer Mark VI tenor and an Oleg soprano.

Steve Pemberton, Drums - A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Steve is one of the most active, prolific and eclectic performers on the scene today. For sixteen years Steve played with Peter Nero. He was the drummer for The Boston Pops for three years and has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Patti Page, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Mel Torme, Grover Washington Jr., Doc Severenson, Patti Austin, Jeffrey Osborne, Ray Charles, Johnny Mathis, John Pizzarelli, The Smothers Brothers and many more. Steve joined the band in 2004 and has added an exciting dimension to an already excellent group. Steve plays Yamaha drums and endorses Zildjian Cymbals, REMO Percussion Products and Vic Firth Drum Sticks and Mallets.