The Top Shelf is celebrating its fifth anniversary — we performed for the first time on April 3, 2010 (at 12 Grapes in Peekskill, NY.)
Thank you to everyone who has come out to see the band, the venues where we’ve performed (The Cutting Room, Mohegan Sun, The Towne Crier, DROM, and 12 Grapes), the families and organizations that have hired us, and especially the stellar musicians who have performed in the band.
| Keyboard | Saxophone | Trumpets | Vocals |
| Jon Cobert | Jon Saxon | Louise Baranger | Angela Clemmons |
| Clifford Carter | Joe Meo | Tim Ouimette | Edlene Hart |
| Lon Hoyt | Bill Harris | Clay Beard | Russ Velazquez |
| David Keyes | Mark Fineberg | Dave Stangarone | Andricka Hall |
| Jeff Schiller | Chris Pasin | Keith Fluitt | |
| Drums / Percussion | Shane Kirsch | Greg Ruvulo | Rob Paparozzi |
| Gene Lewin | Rick Kriska | Lew Soloff | Dennis Collins |
| Roger Post | Joe Giorgianni | Tom “Blues Buddha” Dudley | |
| Denny McDermott | Guitar | Jon Leonard | Curtis Winchester |
| Mark Dodge | Peter Calo | John Trombetta | Chrissi Poland |
| Norberto Goldberg | Al Orlo | Chris Melito | Wondress Hutchinson |
| David Yee | Andrew Zinsmeister | Bill Ash | Diana Wexler |
| Duncan Cleary | Rosharra Francis | ||
| Will Van Sise | Alessandra Levy | ||
| Hank Decora | Mariama Ceesay | ||
| Sarah Ann Sillers | |||
| Carly Cantor |
Here’s a recording of “Rehab” featuring Edlene Hart from our first show at 12 Grapes.
Here’s a video from our most recent show at The Cutting Room on February 6, 2015.
To see additional videos, click here.
We look forward to the next five years!
Steve Wexler and The Top Shelf Blog 
Thank You, Lew Soloff
Trumpet Legend Lew Soloff passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 8, 2015 in New York City.
Soloff was the consummate New York musician whose 50-plus year career spanned thousands of recording sessions and live performances with artists such as Gil Evans, Blood Sweat and Tears, Frank Sinatra, Carla Bley, Barbra Streisand, Machito, Marianne Faithfull, Paul Shaffer, Manhattan Brass, Jon Faddis and Ornette Coleman.
The Top Shelf had the honor of working with Lew on September 27, 2013 when he took over the lead trumpet duties for a performance at The Cutting Room. A highlight of the evening was Lew performing his iconic solo from the Blood Sweat & Tears’ hit “Spinning Wheel.”
Thank you, Lew, for all the great music and for a terrific gig.
Click to read Soloff’s obituary in the New York Times.