About the Musicians

Richard Amster - Guitar, Arrangements

Richard has been performing, writing, and teaching jazz for 40 years. He has worked in New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan, with a variety of groups. His interest in arranging began in 2005 and he studied with Geoff Ogle, noted Seattle composer and arranger. He currently has several guitar students and spends most of his time writing, arranging, and rehearsing with the Viaduct Music groups.

Tarik Abouzied - Drums

Tarik has a BA/BM in Jazz Studies from the University of Washington. He has studied with Tom Collier, Mark Investor, Steve Korn, John Bishop, Vern Sielert, and Marc Seales. Tarik plays with numerous jazz and rock groups and maintains a large studio of private students. His main areas of interest are jazz, funk, and fusion, and his main influences are Billy Kilson, Carter Beauford, Bill Stewart, and Brian Blade.

Jake Amster - Bass

Jake started playing bass at the age of 13. Although originally from Portland, Jake has spent most of his performance years in Seattle, Washington. Some of his playing credits include Seattle bands Pocket Change, PKE Meter, Innuendo, Loop Digger, Sambusa, Morris Can Fly, and plenty of other sit-ins. Jake has a BA from the UW Jazz Studies Program. Jake's influences include Jaco Pastorius, Stuart Zender, Ray Brown, Rocco Prestia, Victor Wooten and John Paul Jones.

Nicole Barnes - Baritone Sax

Nicole Barnes is a versatile saxophonist, playing classical, avant-garde, and jazz. She has a master's in saxophone performance from the New England Conservatory. In 2003, Nicole won first place in the 12th Annual Concerto Competition at the University of Washington. As an international performer, Nicole has toured the Netherlands with the Boston-based Thump Saxophone Quartet and in 2004, performed for large audiences with the University of Washington Saxophone Quartet in Japan. Nicole has been a guest performer for the Boston Civic Orchestra, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and the 2006 Tanglewood Contemporary Orchestra.

Jimmy Cho - Keyboards

Jimmy grew up in Kirkland, Washington. He began playing piano and saxophone as a child and has never stopped. He's currently completing his Bachelor of Music and Music Education degrees at the University of Washington. Jimmy plays in Hal Sherman's Monday Night Big Band, and performs throughout the Northwest with his own quartet and piano trio. Jimmy teaches piano, music theory, composition, and jazz improvisation. He is on staff at the Cornish College of the Arts. Jimmy is the recipient of the Houts Scholarship for Music.

Harlan Feinstein - Trombone

Harlan Feinstein moved to Seattle from Boston a few years ago, with his horn-playing wife Suzanne and their family. He plays trombone in the Viaduct Octet and the Mach One Jazz Band, and has played trumpet with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra. He's a frequent pit orchestra musician, the veteran of over 200 musical theater and opera productions. While in DC, Harlan played trombone at the White House, tuba at the Kennedy Center, and horn on the QE2.

Aaron Jenkins - Tenor Sax

Born and raised in Bremerton, Washington, Aaron has been playing saxophone for fourteen years. He has a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Washington and spends his time teaching, composing, and performing with several bands in the greater Seattle area. Aaron has studied with a number of great musicians from around the country, including Marc Seales, Michael Brockman, Vern Sielert, and Walt Weiskopf.

Scott Morning - Trumpet, Arrangements

Scott Morning has been playing trumpet since he was a kid and has been writing for a couple of years. He has a Masters in trumpet performance from the University of Washington under Vern Sielert and Allen Vizzutti. Scott plays in several bands around the Seattle area and composes and arranges for many groups. His influences include Woody Shaw, Kenny Wheeler, Miles Davis, Dave Douglas, Tom Harrell, Wayne Shorter, and Maria Schneider.