Band members
Hal Burnside
Trombone
Hal started his life-long love affair with music in the fifth grade. Beginning in grammar school, and continuing through college, he has played in orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, and was part of a 16-piece trombone ensemble at Georgia State University. A member of the Beethoven Concert and Dance Bands, Hal has played in Oktoberfests in Cincinnati and Mexico City, at the Hofbraeuhaus in Munich, Germany, and with the San Antonio Wind Symphony. “I’ve always loved New Orleans-style jazz. In the 1950s, the Firehouse Five Plus Two Jazz Band caught my interest. In 1963 I visited Preservation Hall, in the New Orleans’ French Quarter. After that I was hooked.” He has attended numerous traditional jazz music camps in New Orleans, San Diego and Sacramento. Two of Hal’s favorite traditional jazz trombonists are Kid Ory and Miff Mole.
Jane Wilhelm
Trumpet
Jane Wilhelm has loved making and sharing music since she was seven. Her life's passion has been performing on trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn. Jane takes the greatest delight playing music that brings people together to dance to and ‘feel’ a musical Spirit. She has played with many dance bands In the San Antonio and New Braunfels areas including River City Big Band, Lamplighters Big Band, and the Seven Dutchmen Orchestra (SDO). With the SDO, Jane has annually celebrated many Oktoberfest events in Texas, including New Braunfels Wurstfest. Having cherished many younger years loving and learning jazz from greats at The Landing on San Antonio's Riverwalk she became a founding member of the Gladhatters in 2015.
Bob Navarro
Clarinet
San Antonio born and raised; Bob has been in love with music from the beginning. At the age of 11 he began playing the alto saxophone. Playing in school bands Bob was inspired by the soulfulness and sound of the Motown saxophone players and the rhythm and blues music of Junior Walker and The All Stars. In high school he entered the world of big band jazz. In college he began serious study on the saxophone, flute, and clarinet and began playing in funk bands and orquestas in San Antonio. Transferring to North Texas State University, Bob majored in Music Education. Pursuing his degree during the day, Bob played nights and weekends with all types of bands in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and won an audition to perform and travel with a variety show band through Texas, Louisiana and Kansas. After graduation he made a career of teaching band to young people in Texas public schools until his retirement in 2021. Bob continues to play with bands and still teaches saxophone to young people.
Armando Bustos
Drums & percussion
Drummer, percussionist Armando Bustos started his passion with a drum kit while filling in at a local community church. That's where it all started.
In the years following, he worked his way through formal music training in middle school and high school where he earned top honors with a high school drumline, symphonic band, and regional orchestra (as a timpanist). After graduation, Armando pursued music independently with local community bands such as the Plano Community Band, Dallas Community Band, USAA Concert Band, Trinity Worship Band, Helotes Area Community Band, County Line Community Band, Beethoven Dance Band, and most recently, the Heart of Texas Community Band where he currently serves as lead timpanist. Armando is a drumming disciple of jazz great Ray Bauduc: his New Orleans style of two-beat drumming, syncopated fills, and use of woodblocks, cowbells, China cymbals and toms, distinguished him from most drummers of the swing era - as Armando frequently demonstrates.
Omar arizpe
tuba
Omar started his musical walk playing tuba in 6th grade, but fell in love with the trombone in 8th grade. After that he played in orchestras, concert, marching and jazz bands and basically has yet to stop. As an undergrad Omar played trombone and euphonium in the Notre Dame Marching Band, Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corp, the Skammunists (ska band) and as many concert and jazz bands as his schedule would allow. In graduate school he was able to play in Texas Tech University’s prestigious top jazz band. After his college days Omar has continued to grow his passion for music by playing trombone, euphonium and tuba in various community bands performing all kinds of genres of music across San Antonio. Omar also is currently playing bass guitar for his church.
Attention Musicians!
Guitar, Banjo, Keys needed
The Gladhatters Jazz band is on the lookout for a talented experienced musician to share the stage with us!
Interested? Take a look at our song catalog for the music genre we perform and listen to tracks on our Sample Music page.
Contact:
Jane Wilhelm @ 210-535-5343
Hal Burnside @ 210-601-9943
Or complete the "Contact Us" form.