Bitter Jester Original Song Competition, 2020

- Preliminary Week Three -

June 15 - June 19, 2020

Every week in June, fourteen songs will be posted to Bitter Jester Music Fest social media. Judges will select one Finalist and you, the audience, will pick a “Fan Favorite” each week to advance to the Final Round!

Visit us on Instagram or Facebook to listen to this week’s music and CAST YOUR VOTE for “Fan Favorite” by liking the songs you think should move on.

Winners will be announced on Saturday, July 4!

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This Week’s Song Lineup:

A Letter to the Girl on the Bus by Linda Therese

Back At You by Scorched Waves

The Deep by Angels of Duality

Fighting For My Life by Bec Bradshaw

Fire in the Woods by Røtten Apple

Galactic Crab by Fightin' Bob

Give Me Time (To Make It Right) by Jamie Loewenthal

Officer Fiddlesticks by Architect

Peach Trees by Ax and the Hatchetmen

See You In The Next Life by Panda Plane

Shell City by Feed the Monkeys

So Small by Neptune's Core

Trust by Z&D

Whatever You're Looking For by Kate Larson

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This week’s Judge’s Bios:

(On mobile? Click the photo!)

Jake D

2018 Bitter Jester Grand Champion & 2017 Bitter Jester MVP Drummer

First picking up the sticks as a toddler, it didn't take long for Jake's natural talent to become apparent, and his parents began to seek out opportunities for him to develop his craft. When he was still only 7, Jake stated to excel in local rock band programs and soon found himself performing on many of Chicagoland's most well known stages.

In 2014, the formation of his own band Stellar West took his budding career to the next level with a relentless show schedule, an upcoming LP release, music videos and more.

“[Stellar West is] a very talented and skilled rock brigade...rooted from punk rock orbits as well as cleverly placed voltages of grunge and garage rock.”

— Popular UK music blog FORKSTER

Jake competed for 4 years in the Bitter Jester Music Festival. The first 3 were with Stellar West. In 2017 Jake won the first ever Bitter Jester MVP Drum Award. In his 4th year Jake teamed up with the Isabelle O. Trio. The group got selected as a Wild Card Band that year and went on to become the 2018 Bitter Jester Grand Champions on the 4th of July!

Since leaving Stellar West Jake has continued to cultivate his aspirations as an independent drummer with the release of several head-turning drum cover videos - recorded and filmed in-studio - including the notoriously epic classic by Boston, Foreplay/Longtime when he was 11. Jake even managed to find the time to make it to the final round of auditions for the Andrew Lloyd Weber production of School of Rock: The Musical at the age of 10!

Last year, at the age of 14, Jake opened the Chicago Drum Show performing his first Clinic, showcasing several genres of music from Jazz to hard rock. But for this busy 15-year-old, it's still all about the music. Jake has played with many local musicians, recorded as a studio drummer, performed in plays, and continues at the highest musical level in school every year.

Inspired by drummers like Hannah Welton (Prince), Travis Barker (Blink 182), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Ray Luzier (Korn), Tre Cool (Green day), Stanton Moore, and Jason Bittner, Jake is fortunate to have been taught by countless professional drummers throughout the years. He continues to dedicate himself to his craft and is loving every second of his journey.

Jake holds the record as both the youngest competitor in the history of the Bitter Jester Music Festival and now holds the records as the youngest judge … an accolade we don’t expect to be overtaken any time soon.

General Manager: Dave Ford @ P.L.A.D. Productions and Artist Mgt. (815.814.6898) - FB: Jake.D.fanpage - IG: jake.d.drums

Greg Easterling

Greg Easterling is the longtime host of the acclaimed public radio program American Backroads airing Thursday nights on WDCB 90.9 FM. For nearly sixteen years, he hosted overnights on the top rated Chicago classic rock station 97.1 FM The Drive.

Greg writes record reviews for Chicago Blues Guide.com and was inducted into The Chicago Blues Hall of Fame in September of 2019. His past broadcast credits include WXRT, Q101, WDEK, and WTAO.

Greg's writings have appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, Downbeat, and the Illinois Entertainer. His interview subjects in print and on the air include David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Charlie Daniels, Dion, Mike Love of the Beach Boys, Chuck Leavell of the Allman Brothers, The Rolling Stones, and Bruce Cockburn. Leading blues performers (past and present) Albert Collins, Luther Allison, Shemekia Copeland, and Ronnie Baker Brooks have also been interviewed by Greg over the years. His teaching credits include the Illinois Media School.

