  |  | Meet Our Mandolin MusiciansMandolin Magic provides outstanding mandolinists and accompanists for your Los Angeles area wedding or special event. All are graduates of the finest music conservatories in the country and they love to play! Read more about our fantastic musicians below:
Chris Murphy, Artistic DirectorViolin/Mandolin/FiddleChris is a graduate of New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. He has played professionally since 1993. He has studied classical violin with Peter Kaman of the Seattle Symphony, jazz violin with Matt Glaser and Julie Liberman, and Indian violin with L. Shankar. He is a composer and session musician, has eight solo albums of original music exploring jazz, bluegrass, blues, and ethnic violin music. In 2002 Chris started The Wine and Roses Wedding Band and has performed hundreds of successful weddings with that ensemble.
 Edgar Sandoval |
Edgar Sandoval received his Bachelors of Music from California State University Northridge and has been studying the violin since age 11. His most influencial teachers are Anita Thomason (Culver City), North Wood (Pasadena), Ludmila Adzhemova (West Hollywood), Barry Socher (Beverly Hills), Mary Kim (Northridge), Michael Ferril (Northridge) and Assa Drori (Hollywood). A native of Los Angeles, Edgar has been fortunate to get immediate attention from local orchestral and recording contractors after only 2 years of playing the violin. Alongside his gigging experience he has been featured on Disney’s 2002 reality television show “Totally in Tune” expressing the lives of students in a high school orchestra at a premiere music academy. Edgar’s orchestral experience includes: The American Youth Symphony with Kent Nagano conducting at Royce Hall (May 2005), Debut Orchestra with John Williams conducting at the Beverly Hilton (October 2004), Debut Orchestra with Michael Tilson-Thomas at Walt Disney Hall (January 2005), Pasadena “Pops” Orchestra, Santa Monica Symphony, Torrance Symphony at the Armstrong Theater, Southeast Symphony, Golden State Pops Orchestra at the Warner Grand Theater, Riverside County Philharmonic, San Bernardino Symphony at the Redlands Bowl, and tours with MESTO (Multi-Ethnic Star Orchestra). Edgar is an acclaimed chamber musician as well a composer for film and serious works. His most recent movie score credits include “Amercian Crude” with Rob Schneider and “The Book of Tomorrow.” |
 Kenny Klein |
Kenny Klein is a violinist, fiddler, mandolinist, guitarist and singer. Originally from New York, Kenny studied Appalachian fiddling in the mountains of that state, West Virginia and Pennsylvania; Jazz fiddle in Brooklyn; and Gypsy violin in Europe.Kenny has performed at renaissance festivals, Pirate festivals, Country bars, Irish pubs, weddings and cultural events for over two decades. He has several CDs of his music available. |
 Bob Applebaum |
Bob Applebaum is a nationally recognized mandolinist with over thirty five years professional experience in stage, recording, television and film work. He has performed and recorded with many of the Nation’s greatest acoustic musicians including Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka, Byron Berline, John Fogerty, Mason Williams, and Sam Bush. In addition to Bluegrass he is accomplished in Celtic and a variety of American folk styles as well as Swing and Bebop and has been a film coach for several world class actors including Nicolaus Cage and trained mandolinists performing in several famous Rock and Pop acts. Since 2002, he has also been a member of the Middle Eastern/World Music Orchestra, Mesto under the direction of Dr. Nabil Assam.Throughout his 35 year career he has assembled small ensembles centered around the mandolin to bring unique and memorable music to accompany both the ceremony and celebration of weddings of every size and complexity. Bob’s most recent Bluegrass CD project “All the Way Home” was highlighted in the February 2001 Bluegrass Unlimited review section and praised “...Applebaum and company have created the contemporary bluegrass album of the year...” He is the coproducer along with Marty Cutler of The Bluegrass Band Program for PG Music and coauthor with Fred Sokolow of Fretboard Roadmaps for Mandolin published by Hal Leonard. |
 Tom Corbett |
After years of earning respect from peers and audiences for playing behind better-known artists, noted mandolinist/guitarist Tom Corbett stepped into the spotlight as bandleader and songwriter with his warmly received 2001 solo album Upstairs at Charlie’s. Since then, while remaining a popular sideman, he’s become a frequent presence as frontman of his own well-regarded trio on the coffeehouse, listening room and house concert circuits. Now, with his second album, Cloudless Blue Sky, he’s further establishing himself as one of the most versatile acoustic artists on the West Coast Americana scene. |
 Benedikt Brydern |
Benedikt Brydern is an award-winning composer and performer. His scores have been featured in film, television and on the concert stage in the United Sates and internationally. From the Miramax documentary “Rhyme & Reason” to independent films like “Dunsmore,” directed by Academy Nominee Peter Spirer, from Jon Voight’s children tale “The Tin Soldier” to the mysterious “Outpatient” (starring Justin Kirk), whether using traditional orchestral or electronic techniques. He contributed music to USA’s mini-series “Spartacus” and worked on blockbusters like “Entrapment” and “Urban Legend” with composer Christopher Young.Having been a violin child protégé since age 6 he now holds a masters degree in performance and performs regularly with local symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles. He has concertized and recorded with Leonard Bernstein, Sir Georg Solti, Etta James, Sinead O’Connor, and many others. He specializes in old time jazz and swing and performs on a historic 1910 Stroh-violin, introducing music from the 1910s, 20s and 30s to new audiences. He also pays tribute to the genuine music of legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt. Performances include shows with folk legend Jim Kweskin and British hit-singer Ian Whitcomb. His love for Argentinean tango manifested in engagements with Dino Durand, Coco Trivisonno, Esther Segovia, Jose Luis “Pepe” Motta for various tango shows in the Los Angeles area. As an arranger, orchestrator and producer he has worked with John O’Hurley (“Seinfeld,” “Dancing With The Stars”), violin stylist David Wilson, electric cellist Marston and many others. |
