Vocalist

Murray James-Bosch

Murray has thrilled audiences around North America for 30 years with his versatile vocal performances. Well known for his work with the Classic Albums Live series, Murray has toured the US and Canada in addition to performing with many Toronto-area bands through the years. Highlights include performing at Toronto’s Massey Hall, the New Jersey Performing Arts Centre, Mohegan Sun Casino, and the Hard Rock Theatre at Universal Studios in Orlando. Murray's singing is also easily identifiable in one of Canada's most successful radio and TV commercials: Alarm Force!

Vocalist (alternate)

Ted Pappas

Ted grew up surrounded with talented musicians on both sides of his family that sparked his love for music. From the age of 16 he has been an active part of Toronto’s music scene. Ted’s big voice combines eclectic flavours of Blues, Rock, Funk and Soul to his vocal styling and songwriting. Ted has worked with some of Canada’s greatest talents including Juno Award Winning Recording Engineer/ Producer L. Stu Young, Famed Music Engineer Nick Blagona, Stan Miczek, Sil Simone and Stuart Cameron to name a few.

Vocalist, Guitar, Percussion & Keyboard

Doug Smith

Doug grew up in a very musical family that inspired him to pursue music himself. Early in his musical career Doug was a member of The Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir and performed at illustrious venues including Roy Thompson Hall and Carnegie Hall, performed live with Liona Boyd and recorded backup vocals for Rik Emmett and Alex Lifeson.

Doug studied music at The University of Toronto and The Royal Conservatory and has since performed in many theatrical musical shows and television productions with a variety of groups. He has played all the major music venues in the Greater Toronto Area with different bands as lead vocalist while playing either bass, guitar, percussion or keyboards in various combinations.

Doug is very pleased to join The Chicago Project and be part of a large ensemble horn band with multi vocalists that allows him to sing both lead and harmony and bring his various instrumental talents to the mix.

Keyboards & Vocals

Wes Burton

Wes started Royal Conservatory piano at age 4 and subsequently studied under several acclaimed conservatory, jazz and improvisation piano coaches. During his high school years Wes played trade shows as a solo artist and played with the Impact Stage Band before co-founding the band “Delegation” that became one of Toronto’s premiere show bands. Wes has played extensively in various other rock and dance bands throughout Canada, but his love for the horn bands such as Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears, Earth Wind and Fire and Lighthouse inspired him to be a founding member of The Chicago Project.

Bass Guitar & Vocals

Mauro Bellotto

Music has been in Mauro’s blood his entire life as student, teacher and performer of music. He studied music at the acclaimed music programs of both Humber College and York University focusing primarily on Jazz. He studied under Lenny Boyd (a student of Ray Brown) and several other noted Canadian jazz musicians. He subsequently earned a teaching certificate and taught music in Toronto. Outside of teaching he focused on songwriting, sound engineering and music performance.

Mauro’s hard hitting bass lines have been heard in a variety of jazz and rock ensembles over the years, has toured nationally and has performed on National television.

Trumpet

Bruce Gordon

Coming from a Salvation Army family, Bruce started playing cornet (trumpet’s polite cousin) at the age of 6 and has been playing ever since. By the age of 14 Bruce was playing professionally in Toronto based R&B and rock bands and by 16 was playing in top venues and festivals in Europe with The Stroke Review, including recording in Italy.

Upon his return to Canada, Bruce joined the Toronto rock band Brutus where he played trumpet, organ, guitar, bass and sang lead vocals. The band opened for many Canadian and American bands touring Canada including Gino Vannelli, The Guess Who and, ironically, Chicago Transit Authority.

Before attending the Humber college music program, Bruce had stints with Grant Smith and The Power playing across Canada and the U.S. including Vegas, with Gold-Dust (Nassau, Bahamas) and show bands White Ginger and Explosion. After touring, Bruce returned to Toronto as House-Band Leader, featured vocalist and instrumentalist for the CBC daytime variety program The Gene Taylor Show.

Bruce then spent 15 years performing in Florida in major venues including cruise ships for various show bands including four years as Band Leader, featured vocalist and instrumentalist with Bud Matton’s show production extravaganza at the Innisbrooke Resort at Palm Harbor Florida.

Bruce has come full circle and has re-joined Wes Burton, The Chicago Project keyboard player, with whom he played in the early 1970’s in the show band Delegation.

Lead Guitar

Alan Glennie

Alan comes from a family of past and present professional musicians that ensured music would be a big part of his life. After an early start with various and assorted instruments, Alan turned to guitar where he found his passion. His early guitar career saw him playing various genres of music from folk to bluegrass to rock.

Alan played for several years in a successful Toronto pop/rock band at various clubs before relocating to the Ottawa Valley where he has performed with popular valley artists such as singer/songwriter Jody Digregario and blues singer Maria Hawkins. Back in Toronto, Alan has been a constant presence playing the club scene including jamming at Grossman’s Tavern. Alan is extremely pleased to be a founding member of The Chicago Project, finding the challenge to be fulfilling and fun.

Drums & Vocals

Ron Hauth

Ron’s keen interest in music began as a child when he started his playing career by taking drum lessons. Ron has supplemented his drumming with piano lessons and learning to play the clarinet and flute.

Over the years Ron has played in various Toronto bands and continued the development of his skills by attending several Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps where he has had the opportunity to play on stage with the likes of Roger Daltrey, Joe Perry (Guitar - Aerosmith), Lawrence Gowan,  Sass Jordan, Spike Edney (Keyboard and Vocals - Queen), Ginger Baker and David Crosby to name but a few.  Ron also received drum coaching from Simon Kirk (Drums - Bad Company), Vinnie Appice (Drums - Black Sabbath) and Alan White (Drums - Yes).

Ron is one of the driving forces behind the creation of The Chicago Project – “Peter, wouldn’t it be nice to play some Chicago?”

Soprano & Tenor Saxophone & Flute

Sam Ierullo

Sam initially studied saxophone, clarinet and flute with Jack Zaza and later studied jazz and jazz improvisation with jazz pianists Bob Erlendson and Frank Colucci.

Sam is a free-lance musician who has recorded on various albums, corporate videos, and special presentations and has performed throughout North America with various bands at dances, parties, shows, and weddings. He has played jazz as a member of the house bands at Maloney’s Tavern, Peters West, and Rose’s Place and at venues including the Granite Club, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Royal Ontario Museum. Sam has also performed with the Mega City Swing Band and the Big City Big Band at the Rex Hotel, Dominion on Queen, Eglinton Grand, and Hollywood on Queensway and played rhythm and blues at featured venues with artists including Chuck Jackson, Virgil Scott, Steven Ambrose, Derek Sharpe and Frank Cosentino.

Alto & Baritone Saxophone

Peter Maher

Peter studied saxophone under Pete Schofield and was a member of his Canadian College All-Star band recording several albums, playing extensively in southern Ontario and featured on the CTV show “Up and Coming”. The recipient of multiple Kiwanis Music Festival and CNE Music Festival awards, Peter was a founding member of the 8-piece rock band The Invasion (later named The Rock Revival) that enjoyed many years of success playing in featured venues across the GTA and southern Ontario. Since then he has played continuously in many stage and swing bands and now has come full circle. Being a founding member of The Chicago Project fulfills his dream of playing quality horn-based rock at the highest level with quality professional musicians.