Greg has been judging bands for the Bitter Jester Music Festival for a many years and is proud to be back for the 2020 competition!

Roland Hernandez (aka 'bOofo')

2011 Bitter Jester Grand Champion

Roland Hernandez, aka bOofo is a music Producer/Engineer and a former Runner-Up (2010) and Grand Champion (2011) of the Bitter Jester Music Festival. He is a multi-instrumentalist but his main instruments are piano and bass.

Roland has been a music producer since 2017 but a musician for over fifteen years. His band Eslabon (aka JKZ) performed in the Highland Park High School Battle of the Bands in 2011 and won. That same year they performed for Bitter Jester and won as well. He was also the drummer for the metal band VARUNA that won the HPHS Battle in 2016.

“I LOVE music! The sky is the limit and, as long as you’re having fun, then you’re doing it right! Don’t be shy come say hi! Lets make some tunes!”

— BOofo

Roland has performed in venues like the Chicago House of Blues, Bottom Lounge, Cobra cafe, Reggies Bar, The Cubby Bear, the Congress Theatre, and more.

Check out Roland’s Instagram @boofo_

Dylan Kahn

2014 Bitter Jester Grand Champion

Dylan is a 2015 graduate of Highland Park High School, recent graduate of UW-Madison, and 2014 Bitter Jester Grand Champion with his former band, Xazz.

From the time Dylan first stepped on stage at eight years old, he wowed audiences with his innate vocal ability and voracious energy. While in high school, Xazz experienced relative success, recording two original albums and performing throughout the Chicagoland area.

In college, Dylan continued his pursuit of music as a member of UW-Madison's premier a cappella group, The Madhatters. With the group, Dylan was able to perform at NBA games, the Wisconsin Governor's mansion, and even had the opportunity to sing "Sweet Caroline" at his own commencement ceremony.

Though Dylan is currently studying to become a lawyer, music remains an integral part of his life and he records music from time to time in his bedroom studio.

“Bitter Jester gave 16-year-old me the opportunity to feel like a real rock star, if only for a moment.”

— Dylan Kahn

Mike Kelly

Mike is a professional Banjo player and Evanston “lifer” who has played in numerous ensembles including The Heartland Grass Stains and The Milestones. He is an enthusiast of all music styles, with the exception of crappy tasteless tunes that all genres are susceptible to. He is a “True Believer”, recognizing how music can instantly propagate and transmit love and imagination within the hearts of the listeners and players as no other medium can.

Mike is also a professional photographer whose editorial credits include images published in The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Screen Magazine, Streetwise Popular Science, Evanston Review, and North Shore Magazine, to name a few.

His celebrity photography includes His Holiness the Dalai Lama (personal photographer for his 2011 visit to Chicago), President Barak & Michelle Obama, Michael and Juanita Jordan (various family events and parties), Tina Turner (concert coverage for Hanes Hosiery), James Taylor (private concert), and Kenny Rogers (Chrysler Corporation). In addition to actively participating as a judge, Mike is a proud sponsor of the Bitter Jester Music Festival, donating a professional photo shoot to a winning band each year.

Michael Kennedy

Michael Kennedy Jr. grew up in the Western suburbs of Chicago and has been around music his entire life. At the age of nine he got his first saxophone and quickly became enamored with it. During his sophomore year of high school he decided he wanted to pursue a career in music when he began to study under the tutelage of Chicago saxophonist Todd Boyce. In high school Michael participated in various school ensembles, the IMEA District Jazz Bands and Concert Band, and the 2006-2007 Youth Jazz Ensemble of Dupage. In 2007 Michael was awarded the Woody Herman Jazz Award.

Michael graduated from Downers Grove North High School in 2007 and in the fall of that year began his undergraduate studies at Roosevelt University in Jazz Studies. During this time Michael studied and worked with numerous professionals including Jerry Dimuzio, Mike Smith, Scott Mason, and Tom Garling. He performed in the Roosevelt University Jazz Ensemble from 2007-2010 under the direction of Rob Parton. This band performed concerts with guest artists such as John Swana, Ralph Bowen, Wycliffe Gordon, Byron Stripling, Dick Oatts, Butch Miles, and Jeff Berlin. While in the band he also performed at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, the Notre Dame Jazz Festival, The Elmhurst College Jazz Festival and in the Auditorium Theater. He also performed with other Roosevelt University groups including the Nonet under the direction of Tom Garling, The Latin Jazz Ensemble with Reuben Alvarez and various small groups, graduating in April 2011 with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz Studies.

