Meet our players
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If you prefer, we will be happy to take your picture at a rehearsal.
ROB KLEVAN
Music Director
Rob Klevan served as the Jazz Education Director (now Emeritus) for the Monterey Jazz Festival, Director of Bands (retired) at UC Santa Cruz and Director of Music and Fine Arts (retired) at the Stevenson School.When he is not conducting the DMB, MPC Vocal Jazz Ensemble, or MJF Middle School Honor Band and High School All Star Vocal Jazz Ensemble, he is enjoying time with his family which includes his six grandchildren and two dogs Jeter and CC (Rob is an avid Yankees fan).
KIP ROUTE
Flute
Business Manager
Kip is a Navy (retired) spouse, has been involved in military spouse education for 30 years, and is a board member of the Navy’s Wounded Warrior Foundation. She loves traveling, chocolate, and is flabbergasted she can still play her flute after all these years!
JENNA HILLHOUSE
Flute, Piccolo
Librarian
Jenna is a Research and Instruction Librarian at the Dudley Knox Library and plays the flute, piccolo, and is learning—slowly—how to play the banjo, saxophone, and piano. She enjoys hiking and crocheting in her spare time.
LORI LERMAN
Keyboard
Treasurer, Webmaster
Lori has taught piano and voice for many years, and has performed as a vocalist and piano accompanist on the east coast and here in California. She served as music director and house manager for a children's theater company in Massachusetts, and also began a music program for graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lori is a registered nurse with a specialty in parent education and lactation support.
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D.L. JOHNSON
French Horn
Assistant Conductor
D.L. Johnson was a high school band director for 42 years. His high school bands performed all over the world, including five concert tours to China, two performances in Washington, D.C. for President Clinton's Inauguration and the Dedication Ceremony of the World War II Memorial, and concert tours in Italy, Canada, and Hawaii. D.L. has also served music education as CMEA President (1996-2002).
STEVEN LERMAN
Clarinet
NPS Liaison
Steve served as Dean of Graduate Education and Vice Chancellor at MIT, and then as Provost of the George Washington University before coming to the Naval Postgraduate School and serving as Provost from 2016 to 2020. He now works as a consultant for a higher education search firm, is a member of the board of the NPS Foundation, and enjoys travel, hiking, and playing bridge.
MARY ELLEN EGLINGTON
Trombone
Mary Ellen started playing trombone in high school and went on to complete a Bachelor in Music, Music Therapy which required proficiency in the trombone, piano, voice and guitar. Since then she has picked up the euphonium and ukulele. Her zig zag career began as a Board Certified Music Therapist, then in Product Safety, Quality at AMES ARC supporting Life Sciences and the International Space Station ending as a QE in Medical Devices. Along the way she obtained an M.S. in Organizational Behavior.She played at Reno, Las Vegas and San Jose Jazz festivals, traveled to Costa Rica with a youth symphonic band, played in numerous community groups including a tuba ensemble, plus an all woman jazz/rock, german, ukulele and Santa Cruz pride band.For additional fun she volunteers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Golden Oldies Cat Rescue organization and enjoys sharing time with her family and pets.
HAILEY ULRICH SELZER
French Horn​
Hailey is a Navy veteran and active-duty spouse. An alumna of the Defense Language Institute, Hailey returned to the Aiso Library after working (and being recruited to DMB!) at the Dudley Knox Library. She is working on finishing up her MSLIS from Syracuse University. Besides horn, Hailey’s favorite things include piano, Disney movies, her e-bike, and her pups: Calvin (11) and Reina (4). She misses her hubby and family all day, but living in Monterey by choice and participating in the Del Monte Brass help immensely to make the best of it!
OTTO NEELY
Euphonium​
Otto grew up singing with family around the piano. Music was always a big part of his life, singing in church and school choirs, trumpet and trombone in the 5th grade thru High School marching band. ROTC band in College. Directing and singing in Chapel Choirs during 20 years in the Army as Green Beret and intelligence officer. Learned some banjo, guitar and currently plays ukulele for fun. After retirement, he picked up the Trombone again and played and sang in Monterey Community Band and the MPC Jazz Band. Played Trombone (and Euphonium after learning with a fingering chart} in the MPC Concert band and the early days of DMB and lately back with DMB. With failing eyesight often seen with enlarged music and one eye closed while playing. He still has an old Flugel horn to play taps at Military Holidays. Loves this group, the camaraderie, and harmony that the leaders and director inspire.
JOE MELLENTINE
Trombone
Joe Mellentine is an active-duty Marine currently pursuing a master's degree in security studies with a focus on Northeast Asia at the Naval Postgraduate School. Raised in Shelby, North Carolina, he began playing the trombone in 5th grade. Joe has a passion for traveling, spending quality time with his family, and engaging in activities such as sports, cycling, skiing, and pickleball.
JOSIE WRINKLE
Percussion
I am a junior in college at CSU Monterey Bay, studying marine science. I’ve been playing music since I was in 4th grade (about 12 years), which has been a rewarding hobby since starting college. I’ve been a part of many research projects at my school, some of which being volunteer work. Currently, I’m studying sea star populations on the Monterey Peninsula. I’m also a certified Master Diver through NAUI and will be a scientific diver by this spring. Outside of diving, school, and music I love hiking, backpacking and climbing! Nature is therapeutic and beautiful, and I aim to keep it that way.
