Hal Stein was born in Weehawken , New Jersey, on September 5, 1928. Since he was eleven, the veteran saxophonist has lived and breathed music. At fifteen, Hal performed on tenor saxophone with Don Byas at New York's town Hall. The list of musicians and bands he has played with since the 1940's is truly phenomenal, and we are blessed to have such an accomplished, creative, and encyclopedic musician in our midst.

Hal has performed with:

Big Bands: Gene Krupa, Buddy Morrow, Joe Henderson Artie Shaw, Charlie Spivak, Benny Carter, Les and Larry Elgart, Vaughn Monroe, Claude Thornhill, Georgie Auld, Toshiko Akioshi, and Hampton Hawes.

Small Bands: Charlie Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Tony Scott, Teddy Charles, Roy Haynes, Teddy Wilson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Kenny Dorham, Phil Woods, Elvin Jones , Kenny Drew, J.C. Heard, Joe Farrel, Trummy Young, Lenny McBrown, Bill Evans, Henry Red Allen, Pete Brown, Chick Corea, Plank 'n' Stein, Graham Connah, Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers.

Artistic integrity is the aspect of the sincerity you hear in Denise's singing. She does very little scat singing, if any. That kind of exhibitionism ("Look what I can do.") is foreign to her style. Denise wants you to feel the emotions a song can arouse. To do that at a live gig, she will open herself to her audience and invite them to participate in the ambience she's creating. She wants you to feel good about the one you're with, not marvel at her vocal prowess.