TOM BATTENBERG (trumpet) is a Professor Emeritus of The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the School of Music faculty from 1966-1992. He was the Assistant Director of the School of Music for five years and directed the award-winning OSU Jazz Ensemble for twenty years. He is principal trumpet in the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus and retired in 2016 as principal trumpet in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra after playing for 50 years in the CSO.
MICHAEL COX (clarinet) is Professor of Saxophone in the Capital University Conservatory of Music, where he has taught jazz styles and analysis, improvisation, music theory, and coached jazz and chamber music groups since 1990. Michael performs with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Brasileira, Capital’s faculty jazz group Spectrum, and the eclectic quartet Magically Delicious.
VAUGHN WIESTER (trombone) is a former instructor of Jazz Studies at Capital University. A former Navy trombonist, he has been a member of the Dave Workman Blues Band, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and toured for two years with the famed Woody Herman Orchestra. Currently he is active as a free-lance trombonist and arranger and performs with numerous organizations in the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus areas. Vaughn is the founder and leader of the 21-piece Famous Jazz Orchestra.
PAUL ROBINSON (banjo & vocal) is Professor of Double Bass in the School of Music at OSU. He was a member of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra for 30 years and is a former member of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C. He has performed, conducted a variety of workshops, or delivered presentations in Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Brazil.
SIDNEY TOWNSEND (tuba & string bass) taught instrumental music in the Westerville School System for twenty-five years. He is a graduate of the OSU School of Music and is presently on the adjunct faculty at Capital University. He is a member of the Columbus Broadway Across America pit orchestra and continues to play the tuba, stringed bass and electric bass with Columbus’ finest jazz and classical musicians.
JIM RUPP (drums) has done extensive touring with the bands of Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, and Glenn Miller and is the drummer on three Woody Herman CDs. Jim spent eight years with Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Diane Schuur, and has also performed with artists such as Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Joe Lavano, Hank Marr, Buddy DeFranco, Clark Terry, Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, and Natalie Cole. Jim is the President of Columbus Pro Percussion Inc.
