Consider Tammy Pentecost your "friend in low places" as she holds down the baritone sax line for the Katz. While the bari sax is her Katz specialty, Tammy spreads her talent between the sax, trumpet, melophone, and bass and contrabass clarinets. Tammy plays with the Winds of the Blue Ridge and the Bedford Community Orchestra enjoying the performance of all types of music to keep her sanity.
Nathan Grim holds a Bachelor of Music with a concentration in saxophone performance from Christopher Newport University. He has studied saxophone under James Richmond, James Nesbit, and is currently working with renowned jazz artist Ken Hitchcock. As a member of the Virginia Army National Guard’s 29th Division Band since 2009, Nathan has performed hundreds of concerts and ceremonies all across Virginia in various ensembles, including rock band (where he is a featured soloist), jazz band (lead alto), concert band (saxophone section leader), and saxophone quartet. Outside of the military, he has played professionally with many different bands in a wide variety of genres, including jazz, rock, R&B, ska, blues, and soul. In addition to his main instrument, Nathan is also fluent in guitar and violin, the latter of which was the instrument he began his musical journey on at age four. Always aspiring to expand his musical palate, he has also sung as a tenor and bass with church choirs for the last four years, including the St. John’s Choir. Nathan resides in Roanoke with his wife Kari and daughter Charlotte.
Don Wimmer is our multi-instrumentalist Lead Alto player. You will definitely see him in the middle of the Sax section playing the Alto but then you turn your back for a moment and SHAZAM there he is with a flute or a clarinet in his hands! Don has played with the Katz for years until we finally got him in his permanent place up front and center. Don also plays with a few other combos in Roanoke so don't be surprised if you see him on stage at the Hotel Roanoke or at Roanoke college.
Teresa Hedrick plays alto sax, flute and clarinet with the Katz, and loves being part of this fun group of musicians. She serves on the faculty of Roanoke College and Hollins University as an Adjunct Instructor of Woodwinds. She attended the University of South Carolina for graduate studies in multiple woodwinds and received her Bachelor of Music from Elon University. Teresa has extensive experience as a private teacher and as a performer. She and her husband Steve own Hedrick Music Inc. which publishes The Band Fundamentals Books Series and encompasses Hedrick Music Studios where they teach all levels of brass and woodwinds. Teresa has been a member of the Mill Mountain Theatre Orchestra for 25 years, and has performed extensively with area big bands including The Dennis Reaser Orchestra, John McClennon Big Band, Bob LaFever Orchestra, Standing Room Only, Roanoke Jazz Orchestra and Star City Swing. She has also shared the stage with many touring performers including The Temptations, Maureen McGovern, Shirley Jones, and Gladys Knight.
Lou Madsen plays Tenor Sax with the Katz often taking the tenor solo breaks. Lou joined the Katz in 2017 and feels privileged to work with this powerful jazz big band. Since 2006, he has hailed from the New River Valley, where he intensely enjoys playing improvisational music in a range of venues and styles, most notably with the Highlands Jazz Quintet. Starting in the late ‘80s, Lou has played in and led jazz bands and a range of smaller groups in the upper Midwest, Los Angeles, North Carolina, and around southwest VA. He strives to bring a fresh sound to every piece, every jazz solo, and every concert. When he’s not blowing his horn, Lou is teaching and researching science at Virginia Tech, modifying an old car, or hiking the local trails.