Entertainment

John Tuck studied music all through college at the Chicago College of Performing Arts and University of Kentucky. He was a member of the U.S. Navy’s premiere contemporary music ensemble The Electric Brigade until taking a job as the Assistant National Entertainment Director for live music venue chain Howl at the Moon where he met his wife Amy. They have since formed Colorado Keys together.

Jon Sherman has been singing and playing both the piano and drums since the age of 7. At the age of 10 he began acting in commercials, films, and off-Broadway theatre. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston with a degree in Music Synthesis. Jon started his dueling piano career in Boston at Jake Ivory’s in 1992. He then ventured off to Auckland, New Zealand and played with Arch Hooks at “Park In The Bar” for a short stint. He joined Howl at the Moon in San Antonio, Texas and was there for 3 years. Jon came to Denver in 1999 to work at Sing Sing for 12 years until it was purchased by Howl at the Moon, where he continued to work until its closing in 2020. At that point he freelanced across the country playing for Micheal Murphys (Oklahoma), Savannah Smiles (Georgia), Ticklers (New Orleans), Shouthouse (San Diego), as well as several stints with the Howl at the Moon show on Norwegian cruise lines. He also currently performs private events for Howl2go, Denver Piano Shows, and Colorado Keys.

I’m from Charleston, SC. I first studied piano at age 3 at the College of Charleston. I’ve been a full-time dueling piano player since 2008. I have played in almost every state, Mexico, and the Caribbean (with the exception of Hawaii and Maine). I also play the drums, bass, and guitar -- I’m a rock n’ roll girl all the way!

Riley has lived in Colorado since he was 9 years old and studied jazz piano at CU Boulder. He found dueling pianos at Howl at the Moon in Denver in 2018 and fell in love with the job immediately! He now free lances full-time, playing all across the country including right here at Fortissimo!

My pastry chef career came first, but in 2009 I won the Miss Stonewall contest and that is when I started doing more performances. I had been taking private voice lessons since 2004 because my ultimate goal has been to have a pastry cabaret, combining my two passions! I worked at Lips Drag Palace in NYC for four years. I also had a regular weekly show at the Stonewall Inn with my performance partner, Lavinia Draper, for many years. We have performed at Denver Pridefest on the Main Stage the past two years. Come and see me on Wednesday evenings for Live Broadway Jukebox with Joshua!

Anderson was raised in Oklahoma, spent a decade in NYC and is now living in Colorado as a full-time musician. Singing and playing piano since he was in elementary school, Anderson has performed now in 40+ countries. He is also a professional music director and arranger whose works have been seen in various places such as Cedar Point, Hershey Park, and also throughout Europe. Anderson is a part of an all-vocal rock group known as ‘Face Vocal Band’ that performs all over the world doing around 100 shows a year.

Chantil has performed all over the world as an accomplished jazz pianist/singer/composer who earned her 2014 Bachelor of Arts in Music at the prestigious Frost School of Music at University of Miami, Florida. Chantil is a Denver-based, Alaska-raised indigenous jazz artist with roots in the Tsimshian and Sugpiaq peoples of Alaska. Her soulful laid-back funky vibes are the perfect way to spend your happy hour getting ready for Dueling Pianos!

David was born and raised in New Jersey and began studying piano at the age of five. After graduating from the Art Institute of Philadelphia, he moved to Boulder, where he studied jazz piano with Art Lande. His jazz studies culminated with his performance at the 2007 Telluride Jazz Festival. However, David considers his most notable musical accomplishment performing with Bob Weir (of the Grateful Dead) in 2015. During the day, David leads a local non-profit providing supports and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is considered a community leader in advocacy for equity, diversity, and inclusion. David is also the Owner and Founder of Denver Piano Shows.

