Learn about the Westview Project Players
Jim Blease began playing drums at age eight, spending five years under the instruction of renowned Omaha jazz percussionist, Lewis “Luigi” Waites (whose students include jazz drummer Victor Lewis). He studied two more years with Christopher Stovall. Jim started playing professionally at seventeen in funk/R&B bands and continued gigging in venues from South Dakota to Texas until moving to Rochester in the early 80’s. After taking some time off, Jim backed up Rochester-area vocal groups before joining with Jeff and Tim to form The Westview Project. Jim has studied locally with Richard Felice. Among the drummers he admires most are Elvin Jones, Jeff Hamilton, Kenny Washington and Jonas Holgersson.
Jeff Lawlis began studying piano at age eight and jazz piano at age ten. At seventeen, Jeff won the Syracuse Civic Morning Musicals Concerto Competition co-sponsored by the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. In the following year, he performed the third movement of Rachmaninoff’s 3rd piano concerto with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. Jeff’s father, who played french horn in the Syracuse Symphony, accompanied his son on the same concert. Jeff advanced his jazz technique while performing as the house pianist at Oquaga Lake Resort Hotel in the Catskills, a job that continued for four summers while he was in college. He has played piano with the Cornell and Penn State jazz ensembles, working with luminaries such as Barry Harris, Frank Foster and Dr. Billy Taylor. Jeff has recorded albums with the jazz quintet Safe Sax in State College, PA and the blues band Cryin’ Shame in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to his work with The Westview Project, Jeff is a sought after accompanist for singers and instrumentalists. He recently played at the White House accompanying violinist Gabrielle Monachino and has backed up local jazz singer Madeline Forster. His jazz influences include Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Clark, Makoto Ozone, and McCoy Tyner.
Tim Larson started playing electric bass professionally in a Boston blues group in the late 80’s. Tim moved to Denver in 1990 playing in a Blues/rock band (released one CD). About this time he picked up his first upright bass motivated by the sound of the instrument. He studied classical and jazz technique in Denver. Tim then moved to Seattle in 1995. In Seattle for three years, Tim played upright bass in a local jazz trio/quartet. One highlight during that time was a week-long jazz camp Tim attended in Port Townsend (Bud Shank's Jazz Centrum) where he played in a combo with trumpeter Bobby Shew. Tim admires bassists Dave Holland, Phil Flanigan, Scott Lafaro, and Ray Brown.
