The Mood Operators
Small band! Big sound!
The Mood Operators are a three piece outfit consisting of John McKenna, Ron Volcich & Warren Schofield.
Over the years, all three members have played in a variety of styles and have decided to form “The Mood Operators”, a band fusing funk, soul and jazz with R&B.
Although only a three piece, the band achieves a “big, full sound” which is attributable to the experience of the members.
The versatility and power of drummer & backing vocalist Warren Schofield; precise, varied and colourful playing from guitarist & vocalist Ron Volcich and last but not least keyboardist & backing vocalist John McKenna who provides the bass for the band as well as the foundation for the rich musical textures the band is capable of achieving.
This versatility allows the band to play classic instrumental numbers such as:
- Time is Tight (Booker T & the MG’s)
- Caravan (Duke Ellington)
- Manteca (Dizzy Gillespie)
- Birdland (Weather Report)
- Treat Her Right (The Commitments),
- Superstition (Stevie Wonder)
- The Wind Cries Mary (Jimmy Hendrix)
- Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
- Yeah! Yeah! (Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames)
John McKenna
Just into his fifties, John has been in the music scene in the Illawarra since 1977, joining the band In Flight.
John was with them for over four years playing organ, synth and piano, learning his chops and playing the top 40 hits of the time.
Having started on the electronic organ, John decided to learn piano, gaining his eighth grade. During the 80’s John took up music teaching as a profession while still being involved with various bands, recording, composing and arranging, accompanying soloists and various church music activities.
John has been Music Director for several successful musicals at the Roo Theatre in Shellharbour, as well as composing the music for an adaptation of The Wind in the Willows.
An accomplished and versatile musician, John’s interest in music is wide and diverse, ranging from rock, pop, jazz, country, classical and even avant garde. John’s great passion is music technology, particularly sound synthesis and recording; he has recently attained his BCA (Hons) at the University of Wollongong, majoring in composition and music production.
John has owned and played many landmark keyboards and synths over the years (for example the Yamaha DX7) but his favourite instruments at the moment are his Hammond XK3 Organ and Roland RD700sx Digital Piano (on which he sets up a bass sound for his left hand). John is currently performing in the bands Swingtown and the newly-formed The Mood Operators.
Ron Volcich
Ron has taught and played guitar since the late 1970’s. Over the years, he has played with numerous bands and duos including rock bands Tapestry (early 1990’s) and The Zanti Misfits (mid 1990’s).
From the mid 1990’s until early 2000, he played in a successful country blues duo (Hot Diggety) which specialised in playing authentic acoustic style blues & jazz music in the Illawarra, Sydney and Southern Highlands.
Since 2001, Ron has been playing consistently in and around the Illawarra and South Coast of NSW with Swingtown, a 4-piece outfit that plays swing and jump style blues.
From mid 2011, Ron, John McKenna & Warren Schofield (all from Swingtown) decided to take up the challenge of playing a different style and this led to the formation of Funk, soul, jazz and R&B fusion band “The Mood Operators”.
Warren Schofield
Warren has played drums in a number of Newcastle bands during the mid-eighties, and from 1989 to the mid-nineties. For three years from 1986, Warren played drums full-time with country/rock bank the Bourkenback Boys in the Lismore area.
A talented and versatile drummer, Warren has played in numerous genres including Jazz, Reggae, 60’s Rock’n’Roll, and Blues. Warren has been playing with local swing band “Swing Town” since 2002, local blues/soul/rock band “The BlueRays” since 2009, and most recently with the newly-formed “Mood Operators”.
Example of Songlist
Ain’t No Sunshine Bill Withers
Are You Lonesome Tonight? Elvis Presley
Black Magic Woman Santana
Black Orpheus Numerous
Broadway George Benson
Caledonia B.B.King / numerous
Everybody’s Tryin’ To Be My Baby Carl Perkins
Fly Me To The Moon Numerous
Georgia Hoagy Carmichael / Georgie Fame
Have You Met Miss Jones Numerous
Hey! Good Lookin’ Numerous
I Can’t Hold Out Eric Clapton
I Don’t Worry About A Thing Mose Alison
I Feel Good James Brown
I Love The Life I Live Mose Alison
I’ll Always Be In Love With You Duke Robillard
It Didn’t Turn Out That Way Mose Alsion
Jumpin’ Blues Duke Robillard
The Lady is a Tramp Numerous
The Letter Joe Cocker/ Boxtops
Light My Fire The Doors
Lullaby Of Birdland George Shearing
Masquerade George Benson / Leon Russel
My Babe Tom Jones / Little Walter
My Baby Just Cares For Me Numerous
Parchman Farm Willie Dixon / Mose Alison
Route 66 Numerous
Seventh Son Willie Dixon / Mose Alison
Stop This World Mose Alison
Sunny Jamiriqui / numerous
Superstitious Stevie Wonder
Swing Brother. Swing! Dizzy Gillespie
T-Bone Shuffle Boz Scaggs / numerous
That Cat Is High The 4 Tops
The Wind Cries Mary Jimmy Hendrix
