The Last Thursday Band – Jazz, R&B, Rock, and Blues Powerhouse Ensemble with Irresistible Groove | Holiday Show!

The Last Thursday Band is a powerhouse ensemble fusing classic and contemporary jazz with soulful R&B, pop, rock, and blues. Known for their energetic performances and seamless genre-blending, this group delivers a show that promises swinging rhythms, soulful improvisation, and irresistible grooves. For their December show, they are bringing some select popular holiday songs for the season!

The band consists of Brian Jon Bortz, bass; Lou Czechowski, keyboards; Daniel Gonzalez, drums: and Chet Brown, vocals. With a unique and lush sound developed over many years together, LTB is sure to please even the most discerning listener!

THE LAST THURSDAY BAND
thelastthursdayband.com

The Last Thursday Band is a powerhouse ensemble fusing classic and contemporary jazz with soulful R&B, pop, rock, and blues. Known for their energetic performances and seamless genre-blending, this group delivers a show that promises swinging rhythms, soulful improvisation, and irresistible grooves. Let’s meet the band…

Brian Jon Bortz - bassist, has been playing professionally for almost 50 years and has a long resume of working with notable entertainers, from George Burns, Joan Rivers and Don Rickles to Bobby Rydell, Patti Page, Regis Philbin, Clay Aiken and many others. He also enjoyed a 10-year run as orchestra bassist for the Freddy Awards. Along with many studio credits over the years as a sideman and producer, Brian released his first self-produced “solo” album, "The Time is Now" in early 2025. The project is available on all streaming platforms and on CD and includes 11 tracks, eight of which are original compositions. Brian is joined by 17 regional artists on the recording (including Last Thursday Band), and it is a wide-ranging journey through his five-decade career. 

Lou Czechowski – Lou began playing piano at age 7. His mother played piano/organ while his father, a priest, sang mass with local choirs. In addition to piano, childhood musical experiences included French horn, trombone, sousaphone, and trumpet. He performed in high school & municipal bands. His professional career began at the age of 16, after which he studied at Berklee College of Music. With a strong background and love for jazz (particularly the “cool era"), Lou's repertoire also includes compositions by Debussy, Beethoven, Mozart, and Bartok. Jazz influences include Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, and Keith Jarrett. Lou has played and recorded with numerous Jazz and commercial artists throughout the United States, Europe, and Canada as a featured artist and side man. Many of the recordings can be found on iTunes.

Chet Brown has been a part of the Philadelphia music scene almost his entire life. He has been a member of numerous bands, singing a wide range of music, from jazz to popular music, in local venues. After being signed by Polydor Records in 1978, he recorded an album under the name “Jet Brown” at Sigma Sound Studios, the home of the famed "Philly Sound."  Chet works as a studio vocalist and voiceover talent in the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys, and his voice has been regularly heard on radio and television for more than three decades. He has performed at such events as Vice President Biden’s Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C. and the Republican National Convention. Chet has performed with Teddy Pendergrass, David Clayton Thomas and numerous others and is a frequent guest performer with The Allentown Band.

Daniel Gonzalez is a native of New York City and currently based in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Daniel began playing music at a young age, developing his craft in drum corps activities and military bands. His technical skills and unique sound are the results of formal study and years of experience performing on stages worldwide. With an undergraduate degree in music performance and a graduate degree in education, Daniel connects his love for drumming with a deep interest in positive social-emotional and mental health. In his workshops, Daniel strives to teach students how to access and express their authentic voice. "It's about rhythm, but it's not all about the drums," and students gain more than just drumming skills. As a member of The Last Thursday Band, his thirst for musical exploration and excellence is quenched.

The result is the culmination of years spent developing a sound and style that is unique and powerful. This band can play anything - and do it well. Focusing on R&B and contemporary jazz they are cutting a new path that is pleasing to the ear and satisfying to the soul…so come and join us on our journey as The Last Thursday Band!