The Usual Suspects &
The Repeat Offenders
The Usual Suspects &
The Repeat Offenders
WEDDINGS | PARTIES | FESTIVALS | FUNDRAISERS
STEVE MAIER
Bass, guitar, harmonicas, vocals. Some of the bands I've been in from 1965 - present: The Cavemen, Hellbranch Run, Blitz, Jake, Local Suburbia, Naked Tourists, Lantz and the Pinheads, Hector and the Immigrants, Swamp Johnsons, White Men with Rythm, Blue Moon, Holliday Parker Band, Stacy Lilley Band, MLC Project, The Kickstarters, Variety Pak, The Usual Suspects and the Repeat Offenders. Some of the bands I've never played in: Milli Vanilli, Captain and Tenille.
AL STULL
What can I say…Al. Plays tenor and soprano sax, always ready for a solo and man can he play. Plays in multiple bands from trio’s to big band to rock and dance music. He can make it sound sweet or make it sound nasty. He started playing in high school band but I am sure they could not contain him. Has played in bands throughout central Ohio for many many years. Always ready to gig!
DAVE GIANNAMORE
Dave’s main influences are The Beatles, Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Blues Brothers, Rare Earth, James Taylor and The Eagles. Dave comes from a long list of previous bands in central Ohio and Steubenville in his 36 years of experience. Just to name a few: MLC project, Three Below Zero, The Swamp Johnsons, Hector and the Immigrants, Mickey & Pince, Hooker, Ohio and Fancy Colors and The Usual Suspects. Full time gig is an engineer and quality manager.
JIM MARTIN
Jim has been playing guitar since he was 12 years old. He still has not got the hang of it. He is most interested in making the group he is playing in sound the best it possibly can. Work hard and the opportunities will come. Make the most of every gig you play.
This is the second band he has been in that has a fabulous horn section.
LEONARD SPARKS
Leonard comes to the band from a “Front Mans paradise”. In the Columbus area he is known as “Mr. COSI”. You might remember seeing him doing demonstrations that raised your hair, tickled your ears with loud expanding gas, or Rat basketball. He is now gracing the stage with his great voice and entertaining audience appeal.
Greg Huddle
Greg started playing trumpet when he was 8. He has played in concert bands, marching bands, jazz bands, brass quartets, and trumpet ensembles. He is a semi-retired entrepreneur and a Serial Hobbyist (don’t ask…). He currently is a member of the New Albany Winds community band, Twisted Trumpets (a trumpet quartet/ensemble), and the Usual Suspects and the Repeat Offenders.
Dave Igoe
Dave started early playing sax in middle school. He has progressed through the years playing in many jazz, rock and big bands. He enjoys soulful music and jazz on the rock side of things. He also does a great job with percussion and background vocals. A true asset to the group.
Dave White
Dave White has many years of experience playing and recording with local artists including Grapes of Jazz, Gravity Jazz & Gospel, Direct Energy, The Tommy Wade Jazz Orchestra, Jerry Loos & Stormfront, and many others.
Dave has also contributed keyboards to services at several churches including Oasis City Church, Wesley Church of Hope, Radiant Life, and Vineyard Church of Columbus. From 2003 to 2015 Dave ran his own group, Grapes of Jazz, which performed at the Jazz & Rib Fest, clubs, and corporate parties. The group distinguished itself by playing all styles belonging to the jazz family. Since 2007 Dave has played with Gravity Jazz & Gospel. That group has also appeared at the Jazz & Rib Fest, the Columbus Arts Festival, and the West Virginia Wine & Jazz Festival.
During the late '80s Dave played with local Progressive Rock bands. For the first decade of his musical life, Dave studied classical music with noted Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania teacher, Frank Chesebro.
Dave runs his own label, Black Cat Central Music, where he writes and releases his own material.
Rod Sewer
Rod comes to the Usual Suspects and Repeat Offender from other well known bands in Columbus area. He's a former music major and retired military officer who enjoys playing, writing and arranging many styles of music. Among other musical escapades, he's directed "The Swing Machine" big band for many years, played with Tommy Wade Jazz Orchestra, Rendition-a local cover band, is a current member of Swing's The Thing big band and recently formed his own jazz sextet. He enjoys soulful music and jazz on the rock side of things. He also does a great job with percussion and background as well as lead vocals. He is a true asset to The Usual Suspects and Repeat offenders!
Charles Vidourek
Charles Vidourek is an active trumpet player and educator in Central Ohio and is excited to jam with The Usual Suspects. Charles plays lead trumpet with the Westerville Big Band and is the soprano cornetist with the Dublin Silver Band. In addition, he performs for various pit orchestras, weddings, and other local events. From 2001-2004, Charles played lead trumpet with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps and was a featured soloist with the 50th Anniversary Bluecoats Alumni Corps. Charles teaches both high school and collegiate marching band, as well as serving as a clinician and consultant for various musical ensembles. In 2005, he received a Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance from Grove City College, followed by an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from MedCentral College of Nursing in 2007, then a Master of Science degree in 2018 from The Ohio State University. He has been a nurse since 2008, and is currently a vascular access nurse at The Ohio State University Medical Center (in order to afford buying trumpets and a plethora of mouthpieces). He resides in Westerville, Ohio with his amazing wife and 3 fantastic kids.
ANIMAL
Animal is our percussion mascott. He keeps the time for us. When he starts to slide off his mount it's time for the band to take a break.
Life members / Special Subs
TONY KERTIS
Tony has been playing saxophones for over 35 years. He has played various styles of music from Jazz to rock with numerous bands, performing along the Maine coast and in the Columbus area since relocating from Maine in 1997. Tony currently performs with the big band Swing’s the Thing ( www.sttbigband.com ), Slapdash Quartet ( www.slapdashquartet.com ) and The B-Side Band.
MARK GASKILL
Singer and keyboardist for The Usual Suspects, has a long musical footprint in Texas and Ohio. His Texas musical roots included solo singer/songwriter appearances and a stint as guitarist and singer with The Moneychangers, a West Texas pop and country band. Moving to Ohio in 1986, Mark continued solo work until 1992 when he became the guitarist and lead singer for One Riot One Ranger, an internationally acclaimed acoustic country and bluegrass band based in Columbus, Ohio. In 2005, Mark joined The Subterraneans, who subsequently became Yada, a Columbus-based classic rock band in which Mark plays keyboards in addition to lead and harmony singing.
JIM FRADY
Intrigued by the physics of open-end air column harmonics, Jim has wasted decades (in pursuit of perfecting the fundamental standing wave pattern) playing trombone in big bands, pit orchestras and small combos . . . (actually, his wife just wants him out of the house)