These three world-class musicians have been stalwarts on the New Jersey nightlife scene for many years, playing with a roster of top names in the entertainment and recording industries. And their musical accomplishments speak for themselves.

EDDIE MONTEIRO — Cavichord MIDI accordion

Eddie Monteiro began his musical career at age 5, and by the age of 17 was already the first three-time New Jersey State Accordion Virtuoso Champion.

His interest and studies of jazz led to a career that has taken him around the world three times, playing in some of the most prestigious jazz festivals both here and abroad. Holland and the North Sea Jazz Festival as well as The Jakarta (Indonesia) Jazz Festival are yearly visits.

The Cavichord MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) accordion that he plays is unique in that there are only eight of them in the world. His instrument was invented and designed by Massachusetts musician and electronic guru Dr. Ray Cavicchio.

"There is no other accordion on the planet that can accurately do what this accordion does and do it so simply, logically and intelligently," he told The Times. One of the features of the instrument is the left-hand bass section which has a range of more than three octaves — most accordions don’t exceed one octave — enabling it to simulate the sound of an entire orchestra.

"It looks like an accordion, functions like an accordion, but sounds like anything but the stereotypical accordion," Monteiro said. "The most-often-heard comment I get is, ‘I never knew an accordion could sound like that.’"

Monteiro has also directed orchestras throughout the United States, performing for numerous Fortune 500 companies at their yearly functions — Lucent Technologies, General Motors, Ford, IBM, Union Carbide, Manhattan Bank, and Revlon are just a few.

His talents can be heard on commercials for AT&T, Budweiser, Colgate-Palmolive, Folonari Wines, Benigan’s, and for 20 years, Monteiro was a regular with the Bobby Rosengarden Orchestra on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethons.

Monteiro speaks five languages and in addition to performing, is music director at a Newark elementary school, where he enjoys sharing the cultural experiences and diversities of his world travels while teaching music to his students.

LENNY ARGESE — Guitar

A Brooklyn native, Argese is a songwriter, publisher, guitarist, producer and recording engineer, and has been a member of ASCAP since 1970. He studied classical guitar with Pat Yanoli and jazz guitar with Lou Mecca and Eddie Vitale, and later attended the Manhattan Conservatory of Music. His major influences were Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evens, Scott LaFaro and Philly Joe Jones.

Argese started out in the music business as a studio recording musician in the late 1960s, doing sessions for radio and television commercials and movie sound tracks. He recorded with orchestras and small ensembles for many diversified labels. He has recorded projects with Kenny Rankin, Joe Farrel, Claudio Roditi, Bob Mintzer, Ted Curson, David Sandborn, and the Spirit of Life Ensemble.

In the late 1960s, he was an artist/writer for United Artists and wrote an album titled "Commit Thyself" with his brother, Louis. The group was called The Music Asylum. Lenny also played guitar on TV shows such as "The Merv Griffin Show" and for the ABC and NBC broadcasting companies.

In 1976, Argese started a recording studio with his brother Louis, called the Bioya Recording Studios, which has been successful in recording all types of musical projects. A recording engineer for the past 40 years, he has performed as a guitarist with the Spirit of Life Ensemble, and with the Ted Curson Quintet, and at jazz festivals in Finland, Lithuania, Paris, and in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area.

"Music draws the listener into a different world," he told The Times. "It creates a mood that excites the audience’s imagination. And as musicians, we try to create innovative performances that will be remembered."

Rich De Rosa — Drums

Richard DeRosa’s extensive career as a musician consists of three essential components: Writing (compostion/arranging). Performance (jazz drumming), and Education (a professor at William Paterson University and Juilliard). He is also the author of "Concepts for Improvisation,’ a comprehensive guide for performance teaching (published via Hal Leonard), and co-author of "Acoustic and MIDI Orchestration for the Contemporary Composer (published via Focal Press).

His recent music writings include a CD recording project for jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, where he arranged and conducted four pieces. This recording also features musicians Joe Lovano, Kenny Barron, James Genus and Lewis Nash and will be released by Koch Records in February 2009.

DeRosa also did an arrangement of "Summertime" for Belwin Jazz for student big bands, as well as an arrangement of "What a Wonderful World" for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, which featured Toots Thielemans in concert last October in Rose Hall.

He also composed an original score for the Montclair-based ArtsPower Theater Company. The play, based on the book "The Silent Boy" by Lois Lowry, is set in rural Pennsylvania in 1910. "Much of the music is written in Ragtime style with more conventional orchestration styles that essentially underscore the drama," the composer said. The play is touring nationally this fall and into 2009.

DeRosa’s recent music performances include a CD recording ["Once There Was a Moon"] with vocalist Marlene VerPlanck (released in November). The band mates include Tedd Firth on piano (a William Paterson University (WPU) graduate), Steve La Spina on bass (a WPU faculty member), and De Rosa on drums.

In September, a performance of the Gene Bertoncini Trio at The Kitano in New York City, featured Sean Smith on bass, and DeRosa on drums. In November, Gene Bertoncini and Ronny Ben-Hur played at Dizzy’s Coca- Cola Room in New York City, with Santi Debriano on bass, and DeRosa on drums.

From August to October, he appeared as a sideman for Warren Vache at Lana’s Restaurant in Clark; and again in November for Bob Kindred and Dominick Farinacci. A new member of The Trio, he performs every Tuesday at Trumpets Jazz Club with founders Lenny Argese on guitar and Eddie Monteiro on MIDI accordion.

In the field of education, DeRosa is a tenured professor at William Paterson University, where he is head of the Jazz Arranging Department, and teaches Jazz Improv, Jazz Arranging, Transcription and Analysis, Topics in Arranging and Jazz Pedagogy. He also teaches advanced Jazz Composition and Arranging (for classical orchestra) at the Juilliard School in New York City, and instructs private students in composition and arranging.

DeRosa is currently producer and host of the Jazz Room Concert Series at William Paterson University.

DeRosa had known Lenny and Eddie for many years, doing recording sessions at Lenny’s Studio and occasional gigs with Eddie and often would sub with The Trio when their former drummer Joe Cocuzzo was out of town. During the last year’s of Joe’s life, DeRosa would sub for him when he was not feeling well. With Joe’s passing, DeRosa was asked to become part of The Trio. "I am flattered and honored to take Joe’s place, and I’m having a wonderful time making music with Lenny and Eddie on a regular basis," he told The Times.

"Lenny is a thoughtful and sensitive musician. His playing is wonderfully melodic, rhythmically solid and his guitar sound is gorgeous. Eddie represents a totally complementary perspective. He is full of surprises and musical adventure and I love the way he brings The Trio so deeply into the Brazilian repertoire," DeRosa said. "His MIDI accordion offers many orchestral timbres that create an illusion of a music ensemble much larger than the Trio. As a drummer, my function is mainly as an accompanist to these two excellent musicians and it is simply a joy to have such a wide spectrum of color and expression to support.

"And we relate on a personal level as well," DeRosa added. "There is a symbiosis that makes our relationship special and fun. I look forward to cultivating our relationship at the deepest level and hope that our audience enjoys the wonderful music journey that we offer."

Contact Joan Finn at finn@montclairtimes.com.