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Jim Cutler

About Me

Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra Sunday nights @ Tula's

Downbeat magazine says "This three year old group show Stan Kenton muscle." Doug Ramsey says "Seattle seems to be breeding big bands. Cutler's is one of the best of the current crop." And Jack Bowers says "The JCJO certainly enhances Seattle’s burgeoning stature as a mecca for high-quality jazz."

Find out why the best big band music in Seattle happens Sunday nights at Tula's in Belltown.

The Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra performs each Sunday starting at 8pm.
JCJO at the Pony Boy Records Jazz Picnic
Check out the video from the Jazz Picnic on 9/9/2007. Note: Pause the inline player above before activating the video to avoid both playing at once!

About Jim Cutler

Jim's style is best described as straight ahead, mainstream acoustic jazz. He's been influenced by many of the jazz greats; names you'd expect to hear like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis, and also more contemporary artists like Lew Tabakin and Phil Woods. Matt Collar of All Music Guide states that Jim's style is "reminiscent of '60s-era Sonny Rollins" while Michael Gladstone of All About Jazz says "his tenor styling is lyrically in the Scott Hamilton mode." What's certain is that Jim has created his own style and sound that can be appreciated on many levels.

The Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra , formed in January of 2004, released their first CD in June of 2006 titled In Progress on Pony Boy Records. The band is the house band for Tula's restaurant in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood, performing Sunday nights starting at 8pm. The band features original material by local composers, as well as classic big band material from the libraries of Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and more - a great way to kick off the week!

The Jim Cutler Quartet has been performing since 2000, and features Jim on Saxophones, Brian Olendorf on piano, Philip Demaree on bass, and Chris Monroe on drums. The group has released two CDs, JCQ - The Jim Cutler Quartet (2002, Jamco Music) and For Real (2003, Pony Boy Records). You can catch this group around Seattle at various venues and dates (see the calendar for more info).

CD releases by the Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra

In Progress (2006)

"The Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra has developed into a solid ensemble... Cutler's music is confident, swinging and exuberant and extends the modern tradition. Daniel Barry's Music is like a visit to a South American carnival... It all comes together here."
Jim Wilke , Jazz After Hours, PRI and Jazz Northwest, KPLU

CD releases by the Jim Cutler Quartet

For Real (2004)

"...one of the sharpest new releases I've heard in quite some time."
Christopher DeLaurenti, The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

"I was glad to add such a cool CD to our rotation."
Dan Turner, Program Director, KJLU Radio (Jefferson City, MO)

JCQ The Jim Cutler Quartet (2002)

"there's not a single track that doesn't hold my interest and earn my appreciation."
Shaun Dale, JazzReview.com

"This is jazz with a capital J!"
Mike Smith, SkyJazz Internet Radio

Need music for a wedding, party, or corporate event? Visit Cutler Entertainment to see what groups Jim has available. We can create nearly any size group for just about any occasion, and cover a wide genre's of music - not only jazz, but dixieland, pop, rock, and funk - take a look around and see what our music is all about!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 14/09/2005
Band Website: www.jcutler.com
Band Members:

Jim Cutler Quartet
Jim Cutler - saxophones
Brian Olendorf - piano
Philip Demaree - bass
Chris Monroe - drums

The Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra
Saxophones
Jim Cutler (Lead Alto)
Gordon Brown (Alto)
Mike West (Tenor)
Paul Gillespie (Tenor)
James DeJoie (Bari)

Trumpets
Mike Mines (Lead)
Pete Kirkman
Al Keith
Daniel Barry

Trombones
Chris Amemiya (Lead)
Steve Kirk
Chuck Wiese
Bill Park (Bass)

Rhythm
Gregg Robinson (Piano)
Phil Demaree (Bass)
Greg Williamson (Drums)


Alternate Members
Clark Gibson (Alto Sax)
Ryan Lunz (Bari Sax)
Cesar Amaral(Lead Trumpet)
Michael Davis (Trumpet)
Ron Barrow (Trumpet)
Jed Rodriquey (Bass Trombone)
Susan Pascal (Vibes)
Peter Kok (Piano)
Dan Kramlich (Piano)
Chris Monroe (Drums)
Ed Littlefield (Drums)
David Pascal (Bass)
Rachael Contorer (Bass)
Influences: Sax/Jazz: Lew Tabakin, Phil Woods, Paquito D'Rivera, Frank Morgan, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Elvin Jones

Writing/Arranging: Toshiko Akyoshi, Gil Evans, Rob McConnell, Beethoven, Debussy, Stravinsky
Sounds Like: Bebop, hard bop, mainstream jazz, Sonny Rollins, Scott Hamilton, Lew Tabakin, Wayne Shorter, contemporary big band, Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Rob McConnell, Gil Evans
Record Label: Pony Boy Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Here's to the new year

Another year nearly behind us, thought I'd take a moment and look back at this past year, and what there is to look forward to. The Jazz Orchestra was in the studio two weekends, Jan 29/30 & Feb 5...
Posted by on Sat, 29 Dec 2007 22:49:00 GMT

Question: What would you rather be doing?

I was sitting at my desk at work yesterday, thinking to myself "This is my destiny??" I enjoy my job, but it's not my passion. Often it occurs as just a necessity for survival. On my list of things I...
Posted by on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:13:00 GMT

What do you love about your life?

So, what is it that lights you up? For me, I've got a couple.My girls - my wife Stephanie, and two little ones Marie and Annabella. This morning, we were all snuggling in bed. Annabella (four months) ...
Posted by on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:40:00 GMT

New Renaissance

I was speculating the other day on what would really enrich my life, and of course the first things to pop in my head were "more gigs, more people at my gigs." And I thought, "why WOULD anyo...
Posted by on Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:52:00 GMT

It's been a while!

Not like I haven't had anything to say, just busy with the band, family, earning a living, all that fun stuff. I've got some new things to throw out there at the universe, so stay tuned, more to come!...
Posted by on Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:50:00 GMT

Slow Motion

Everything seems to be moving in slow motion right now. I'm not really sure what that means or how to explain it. People say that when you're "in the zone" things seem to slow down and become easier. ...
Posted by on Sat, 18 Feb 2006 21:36:00 GMT

Hours and hours

The reality has set in... it's taking 5-6 hours of mixing per tune on the big band CD, at least I still care... I figure there's probably 50 hours of mixing left to do... the good news is that three t...
Posted by on Mon, 21 Nov 2005 12:14:00 GMT

Tired Ears

You know what tired ears are, you've been listening to something, and after a while you start hearing things differently, with less clarity. I've experienced it before when transcribing music; usually...
Posted by on Thu, 03 Nov 2005 11:27:00 GMT

How to promote music?

If I knew the answer to this question, I could quit my day job. All my life I've relied on "self-promotion" -- for some reason I don't trust handing someone else the capability (along with the $$) of ...
Posted by on Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:07:00 GMT

Cynic?

Well, the Sunday night gig is complete again, and for absolutely no reason (wink-wink) we had a great house - the kind of house that in my world we should have every week (50 in a club that comfo...
Posted by on Mon, 10 Oct 2005 10:20:00 GMT