In the fall of 2011 Michael enrolled at Western Illinois University to begin work on a double Master of Music degree in Music Education and Jazz Studies as well as taking the needed course work to earn his Illinois Professional Educator’s License. During his three years at Western Illinois Michael served as graduate assistant for the Director of Jazz Studies Dr. John Cooper. Michael worked closely with Dr. Cooper to coordinate guest artists, the annual fall tour of the Jazz Studio Orchestra, the Annual WIU Jazz Festival as well as all performances and equipment necessities of the multiple university jazz groups that performed weekly in the community. In 2012 Michael was asked to extend his graduate assistant duties from simply working with WIU to also working with Peoria High School District 150. From 2012-2014 Michael developed and taught an original curriculum that incorporated jazz education into the fine arts classes at Peoria High School, Manual Academy, and Richwoods High School in Peoria, IL. This included work with jazz bands, concert bands, orchestras, choirs, visual art classes and theater art classes. He also taught private lessons, saxophone master classes and worked with the Peoria Jazz All Stars as part of this endeavor.

In addition to his graduate assistant duties he taught the saxophone master class at the 2012 WIU Jazz Festival, taught a saxophone technique course, taught music theory at the WIU Summer Jazz Camp, assisted in running and organizing the annual WIU Festival of Bands and taught private lessons on saxophone and improvisation. Michael performed as a member of the WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra from 2011-2014 playing with artists including Gunnar Mossblad, Rick Simmerly, Dennis Mackrel, Chris Madsen, Russ Miller, Steve Hawk, Chris Vadala, Marvin Stamm, Jeri Sager, Pharez Whitted, Bobby Shew, and Dave Stryker. His tenure with band included three annual tours stopping in Chicago and St. Louis with performances at Chicago’s Jazz Schowcase, the Bistro in St. Louis and the Redstone Room in Davenport, Iowa as well as a 2 week tour of Salvador, Brazil. He performed with WIU Jazz Combo 1 earning an outstanding combo rating at the 2014 Elmhurst Jazz Festival and also was a member of the pit orchestra for the musical “Anything Goes.” Michael graduated with his Master of Music degree and his Professional Educator License in December 2014.

Michael immersed himself in the Chicago music scene over the past 13 years, performing many genres of music in many different bands. He has performed with Hair of the Dog, Mojo, the Dime-a-Dozen Band, The Pink Machine, George Swayne, The Yorkville Big Band, Lisle Community Jazz Band, Switch Time Jazz Orchestra, The McHenry City Jazz Band, Rob Parton’s Jazz Tech Big Band, Iron Orchard, The Blenders, The Sally Weisenberg Trio, The Lubricats, The Peoria Heritage Ensemble, The Justin Haynes Big Band, The Steve Hawk All Star Jazz Orchestra, The Land Before Tim, White Knight Satellite, The Triton Community Band, The Deerfield Community Band, The Pete Ellman Big Band, The Brass Tracks Big Band, The Lake County Symphony Orchestra, and Shout Section Big Band. Some of the venues Michael has performed at include The Chicago Blues Fest, The Auditorium Theater, Fitzgerald’s Night Club, The Willowbrook Ballroom, The Skokie Theater, America’s Historic Roundhouse, Andy’s Jazz Club, Carmen’s Jazz Bistro, The Blues Bar, Brauer House, The Red Line Tap, The Illinois State Fair, The Al Sear’s Jazz Festival, Fitz’s Spare Keys, Untitled Supper Club, The Genesee Theater, The Stiner Pavilion, The Rosemont Theater, the Jazz Showcase in Chicago and many other restaurants and clubs. He has performed the theater shows “Sweet Charity” at Roosevelt University, “Anything Goes” at Western Illinois Univeristy, and the award winning “The Original Grease” at the American Theater Company during the summer of 2011.

Michael is an active performer and music educator throughout the Midwest. He has been the music director for Little Mountain Community Theater since 2016, conducting “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Mamma Mia.” He is currently the Director of Bands at Waukegan High School and oversees all aspects of the program including the award winning Bulldog Marching Band and Bulldog Big Band. He call Elk Grove Village, IL home where he spends his free time with his wife Hannah and their dog Winnie.

