The Players

Murray James-Bosch (vocals)

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 and Roy Thompson 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!

Doug Smith (vocals, guitar, keyboard, and percussion)

Doug comes from a very musical family that inspired him to pursue music. 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. He has 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 pleased to be a 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.

Wes Burton (keyboards and vocals)

Wes started Royal Conservatory piano at age four and later studied under several acclaimed conservatory, jazz, and improvisation piano coaches. During his high school years, he played trade shows as a solo artist and with the Impact Stage Band before co-founding the band Delegation which 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.

Mauro Bellotto (bass guitar and vocals)

Music is in Mauro’s blood as student, teacher, and a 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 has 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 and he’s toured and performed on television nationally.

Bruce Gordon (trumpet)

Coming from a Salvation Army family, Bruce started playing cornet (trumpet’s polite cousin) at the age of six. He began playing professionally at 14 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.

Returning to Canada, Bruce joined the Toronto Rock band Brutus, playing trumpet, organ, guitar, bass, and singing lead vocals. The band opened for many Canadian and American bands touring Canada including Gino Vannelli, The Guess Who, and even the 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 later spent 15 years performing in Florida in major venues, including cruise ships for various show bands spending 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. Both played in the early 1970s in the show band Delegation.

Alan Glennie (lead guitar)

Alan comes from a family of past and present professional musicians, ensuring that music would be a big part of his life. After an early start with assorted instruments, Alan chose guitar as 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 performed with popular 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.

Ron Hauth (drums and vocals)

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

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

Sam Ierullo (soprano and tenor saxophones and flute)

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

As a freelance musician, Sam has recorded on various albums, corporate videos, and special presentations, and 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, 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. He has played R&B at featured venues with artists Chuck Jackson, Virgil Scott, Steven Ambrose, Derek Sharpe and Frank Cosentino.

Peter Maher (alto and baritone saxophones)

Peter studied saxophone under Pete Schofield and was a member of his Canadian College All-Star band, which included recording several albums, touring extensively throughout Southern Ontario, and being featured on the CTV show Up and Coming. A recipient of multiple Kiwanis Music Festival and CNE Music Festival awards, Peter was a founding member of The Invasion (later named The Rock Revival), an eight-piece Rock band 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 has come full circle as a founding member of The Chicago Project, which fulfills his dream of playing quality horn-based Rock at the highest level with quality professional musicians.