312 Chicago - Meet the Band
Simon Ciacco – Bass
Simon is the leader of 312 Chicago and is a rising star on the Chicago music scene in a variety of genres. He began his musical journey at the age of 13 when his sister gifted him an old Fender. In the past ten years that same Fender bass has provided the low end in musical venues and festivals all throughout the Chicago land area.
As a recent graduate from DePaul Universities Jazz Studies program, Simon has studied extensively Chicago’s most esteemed jazz musicians and educators including Dana Hall, Scott Burns, Tim Coffman, Bob Lark, Jim Trompeter, and his main mentor Dennis Carroll. This education provided him with extensive knowledge of musical theory, composition, jazz history, and technical ability on the upright and electric basses. His proficiency on both instruments have landed him in playing situations of nearly every genre including folk, soul, jazz, hip hop, punk rock, and more. With the knowledge of a professional, and the charisma of a 24 year old, Simon provides a joyous presence to the bandstand and it is heard in his playing.
Gabrielle Garza – Vocals
Originally from Naperville, Illinois Gabrielle grew up singing and performing in school plays and musicals. Eventually this led her to study theatre and music at Emerson College in Boston where she had the opportunity to cultivate her stage presence and love of performing. Shortly after graduation she moved to New York City and landed a role in the Tony winning Broadway musical Spring Awakening, where she toured the US and Canada for over 2 years. While living in New York she had the honor to work with many Broadway greats including Joe Mantello, Michael Mayer, and Oscar winning composers Pasek and Paul. Chicago will always be home and shortly after touring she came back to the city she loves where she continues to act and sing with multiple bands including 312 Chicago.
Dylan Barnett – Guitar
Dylan Barnett is a Chicago based guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer whose eclectic involvement in a variety of genres sets him apart from the average musician. With an extensive background in everything from jazz, rock, funk, and blues, Dylan's musical style refuses to be confined to a single genre, and instead embraces a mixture of all the music that inspires him.
Having recently graduated from the Depaul University School of Music with a BA in Jazz Studies, Dylan has studied with some of Chicago’s best working jazz musicians such as Dennis Carroll, Mike Allemana, and Bob Palmieri. Dylan also studied under the tutelage of Dana Hall for two years as a part of the university’s Jazz Workshop, in addition to being involved in numerous combos. Outside of the jazz idiom, Dylan regularly writes, rehearses, records, and performs with his groups Jam City Collective and Safetrip.
Devin Wessel – Piano & Vocals
Devin Wessels has been entertaining on stages for as long as he can remember. In his early years, he spent most of his free time in and around theatrical productions. During his teenage years he took his love for performance from theatres to the corners of night clubs, playing jazz piano and upright bass. Soon after, he branched out into the rock and R&B scenes of Minneapolis, singing and playing keyboards in a handful of Twin Cities bands and honing his skills as a solo artist and songwriter. At the age of 16, Devin released his first self-produced album of original music. He spent the next 5 years seeking out classical, jazz and contemporary training on a diverse set of instruments while pursuing interests in acoustics and electronics.
He now uses his unique blend of instrumental and vocal training in conjunction with his technical knowledge by working as a producer for a handful of Chicago artists. He also plays with several local bands including his own group: Jam City Collective.
Matt Smalligan – Drums
Matt Smalligan is a Chicago based drummer. Originally from the Grand Rapids area, Matt had the opportunity to grow up in a musical household influenced by his father's rock band. Under the direction of Keith Hall, Judy Moonert, Billy Hart, Jeremy Siskind, Andrew Rathbun, Scott Cowan, and Tom Knific, he received a Bachelor's in Music through Western Michigan University's Jazz Studies program. In both Chicago and Michigan, he has performed and recorded with a wide variety of musicians, including The Chicago Children's Choir, Sam Pilnick Group, and Neil Carson Trio.
Spencer Schillerstrom – Saxophone
Born and raised in the Chicago-land area, saxophonist Spencer Schillerstrom works as a freelance musician in the Chicago and Indianapolis metropolitan areas. His goal in performing is to bring people together and put a smile on their faces. Trained in both classical and jazz saxophone technique, Spencer is capable of filling many different shoes while still bringing originality to the table. He has recently finished his Master of Jazz Performance degree at DePaul University where he held the lead tenor saxophone chair in Dana Hall’s Jazz Workshop. Before his graduate work, Spencer completed his undergraduate degree studying both music and geology while graduating Summa Cum Laude at DePauw University. His professional career features him performing and recording with various Chicago based ensembles, serving as the in-house woodwind instructor for Flatts and Sharpe Music Company and the British International School in Chicago, and touring internationally in both Germany and Hawaii. Spencer has had the honor to perform with some nationally recognized artists in his career, including Eddie Henderson, Brad Leali, Jeremiah Hunt, and Lew Tabackin. In addition, he has studied with Scott Burns, Steve Snyder, Dana Hall, Dennis Carroll, and Alex Beltran.
Andrew Egezio - Trumpet
Andrew Egizio is a freelance trumpet player and educator located in the Chicagoland Area. His expertise is in the area of jazz and similar genres. In his formative years he quickly became a fixture in Saint Charles's jazz scene when a group that he co-founded, started playing at many restaurants throughout the area. Egizio is a recent graduate of DePaul University in Chicago, Summa Cum Laude, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Studies, with a minor in Finance. At DePaul, Egizio performed with the DePaul Jazz Workshop under the direction of Dana Hall. He has also been able to perform with musicians such as Donny McCaslin, Dave Douglas, Rodney Whitaker, and Nicholas Payton, among others.