About our Band Founder,
Ron Surace

A native of Lorain OH, Ron Surace has led an active music life as a pianist, teacher and composer. The majority of his teaching career was at Jacksonville State University, Alabama, where he taught for 22 years and developed the jazz performance program. He returned to Chicago after retiring and is presently teaching at the Music Institute of Chicago-Lake Forest Campus. 
Ron has won the "Silver Award" and the "Music Performance Award" from Downbeat Magazine for original compositions and performance. He has recorded with Columbia, Turning Point and Southport Records and performed extensively throughout the United States, both as a Jazz and classical Pianist. 

Ron formed the "In Full Swing" Jazz Orchestra in the 1990's and led the band for over twenty years until his retirement from the band in 2023.