Dan Vigil
Dan is a life-long musician. At the age of 9 he won first place in a state wide trumpet competition sponsored by the Colorado Educators Association. He gave up trumpet and began playing guitar in his early teens. Dan was the president of the choir in junior high. He played in several bands in his late teens and early 20s. And he was a Roadie from time to time.
Dan began writing songs in his youth. But his musical career was derailed when he was drafted into the Army. Upon discharge, Dan worked at various jobs before entering law school. During his legal career he had much less time for music, unfortunately. After a time, Dan returned to his first love. Retrotech was formed in 2008 and released its first CD in 2009.
Many bands and performers influenced Dan’s writing and musical style, most of whom he saw perform live: James Brown and the Famous Flames, Tina Turner (post Ike), Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Young Rascals, Jimi Hendrix and the Experience, Steeley Dan, Steve Wonder, Janis Joplin, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Chambers Brothers, Buddy Guy, Johnny Smith, Paul McCartney and Wings, Three Dog Night, Spirit, Lothar and the Hand People, Grateful Dead, Chuck Mangione, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, Julio Iglesias, Fever Tree, B.B. King, Canned Heat, Carol King, Santana, The Beatles, The Guess Who, The Moody Blues, Cream, Tommy Bolin, Kenny Rankin, Ahmad Jamal, Frank Sinatra, Diana Krall, Donavan, Al Stewart, Van Morrison, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Brook Benton, Bill Withers, JJ Cale, Buffalo Springfield, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Wes Montgomery and many others.
Erv Trujillo
Bassist Erv Trujillo is originally from Denver but spent 25 years in Fairbanks, Alaska.
His musical experiences include many U.S and Canadian touring bands to local jazz groups.
He has jammed with such greats as Kenny Barron, Bobby Hutcherson, Ingrid Jensen, the late Frank Mantooth, and Elvin Bishop.
His latest projects include playing bass and some production and arranging for Retrotech, which has resulted in 7 previously released CD's.
An 8th CD was just released.
Erv worked as a public school music teacher in the Denver area.
He worked for 18 years teaching band, orchestra, and choir.
Originally, he attended the University of Northern Colorado but completed his B.S. in Music Education at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
He studied trumpet and electric bass at UAF.
Upon completion of his degree, he joined the staff at UAF as an adjunct instructor in Electric Bass.
Jon VanZandt
Jon is a life-long percussionist. He marched in the Santa Clara Vanguard and Casper Troopers drum & bugle corps in the 70's and early 80's.
He has instructed dozens of high school drum lines and for Colorado based drum and bugle corps.
He toured the U.S. performing in an Army rock band for three years and has a long history of studio work.
