Band bios
Meet The Band
Jake Vanderheyden
Jake founded In The Blue Jazz Ensemble in 2016. Jake holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Management from Grand Valley State University. He plays Alto and Baritone Saxophone, and also manages In The Blue LLC. He is originally from Lake Orion, MI. He studied jazz previously with Jeff Wiles, and professors Michael T. Drost and Tim Froncek, known for their work in the West Michigan jazz scene. Jake is a former a member of the Grand Valley Jazz Orchestra, as well as his involvement with other various jazz groups in the Detroit area. He is also the current business development director of the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra and serves on the board of the West Michigan Jazz Society. He has performed across the nation, notably on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Andrew Witter
Andrew has been with In The Blue Jazz Ensemble since 2018. Andrew is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Percussion Performance from Grand Valley State University. He is originally from Clare, MI. While studying percussion under Greg Secor and Scott Pellegrom, Andrew also studies jazz with professors Michael T. Drost and Tim Froncek, known for their work in the West Michigan jazz scene. He is a member of the Grand Valley Jazz Orchestra, and he is involved with other various jazz groups in West Michigan. He is a former instructor at Third Coast Recording Company in Grand Haven, MI. He has performed across the nation and internationally, notably in Paris, France. He is also a recipient of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award.
Carl Kaczmarski
Carl has been with In The Blue Jazz Ensemble since 2019. Carl is pursuing dual Bachelor of Music Performance and Business Administration degrees at Grand Valley State University. He is originally from Walker, MI. Carl is a multi-instrumentalist that primarily plays guitar and bass. He is a member of the Grand Valley Jazz Orchestra, as well as other various bands in West Michigan. He often performs solo music of various genres. Carl teaches independently as a guitar and bass instructor as well. He previously studied jazz bass performance at Aquinas College with Matthew Brewer. He currently studies jazz with professors Michael T. Drost and Tim Froncek, known for his work in the West Michigan jazz scene. Carl attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for 3 years for jazz.
Tim Grieme
Tim has been with In The Blue Jazz Ensemble since 2018. Tim is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from Grand Valley State University. He is originally from Troy, MI. While studying classical saxophone under Dan Graser, Tim also studies jazz with Jordan VanHemert, Michael T. Drost, and Tim Froncek, known for their work in the West Michigan jazz scene. He is a member of the Grand Valley Jazz Orchestra, as well as the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra. He has performed across the nation, notably on stage at Lincoln Center in New York City. He is also a recipient of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award.
Jarrett Holtslag
Jarrett has been with In The Blue Jazz Ensemble since 2017. Jarrett primarily plays piano and keyboard. By playing music from a young age and being surrounded by a diverse pallet of influences, he has developed knowledge about, and a love for, many different styles of music. He is a native of Clarkston, MI. He was a longtime member of the rock group, Sail, and has spent many years performing with various bands in the Detroit area. He performs at many events as a solo pianist or as a band member across various genres. Jarrett is currently managing and composing for his prog rock & jazz fusion group, Squatch. He also is a former piano, bass, and guitar instructor at the School of Rock in Rochester, MI.
Steve Rothstein
Steve has been with In The Blue Jazz Ensemble since 2018. Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Guitar Performance from Grand Valley State University. He is originally from Walled Lake, MI. In 2015, Steve was awarded the Padnos International Scholarship to attend Kokusai Kirisutokyo Daigaku (International Christian University) in Tokyo, Japan to study language, culture, and arts. While abroad, Steve joined the university’s big band, Modern Music Society, sitting in on both guitar and bass. He was recruited to join the Masaya Combo Project, led by trumpeter Masaya Taniguchi. Steve is a former member of The Lake Effects, an indie brass pop-band. He also is currently the bassist for local pop band, Chandler Reed & The Sticky Keys.