We love what we do, and it shows...

Jill Hughes

Emcee, Lead Vocal & Percussion

Jill Hughes is a native of the Capital District area, where she has been performing for most of her life. Her singing career began in her grandfather’s church at the age of five.

Never one to let go of what she does best, Jill has continued to infuse her performances with the trademark Jazz, Blues and R&B material that has made her legend in Saratoga and the Capital District. As a writer for Metroland so aptly stated, “Hughes toes the blurry jazz/soul/blues border with disarming ease and confidence, scatting with Ella one minute, wailing with Chaka another, and testifying with Etta the next.”

Sheldon Taylor

Emcee, Lead Vocal & Percussion

Sheldon has been a professional vocalist for over twenty five years, and has performed with many popular bands such as Sweet Magic, Plus 24, Fantasy and Pangaea. He has also opened for many international and national recording artists such as The Wailers, Third World, Matisayu and Lou Rawls.

He is now a proud member of the New York Players Entertainment Group and keeps busy singing with Body & Soul.

Bill Grant

Lead Vocal & Guitar

Bill Grant has been honing his musical skills as a guitarist and lead vocalist since his high school days! Over the past 30 years, his involvement with the musical acts Kidd, Reckless Romance, Lois & the Kryptonites and The Billy Bryant Band has brought him to every state on the east coast. Playing and singing from Maine to Maryland enhanced his musical diversity.

When you see Bill with Body & Soul... you’ll see him playing with his “heart and soul” doing what he loves to do... making musical magic for audiences to enjoy!

Pat Perkinson

Musical Director, Bass & Lead Vocals

Pat has been playing professionally for over 25 years. A native of the Albany area, he has performed live and recorded with countless local artists. He has lived and worked in Los Angeles, New York City and Tampa, and has traveled the country with various bands as well as a tour of Europe and Japan.

Pat has also performed with recording artists The Rascals, Alive n Kickin and The Dan Toler Band and on the soundtrack to the 1997 movie “The Castle”.

Paul Duffy

Keyboards & Backup Vocals

Born in Ireland, Paul has been playing and performing music of all styles since the age of twelve. Locally Paul can be found performing in almost every kind of musical situations, including rock, R&B, Country, Latin, Jazz and Musical Theater. Paul has also composed several commisioned pieces in several genres, including chamber-orchestra.

Eric Walentowicz

Sax, Lead Vocal & Emcee

Eric has twenty-eight years of professional playing experience as a musician having worked in Detroit, Miami, Dallas, New York City, as a staff musician for Norwegian Cruise Lines and most recently in the greater Capital Region. He has performed with such artists as Bobby Rydell, Broadway's George Merritt, The Platters, Jackie Mason, Fabian, Laurel Masse (Manhattan Transfer), and Rick DellaRatta's Jazz for Peace.

Eric also manages XPO Recording Studio and teaches both privately and for the Paul Effman Music Service.

Pete Bellino

Trumpet & Percussion

In high demand as a performer and educator in jazz, commercial and classical idioms, Pete has performed with Aretha Franklin, Lew Soloff, and the big bands of Jeff Tyzik and Gap Mangione as well as the Air Force Band of the Midwest and Walt Disney World, to name a few. Orchestral experience includes performances with Albany and Schenectady Symphony Orchestras, Buffalo Philharmonic and New York Repertory Orchestra. Music has taken Peter around the world including Canada, Japan and India.

Since moving to the Capital Region in 2005, Peter has been the Regional Manager for the Paul Effman Music Service, providing band instruction to students in elementary, middle and high schools.

Greg Cortelyou

Drums & Percussion

Greg is a very tasteful and musical drummer who is known for his great grooves and creative rhythms!

Greg is a full time vocal and general music teacher in Schenectady, NY. He is also a professional studio musician, private instructor, arranger and performing artist.

Chris Dalmata

Sound Engineer

Chris has been providing New York Players Entertainment Group with their technical support for nine years. Chris was an audio engineer and lighting director for the Starlight Music Theater in Latham, NY. He has mixed for an uncountable number of national acts in all of the Capital District venues while working with an audio company and has also spent six years touring with several National touring companies as the stage manager and audio engineer.

Chris is THE go-to guy for audio and technical advice and is a valued member of Body & Soul.