The MoonLighters practice in the home of one of the members in north Seattle. [Click photo to enlarge]

Listening to The MoonLighters is like jump jivin' back to an era when big band music was king and people were leapin' the Lindy Hop.

The sweet sound of swing and jump blues music of the 1940s and '50s performed by this tight knit group of seven can be heard around Snohomish County at private parties, festivals and other functions.

Think "Choo Choo Ch'Boggie" or "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and you've got The MoonLighters.

Meet The MoonLighters: Favorite songs to play: "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and "Safronia B." Favorite places to perform: The MoonLighters would like to perform at The Century Ballroom in Seattle, and in Bill Gates' swimming pool. Favorite bands or performers: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Miles Davis, Glenn Miller. Most memorable moment on stage: The wind was blowing so strong while The MoonLighters were playing at Everett Naval Station on July 4, 2001, that band members had to put gym socks over microphones and use clothes pins to secure music to the stands. More information: E-mail M.colombo@worldnet.att.net.

From big band, jump blues and swing, the sound of the slide trombone, smooth, effortless vocals and tish-tish drum make it almost impossible to stay in your seat.

We play "a lot of danceable music," singer Roderick Overman said.

With chitchat and warm-up vocals in one corner, and trumpet tuning in another, Overman's "OK. Here we go, a one, two, one-two-three-four," brings everyone together in a full-bodied swing sound.

The MoonLighters really are moonlighting: The band includes three family-practice physicians, a structural engineer, a pharmacist, a budget analyst and one member who works in software training.

The band came about when guitar player Mark Colombo and bass player Jeff Dragovich met at Seattle University.

The two college buddies jammed together, played the blues and from 1987 to '89 were members of a rock band. They went their separate ways when Dragovich of Seattle moved to Illinois.

Back in the Pacific Northwest in 1998 they teamed up again. This time they got together with alto and tenor sax, clarinet player Steve Dagg of Seattle and trombone player Steve Montague of Woodinville.

"Once you get a trombone player it's over," Montague said.

Slowly the group picked up new members including trumpet player Barrett David of Bellevue and Overman of Seattle on vocals. Pharmacist and drummer Mike Mashock of Lake Stevens was the final member to join the group in 2000.

Their sound was born when The MoonLighters began to play together. The band members agree that Montague is most experienced in guiding the band. He was a music major and played with Kenny G in a jazz band at the University of Washington before going to medical school.

Herald series tunes into area musicians The MoonLighters is this month's band being profiled in a series of Herald stories that focuses on Snohomish and Island county musicians. We have heard from dozens of people who play all kinds of music from punk to jazz and hard rock to swing. The profiles appear once a month in The Herald A&E section on Fridays.

Montague's ideas "are all real instrumental, no pun intended," David said. Montague makes sure the sound is melodic and gives a lot of direction.

"He's got the detail ear," Overman said.

When booking gigs The MoonLighters work primarily through word of mouth. They have played local festivals including 4th of July at Naval Station Everett.

"We did Aquafest in Lake Stevens," Mashock said.

Unfortunately, the weather was bad that day. With a driving rainstorm in place the big sound band had an audience of a few people with rain ponchos and a couple of ducks.

"And it was a great gig," Overman said.

The MoonLighters would like to perform at bigger festivals including Bumbershoot in Seattle.

"We'll be shooting for that next year," said Colombo, an Arlington resident.

Recording and working on some original songs is also in the works. New numbers would add to songs such as "Green Machine" and "What you Gotta Do, (to pay the bills)" both written by Montague.

The MoonLighters get into the groove of their music during numbers such as Louis Prima and Stan Irwin's "A Banana Split for My Baby." They all join in the chorus "A banana split for my baby, a glass of plain water for me."

Just try not tapping antsy toes to "Choo Choo Ch'Boggie."

"None of us are in it for money," Mashock said. "We just enjoy doing it."

You can call Herald Writer Christina Harper at 425-339-3491 or send e-mail to harper@heraldnet.com.

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