Jazz Fusion
About Bob
Ty Perry Project
A latest member of the band, Bob Dill has been playing music for over 45 years and has worked with local St. Louis bands ranging from Bob Kuban to Street Corner Symphony. He toured with a national group called Stanley Steamer and recorded under Kenny Roger's label Jolly Rogers Records at MGM Studios in L.A. He has played and recorded with Georgy Rock and played in sectional back up for Oliver Sain, Jackie Staton and Chuck Berry to name a few. Bob is well versed at the trumpet, flute, percussion, and keyboard, plus composes and arranges with recordings available on iTunes and Amazon. Ty Perry and Bob played together with Street Corner Symphony in their early years. It's awesome to have them playing together again.
official website
Brian Wilkerson, born in Jonesboro Arkansas, took to the notion of playing the drums at an early age. After banging on pots, pans, garbage cans and any other available resonating item until age twelve he was rewarded with an ad hoc collection of used drums and cymbals by his annoyed yet sympathetic parents.
He was a member of all available musical performing groups through his high school years and then continued his musical education by studying percussion, composition, music education and performance under renowned composer, Dr. Jared Spears, at Arkansas State University from 1975 thru 1980.
About John
About Brian
Mark Dieterle is probably one of the best kept secrets in the St. Louis area. Having played the electric bass since the age of 14, Mark has conquered about every style and technique known to all genre's of music. In his youth, Mark was exposed to a wide variety of music styles and genres, playing mostly progressive and classic rock, jazz and jazz fusion, Motown and funk. Having influences like James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, Jack Bruce, David Hull and Chris Squire, Mark's musical style and character transcends that of most musicians. Having known Mark for over thirty years, there was rarely a time that he didn't have a bass on him or with him. A more dedicated musician to mastering his instrument I have never seen. Having a bass collection of over 30 guitars, he keeps himself well versed in all styles of bass as well. A purest at heart and bassist from the soul, Mark is finally out there to make his own "mark".
John
From 1980 until 1982, he hit the road, playing Rock & Roll, Soul and Rhythm & Blues with Memphis area bands including Platinum, Maxx and Home Grown.
In 1982, Brian moved to St. Louis, where he landed a gig with one of the area’s finest musicians, Corky Blake. He played with Corky throughout the Midwest until 1986. It was during the Corky Blake years that Brian began his musical relationship with Jim Stonebraker. After leaving Corky’s band, he stayed busy until 2001, playing with various configurations of the popular St. Louis band, Stonebraker.
Brian has tutored many aspiring young drummers, having taught private lessons at Drum Headquarters from 1986 through 2001. Brian continues to teach privately in his home studio and at his students’ homes. While affiliated with Drum Headquarters, he had the opportunity to study many nationally known drummers, including Jim Chapin, Dom Famularo, Chuck Silverman, Kenny Aronoff, Danny Gottlieb, and Steve Smith.
In addition to playing jazz fusion with the Ty Perry Project, Brian is also playing with the latest incarnation of Stonebraker.
His other pursuits include integral theory, fitness, web development and home brewing.
He is currently employed as a software development specialist at Integrated Systems Engineering, Inc.
John’s music career really started off as a “band boy” in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s with his brother’s local St. Louis band Chicago Fire; performing mostly cover songs including rock, soul, rhythm & blues, funk and Motown R&B. Being surrounded by musical influences at a very young age allowed his interest and growth in music to excel, learning to play drums and organ. It was not unusual to find John banging out a tune on the band’s drums, or his family’s electric Wurlitzer organ on a daily basis.
Those early years were very influential on John’s tastes in music. His interest was in a genre of music not so typical for a kid of his age at the time. At the age of 12, his favorite album was Close to the Edge by Yes, soon after becoming interested in jazz fusion by groups such as Chick Corea and Return to Forever, Spyro Gyra, Weather Report, and Herbie Hanncock. With additional influences like Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, Chick Corea, Lyle Mays, Brian Auger, Joe Zawinal and Herbie Hancock to name a few, he grew a strong connection to the keyboards. In his late teens, being mostly self taught with some high school music theory and a good ear for music, he forged his way ahead into playing keyboards professionally with a local band Montana performing mostly progressive rock. By this time, his influences continued to grow with progressive rock groups such as Yes, Kansas, Journey, Styx, Frank Zappa, Dixie Dregs and Boston just to name a few
Although John’s true ambition has always been to be a professional musician, it was not until some 30 years later, with the support of his beautiful wife Michele, did he return to the path he originally started. Jazz fusion was where his influences led him and where his passion remains. Influences include: Yes, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Dixie Dregs, Dave Matthews Band, Dave Garfield, Dave Weckl, Jordan Rudess, and The Brecker Brothers, just to name a few.