BIG-BAND REBIRTH\Kenton, Basie fuel Lane 29.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

With Count Basie and Stan Kenton as his idols, 24-year-old Mike Gangemi is convinced he was born at the wrong time.

He relishes the sounds of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, and finds their universal language "therapeutic."

"I was born for the big-band era," said Gangemi. "I believe I was put here now to continue that tradition."

Shortly after graduating from Westlake High school in 1990, Gangemi formed Lane 29 - a 9-member jazz band of musicians with a similar passion for the big-band sound.

The small group has grown since its first year - today there are 21 members, most of whom are students from Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Westlake high schools. The older musicians are friends who went to school with Gangemi, and had the desire to continue playing.

Over the years, Lane 29 has developed a reputation for its varied repertoire, ranging from Basie to Armstrong. Lane 29 also reflects Bob Mintzer's modern day big-band sound.

"It's all voluntary," said Gangemi, who noted that the group has attended weekly rehearsals for the past five years simply for their love of the big-band sound. "We just share the same passion for the music."

E.J. Bukont, a band member for four years, said their dedication stems from their common interest.

"If it wasn't fun, none of us would be here," said Bukont, 19, who plays lead alto sax. Bukont's motivation also comes from the band's leader.

"Mike does this all out of the goodness of his heart," Bukont said. "Plus, he makes it fun."

Sixteen-year-old Dylan Johnson, who heard about the band while taking trumpet lessons from Gangemi, has been in the band for two years now. He believes it has opened a world of opportunity for someone his age.

"It's a great chance" said Johnson, a Moorpark High student who plays the trumpet. "I can actually get to play good jazz with a really good band while I'm still in high school."

Since the group began, its performance venues have ranged from Westlake High School to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

Once a year, the band gives its big fund-raising performance at Westlake High. Proceeds go to local charities - this year's recipient will be the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

While Gangemi is pleased with his band's success, his original motivation for starting up the band was simply to feed his own passion.

"I really love playing big band-music," Gangemi said. "So I called up my friends about starting a band and said, 'Hey, what do you say?' "

Gangemi fell in love with big-band jazz during his freshman year at Westlake High, when he played trumpet in the jazz band. He particularly remembers the band leader and choir director at the time, who encouraged him to pursue his passion.

"They really pointed me in the right direction in terms of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Gangemi said. "By the time I was a senior, I finally realized that music was gonna be what I was gonna do."

When he isn't conducting Lane 29 or giving occasional trumpet lessons, Gangemi spends his spare time studying music at Santa Barbara City College. He makes ends meet by working as the brass coach and assistant jazz director at Moorpark High School.

Gangemi hopes to eventually become a music teacher.

"I want to do what I'm doing now, just get paid a lot more for it," he said.

Gangemi came up with the name for the band while bowling one night, when he and his buddies were using lane 29 at a Thousand Oaks alley. One of his friends mistakenly bowled on lane 30, drawing the ire of the manager.

"He got on the intercom and kept saying 'Lane 29, come up to the front,' " Gangemi recalled. "That's when it hit me."

BENEFIT CONCERT

WHAT: "Lane 29" jazz concert

WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday

WHERE:Westlake High School theater, 100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road.

COST: Admission $5.

INFORMATION: [phone]

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO

Photo (1--color) Mike Gangemi conducts Lane 29 at a rehearsal for a concert at Westlake High. (2--color) Lozell Henderson of Santa Barbara plays trombone in Gangemi's Lane 29 band. Evan Yee/Daily News Box BENEFIT CONCERT (see text)