The idea to form their own band started with a bunch of dads of Carmel High School band members.
“We started it as a group during COVID. We were all working from home and kind of lonely,” said Kevin Seibert, who founded the group and plays saxophone. “We all played through college and a lot of us played in other bands in town.”
The dads’ group plays big band standards, classic jazz and modern pop covers.
“We do some 1980s rock, songs from Chicago the band,” Seibert said. “One of the guys (Brian Porter) plays electric bass and we brought him in to give us a rhythm section.’
The name of the group is Odd Man in Quintet, but it can be quartet or septet, depending on who is available at a performance.
The group, which has nine members, has never had a vocalist but has discussed the possibility.
Seibert, a 55-year-old vice president at Eli Lilly Co., said none of the members is a professional musician.
“It’s been so much fun,” Seibert said. “It was very therapeutic during the pandemic. We added a drummer, and we started getting pretty OK.”
The group was invited to play in Carmel PorchFest in 2021 after sending an audition of a few recorded songs. They played their third Carmel PorchFest this fall and recently played in the Holiday PorchFest.
“We played on the Monon Trail this summer once a week,” Seibert said. “We had regulars come every week just to catch us. We were getting bigger and bigger crowds. It’s super fun. We have played in the Christkindlmarkt three years in a row. We have one guy (Kevin McLaren) that plays with Indiana Wind Symphony and another guy (Jeff Brown) plays with Swing Shift Indy and Indianapolis Municipal Band. As long as we have five or more members, we can cover all the parts. If we have nine of us, we’ll double up some parts.”
Seibert said the group has performed at wedding receptions.
“The Village of WestClay has us in its normal rotation,” Seibert said. “We played its fall festival, tree lighting and Octoberfest.”
The group also played several holiday gigs at senior living communities.
Seibert said the members have become good friends and even went on a ski trip together.
Seibert had two daughters, Sarah and Laurie, who were in the CHS Marching Band. Sarah, a 2019 graduate, played the trumpet. Laurie, a 2022 graduate, played clarinet and was the band drum major as a senior.
“Everyone has had kids go through the band,” Seibert said. “Most of us are empty nesters.”
Joe Chiappetta, a CHS graduate, performs in the band along with his son, Cooper, who attends Purdue University. Seibert and Joe Chiappetta both play alto saxophone.
“I have really enjoyed working on the music, seeing and hearing the improvements the band has made and rekindling a passion for the playing that is deep within,” Joe Chiappetta said. “The time together with the guys has been great, and it’s been an awesome opportunity to spend time with my son, who is an incredibly talented alto and soprano player.”
David Morris, another band member, started the Carmel Parents Pep Band nearly 20 years ago.
“That’s how we got to know each other in the Carmel Parents Band,” Seibert said. “People in the Carmel Parents Band stay long after their kids leave the high school.”
For more, visit oddmaninquintet.com.
