The Hall Monitors

Steven Bullmer – Bass

Nathan Edwards – Saxes

Matt Parker – Sax/Flute

Jen Allen – Piano

Ben Bilello – Drums

Introducing the Hall Monitors, a group of top-notch New England jazz musicians brought together through the love of playing, composing, arranging, AND teaching.

The members are all honored to be jazz coaches at the prestigious Hall High School in West Hartford, CT, as well as educators at numerous colleges and universities throughout the region. The group performs a variety of jazz styles from bop, hard bop, and contemporary jazz genres. They program inventive originals along with original treatments of not-so-standard jazz classics. The group features a classic piano-bass-drums rhythm section with two innovative and complementary saxophonists.

The group’s genesis happened at a special night for Hall High School Jazz Combos at the legendary Hartford nightspot, Black Eyed Sally’s. The jazz coaches were invited to close the program. Saxophonist Matt Parker penned a particularly potent swinger titled Mr. Hall that brought the house to its feet at the conclusion. In May of 2023, the opportunity to launch the group came from an invitation to perform at the Blue Room in CitySpace, Easthampton, MA, for Carol’s Jazz Night concert. The group presented a 90-minute set of 11 tunes, including 5 originals from 3 different band members.

All that was needed now was a name. After pushing many failed pun-names around, trying to work off of the word “Hall,” The Hall Monitors moniker was adopted.

The Hall Monitors have delighted audiences through engagements for The Side Door, Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz, Black Eyed Sally’s, The Packing House, The Buttonwood Tree, and CitySpace Easthampton, MA. The group is also profiled on CreativeGround.org at CreativeGround – Hall Monitors Jazz Quintet.