Meet our Members

Todd Feeney started playing clarinet in 3rd grade. Having parents who grew up during the Depression, he grew up listening to big band jazz. In 9th grade, Todd started playing tenor sax and played consistently in multiple ensembles from then through college.  His first ‘pro’ band was playing baritone sax in a rock band. From there Todd played in a small jazz band, a few funk bands, and then a Ska/Punk band. He currently plays in the Riverton Jazz Band as well as the Offbeats. 

Mat Willmott started playing saxophone in fifth grade and over the following twenty years performed in and around Boston in numerous concert bands, jazz bands, a ska band, a funk-soul band, and a large saxophone ensemble in which he met his future wife (he plays tenor and baritone sax, she plays soprano and alto!).  After marrying and moving to Utah in 2013, his playing schedule is more limited, but he still enjoys making silly saxophone sounds with the Offbeats.  In his day job, Mat negotiates journal subscription contacts for the California Digital Library. 

Erik Wieben (trombone, clarinet) studied music education at the University of Utah. He serves as band director at Sunset Ridge Middle School, instructional assistant to the Copper Hills High School Marching Band, and co-director of the West Jordan Community Band. 

Dr. John Nerges began studying drums and percussion in 2007 while he was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington as a US Army Nurse Corps officer.  After retiring from the military, he used his GI benefits to study music history and jazz at the College of Charleston and graduated in 2017. He and his wife, Alison, relocated to Salt Lake City in the autumn of 2018. John is one of the founding members of the Offbeats. as their drummer and has been grateful for everything he has learned playing with these wonderful musicians. Currently, he is a Nursing Professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing. 

After 20 years teaching ESL in Korea and various universities, Jane now claims to work at the U's MBE Center for Teaching Excellence.  In addition to the piano, Jane plays French horn in the West Jordan Concert Band and handbells with the Salt City Bells.

Dr. Scott Miller (banjo, guitar) was trained on classical and jazz guitar and has played with a number of swing and jazz bands, recently in the "pit orchestra" for 6 different musical productions. For his day job, he is Professor Emeritus of Radiology and Imaging Science and Chief of the Division of Radiobiology at the University of Utah, School of Medicine. He currently works with the U.S. Dept. of Energy on projects with the states of the former Soviet Union.  

Jazz vocalist Melissa Quinones blends rich tone, and expressive stage presence to create a soulful live experience. Offstage, she teaches choir and theatre at Mount Jordan Middle School and offers private voice lessons to singers of all levels. 

A specialist in the driving bass lines that define traditional jazz, Brandon Larsen (tuba) provides the rhythmic heartbeat for The Offbeats. Brandon earned his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Southern Utah University and his Master’s in Music Education from the University of Michigan before completing his administrative endorsement at Utah State University. After a decade-long career as a Director of Bands at Herriman, Fremont, and Grantsville High Schools, Brandon now serves as the Assistant Principal at Elk Ridge Middle School. While he often holds the baton as Co-Conductor of the West Jordan Community Band, he is most at home in the back of the ensemble ensuring the "oom-pah" lands with perfect syncopation. Brandon resides in West Jordan with his partner, Alex.