Jeff Gurule - Banjo

After years of playing experimental finger style solo guitar Jeff discovered the powerful feeling of playing music with others through drumming. It was just a matter of time before the drums and the strings collided and coalesced into a banjo on his knee. Jeff has been independently studying the banjo since 1999. Jeff’s enthusiasm for the banjo and music in general knows no bounds. Jeff is a banjo instructor and is quickly becoming known as the local banjo aficionado. He also records and performs traditional jazz on his Plectrum (4-string) banjo with the Yosemite Jazz Band.

   
 

 

    

 

Dave Cicoletti - Mandolin

Dave has long been a student of Americana, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern, and Indian music. When Dave took up the mandolin in the year 2000. Bluegrass was his study, yet his many musical influences eventually found their way into his style. In addition to Dave’s fine mandolin playing his rich vocal quality has garnered him a healthy dose of lead time in front of the Smiley Mountain microphone. Dave has also performed and recorded with the Brazilian band Tocanto and a local Afro-Cuban drum group.

    

Ed "Viper" Heiss - Guitar

Ed is a talented singer/songwriter contributing to the bands many original tunes. He has been a well respected picker in the Southern Yosemite area for over twenty years. He has performed and recorded with the Generic Band, a local award winning bluegrass band. Ed has also won first place awards for his distinctive flat-picking style at local contests and placed third at the California State flat-picking contest.

   

 

Gary Smalz - Upright Bass

Gary joined Smiley Mountain in the late Fall of 2004. He was originally trained as a classical pianist. During the 1970’s Gary toured extensively throughout the US and Canada playing the Hammond B-3 Organ. In the early 1980s he settled in Central California and was a session player at various studios for country music artists. For several years he was the arranger, pianist and bass player for Hi-Hat Records, a national square dance record company. Over the years he has covered most styles of music, from Jazz, to Country, Disco, Dixieland, Classical, Lounge, Pop and Rock. He now spends time in his recording studio near Yosemite, and playing upright bass for the Smiley Mountain Bluegrass Band.

    
   

Samantha Olson - Fiddle

Samantha "Sam" Olson is the newest member of Smiley Mountain, joining the band in the Spring of 2006. She is a great fiddler and an awesome singer. "Sam" started playing fiddle when she was 6 years old, and began studying classical violin at the age of 8. By the time she was 12, Samantha was the concert master for an orchestra in Northridge California. Currently she works as an attorney for California State and performs at most of the Smiley Mountain gigs, as her schedule permits.

   
 

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