About Us
My Old School is a Steely Dan cover band renowned for their faithful renditions of the iconic jazz-rock band's catalog. With meticulous attention to detail, My Old School captures the intricate arrangements, sophisticated harmonies, and smooth grooves that define Steely Dan's sound. Fronted by talented musicians and vocalists, the band brings energy and authenticity to each performance, delighting audiences with beloved hits like "Reelin' In the Years," "Do It Again," and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." Whether in intimate club settings or on larger stages, My Old School delivers a memorable tribute to one of the most influential bands in rock history.
Our Musicians
Steve Campbell Saxophones
It was in 1970; prior to attending junior high school in Los Angeles, that Steve heard the album East Bay Grease by Tower of Power. Remarkably, Steve was randomly selected to take beginning woodwind class when he entered junior high. Steve had no question of what instrument to play; it was going to be the baritone sax, the instrument that Doc Kupka plays for Tower of Power.
Steve continued to branch out and play tenor and alto saxophones in addition to the baritone sax. Steve played through high school where his exposure to true talent of the fellow students was somewhat overwhelming. Many of those music students went on to have incredible careers in the music business. Because of that experience, Steve decided to lay down his horn and pursue Engineering school where he thought his chances for success were better than being a musician.
While in college, Steve really developed a love for the music of Steely Dan. Every day after class, Steve would go back to the dorms and play a Steely Dan album to unwind.
Steve had not picked up a saxophone for 15 years until his employer decided it would be great fun to get together employee musicians for a spoof band for an annual kick-off meeting. Steve still remembers that first day of opening up his saxophone case and seeing the horn again.
Steve has not put down his horn since that occasion. Since then, Steve has played in various rock, jazz, soul, funk and big band groups all over Los Angeles. Steve moved to Colorado in 2006 and has played in various musical projects in the Denver Metro area.
Steve started My Old School, a tribute to the music of Steely Dan in 2011. Steve took his time finding the right personnel for the band. The band members needed to possess the right combination of talent, personality and a commitment to play the music. We found them! My Old School will provide a journey back to the 1970’s and 1980’s and share the incredible music of Steely Dan. Come join us and have some fun!
Tom Bartling Guitar
Guitar player. Mastered the Kazoo at an early age and decided to switch to guitar (“How hard could it be?”) Played with tons of crappy bands for several years. Graduated from Musician’s Institute in ’93 and started playing with some good bands.
Favorite guitar players: Scott Henderson, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Brad Paisley, Brent Mason, Albert Lee,Steve Wariner, Vince Gill, and Sonny Landreth
Favorite color: Clear
Sexual Orientation: Like oriental sex, but it usually costs a little more
Strange but true: Front yard contains no grass! It consists entirely of weeds
Pet peeve: People who pad their bios with irrelevant fluff
Scott Unruh Saxophones
My name is Scott Unruh and I am currently the band director at Brighton High School in Brighton, CO., and am in my 20th year of teaching. The past 30 years my musical experiences include playing with The Denver Kicks Band, The Joe Peterson Dance Orchestra, and The Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus band when they were performing in Denver. I have also played in back-up bands for Maynard Ferguson Trumpeter Alan Wise, Bassist Lou Fischer, Saxophonist Vince Gnojeck, and Trumpeter Bobby Shew. I am also currently a regular sub on Tenor & Alto for Denver based big bands Swing Inc., Zing, as well as R&B Funk group Atomic Brass Project and am currently playing lead Tenor for the Don Elwood Big Band based out of Berthoud, CO.
I began playing Tenor & Alto Sax with My Old School in October of 2011. The music of Steely Dan is an incredible mix of all of the styles of music that I enjoy playing and to be able to perform it with such an amazing group of musicians is truly a privilege.
Zachary Nover Keyboards
Zach grew up in Valparaiso, Indiana listening to the music of Steely Dan. By the time he was in high school, he was playing his favorite Steely Dan tunes on the piano. Zach rolled into Colorado in 1998 with the album “Countdown to Ecstasy” blaring from the tape deck. While in Colorado, Zach fell out from the music scene, learned to snowboard, went to college, and continued to woodshed music.
Zach resurfaced into the music scene several years ago, playing various open stages and one-offs with some very talented players. He is now a member of My Old School because he’d love to tour the Southland in a trav’ling minstrel show…
Jim Bartley Bass
After being pulled from the trumpet section in HS jazz band to sub for the missing bass player, I played with a 5 piece rocknroll cover band, a 6 piece variety night club gig, and a 7 piece pop/funk/horn band through HS and college in SW Missouri. After graduating from college, the 7 piece toured the midwest for about 6 months……..we grew weary of the road, not unlike Fagen and Becker, and came back and got real jobs. I took a sabbatical from playing music for almost twenty years to have a wonderful family, and a rewarding career in finance at MillerCoors in Golden, CO.
