Rick Compton has played with some great names in jazz, including Gary Burton, Marian McPartland, Marvin Stamm, Urbie Green, Joe Farrell, Clark Terry, Joe Williams, and Slam Stewart, plus he has played in ensembles conducted by Chuck Mangione, Hank Levy, Leon Breeden, and Chick Esposito. Musical excellence manifested itself early for Rick; in addition to being chosen as drummer for the New York All-State Jazz Ensemble in 1969 he won "Outstanding Percussionist-Drummer Award" at the Quinnepiac Inter-Collegiate Jazz Festival, which merited a mention in the July 7, 1973 issue of DOWNBEAT magazine. Rick Compton has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Ithaca College and a Master's Degree in Percussion Performance from Binghamton University. He has also studied with Ed Shaughnessy. Rick performs regularly with several well known Jazz artists both locally and across the state. He is also the author of "Jazz Drumming; Time and Improvisation", a drum set method book which was very favorably reviewed in Modern Drummer Magazine. Rick has many years of practical experience as a performing artist and guest soloist, clinician and adjudicator, guest conductor and commissioned composer, and as an educator. He is Percussion Specialist for the Utica City School District, and has also taught at Binghamton University and Hamilton College.
Cosmo Castellano was adapting classical guitar technique to the demands of improvisational (jazz) bass playing before deciding on a career in electronic engineering. In fact, prior to attending Hamilton College to study physics, he was accepted into the prestigious Classical Guitar program at Ithaca College. Having been involved with music at an early age, (piano studies during elementary school, saxophone during middle school, and organizing a rock-and-roll band in seventh grade), Cos has played on television (WKTV Twist-O-Rama), local dances, and numerous other gigs. He has also backed up shows for Fred Travolina, Al Martino, comedian Pat Cooper, Roger Williams, and the Utica Symphony Orchestra. While in high school, Cos filled the guitar chair in the first New York All-State Jazz Ensemble directed by Leon Breeden. Cos has played with several jazz stars, like Marion McPartland, drummer Ed Shaughnessy and trumpeter Bob McCoy (both of Tonight Show fame). He studied jazz guitar with Atilla Zoller and developed his blend of Jazz/Classical which becomes an important part of the trio's sound.