John Koziol

John Koziol formed Johnny K & Tempest Rising years ago, to much success. After Johnny K Won Top 20 for America’s Got Talent, he took the best musicians & dancers and put together a show for Metropolis (available on YouTube ) under "Johnny K's Thats Why We Dance." He started his first band Crystal Palace years ago, which was also quite successful.

Johnny K has played at Chicago Fest, Soldier Field, Parkwest, Comcast TV, and was picked by the late Bernie Rico (from B.C. Rich Guitars) as a 'Poster child' for his workshop in LA along with Rick Derringer. A YouTube recording was made of Crystal Palace playing "Great White Buffalo" which went viral, getting over 130,000 hits and counting. He has also had the honor of playing with other bands and Musicians including Yanni, BTO, Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick, and Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. A special honor was when he got hired by his favorite guitar player's aunt (Jimi Page From Led Zeppelin) to play at her private party. On the side, he runs a successful dental business (Choice Dental) in Arlington Heights, IL.

Johnny K also won the Illinois Entertainer's Heavy Metal Contest, winning a Fender Stratocaster. He recently wrote the best song of his career called Casa Diablo (House of the Devil). The song is a fast-paced "Bullfight" Pasa Doble Flamenco song. Tempest Rising members consist of King Arthur 'Artisimo' on Bass Guitar and Victor Varjan on drums. Tempest Rising had the Privilege to play in front of 4,000 people at the Rosemont Theater.

David Banks at Energy Command in Arlington Heights also recorded Casa Diablo, which Johnny K wrote for NBC's Americas Got Talent in 2018. His music is currently being downloaded by thousands of fans on CDBaby & iTunes. He appeared last year on WGN twice including on Christmas Eve Day doing the Trans Siberian orchestra's Carol of The Bells, Holy Night, and Blue Christmas. He is scheduled to appear at the 2020 Presidential Convention.

Anthony Krempa

Anthony Krempa is the Associate Director of Orchestras at Stevenson High School (and, thus, a college of Bitter Jester’s Director of Education, Michael Tseitlin). There, Anthony directs the Pit Orchestra for the school's musical.

He has taught orchestra, band, choir and general music for many school systems in Michigan and Illinois throughout his 20+ year career. Anthony’s other conducting posts include years working with the Detroit Symphony Civic Ensembles, the Oakland Youth Orchestras, Northwest Symphony Orchestra, and is currently with the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra's Philharmonia.

He received a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, and has Masters work in Music Education and Conducting from Vandercook College and Wayne State.

As a performer he serves as principal second violin with the Chicago Lakeview Orchestra, section player with the Chicago Composer's Orchestra, as well as an active chamber musician throughout the Chicagoland area.

Anthony is an active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for groups all across the Midwest, including serving as a regular judge for the IGSMA Solo & Ensemble Contests, Band & Orchestra Contests, and the National Heritage Music Festivals.

This will be his first time serving as a clinician for the Bitter Jester Music Festival, and is excited to hear the diversity and creativity that will be on display!

David Vox Mullen

David Vox Mullen was born on the Southside of Chicago into a very talented family. His mother was an accomplished vocalist/guitarist and David credits his family with pushing him to express himself through music and performance. By his 21st birthday, David had already written, produced, and performed in various musicals and plays and formed the nationally touring rock band "The Slipstream.”

After a decade on the road with the band, Vox returned to his comedic and acting roots and has been regularly performing Improv Comedy in Chicagoland. David is also the founder and CEO of DVMPE, a production company which includes a podcast network with over 8 million subscribers worldwide. More information at www.DavidVoxMullen.com.

Brian Quijada

Brian Quijada is a Chicago native / New York-based actor, playwright, and composer who’s original work has been seen all across the United States.

His original hip hop solo show Where Did We Sit on the Bus? has been produced at Victory Gardens, Teatro Vista, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Boise Contemporary, 1st Stage, and City Theatre Pittsburgh. The Teatro Vista run earned Brian two Jeff Awards for Outstanding Solo Performance & Outstanding Sound Design and the Ensemble Studio Theatre run earned him a Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance.

Brian’s plays and musicals have been developed at The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center, Pittsburgh CLO’s Spark Festival, Victory Gardens’ Ignition Festival, New Stage and Film’s Powerhouse Festival, and The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Musical Theatre Conference.

