Alumni
Harry Schlafman - Banjo
Starting with piano at age nine. Harry moved on to play violin, banjo, cornet, string bass and soprano sax. He played banjo in a high school dixieland band, then co-founded the “Red Hot Stompers” at Cornell University. In Ohio, he performed with the “Docs of Dixieland”, which appeared on national television. Harry spent about 25 years with the “Hermit Traditional Jazz Band”, where he shared leadership with Ted Witt, an internationally famous clarinet player. Harry also appeared with Ralph Grugel’s “ Eagle Jazz Band”. Moving to Northern California in the 1970s, Harry a joined a San Francisco jazz band, playing banjo and second cornet at jazz festivals mostly around the Western United States. Here in the Phoenix area, Harry has played with the “Desert City Six” and is now with the “Sun City Stomperz” as First Banjo and Manager.
Dean Henson - Tuba
Dean started playing in 1944 at Odessa Jr. High School in Odessa, Texas. Upon graduation in 1949 Dean enlisted in the US Navy and served as a Sonarman on a destroyer for three and a half years during the Korean Conflict. College and working interfered with music and he did not pick up a horn for about 30 years. After going to a Christmas Tuba Fest in Denver , Colo. the music bug bit him, and his wife Joann brought home a tuba from the school she was teaching at and he started playing in community bands in the Denver area. In 1994 he started playing with the Sun City Concert Band and the Desert Brass when it was first formed. He joined the Sun City Stomperz when it was formed and continues to this day. There is no greater joy in music than playing Dixieland Jazz.
Ted Babcock - Banjo and Guitar
Ted Babcock has played with various local polka bands which included Columbia Records Artist Frank Yanokovic-the world renown polka king from Cleveland, Ohio.
He has played with a local Hawaiian band, the Desert City Six Jazz Band which made tours in the Netherlands, Scotland and participated in five jazz cruises.
Ted has played with the Cheryl Stephens Vintage Jazz Band for five years, attending many jazz festivals on the West Coast and the Sacramento festival ten times. He has been engaged in five recordings.
He has played an engagement at Leland’s House of Fine Food and New Orleans jazz group located in Cave Creek, Arizona and has been the leader of The Sophisticated Sounds.