ALTO 1 - Marcia Carmichael
Marcia Carmichael has been playing the alto sax since junior high school. She attended Douglas College and UBC (B. Mus; B. Ed.) specializing in secondary music education. Marcia has been a high school music teacher since 1988 and retired in 2021, where she previously taught at Pinetree Secondary School in Coquitlam. She studied with Dave Branter at Douglas College and UBC. She has been a member of FAT Jazz since 1992 when Jim Thompson got the band going again after a long period of ‘rest’. She loves reading, walking, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.
Marcia plays a Selmer Mark VII alto sax with a Eugene Rousseau JDX6 mouthpiece.
ALTO 2 - Gerry Quan
Born and raised in Victoria, Gerry Quan started playing the clarinet in Grade 7 at S.J. Willis. Gerry played with the RCAF Reserve Band while attending the Victoria High School. He learned the saxophone during Victoria College and organized a pep and dance band there. Gerry also played with the HMCS Discovery Reserve Band on clarinet and field snare on parade after receiving a B.Mus degree at UBC. Gerry taught band to students from Grade 7-12 in Burnaby and New Westminster for 32 years and was orchestra director for four musicals at NWSS. He has also played with the Port Moody Community Band before retirement. Gerry has been with FAT Jazz since 2014.
Gerry plays on a Yahama YAS 480 alto sax with a Meyer 5M mouthpiece.
TENOR 1 - Paolo Mesto
Paolo Mesto picked up his first instrument in 1996 in Ontario. He was top of his class in the high school music program and played in multiple international music festivals, taking home the silver medal 3 years in a row with the band. He also attended the North Dakota International Music Program.
Paolo joined the Maple Ridge Community Concert Band in 2003 and then the Golden Ears Jazz group. They had the honour of being the final act for the opening of the Golden Ears Bridge, with an attendance of 40,000 people. He began with FAT Jazz in 2007, and has played with them ever since. In 2010, he had the opportunity to perform with the James Bryson Orchestra for their Christmas production.
His main instrument is the alto sax and plays the tenor sax with FAT Jazz. He enjoys solos both with FAT Jazz and by providing live instrumental for weddings. You can also find him showing off his love and passion for music through his DJ skills for corporate events, weddings and other occasions.
TENOR 2 - Laurie Aspinall
Laurie Aspinall started learning the piano at the age of 4 in Enderby and has always had a passion for music. She learned how to play the flute and tenor saxophone, and graduated from UBC with her B.Mus degree. Laurie currently teaches in the Coquitlam school district (SD43). She has taught at Banting Midding School for 9 years and at her current school, Scott Creek Middle, for 18 years.
BARI - Ray Faoro
Ray Faoro started out with accordion lessons at age 9, joined school band and played alto sax from grade 7-10 and trombone in grades 10-12. Ray went on to study music at Douglas College and Capilano College (now Capilano University), played trombone in the Douglas College Wind Ensemble and Capilano Orchestra, then music education at UVic and UBC where he performed in musicals and played alto sax in the UBC Jazz Band. For a number of years, Ray taught private lessons on accordion and various wind instruments for The Accordion House and Coquitlam Music, and played saxophone in Vancouver-based Italian wedding/banquet band "Allegro". Ray also taught music and band for various schools and districts for over 30 years, including at Ashcroft Secondary, Alderson Elementary, Charles Best Secondary, Montgomery Middle, Summit Middle, SD43 Summer Learning, and Crofton House School. Ray has enjoyed playing the baritone saxophone with FAT Jazz since 2005.
SAX/FL/CL - Lorne Lambert
(currently on leave)
Lorne Lambert has been playing the saxophone, flute and clarinet for a number of years. He teaches middle school Performing Arts Explorations, Band/Choir, and Music in the Coquitlam District. Lorne was one of the founding members of FAT Jazz along with Gord Hembruff and Ron Davis. Lorne plays tenor, alto or bari sax, plus some flute and clarinet, depending on the repertoire.