With appearances in DownBeat Magazine, Blues Review, Living Blues Magazine, The FemaleMusician and Candence, among other acclaim, Jennifer Lane is the real deal. A true musician, with heavy piano playin’ chops, and a voice that is versatile and flexible, all of which compliments her intuitive writing, arranging and production abilities. She’s on the brink of bringing her music to the national ear. Smart and sassy, sweet and soulful, this is no cookie cutter, manufactured, girl singer clone. Jennifer is captivating onstage. Six foot tall, blonde, and brassy sassy. She’s outrageous and funny, with a quick and sometimes wicked wit. She has cemented her place in the world of 'the Duel'. Being one of the very first females to perform in what was previously a rather male-dominated arena.

Pamela Machala grew up in a musical family in Illinois and started piano at the age of 5. She continued her studies at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Eastern Illinois University and honed her dueling piano chops performing at the Denver location of Howl at the Moon from 2015-2018. Also an award-winning singer/songwriter and recording artist who fronts the all-female Pamela Machala Band, she can be found performing her original music as well as dueling piano shows all over Colorado’s Front Range and beyond.

Denver pianist Gayle Denise Leali has performed throughout Europe and Asia. Her musical background includes years of classical piano studies before earning her B.Sc. in music business with an emphasis in music management. Gayle enjoys performing all styles of music, including jazz, blues, R&B, Latin, and pop ballads. Her vocal style has been compared to that of Nina Simone. She has been performing professionally for many years and got her start as a featured performer at many of the most prestigious hotels in Denver, including the Brown Palace, the Fairmont Hotel, and the Giorgio Hotel. Prior to beginning her travels as an international entertainer, Gayle also performed in her own jazz band that was the house band at several jazz and blues clubs in the Denver area. Gayle’s interest in international engagement was piqued during a 1993 USA Department of Defense tour with a five-piece R&B dance band that toured southeast Asia. Gayle's talent has taken her to engagements in Japan, Germany, Norway, Malaysia, and Cambodia, as well as to some exotic ports as a performer onboard several cruise lines. IShe has been teaching piano and voice lessons for 3 years at Stanley Music Marketplace.

Meet Ashley, a seasoned performer whose heart beats for the stage. From his early days in theater to enchanting audiences with solo performances, Ashley’s journey has been nothing short of a melody. For over two decades, he’s dazzled as a professional dueling piano player, and it’s clear he’s in his element. His happiest moments? Seeing you smile, laugh, and sing along with him. Ashley’s tunes have echoed across North America, with a memorable 10-year stint at Sing Sing in Downtown Denver. His philosophy is simple yet profound: “Being on stage is where I feel most alive. Every night is a unique adventure, filled with the thrill of improv and the joy of making people laugh. Every audience brings a new story, and I’m here to make those stories unforgettable!”

Jonas Schultz a.k.a. Jonas the Space Cowboy, is a professional singer, pianist, and saxophonist. He performs with the following bands: Jonas the Space Cowboy & The Allstarz, Hunker Down, ED & CO., Jonas & The Midnite Wranglerz, The Lordz of Lakewood, and The Wonderful Peach Mountain Showgunz. The son of two professional country musicians, Jonas grew up in Texas and Alabama performing with Funk, Country, and R&B bands. After studying Jazz and Classical music in High School at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, he went on to graduate Berklee College of Music with a focus on performance. Jonas has a diverse and unique sound on the piano and his vocal range covers Jazz, Classic Country, Funk, Bluegrass, Blues, and Rock.

Amy Tuck grew up in a small town in Ohio and studied music at CSULB. She has since performed in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Houston, Singapore and finally settled in Denver, where she is extremely happy to call home. After playing for numerous clubs and moving from city to city, she met her husband John and together they created Colorado Keys.

Captivated by the soulful sounds of Motown at a young age, Gordon was hooked on music from the start, and he began teaching himself piano at the age of five. He played double bass with the Akron Philharmonic Orchestra at a young age, and sang and performed in many ensembles and choirs throughout his youth, before finally settling into piano performance. Also a trained chef, Gordon is known to bring some extra flavor to spice up the night!