About | Hazel Gaze

behind the band

Hazel Gaze hails from NYC. Their 2017 debut was the brainchild of Guitarist / Keyboardist Russ Soper and Lead Vocalist Hanz, creating music purely for the love of it. Blending 90s rock influences ranging from The Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz and Soundgarden to 70s icons such as Led Zeppelin and Humble Pie, the material was recorded in Russ’ Brooklyn basement studio.

After highly-successful NYC shows, the band took a COVID-induced hiatus, during which Russ crafted the material that would become Hazel Gaze II. Joined by Konrad Payne (bass), Mary Jo McBride (keys / vocals), Molly Klein (vocals) and Spiros Arnakis (drums), the band is eagerly anticipating bringing their music to NYC-area stages.

Lead Vocals

Hanz

Hanz has an extensive list of credentials. He was lead vocalist of the band ZToyz, who saw initial success via MTV's "Basement Tapes" competition with their video "Miami Breakdown" and who later recorded their debut album for a subsidiary of Enigma Records. Hanz was a vocalist in the touring company of Dee Snider's Van Helsing's Curse and recorded an album with NYC-based rock band 61/49. Most recently, he was a vocalist, Emcee, and scriptwriter for the Halloween Horror Rock Ensemble "I Am Scarecrow". His reply when asked to describe his vocal style: "what you think a voice would sound like from years of late nights of drunken sex after singing with loud bands in smoky underground bars." Hanz is so badass, he doesn't need a last name.

Guitars / Keys / Vocals

Russ Soper

Russ has played in NYC-area bands through most of his life, including the highly popular cover band "Instant Karma". He allegedly holds the world record for smashing his head against a wall in frustration repeatedly while trying to record a guitar solo. Russ works in Technology (how rock' roll.. I know) and is the former Chairman of The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (www.bkcm.org), a non-profit providing Music Therapy and Education to thousands of New Yorkers. When he's not locked away in his music studio, making noise and aggravating neighbors, Russ spends his time serving at the will of his wife and 12 year-old daughter while doing his best to stay awake past the very rock and roll hour of 11pm.

Keys / Vocals

Mary Jo Verruto

Mary Jo is a trained teaching artist, actor, singer, musician, playwright, and solo performer. A self-proclaimed "jack-ess of many trades", she spent her early years in New York performing standup, improv, off-off Broadway, and even a stint as a scream queen in a horror flick (don't ask her what it's called - she'll never tell you). She then spent her early years of motherhood as a children's performer, dragging her daughter and guitar from coffee shop to coffee shop a la Juliette Binoche in Chocolat. As her baby grew, so did her teaching artist career, and she joined the faculty of the Brooklyn Conservatory. She currently teaches piano and audition coaching, and is a musical director at Brooklyn Children's Theatre. NJ's solo-show-turned musical play #minetoo premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022. This is her first time in a band, so please be gentle.

Bass

Konrad Payne

A fixture on the NYC music scene, Konrad has played in venues across NYC from Brooklyn Bowl to Off-Broadway. He's recorded for a host of artists in a wide variety of styles. Heavily influenced by old-school funk, British new wave and post-punk, Konrad brings his groove-based sensibility to Hazel Gaze. He can also be seen playing in Hummer, a killer Smashing Pumpkins tribute band, and Eggs Benatar, Gowanus' premier Pat Benatar tribute band. Konrad studied at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (www.bkcm.org), where he currently serves as a member of the school's Advisory Council.

Vocals / Percussion

Molly Klein

Molly is a singer based in the greater NYC area. Fine... New Jersey. If you’re the parent of a young child, they’ve likely forced you to listen to her singing over and over again relentlessly, as she was a vocalist on the Kidz Bop CDs for 15 years. She has also recorded several commercial jingles, and even once recorded with the one and only Richie Havens. Throughout her 20's, she has been a lead and background vocalist in a handful of bands, mostly playing the local pub scene. When she's not singing so loudly that her neighbors bang on the wall, she's studying 3D animation and pretending to be a Creative Director.

Drums

Spiros Arnakis

Spiros has performed in the NY tri-state area since the mid-80’s with a variety of local and visiting international musical acts. Having also lived in Europe and the Caribbean, Spiros performed diverse styles of music ranging from world music to classical ensemble, Latin, jazz, blues, pop, however his main influences are deeply rooted in classic rock.