Glenn M. Taylor, guitar, keyboards, vocals * Bob Cianci, drums, vocals Chris Roselle, guitar, harmonica, vocals Russ Crapella, guitar, vocals Gary Evans, keyboards, harmonica, bass, vocals Jeff Guenther, guitar, bass, vocals	Mike Guaragna, bass, guitar, vocals Rhonda Grindell, drums, vocals Pepe Hernandez, bass, vocals Sean Jenness, guitar, vocals
Christopher Bolger, guitar, bass, vocals * Joe Alexander, guitar, vocals Al Egizi, guitar, vocals Keith Theall, bass, vocals Dave Hirschberg, drums, vocals Jerry DeLisio, saxophone(s), flute, vocals Ron Weinstein, guitar, bass, harmonica, vocals Brian Wiley, bass, vocals Lenny Kirk, drums, vocals Don Guinta, drums, vocals Joe Coghlan, drums, guitar, vocals Scott Calvert, saxophone(s), woodwinds, vocals Andrei Koribanics, drums, vocals Tom DePalma, saxophone(s), woodwinds, vocals John Frondelli, drums, guitar, vocals Ethan Maayan, drums, vocals Kevin Ellman, drums, vocals Bill Winters, guitar, bass, harmonica, trumpet, vocals Matteo Varano, saxophone(s), woodwinds, vocals, percussion * Indicates original Kootz / OMJ band-member; (see history)

Matteo Varano - saxophone(s), woodwinds, vocals, percussion

Matteo Varano, a bona-fide 'Child of The 90s', qualifies as the 'youngest-KOOT', to-date! Born & bred in North-Jersey, he's a graduate of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, where he majored in Music Education. He studied saxophone and woodwinds there and was exposed to many musical styles.

His interests within the realm of music include music composition, jazz/popular music-arranging, electronic music production, audio recording, and live-sound engineering.

Matteo wanted to pick up the saxophone as far-back as in the fourth grade, after hearing the classic big band recordings of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, as well as 'the great soloists'; Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Michael Brecker. "The Rock 'n Roll-Bug" bit Matteo when he was first introduced to… (you guessed it); The Beatles! Upon hearing 'The Beatles I' compilation-album for the first time and being amazed by the songwriting and musicianship, he was 'all-in' on 'The Fab Four'... Ever the 'versatile-player', Matteo’s rock/funk influences can be traced to the likes of Clarence Clemons (E Street Band), Junior Walker, Maceo Parker (James Brown) as well-as Lenny Pickett & Steven “Doc” Kupka (both from 'Tower of Power').

By-day, Matteo is a public-school music teacher in the Caldwell-West Caldwell, NJ education-system, where he teaches music technology, gives instrumental music lessons and directs the middle-school’s concert and jazz bands.

In addition to being an educator, Matteo has embraced the opportunity to work with many influential and 'upper-tier' musical-artists, across the tri-state area, including Dennis Mackrel, (Count Basie Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) Dr. Neil Yates, (BBC Big Band, Johnny Dankworth Orchestra), Darmon Meader (New York Voices) and pop-rock acts such-as Brian Kirk and The Jirks, The Benjamins, New Power Soul and an assortment of wedding and corporate-agency bands. "Mr. V' has also-enjoyed the pleasure 'n privilege of performing in venues ranging from Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair to the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park... and so-many in between.

In addition to being a 'working-musician' and performing in a 'plethora' of musical-situations, Matteo is a 'signed' songwriter with Warner Chappell Music Publishers Group and works with major hip-hop producers, based in Los Angeles and New York City. In June of 2021 Matteo scored his first Billboard Hot 100 single working-with Interscope Records.

When not making music Matteo can be found engaging in his some of his hobbies; including cooking, trying new restaurants, traveling, photography, hanging-out with friends and family and... oh, yes... Sleeping!

A resident of Essex County, Matteo is a 'more-then-welcome'-addition (and a youthful 'shot-in-the-arm')... to 'The Kootz'-Family of musicians! Go Matteo!