Jim Kerl is the founding member of the Rainier Brass Quintet, Blues & Brass, and the band leader and director of the 17 piece big band, Swing Session. A trumpet player equally at home in both jazz and classical music, Jim brings a wealth of professional experience to all of his musical endeavors. Before leading his own groups, his experience included three years on the road with the New Deal Rhythm Band, commercial recording work, shows, small jazz groups, a professional concert band, brass quintets, as well as writing both original compositions and arrangements. Much of the music in the books of both the Rainier Brass and Blues & Brass are arrangements done for the groups by Jim. The Rainer Brass has an extensive Christmas library, most of which are unique arrangements, and the Blues & Brass book is almost exclusively original arrangements and compositions written for the group. A former student of Roy Cummings and Bill Cole, Jim learned his craft with two of the great trumpet teachers in the Pacific Northwest. Jim is also dedicated to passing on his love of music and the trumpet. He teaches privately, works with the band directors in his local school district, and does clinics for young trumpet players and budding jazz musicians.

Steve Mostovoy - Biography coming soon!

Gary Shutes is one of the top trombone players working in the Pacific Northwest today. He has performed with many of the greatest musicans and singers, and comedians of our time, including Natalie Cole, Sammy Davis Jr, Bob Hope, Billy Eckstine, The Temptations, The Platters, The Four Tops, Jerry Lewis, Carl Fontana, Frank Rosolino, Jiggs Whigham, Andy Martin, Ernestine Anderson, Slide Hampton, Rich Little, Jon Hendricks, Bud Shank, and Bill Holman. Gary regularly performs in the Fifth Avenue Theatre Orchestra, playing music for touring and local plays, including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hair, Hairspray, 42nd Street, Victor/Victoria, Anything Goes, and many more.

Seattle horn player Robert Rasmussen received a Bachelor of Music from Boston University and a Master of Music from Arizona State University. At age 20 he made his debuts at Carnegie Hall and Weill Recital Hall. He attended Tanglewood Music Center where he performed under the batons of Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. An active studio musician, Mr. Rasmussen has recorded dozens of motion picture soundtracks, and can be heard on the ASO, BU, MusicMasters, Northeastern, RCWinds and Summit CD labels. He is a member of the Rainier Brass Quintet and the Rainier Chamber Winds, has performed with the Empire Brass Quintet and the Northwoods Wind Quintet, and was a founding member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet. In addition to maintaining a private teaching studio, he has been an instructor for youth orchestras in Boston and Seattle, and was on the faculty of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for five years. Mr. Rasmussen won grand prizes at five national chamber music competitions and was named Musician of the Year as principal horn of the Bellevue Philharmonic. Holding prominent positions with numerous Seattle area orchestras, he often appears with the Northwest Chamber Orchestra, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and the Seattle Opera.

Ed Phillips - Biography coming soon!