About Us
The Musicians
- Trombone
Ernie Landes (Leader)Ernie Landes took up the trombone in high school and began jamming with neighborhood musicians. While attending Stanford University, he heard the bands of Bob Scobey and Turk Murphy and spent many Friday afternoons playing for free beer in college hangouts. He helped form a band named "South Bay Seven" which was popular in the San Jose area in the sixties.
In 1973 he was recuited by Frank Goulette to join the "Monterey Classic Jazz Band" of Santa Cruz, CA. With this band he attended most of the West Coast jazz festivals and enjoyed an eight-year run of Sunday afternoon gigs at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz.
Retiring to Washington State in 1995, Ernie joined the "Dukes of Dabob" which played for twelve years at the Valley Tavern near Dabob Bay. He has moved to Peoria, AZ, where he helped form the "Sun City Stomperz" in 2006. - Trumpet
Charlie GoodhueCharlie started playing trumpet in Jr. High School in Claremont, N.H., continuing in High School band and orchestra. A classmate started a dance band which expanded Charlie's musical horizon. He earned college spending money at Univ. of N. H. playing in a five piece combo. In 1958 Charlie entered Naval Flight Training, playing in concert, marching, and dance bands until leaving for advanced flight training. He spent 34 years flying in aviation, was an airline pilot after his service career was over. Moving to Denton, Texas in 1998, Charlie found a band chapter of the New Horizons college band that prompted him to pick up his trumpet again. He moved to Sun City in 2004 and now plays in many of the bands in the area.
- Banjo
Harry Schlafman (Business Manager)Starting with piano at age nine. Harry moved on to play violin, banjo, cornet, string bass and soprano sax. He played banjo in a high school Dixieland Band, then co-founded the "Red Hot Stompers" at Cornell University. In Ohio, he performed with the "Docs of Dixieland," which appeared on national television. Harry spent about 25 years with the "Hermit Traditional Jazz Band," where he shared leadership with Ted Witt, an internationally famous clarinet player. Harry also appeared with Ralph Grugel's "Eagle Jazz Band." Moving to Northern California in the 1970s, Harry a joined a San Francisco jazz band, playing banjo and second cornet at jazz festivals mostly around the Western United States. That band also played on cruises and has taken many musical trip internationally.
Here in the Phoenix area, Harry has played with the "Desert City Six" and is now with the "Sun City Stomperz." - Clarinet/Soprano Sax.
Barry ClapperBarry started playing sax in high school but interrupted his musical life for military service. He picked it up again in college, playing in several dance bands.
In 1969 Barry got involved in barbershop quartet singing. He spent many years singing in competitions all over the Midwest and internationally. In 1983, he was asked to become a Certified International Judge and spent 24 years judging competitions all over the world.
Around 2002 Barry was invited to play clarinet and got hooked on our kind of music. He has played with some very good bands including the "Blue Ox Jazz Babies," the "Mouldy Figs" and the "Turkey River All Stars."
Barry enjoys playing clarinet, flute, soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes in a variety of groups at country clubs, restaurants and private parties. His outstanding vocal capabilities provide an extra kick to the music of the Stomperz. - Piano
Marg BurgMarg (Marguerite) started picking out tunes on the piano at age 4-5. After studying piano, she added voice and cello along with organ to her musical experience. Marg comes to Sun City West from the Philadelphia area. There she played with "The Wally King Orchestra," "The Swing Street Band," and "The Stardusters," as well as in the percussion section of the "Tri-County Concert Band. "
A classically trained pianist and organist, she received her Certificate in Church Music from Westminster Conservatory in Princeton, NJ. She is thoroughly enjoying her involvement with the "Sun City Stomperz" in Dixieland Jazz and Ragtime Piano. Marg plays with the "All Stars Stage Band", the "Encores Dance Band" and several other groups in the West Valley area in addition to her work at the Congregational Church and other churches in the Valley. - Tuba
Dean HensonDean started playing band music in Junior High School over in Texas. He played cornet for a short time. then switched to sousaphone. After a hitch in the Navy, he resumed playing again in 1982 while living in Denver. He played tuba with community groups, then joined the Denver Nighthawks in 1987 and played with them for seven years.
In 1994, Dean moved to Sun City West and started playing with the Sun City Concert Band. He joined the Desert Brass when it was first formed and the Sun City Stomperz in 2007. - Drums
Tom MacanTom, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, grew up listening to Dixieland Jazz, thanks to an older brother who was an avid jazz record collector. A trip to the Palace Theater in Cleveland to hear the Benny Goodman band with Gene Krupa kindled Tom's desire to be a drummer. He studied with "Army" Armstrong, a noted vaudeville and pit band drummer. Further percussion study was interrupted in 1945 by a stint with the Army Air Corps, which included assignment at Hamilton Field, north of San Francisco. This provided the opportunity for frequent visits to the Dawn Club in San Francisco to hear Lu Watters and the Yerba Buena Jazz Band. After service, he attended Ohio State University and later joined the "old" General Motors in Detroit, where he stayed for 37 years. He played with big bands and small groups in the Detroit Area, even some rock 'n roll bands. He was also a percussionist with a regional symphony in Michigan for 13 years. He settled in Sun City West in 1996 and currently plays with the "Sun City Concert Band," the "Desert Brass," the "Music Makers Big Band," and - his real love - the "Sun City Stomperz."
Contact Us!
- Ernie Landes, Leader
(623) 972 - 4292 - Harry Schlafman, Business Manager
(623) 214 - 8443



