Album Notes

Doctor Dubious has been performing jazz in the New Orleans and Chicago styles since 1998 in the tri-state area. Our sound is based on a driving 4-beat rhythm section that makes our music swing. If people aren't dancing, they are actively toe-tapping. We also perform swing style arrangements and many of us double on various instruments.

Dr. Dubious features female vocals by our piano player and male vocals by the Doctor himself on ballads and novelty tunes. Our usual line-up of clarinet, cornet, trombone, bass horn, either tuba or bass sax, piano, banjo and drums is expanded by doubling on alto and C Melody sax; flugelhorn; string bass and soprano sax; keyboard and guitar.

Dr. Dubious has performed at every Teaneck First Night since 1998; for First Night Montclair 2005 and 2006; First Night Maplewood South Orange 2008 and 2009; and for numerous public, corporate and private events. Among the public appearances are MusikFest 2005 in Bethlehem, PA; the River Edge and Bergenfield Summer Concert series; Carl Schurz Park in NYC; Summerfest, promoted by Holy Name Hospital in Overpeck Park; New Jersey Jazz Society at Watchung Arts Center; library concerts in Mahwah, Chatham, Bloomfield and River Edge, New Jersey; and street fairs in Teaneck, Ridgewood, Upper Montclair and Bergenfield.

Tom Duncan is Doctor Dubious and plays clarinet as well as alto and C melody saxophones to lead the group. You can even coax a raucous vocal or two out of him, such as instructions on how to "Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" or the sad refrain, "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It".

Bart Bartholomew on cornet is our lead horn on just about every tune and brings a twenty-first century sensitivity to the 20's and 30's music of Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke. Bart also doubles as the husband of Karen, noted below for piano, and they have made sweet music together since their student days at the University of Nebraska.
Dick Dreiwitz began playing in the early 1950's and has learned from and worked with such legends as Willie The Lion Smith, Lee Blair, Zutty Singleton, and Herb Hall. This led to a European tour in 1957 with the "College All Stars" and its subsequent stint alternating with the house band of Wilbur De Paris at the old Jimmy Ryan's in New York City. Dick has been active in the NYC traditional jazz scene since the '60's and is an original---twenty-seven year---member of the Woody Allen "New Orleans Funeral and Ragtime Orchestra", the regular Monday night attraction, for its entire run of twenty-four and a half years at Michael's Pub in New York City as well as that band's offshoot, the "Speakeasy Jazz Babies".
Barbara Dreiwitz has the singular distinction of being the only female tuba player active in the field of classic jazz in the Western Hemisphere! Her career ranges from small jazz groups in New York City in the early 60's such as The Southampton Dixie, Racing, and Clambake Society Jazz Band and The Red Onion Jazz Band to touring Europe with The Harlem Blues and Jazz Band in the 70's to original membership in Woody Allen's New Orleans Funeral and Ragtime Orchestra to Stanley's Washboard Kings and European, Caribbean and Italian tours in the 70's & 80's to recent radio with Jim Lowe and cabaret with Julie Wilson.
Herbert Baier brings over forty years of traditional jazz sensitivity (there's that word again) to his banjo and guitar strumming (Yes, banjo players can be sensitive and he basks in praise and lights up when positively reinforced.).
Karen Bartholomew is our lovely and multi-talented pianist who is as comfortable and entertaining singing in the style of the 20's and 30's as she is proficient and impressive in modern jazz vocals and arrangements.
Russ DiBona is Jersey-based and Jazz-friendly on drums. From traditional hot jazz ala Doctor Dubious to swing to rock and blues and mainstream jazz, Russ is the time master of them all.

All in the band live in New Jersey, from Teaneck to Chester (one of the band's favorites is an ode to Jersey girls called "Hey Engineer". They will play and sing it at the drop of a hat and you might find it becoming one of your favorites, too.).

Speaking of academics, the Dubious title is neither medical nor academic, but just for fun. Bart, however, earned a doctorate in music from Columbia University and Karen holds a master's degree in jazz vocal performance from NYU. Bart is on the faculty at Yeshiva University; Karen teaches in the Lincoln Park, New Jersey schools; Barbara continues to be regularly occupied in the New York City area as one of the busiest freelancers in the traditional jazz field and Herbert and Tom strive valiantly in the business world. Dick can be heard regularly these days at Arthur's Tavern in New York.