G-Wood Gents Reinvent Schoolhouse Rock

Tucked into a cul-de-sac in view of Highway 101 sits a cluster of studios and small gear shops for bands to rent out. In one of the dim-lit rooms flows an energy as palpable as the drum beat making the room reverberate with sound. A guitar, bass, drum and ukulele all blend with two voices to the tune of “Oh California.”

The song uses the classic melody from the Gold Rush hit “Oh, Susanna!” and takes a more educational turn by replacing details of the singer’s longing for Susanna with details of the time period.

It’s the perfect song to introduce the G-Wood Gents.

“Teachers are people too,” said Terry Tyrell-Smith, vocalist for the group and fifth grade teacher at Glenwood Elementary School.

Their band name comes from the school that almost all of the five man band call home turf, hyphenated to “give a little street cred,” according to member Bill Skieresz. Four of the five musicians are teachers at who bring music into their classrooms to help their students thrive.

“It’s nice to keep the kids engaged in that way,” Glenwood Principal Bob Marcucci said.

And each of the teachers does his part in engaging his students musically.

Special education teacher and bass slapper Skieresz teaches a new song to his students each month based around themes, like the seasons, to teach the kids how to play instruments and new concepts through the lyrics.

“You change the words and they know the months,” said second grade teacher Adam Treewater, who uses similar music in his classroom.

Most of the Gents have longstanding experience with other musicians. Marcucci plays in another band on the side, but none have quite the same vibe as this schoolyard group.

The band was formed after Marcucci and Treewater were asked to put something together for a music for the hungry event at Victor James Park in spring 2010.

“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is great! We sound better than horrible,’” Marcucci said.

Tyrell-Smith had never sung in a band before, but was brought into the fold by Treewater, who had the inkling that he could sing.

“When I first came in I just thought, ‘What the heck am I doing here?’” Tyrell-Smith said.

The band started getting together sporadically to rehearse for school fundraisers and performances for Glenwood students.

Lab technician Chris Oatman eventually joined to fill the void left by an empty rhythm section.

“Everybody just loves music,” said Oatman, who also plays in a jazz and blues band called The Scallywags. “If we had to sit and work without it we would go crazy.”

The band mostly brings it’s bluegrass stylings to covers of 70s and classic rock songs, as well as a few originals by Marcucci.

Although they don’t have any set practice schedule, they have toyed with the idea of moving on to non-school related venues, as well as putting on some lunchtime concerts for the Glenwood kids.

“We’re kind of on the school festival circuit,” Marcucci laughed.

The band will make its first public appearance since June at Andy’s Market on Aug. 5.

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