The Next Level Shannon Chwialkowski - Bass, vocals. Shannon graduated from The Berklee College of Music in 2004 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Performance & Business Management. He was an onboard Orchestra Musician with Carnival Cruise Lines, and backed many musicians in different genres around the Carolinas, Boston, Los Angeles, and Minnesota. Joe Herlong - Trumpet, flugelhorn, Joe has a Bachelors Degree in Music Education and a Masters Degree in Trumpet Performance from Winthrop University. Joe has played all over the South with beach and variety bands, Ringling Brothers Circus, broadway shows, orchestras, big bands, and solo work. Joe has also played opening acts for Delbert McClinton and the Commodores. Jeff Small - Guitar, vocals. Jeff has degrees in Jazz Guitar and Audio Engineering from Western Carolina University. Jeff has played with Saving Abel and other bands in the Carolinas. In the studio he has played solos on the soundtracks of several movies and has performed for many musical theater productions. Brittany Kivett - Vocals, Brittany, the wife of our drummer, Nate, worked for several years singing as the Lead Female Production Singer for the Holland America Cruise Line. There, she traveled the world singing Pop, Country, 40 s and 30 s, and Broadway hits. She is a graduate of the prestigious Point Park University earning a Bachelor of the Arts degree with a concentration in Musical Theatre. Today, she sings for multiple bands throughout the Charlotte area while working as Drama Teacher. She could not be more thrilled to be a member of The Next Level! Mark Lambert - Vocals, guitar. A music industry veteran of over 25 years, Mark began as a boy singing and playing piano in church. Mark toured and recorded, singing lead and playing guitar all through the Southeast. He has worked in Nashville in the recording and production end of the business and currently owns a recording studio in Charlotte, NC. Mark was commissioned by a national charitable organization to write and perform a tribute to the victims after 9/11. His song, Freedom Lives On was played on radio stations throughout the Southeast to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11. Nate Kivett - Drums. Originally from St. Louis, Nate moved to California to pursuit his passion for drumming. He studied at the Los Angeles Music Academy and after graduation, has been busy ever since. He has played for many top 40 and original bands and spent 5 years aboard cruise ships playing for numerous guest singers, instrumentalist, and Vegas style shows.
Brent Ballard - Trombone. Brent has a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Winthrop University and a Masters in trombone performance from University of Akron. Currently, Brent teaches at the University level and is the first call trombonist at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. He has played for many touring Broadway show including: The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Wicked, and The Book of Mormon. Brent has shared the stage with the Charlotte Symphony, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Barry Manilowe, Aretha Franklin and many others. Kevin Cosgrove - Keyboards. Born and raised in Jersey City, NJ, Kevin starting playing keyboards at 10 years old. Although self-taught, he quickly excelled and played in many cover bands in the northern NJ area. By the age of 24, this led to a full-time position behind the keyboards for one of the top wedding bands in the NJ/NYC metropolis. He was a partner in a recording studio composing and recording music for commercial videos, which made him adept at many different styles of music. Upon relocating to Charlotte, NC in the early 90's, Kevin continued with his original composition projects in several progressive rock bands ultimately releasing several CDs as a member of Bad Alchemy. After being in several successful local Charlotte variety bands, he now mans the blacks & whites for The Next Level. Tracy Patterson - Originally from Tonkawa, Oklahoma, Dr. Tracy Patterson is Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Winthrop University. Patterson has premiered several works for the saxophone. Equally equipped as a jazz and classical saxophonist, he has appeared as a soloist in numerous settings. Patterson has performed concertos with many Wind Orchestras. As a jazz saxophonist, he has toured the United States, Mexico, and Europe with various ensembles. Patterson has performed for President George W. Bush and former First Lady. He has performed with noted artists Natalie Cole, The Temptations, Bob Mintzer, Wayne Bergeron, Linda Eder, Darius Rucker and others. He has appeared multiple times with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, and the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Patterson received the Bachelor of Arts in Music from Northeastern State University, the Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma, and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Saxophone Performance from Texas Tech University. Patterson is a Performing Artist for Yamaha and D Addario reeds.
The Next Level Partial Playlist BALLADS JUST THE WAY YOU ARE OOH, OOH BABY BABY WONDERFUL TONIGHT SARA SMILE ALWAYS AND FOREVER I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY DESPERADO HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY UP ON THE ROOF I LOVE BEACH MUSIC WITH THIS RING 39-21-40 SHAPE MISS GRACE THANK YOU, JOHN BE YOUNG, BE FOOLISH, BE HAPPY MYRTLE BEACH DAYS Build Me Up Buttercup TUPELO HONEY HOME ROCKET MAN YOUR SONG I m Gonna Love You WONDERFUL WORLD JUST THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT FUNK BRICK HOUSE PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC BACK IN LOVE AGAIN GIVE IT TO ME BABY UPTOWN FUNK UNFORGETTABLE Disco BEACH I Will Survive SUMMERTIMES CALLING ME CAROLINA GIRLS UNDER THE BOARDWALK
POP ROCK Shake It Off Happy SATURDAY IN THE PARK JUST YOU AND ME 25 OR 6 TO 4 Crazy In Love Don t Stop Believing Can t Stop The Feeling I Wanna Dance With Somebody Celebration KC and the Sunshine Band Medley GIMME SOME LOV'IN TAK'IN IT TO THE STREETS CHINA GROVE OH, WHAT A NIGHT BROWN - EYED GIRL DOMINO Country BOOT'IN SCOOT'IN BOOGIE TEQUILA SUNRISE DID IT FOR THE GIRL PANAMA CITY MY MARIA THIRD RATE ROMANCE MAKING MEMORIES OF US NIGHT TRAIN My Wish Here For The Party ROLL WITH IT TAK'IN CARE OF BUSINESS PROUD MARY SMOOTH I SAW HER STANDING THERE HARD TO HANDLE GIV'IN IT UP FOR YOUR LOVE KNOCK ON WOOD R&B and Motown Superstition / I Wish Billy Jean COLD SWEAT NIGHT TRAIN PAPAS GOT A BRAND NEW BAG I FEEL GOOD
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED HEY BARTENDER The Next Level is constantly adding new material, so this is an ever changing list. SOUL MAN SWEET HOME CHICAGO AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG MY GIRL GET READY LAND OF 1000 DANCES DANCE TO THE MUSIC MIDNIGHT HOUR MUSTANG SALLY SHOUT PRIDE AND JOY Sugar Pie Honey bunch Hold Back The Night The Way You Do The Things You Do