Rusty Aceves is a Bay Area native and, discovering a natural aptitude for the drumset after inheriting his brother’s unused drums, began playing seriously in junior high school. Thanks to his father’s influence, he absorbed the jazz of Brubeck, Buddy Rich and Vince Guaraldi, and was simultaneously exposed to the funk and R&B of the Bay Area by his siblings.
He entered California State University Hayward in 1988 as a symphonic percussion major, studying timpani and mallets under Arthur Storch and in the jazz department with Dave Eshelman.
In addition to jazz and percussion studies at Cal State, Rusty specialized in traditional composition, electronic and computer music composition, recording technology, live sound and world music studies.
He's studied drumset with Carl Allen, Peter Erskine, David Garibaldi, Ray Merrill and John Freixas, and participated in workshops with Adam Nussbaum and the late Tony Williams.
Rusty is an active freelance jazz drummer, typically playing an average of 100 gigs a year. He has performed with numerous jazz groups throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, recently including the Roy Brown Quartet, Masayo Yoshida Trio, Jean Repetto Trio, The Laurent Fourgo Jazz Ensemble, The Savanna Jazz Quartet (house band at Savanna Jazz in San Francisco), Cecil Wells, BJ Papa, Bishop Norman Williams, the Charles Unger Experience, Vicki Burns, Frankye Kelly (host of “Jazz With Frankye†on Bay Area television), the Eugene Pliner Trio, Mitch Marcus and many others. During his career, he has shared the stage with such jazz luminaries as Steve Turre, Eddie Gale and Joe Lovano. In addition to his work as freelancing jazz drummer, Rusty is also beginning work with his own experimental jazz quintet, performing the music of Eric Dolphy, Sonny Sharrock and original compositions.
For 10 years, Rusty has written, performed and extensively toured with the psychedelic/progressive/folk/rock band Attila & Dave Project, playing drums, percussion, electronic percussion, theremin and contributing synthesizer programming and electronic soundscapes for recordings and live performances. To date, ADP has recorded three full-length CDs which have received universally positive reviews from numerous music magazines, newspapers and music websites. They have performed several hundred shows throughout the western US, concentrating on festivals, college campuses and clubs, developing a devoted fan base. They have shared stages with groups as diverse as Third Eye Blind, Melting Euphoria and Steppenwolf and have performed showcases at major conventions and done numerous radio interviews and performances. The band is currently in preparation for recording their fourth CD.
Other rock projects include recording and performing with the pop/punk project Pottymouth (featuring former associates of Green Day and Primus), the folk/rock quartet 8½ and the “progressive horror band†Four Flies on Grey Velvet.
As a symphonic percussionist, Rusty has done symphonic work with the Cal Berkeley Symphony, toured and performed with the Cal State Hayward Symphonic Band, performed the World Premieres of several chamber works by composer David Pan at UC Berkeley's Hertz Hall and done freelance work with numerous theater companies, opera companies, dance groups, symphonic groups and chamber ensembles.
Additionally, Rusty has contributed original electronic and acoustic compositions to numerous radio and television projects, art installations, theater productions, dance productions and independent recordings.
He lives in Oakland, CA, and is endorsed by Serpent Cymbals.