Commissioning institutions include Seattle Repertory Theater, A.R.T., and The Kennedy Center. Brian is a proud member of The Ensemble Studio Theatre.

In addition to being a fellow HPHS alum along with Bitter Jester Music Festival producer Nicolas DeGrazia (and numerous other BJMF judges), Brian is a former director and cast member of the Emmy-winning Comic Thread sketch comedy troupe along with Nicolas and fellow judge Matt Birnholz.

Brian even has his own Wikipedia page! What?!

Matt Sobczyk

Matt started playing music in his early teens and has continued to do so well into adulthood.

Mostly playing bass in local bands or guitar in acoustic fiddle/guitar duo Take the Pipe, he also currently plays bass in the bands Deadly Bungalows, Rent Party, and Crow Island, and he can be found in the percussion section of the Deerfield Community Concert Band where he also serves as a Board Member.

Matt spent years as a carpenter and acts as the Office Manager at Ravinia Reading Center in Highland Park, IL. He is a long-time Bitter Jester judge and enjoys returning each year to hear all the incredible musicians!

Brayer Teague

In a previous life, Brayer Teague was Bitter Jester Music Fest Founder Nicolas DeGrazia's middle school band director at Elm Place in Highland Park, IL. For his more recent accomplishments, read on...

Brayer currently serves as the Fine Arts Department Chairperson at Downers Grove North High School, and is the President of the Illinois Music Education Association. A Top-10 Finalist for the National GRAMMY Music Educator Award (2016), he has been recognized five times by the Marquis “Who’s Who in American Teaching” and named a Golden Apple Scholar finalist. He received the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award, and is a National Board Certified Teacher.

A graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, Brayer taught for three years in Highland Park, Illinois before joining the music faculty of Downers Grove North High School in 1993. He later completed additional graduate work in Educational Leadership at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. In recent years he has continued his exploration of the arts through coursework at various colleges in photography, jewelry/metalwork, and ceramics.

Brayer has published educational materials for Microsoft Inc., co-authored a curriculum guide for the Illinois State Board of Education, and presented at national and international conferences.

He is an advocate for expanding the walls of the traditional arts classroom through music performance tours. In addition to a bi-annual music and cultural exchange program he coordinates with a musikschule in Bietigheim- Bissingen, Germany, he has led student music tours to Ireland, England, Italy, France, Austria, the Czech Republic, Canada, and a host of cities in the United States.

Brayer is a member of the National Education Association and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). He is a past-VP of the Illinois Music Educators Association. During his tenure on the ILMEA Board of Directors he coordinated the Illinois All-State Music Composition Contest, a nationally admired program that aims to foster and recognize outstanding student music composition.

Taylor Tucker

Taylor received her bachelor's degree in Engineering Mechanics at the University of Illinois where she also auditioned into the Music Program for Non-Majors. She was accepted and studied classical performance. She is currently a Masters student in the Digital Environments for Learning, Teaching, & Agency program, also at the University of Illinois.

Taylor plays several instruments but has played piano the longest, having started when she was five years old. She has participated in numerous piano competitions and was in a rock band called 50 Below that competed in the Bitter Jester Music Festival in 2008 and again in 2012 with fellow Bitter Jester Music Fest judge Kacie Weber!

Taylor has a history of sneaking into places with pianos to get a chance to play.

Kacie Weber

Based in Chicago, IL, Kacie Weber (formerly Kacie Swierk) is a songwriter, musician, and founder of Albion West.

Albion West is an artist collective that emphasizes lyricism and storytelling. They write alternative folk music while pulling from jazz, roots, and classical influences. Their debut album, Hummingbird, released May 15th, 2020.

In the past, Kacie's songs have strived for authenticity in both lyricism and composition. Her original debut album, This Is Water, was released in June of 2017.

Kacie has toured throughout the US over the years and also teaches music lessons (songwriting, piano, guitar) in and around the North Shore of Chicago (and online, everywhere!).

Kacie's involvement in the Bitter Jester Music Festival started in Seventh Grade when she and her rock band, called 50 Below, participated as an act in 2008 along with fellow Bitter Jester judge Taylor Tucker. Upon her arrival at college, however, she began to sing and write music, which eventually led to where is today.

She is always excited to return as a judge for Bitter Jester!

Prize money generously provided by First Bank of Highland Park