COTA Cats

Chad Feakins

I thought that being in the COTA Cats was an awesome experience and I would like to do it again next year. I learned many things from the various instructors and former COTA Cats that walked through every rehearsal. I have found it easier to read music since my experience with COTA. I would like to sincerely thank the directors and those various instructors and former COTA Cat members, and the Board. I thank you for letting me have the honor of being in the COTA Cats. It's been a pleasure. I hope to see you next year.
Sincerely,
Chad Feakins (9/14/06)

Kenny Luckey

What being a COTA meant to me..
Being a COTA Cat was undoubtedly the most influential contribution to my musical career. During my time with the COTA Cats, I gained a great amount of experience that helped me not only with lead playing, but with performance skills overall. I met many great people, teachers, and musicians and made friends that I know I'll keep for the rest of my life. Not many people can say they recieved help from Dave Liebman, Phil Woods, Ken Brader, Eric Doney, Jim Daniels, or any other giant of the music industry. Working with Mr. Glaser, Mr. Rauh, and Mr. Fadden was an amazing experience. Their patience, knowledge, and guidance is unmatched. I'm extremely grateful for all the help I recieved and I'm very thankful for my two years with the COTA Cats.

Kara Edelheiser, Piano

Participating in the COTA Cats was one of my most enriching experiences in my early musical career. I met numerous people with different lifestyles and backgrounds, but all unified in the appreciation of jazz. Each individual was extremely talented, which led to such an outstanding result. All three of the directors were very helpful and made each rehearsal unique. They displayed such a love for what they were doing, and this truly satisfied my decision to study music education in college.

The input from the clinicians taught me a lot as well. Different techniques of approaching the music were introduced to me. Many different aspects of my "musical horizons" were broadened. It was also a great joy to play with Phil Woods and Rick Chamberlain. Both of these men are very talented, and it was a pleasure for me to meet Phil Woods for the first time.

I almost wish that my time with the COTA Cats had lasted longer. The comradery between each of the musicians was profound. The talents shared have taught me so much. On the day of the concert I was awestruck by our performance. It was the best that we had ever played, and it gave me chills. Even more thrilling was the fact that we were playing on the exact same stage as countless other professional jazz musicians. I truly enjoyed this experience, and I thank you wholeheartedly.

Wayne Bishop

Some of my best memories of my life so far have come from the COTA festival and being a COTA Cat. Being in the ensemble in such close proximity with clinicians brought in by the staff such as Phil Woods, David Liebman, and Bob Dorough has really pushed me to work harder in music. Just recently I went on vacation to the Jersey Shore and Ken Brader was playing one night there and I coincidentally went to the small park that he was playing at, and I felt like I could approach him and talk to him, but only because of my experience with the COTA Cats. I'll never forget the times that I spent back stage with all of the world class musicians at the festival, and the time that I spent on the side of the stage sitting on the grass with my friends while those same great musicians were playing, mezmerizing us all with their ability. The COTA Cats and the COTA Festival really have changed my life, enriching it significantly, and I thank the directors for allowing me to participate in such a great ensemble for these past four years.