JOSHUA MAYBERRY
Saxophone
LT Joshua (Callsign Sid) Mayberry is a Navy Officer studying Space System Engineering at NPS. Josh has been jamming on saxophone since 2005, and has performed for the 2008 Florida All-State Band, 2010 All-State Band, and the USNA Trident Brass Jazz Band from 2013-2017. When not honking on the sax, you'll find Josh enjoying video games, flying planes and helicopters, and enjoying quality time with his wife, corgi, and newborn son.
LEENA OH
Saxophone
Leena has worked at NPS with the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) for over 20 years and is currently charged with maintaining the websites for the Center's distance learning programs. When not behind a computer, she enjoys sewing, knitting, traveling with her family, and improving on her skating skills with the Monterey Bay Roller Derby league, where she is better known as NachOh Mama.
JAMES RUSSELL
String bass
James is currently an associate professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, teaching courses in US foreign policy, strategic theory and military innovation. He has been playing both the electric and string bass since he was 15 – all genres of music, ranging from jazz, funk, fusion, punk, reggae, blues, bluegrass and rock and roll. In his spare time, he goes wine tasting, plays golf and hikes the many trails of the lovely California central coast.
BILL WHIPPLE
Saxophone
Bill is an enthusiastic amateur musician who has played in bands more or less continuously since jr. high school. Bill is a retired Air Traffic Controller of 25 years and spends most of his free time providing granddad day care for his two granddaughters.
RON FRIEDMAN
Flute
Ron Friedman is a semi-retired ophthalmologist. A long time resident of Monterey Peninsula for over 40 years, he is happily married, raised two children, and now has two grandchildren. Ron plays classical guitar, ukulele, and flute. As president of the Carmel Guitar Society, he arranges concerts, and performs at hospitals and nursing homes under a grant called Healing Guitar grant. When not working and playing music, he enjoys bike riding, walking his 3 dogs, skiing, and reading. Ron joined the Del Monte Brass in 2023.
GARY STOTZ
Trumpet
During a career of over fifty years as a music teacher Gary has given private lesson in woodwinds, brasses and bass guitar. Twenty-five of those years were spent teaching instrumental music at every level of private and public schools. He also hosted many honor groups for the California Music Educators Association-Central Coast Section and camps and camp administrator for the Monterey Jazz Festival. Gary also repairs woodwinds and brasses for professional musicians.
DOUG MACKINNON
Percussion
Dr. Doug MacKinnon is a Research Associate Professor here at NPS since 2007, teaching probability and statistics, wargaming, and simulation and advising graduate students. He is also a retired Naval Officer of 20 years, having served in 4 ships with over 8 years at sea. He also loves to play drums! He plays in multiple bands in town in just about every genre from Big Band to Rock & Roll!!!
GEORGIA HUGHES
Bassoon
Georgia is editorial director at independent book publisher New World Library, where she has worked since 1999. She has played bassoon with many orchestras, bands, and chamber music groups in Northern California for the past thirty years. In addition to editing books and playing music, she enjoys hiking, biking, and traveling.
WILL NORMAN
Saxophone
Will Norman is a Naval Supply Officer studying Finance at NPS. Will has played saxophone off and on since 2002. He has performed for “Reagan’s Got Talent” onboard USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76), and open mic nights at Busker’s Bar, Newport, RI. He enjoys playing basketball, and a Fan of all Detroit Sports.
RICK NEELY
Saxophone
Rick is a retired finance executive who spent 37 years working in various Silicon Valley high-tech companies, primarily in the semiconductor industry. Like many band members, Rick put his sax aside for many years, but picked it back up 7 years ago and thoroughly enjoys making music again. He encourages all former players to give it a try!
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LLOYD NATTKEMPER
Saxophone
Lloyd is a retired periodontist and dental educator, having practiced for 36 years first in Southern California, Petaluma, and Santa Rosa, and then in Monterey. Lloyd has always been a science nerd and nature lover. He rowed on the UCI crew in college and was a competitive bodybuilder during most of the 1980’s. He loves travel, exercise, learning and growing.
Over the years in Monterey, Lloyd has played in the Monterey Community Band, the Del Monte Express, the Hartnell College Concert Band, Monterey Sax quartet, Monterey “Pops”, S.R.O., the Clicktrax Jazz Orchestra, and alto, tenor, soprano and baritone sax in the Del Monte Brass (since 2011).
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In early 2018 Lloyd was diagnosed with a Grade 4 Glioblastoma. Since his initial diagnosis and surgery, he has undergone chemotherapy, radiation, and an additional surgery because of tumor recurrence. All of this has resulted in some loss of vision. Lloyd has to practice music ahead of time, sometimes for hours, often needs to make some notations in his music, and truly understands the value of patience, persistence and perseverance in order to keep playing. Lloyd is thrilled and honored to still play as a member of DMB and hopes his drive and positive attitude will inspire others to overcome challenges, big or small.
