Duke and The Loose Cannons

Celery City’s swingin’-est combo! DLC features jazz from the past 100 years, 60s and 70s rock, and original material.

Leonard Duke – Trumpet, Flute, et al. The Latin addendum (‘et al.’ meaning ‘and others’) comes from being a multi-instrumentalist. Leonard plays everything from piano to Sousaphone. He is also a gentleman philosopher and a mad scientist/inventor. All while in middle school, he built his first banjo out of a pie pan and a 2 x 4; afterward, he removed part of his parent’s attic floor and constructed a violin and a full-sized classical guitar. Upon packing to move, his dad noticed the missing flooring. Leonard was required to replace it. Instrument or thing-a-ma-bob, if it can make a sound, Leonard will find a way to coax music out of it. He is the band’s lead sound technician.

Thomas Tomas – Drums, Percussion: Tom just wanted to play music but his mother insisted that he “get a real job”. So he studied and got his electrician’s license. Music never left his life, though. Tom went through some intense musical trainings that included being in a military band, and studying with a master drummer in Chicago. He has a refreshing sense of musical context that shows, especially when he plays a solo. Tom says “I don’t play music because I’m great; I play because music is great and I want to be a part of it.”

Craig K. Vestal – Bass: Craig has been performing since 1967 when he met
Leonard Duke in the Jr. High marching band. He has played bass with many area groups including the Millpond Mothers. Food Band, Segment, Kalamazoo Dixieland Orchestra, Swingmasters, and, finally, Duke & The Loose Cannons. Craig was also owner and Art Director of Portage Printing over nearly 4 decades, where the Cannons rehearsed in their recording studio until his retirement in late 2023. He also serves the band as Minister of Graphic Design.

Morgan Pyne – Guitar: Morgan has been playing the guitar and singing since he was six years old. Morgan says “I have the great privilege of playing music with some of my best friends in these later years and I’m making the most of it. It’s all about fun and learning.” If Morgan had a slogan it might be ‘Live Long, Love Well, Play Music’.

Herb Thompson – Keyboard: A songwriter and an actor, Herb joined the band in 2017. He is known to some as ‘Professor’ and has taken the nickname, ‘Mr. Ibeeonda Keys’. His career has spotlighted in different music and theater venues. Appearances include the Power Center Theater, the Black Civic Theater and the Battle Creek Jazz Ensemble. One of his greatest honors was performing in Miller Auditorium with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra under the baton of
the Late Maestro Yoshimi Takeda, at Gospelfest. Herb is the band’s vocal arranger and librarian.