After years of being asked if he plays any klezmer, Steve Gruverman (clarinet) can finally answer with a definite "yes" and is delighted that its with the Tummlers. He plays various woodwinds in a variety of styles but especially loves the ethnic dance music of Europe, from Brittany to Bulgaria. Steve also plays with the King Pirogi Polka Band and the Flying Tomatoes.
Hayes Porterfield, (drumset) born in Crossett, Arkansas, has been playing the drums pretty much non-stop since his fifteenth birthday. His first group, the new-wave sensation August Spies, was formed in 1985. He then moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas where he studied classical percussion at school all day and played jazz all night. Before moving to Portland and joining the Tummlers in 1995, he was still playing mostly jazz and when he isn't playing with the Tummlers, he still likes to play jazz, ride his bike take pictures and hang with his family. Current ongoing projects include Zhok Therapy, Jazz Monstahs (with Glenway Fripp and John Clark) and the roots-rock-post-post-punk trio Dial.
Carl Dimow (flute, guitar) is an eclectic musician who performs jazz, blues and classical music in addition to klezmer. He has collaborated with poets and visual artists and recently composed the music for She-Who-Loves, a new production by Figures of Speech Theater. Carl is a member of the applied music faculty at Colby College and the Waynflete School. See his website here.
Nancy 3. Hoffman (accordion, vocals) is a classically trained pianist and works nationally as a music theater director. She leads The Maine Squeeze accordion ensemble, playing international folk music. Her solo work includes international cabaret, and her one-woman rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta The Mikado. She is also director and curator of the world's only Umbrella Cover Museum. Nancy 3. lives on Peaks Island and migrates to Key West, Florida for the winter. Her middle name is really 3.
Julie Goell (double-bass, vocals) recently graduated U. of S. Maine with a degree in Jazz bass. She began her performing career in theater, earning a BFA in acting and directing from Emerson College. While working as a clown in Europe she became hooked on Jazz and Jewish music. She returned to the USA to study jazz and search for fellow klezmorim. Luck landed her with the Tummlers. She currently tours her solo show, Opening Night Carmen, which combines physical comedy with opera and string bass. The show was the latest hit of Festival Des Pallasses in Andorra, and featured at Artists of Tomorrow in NY. Julie teaches Clowning at Celebration Barn Theatre and is currently Guest Artist on the faculty at Colby College.