alumni
steve briody • guitar
Steve Briody is guitarist from Long island who first met Tom Bowes while working together in the Funk Filharmonik. He has worked with Carl Fischer, Randy Brecker, Mario Cruz, Dave Valentin and Paula Atherton. Steve had a commercially successful smooth jazz CD, (“Keep On Talkin”), which was nominated for a “Best Pop Instrumental” Grammy in 2007. Steve is the author of the popular jazz guitar instructional book "Jazz Guitar Lines of the Greats", published by Jamey Aebersold Jazz. Steve has a Doctoral degree and is a Professor of Music at Five Towns College where he teaches guitar, graduate harmony, arranging, and dissertation advising. He's also recently contributed lesson columns for Guitar Player magazine and Just Jazz Guitar magazine.
Rumor has it that Steve is a New York Mets fan.
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Matt dabbled in the Funk and Soul arenas with acts such as the Soul Shakers and Funky in the Middle. He was an original member of the Steely Dan Tribute "Stealin Dan", now “FM” and still is on call as the substitute lead vocalist. He has fronted the Doobie Brothers Tribute “Minute By Minute” and, most recently, “Petty Rumours”. He performs at a variety of events with “Tom’s Dad’s Band!” (formerly “Body and Soul”).
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Matt has also been a solo acoustic performer in Port Jefferson for many years through the early 2000’s and on the Dune Road summer scene for many years since! Performing at restaurants, clubs, parties, weddings and other events, he boasts a repertoire of nearly 2000 songs with “something to suit almost all musical tastes.” This "Vocal Chameleon" covers a wide range of vocal styles and often has people asking if an "unplugged" CD is playing.
Matt has been thrilled to have worked with fabulous musicians and friends who share the love and the challenge that comes making great music. He teaches high school social studies in Selden and lives in Manorville with his wonderful wife and two sons.
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matt searing • lead vocals
Matt learned to sing harmony with his siblings from their Dad on trips from Brooklyn to Shoreham in a '66 Chevy Impala. A self-taught and self-proclaimed rhythm (only) guitarist, Matt has been singing lead in bands since the age of 12. A singer songwriter for many years on the original music scene, Matt fronted the bands “This Flat Earth” and “Sunday Matinee”, performing alongside acts like “Nine Days” and “Jill Gioia” both in bands and as a solo performer.
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Most recently, he wrote a song about being a parent of children on the Autism Spectrum, called “the Spectrum (Different Rays of Life)” and has twice been asked to perform the song at the Long Island Walk Now for Autism Speaks at Jones Beach.
jasmine miranda • vocals
Jasmine Miranda has been singing for as long as she can remember. Her parents first told her that she was around 2, she began to sing along to the Jeopardy theme song! Jasmine has been actively involved in school bands and choruses from elementary school to college and has won awards in college talent shows. She has been working with FM as a substitute vocalist since 2015.