In 2002, I picked up the bass again and started playing contemporary Christian music in several churches on the west side of Denver…..I met some amazing musicians that led to playing bass with the classic rock cover band The Jagtones for several years. I also play with the Don Elwood Big Band, and several other projects that keep me busy playing many styles of music. My influences on bass include Jaco and Rocco – Jazz, R&B, Funk – Soul with a Capital S, baby!!
My Old School is an amazing group of musicians that have an affinity for what Donald and Walter created with Steely Dan – no one applied jazz sensibilities to pop music the way they did. Serious chopsmanship, edgy lyrics – scarcely imitated. I’m proud to say I’m the bass player for this awesome conglomeration of talent to pay tribute to our cult heroes Donald and Walter!
Tom McMillen Lead Vocals, Percussion
Tom McMillen began his checkered musical career in junior high by choosing to be the only oboe player in the school orchestra. He never did master that instrument, and moved on to not mastering trumpet, guitar, piano, drums and vocals. Tom played drums and sang lead in several unforgettable frat-party- type bands in high school, college and beyond, including Bernese Mountain Dog, Full House, Cookies, and the mighty mighty Jagtones, where he met master bass player Jim Bartley. Tom has also been part of worship teams in a number of local churches, attempting to atone for past musical mistakes. Most recently, Tom was recruited into My Old School, where Tom tries to channel Donald Fagan’s reedy and odd voice, doing lead vocals and percussion. Tom is glad to finally get to sing Steely Dan songs somewhere other than in his car!
Doug Wardlow Trombone
Hailing from Whippany, New Jersey thirty miles outside of NYC I was exposed to a wealth of music emanating from The Big Apple. I did my first Music Video conducting The Lawrence Welk Orchestra when I was four. Yes I still have the 8mm film. No you can’t see it!
Formally trained as a trombonist from age 9 and also playing any keyboard instrument I could get my hands on, I went on to study jazz performance with Thad Jones at William Paterson College in New Jersey. I have performed with many bands (concert bands, rock bands, big bands, little bands, one man bands), including the U.S. Army Band in Europe, and the USA and in the New York Metro area and right here in Denver Colorado. I currently teach piano and trombone out of my private studio as well as play and substitute for several area bands.
I am always looking for the groove. Oh lookie here! these guys got that steely dan groove goin’ on!
I’m really pleased to be playing with MOS, because it is so well organized and has real grown up human beings functioning as if they were actual adults. Wait is this a real rock band?
Kent Verbal Drums
Kent Verbal, a Denver native, came from a musical family. His mother played eight musical instruments, his father played the flute and was the musical director for a local Denver church. At age seven, Kent became interested in playing the drums. Kent was listening to the local radio stations where he heard the popular music from Kansas and Electric Light Orchestra in the 1970’s. It wasn't until he was age ten, when he was enrolled in the school music program where he had the opportunity to play the drums.
Kent attended Colorado Christian University as a drum performance major, where he met his future wife, Laurie Verbal. Kent played with many musical groups and orchestras, experiencing numerous musical styles and genres.
Kent did quite a bit of studio recording work for television commercials, radio ads and was a session drummer for many local Denver rock bands. All summed up, Kent has about 45 years of musical performance in the greater Denver Metro area.
Since 2014, when Kent joined My Old School, he has enjoyed the challenge of playing Steely Dan music and performing with the talented musicians of the My Old School band.
Laurie Verbal Vocals
Laurie Verbal grew up in a musical family. Her father sang and played piano and her brother and sisters played both the guitar and piano. Laurie began singing and performing at age 7 along with her two sisters. At age 16, when she was in high school, she began taking vocal performance lessons. Laurie was selected to perform with the all-state choir for her junior and senior year of high school. Laurie later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance from Colorado Christian University. While at Colorado Christian, she met and married a drum performance major, Kent Verbal who also performs with My Old School.
Laurie has been performing and directing choirs, ensembles, and children’s choirs for the past 30 years for West Bowles Community church. She has performed and done session recording for opera, classical, pop and country music throughout the Denver Metro area. In addition to My Old School, Laurie is currently performing with a Linda Ronstadt tribute band and a country music band.
Says Laurie, “Since 2015, it has been an absolute privilege of mine to perform with the tremendous talent and musicianship of My Old School."
Mike Schreiber Trumpet
Growing up in Denver, I was inspired by my amazing Junior High band director, Willie Hill. He got me interested in jazz and demonstrated what a musical group can achieve when you put in the work.
In my 20s, I played with the R&B/Fusion bands Mixed Company and Syntax. We played some great clubs in the Denver – Boulder area, including The Bibliotheque, The Walrus, JJ McCabes, Basins Up, and Regas Café.
After setting the horn down for several years when my kids were little, I picked it back up to play in a combo with the Colorado Jazz Workshop. Members of the combo started our own jam sessions - that’s how I met “Guitar Tom” and “TBone Doug”. That led to the opportunity to replace Tom Rudd when he decided to hang it up.
It’s a blast to play in a big horn section and I’m grateful to be a part of My Old School!
Jennifer Beatty Vocals
Bio coming soon…