BrassAckwards is...
Brad Harrison
TRUMPET
After studying classical trumpet and composition at University of Toronto, Brad moved on to Humber College where he studied jazz performance and arranging and graduated with a BMus with Honours. He later founded the private lesson program at St. Michael’s College School where he maintains a studio of almost two dozen students. Brad is the founder, leader, and primary arranger/composer for BrassAckwards.
Stephen Crowe
TRUMPET
Despite completing an aerospace engineering degree at Ryerson University, in 1985, Stephen decided to follow his passion and talent and build an astounding career as a professional trumpet player. He can be found performing in pit orchestras for productions such as Wicked, Cats, and Les Miserables, as well as in jazz clubs all over Toronto and beyond. His position in the music department at Humber College has allowed his musical and technical influence on countless musicians to permeate the Toronto music scene.
Ewan Divitt
TRUMPET
Ewan is an in-demand trumpet player in Toronto, and has recorded on many albums, and demos, music videos, played live on the radio, international live television, as well as toured with musical acts all over Ontario and Quebec. While at Humber College, Ewan received the Harknett Musical Services award for excellence in brass, as well as the Duke Ellington Society Award for excellence in composition and arranging. In addition, Ewan is a brass repair technician and also leads his own big band that plays original compositions and arrangements and features many of the finest up and coming players in Toronto.
James Rhodes
TRUMPET
Originally from Vancouver, trumpeter James Rhodes is enjoying an active career in a range of musical settings, from playing with the Toronto Jazz Orchestra, NOJO, and the John Cheesman Orchestra, to various Broadway style shows, including Guys and Dolls, Ain't Misbehavin', and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He won scholarships to both Humber College and McGill University, and has attended workshops at the Berklee College of Music and the Banff Centre for Performing Arts. James has worked with Nikki Yanofsky, Ginette Reno, Ingrid Jensen, Darcy Argue, Kenny Wheeler, and Guido Basso, to name a few.
Daniel Douglas
TROMBONE
Dan Douglas is a Toronto born Trombonist and euphonium player who has been steadily working in the Toronto jobbing and jazz scene for over 20 years. As an avid student, Dan began playing professionally while in high school and was quick to move up the ladder. His musical studies took him to Toronto’s famous Humber College where he refined his technique and found out the importance of knowing “lots of tunes”. Dan is also co-leader of the Dixie Demons and teaches full-time in the music department at St. Michael's College School.
Paul Tarussov
TROMBONE
Paul is among a new wave of musicians seeking to bring together an exploration of original music with a sound steeped in tradition. Originally from Montreal, Paul has just moved to Toronto from New York City, where he studied with trombone greats Steve Turre, Wycliffe Gordon, and Vincent Gardner. He appears regularly as a featured soloist with the Dave Young/Terry Promane Big Band, and has performed with artists such as Vic Vogel, Norman Marshall Villeneuve, Andy Ballantyne, Han Bennink, Valery Ponamarev and Steve Davis, as well as Canadian Juno-nominated indie pop/rock band “Stars”.
Alexander Duncan
BASS TROMBONE
A native of Toronto, Alex has extensive experience in many genres such as, jazz classical, rock, hip-hop, ska, and funk. Alex has performed with many ensembles including the Dave Young-Terry Promane Big Band, University of Toronto 10:00 and 11:00 Jazz Orchestras, Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, Toronto All-Star Big Band, GTA Swing Band, Hannaford Street Youth Band, and Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra. Alex also plays with groups such as My Son The Hurricane, a rock/funk/hip-hop group out of St. Catharine’s; The Ambassadors, a Toronto funk group; and Band Bajha Brass, a Bollywood-style brass band.
Douglas Burrell
TUBA
Originally from Montreal, Doug has been performing professionally in the Greater Toronto Area since the late 1970's. He is much in demand both as a jazz tubist and as a classical artist having played with numerous ensembles including Borgy's Banjo Reunion, the Juno Award winning NOJO jazz orchestra, The Dixie Demons , the Brian Barlow Brass and Drums and Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards. Doug has performed in a number of jazz festivals including the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival, the Northumberland Jazz Festival, the Markham Jazz Festival and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Orvieto Italy. Doug also performs as a classical musician, playing with a number of brass ensembles and orchestras in the Toronto area.