 Jason Myers |
A native of New Jersey, Jason Myers has played music since early childhood. In his teens he switched over from piano and percussion to playing guitar as his main instrument. After studying with guitarist John Carlini (of the David Grisman band), he went to CalArts to earn a BA in music. A versitile player, he has found himself performing everything from jazz & popular music (Al McKibbon, “Tootie” Heath, Al Martino, Dave Carpenter, et al), zydeco (Kenny Menard), african highlife (Jimmy Fotso), hawaiian (King Kukulele), to funk and soul (the Electones). Myers also plays solo acoustic guitar and has an eclectic array of arrangements for the instrument, including early ragtime, eastern european folk, and Beatles tunes. He also plays the ukulele, banjo, lap steel guitar, and the cuatro. Teaching music is also a specialty, and he can be found at the Silverlake Conservatory of Music teaching guitar and ukulele. |
 Josh Jones |
Josh Jones plays the acoustic upright bass as well as the electric bass guitar. Originally from North Hollywood, California, Josh has lived and performed all over southern California, including Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura counties. He is currently living in the city of Ventura. He studied jazz at San Diego State University and the California Institute of the Arts. Over the last fifteen years he has worked professionally with many different groups, playing a wide variety of musical styles including jazz, rock, blues, folk, and country. Currently he can be seen playing regularly with violinist Chris Murphy as well as country rock band 29 Mules. |
 Erik Kertes |
Erik Kertes is a freelance bass player in LA, upright and electric bass all styles. He also likes to play other instruments and write songs. Erik is a graduate of the Thornton School Of Music of USC, where he studied jazz with John Clayton. Erik has recorded and toured with jazz singer Sara Gazarek, pop singer Josh Kelly and canadian crooner Michael Buble. |
 Ryan Feves |
Ryan Feves was born and raised in Pendleton, Oregon. He began playing the violin when he was 3 years old, but later switched to upright and electric bass. It was in Portland, Oregon, during its era of jazz luminaries Red Mitchell, Leroy Vinnegar, and Andrew Hill, that Ryan first discovered Jazz and improvisational music. In 1995 Ryan moved to Los Angeles to attend California Institute of the Arts and studying jazz bass performance under the direction of Charlie Haden. Since Graduating from CalArts in 2000 with a B.F.A. in music performance, Ryan has performed extensively throughout North America and Europe while remaining in high demand for his work as a producer, musician, educator, and music engineering and technology consultant. Some of his most recent work includes appearances on recent albums by Eleni Mandell, Money Mark, and Joe Firstman. Mr. Feves is also a regular member of the house band on the NBC late night program “Last Call with Carson Daly.” |
 Donald James Bonebrake |
Donald James Bonebrake (yes, that is his real name) grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. He began drumming at the age of 12 and studied classical and traditional music while playing in various rock n roll bands. DJ entered the Los Angeles underground music scene in the mid-1970’s when Charlotte Caffey and Joe Ramirez saw his band, Rocktopus, at Immaculate Heart College. They asked him to join their group, The Eyes, and it wasn’t long before members of X caught The Eyes playing at the Masque and asked DJ to be X’s drummer. After several years of touring and recording X took a brief hiatus and DJ began earnestly building his reputation as a talented and dependable live performance and session musician, playing drums, percussion, and mallet instruments with a variety of musicians and music groups. Today, in addition to playing drums, DJ is gaining a reputation as a talented vibraphonist, playing in both jazz and rock and roll settings. |
 Mark San Filippo |
Mark San Filippo is a passionate and sensitive drummer. In 2000 he graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA earning a BA in Ethnomusicology with a concentration in Jazz Studies. While attending UCLA, Mark was mentored by famed drummer Billy Higgins. He also studied and performed with guitarist Kenny Burrell, band leader Gerald Wilson, bassist Roberto Miranda, drummer Sherman Fergueson and pianist Herbie Hancock. He currently performs throughout Los Angeles as a sideman and as a recording artist. |
 Sam Bolle |
Sam Bolle was born and raised in Southern California, participating in school music programs from the age of 5. Currently playing with surf guitar legend Dick Dale, he also was a long time member of seminal punk-surf icons Agent Orange. Still based in Southern California, he divides his time between touring and local performances with a diverse array of artists. |
“The event went off without a hitch, and it appeared to me that the musical entertainment was very much enjoyed by all. Our mandolinists showed a great deal of professionalism throughout the evening, and I have no regrets about the booking. Thanks for lining up such talented performers.” — California Public Radio Association, Private Party,
Dec. 2, 2005, Newport Beach, CA “I can’t say enough good things about our wedding musicians. They were well worth it. Honestly, I think they “made” the wedding for us. I really feel like they were the biggest factor in making the whole day mesh together. They were professional, yet fun, and set exactly the “elegant casual” tone that we hoped for. A lot of guests complimented us on him – on their personality (which was great), about the perfect volume and music selection (which somehow magically seemed to please everyone), and their sound (which was fantastic). I had no idea that mandolinists could sound so good. It was perfect.” — Ed & Kathy Schwinghammer,
married Aug. 20, 2005, Santa Barbara, CA “We were all very impressed with our mandolinists. They were charming, witty, and had their own special style of ceremony and song. Their music alone relieved some of my day-of bride-to-be jitters.” — Lisa & Matthew Mueller, married July 31, 2005,
Fox Hills Park, Culver City, CA | 
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