MUSIC FANS FROM ALL OVER ARE HAILING THE BLUEZ BOYZ SOUND.

Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - When a teacher asked them to play Glenn Miller's ``In the Mood'' for the Colina Middle School talent show, the sixth-graders never dreamed they would turn into the Bluez Boyz - selling out the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Civic Arts Plaza.

Nearly three years later, most of the Bluez Boyz are 14 and entering high school as seasoned musicians. They have developed a reputation not only for a musical range that appeals to everyone from grandmothers to second-graders, but for their charity work throughout Ventura County, where they have raised more than $10,000.

They've played at Moorpark's old Theater on High Street, a benefit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, at the Westlake Duck Races, the Thousand Oaks Memorial Day concert, and the awards ceremony for the Conejo Valley Teen Film Festival.

``They're like professional musicians, and yet they are so young,'' said county Supervisor Linda Parks. ``I really have to hand it to them for doing these events.''

On Aug. 24, the Bluez Boyz are scheduled to do a free family concert at the Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena, and they plan to perform at the Conejo Valley Octoberfest this fall.

Tommy Wong, 14, who plays piano and alto sax, said many in the group thought the band would break up by the seventh grade. Now they are wondering how they will stay together after high school.

``We've been talking about what's next,'' he said. ``Playing in every gig that comes up will be progressively harder now that we're in high school. We have started to recruit backup players for different occasions where certain players might not be able to play because of responsibilities at school.''

One of the most memorable performances for him was at Moorpark's 1920s Theater on High Street in March 2004. ``We were nervous about playing in a sold-out theater,'' Wong recalled. ``None of us had ever played in a concert of that magnitude, even if it was just the opening act. It caused us to play phenomenally, and we got progressively better.

``It's kind of ironic, because when I was a kid I always dreamed of having some kind of skill that would make me famous. Now that we have this skill I just take it for granted.''

Carl Schurtz, a classically trained music composer, is the adult director of the Bluez Boyz, which include his son, Marshall, on trumpet.

The group's appeal to fans of all ages is quite remarkable, he said.

When they played at an Oxnard Elementary School, they went into the audience playing their instruments and doing stunts.

``Can you imagine how exciting it is for a second-grader to have someone jump into the audience and play right next to them?'' Schurtz said. ``I'm certain we've changed some kids' lives. At the end of the assembly, the bell rang for recess, and the kids ran up to where the boys were playing, asking for autographs. It was very touching.

``And you should see when they play the big-band music. All the ladies are coming up saying, 'I love this music.' We have middle-aged people mobbing the stage afterwards.''

Wong said he hoped the Bluez Boyz have inspired younger children to become musicians themselves or just have more confidence in general.

``We have been teaching kids who may be in the first or second grade that if they apply themselves they can do whatever they want to do. We have provided music as an example of that.''

Michael Rudin, 17, is one of the oldest members of the group. He joined after his brother Aaron, 14, got involved as one of the original members. Their parents host the band for weekly rehearsals around the pool table at the Rudin home in Westlake Village.

Michael Rudin said he has learned to play the electric bass guitar over the past two years, practicing from up to seven hours a day so he could play with his younger brother's band.

``I came in after the group started,'' he said. ``I've gone from never playing the bass to a member of a professional quality band.''

Michael Rudin said that, in addition to recruiting more players, the Bluez Boyz are expanding their repertoire.

``If we're going to play weddings, we need to play more contemporary music. I think most of the people in the band are more rock than jazz. But we're not going to get rid of the old standards, just add new stuff.''

Trumpeter Marshall Schurtz, 14, son of the group's director, said his teacher Anne Fruehling picked him and the other original sixth-grade members to play in the school's talent show ``because we basically could play the instruments.

``We weren't bad. At the school district talent show, we won, and there was strong applause. It was kind of weird. We weren't really expecting it.''

He also said the group had to learn a wide variety of music and is always learning more.

``For the older people, it's 'In the Mood.' For people in their 30s and 40 and 50s, it's 'Louie, Louie' and (James Brown's) 'I Feel Good.' One time, they were at a party where people had been drinking and asked them to play 'The Chicken Dance.'

``It was pretty funny,'' he said.

As their popularity spread by word of mouth, the band grew from about seven original members to 13, and they are hoping to grow more.

``We want to have so many talented players as backups, that we could have four gigs in the same day and be in four places at once,'' said Wong.

``The Bluez Boyz is starting to turn into more of a franchise instead of just a band. What we are shooting for is backups for every instrument, so that we are prepared for every opportunity.''

The group has a Web site, www.bluezboyz.com, with photos, examples of its music and upcoming appearances.

So far the Bluez Boyz philanthropic performances have included a black-tie party for the Multiple Sclerosis Society at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and selling out the Scherr Forum Theatre with a concert titled ``When Swing Meets Rock,'' with music by everyone from Hoagy Carmichael to U2. The latter was a benefit for the affordable housing group Many Mansions.

They also played at the Westlake Duck Races to benefit Many Mansions, at the North Ranch Country Club in a tournament benefit for the St. Maximilian Kobe Catholic Church in Westlake Village, at a Ventura County home for abused children, and at a benefit for the National Kidney Foundation.

Tickets for the Scherr Theatre, which has about 350 seats, sold out quickly for the Many Mansions concert.

``The tickets really flew out the door,'' said Nichole Lanse, director of resource development for Many Mansions, which provides affordable housing to low-income residents.

``We have never had a group as young as this, a group of kids, raise over $10,000 for us. When you listen to them play you don't really think of them as kids. They sound like a professional band.

``The whole philosophy of the band is not only to play music but to give back to the community,'' she said. ``For kids as young as they are, I feel that that is exceptional.''

Eric Leach, [phone]

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Members of the Bluez Boyz horn section rehearse Sunday night. The group has grown from a one-time talent show act to an in-demand band.

(2 -- 3) Band director Bob Schuster, above, conducts a rehearsal Sunday for the Bluez Boyz, right.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer