MEET OUR MUSICIANS
CORY JOY CRAIG
Saxophonist/Vocalist
Cory Joy's voice, passion, and beauty truly resides in the warm and smooth tones of her saxophone playing.
She was born and raised in Southern California where she began playing saxophone in middle school band. She continued her musical studies throughout middle school, high school, her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Louisiana Tech, and up to this present day as the Band Director at Benton Intermediate School. She had the privilege to study under Daniel Robbins, Tim Dolinar, Ted Hopkins, and Lawrence Gibbs. Throughout her studies she has performed in concert bands, saxophone choirs/ensembles, jazz combos, big bands, Dixieland bands, marching bands, choirs, percussion ensembles, indie-rock bands, wedding bands, and recitals. She has performed with local groups Craig/Powers Duo, Shreveport Jazz Collective, Caravan Band, Stilettos, Josh Madden Band, Red River Valley Band, The Bill Causey Big Band, Co-op Mode, The Wall Chargers, Caravan Band, Shriner's Circus Band, Saxy Guys Quartet, Red River Wind Orchestra, Prevailing Winds, Shreveport Metropolitan Concert Band, and others.
Cory Joy resides as the Benton Intermediate Band Director in Bossier Parish today and is now a third time nominee for the GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year Award as well as the Louisiana State Middle School Teacher of the Year!
CARLOS GARCIA
Trumpeter
Our Mystery Trumpeter - Info to be disclosed in the near future.
JC BRYANT
Drummer
JC, man of mystery and mystical drum powers. He was thrust into the musical world at age 5 - classically, jazzically, and rockally studying under various Louisiana drummer greats, furthering his studies at Northwestern State University. He is a studio artist in Austin, Texas who recorded, performed, and toured with highly esteemed progressive-rock bands Scale The Summit and Watermox. We are not worthy of his presence.
CHRIS "MAVERICK" HAND
Guitarist
Our suave electric guitarist Chris Hand embarked on his epic music journey in middle school, inspired by the punk and pop bands of the late 90's. He soon discovered the immense diversity of guitar heroics from players like Jimi Hendrix, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, and John Petrucci, and the innovative sounds of progressive rock, blues, jazz, and instrumental metal players - all influenced the creative finesse and ease of his epic guitar technique. A self-taught guitar player, Chris has also classically studied percussion from high school on, and is currently the Assistant Director of Bands at Benton Schools - conducting the drumline, jazz band, and beginning percussionists. He has actually lived on the same Everett Street this band originally birthed from, graduated from Louisiana Tech in Music Education, and performed with Everett Street Jazz for years. He somehow just can't escape the Everett Street legacy!
MARK DREWS
Bassist
Bass guitar maestro and wisecracking heavy hitter. Classically trained in saxophone, competing at the state level in high school before turning to the electric underworld of bass. Performed with Caravan Band with unstoppable energy and somber countermelodies. Once swallowed a dying star to gain its power.
JOE CAGLE
Pianist/Vocals
Joe is our piano man extraordinaire, switching between styles and genres with wizardry. He has a degree in Music Education from Henderson State University and has been a music educator for the last 25 years. He is currently employed as a band director in Caddo Parish.
With over 40 years of professional keyboard experience Joe has played countless musical styles and venues.
Locally in Shreveport Joe has performed with groups such as The Bill Causey Big Band, Shreveport Jazz Collective, and A Touch of Class. He has also played with performers like Joan Rivers and Regis Philbin and groups like the Diamonds and The Glen Miller Band. Joe has also performed countless solo and group performances where he plays the piano and sings. Don't let the gray hair fool ya - he can play all the video games better than any of us.