All Members – Past and Present
In Alphabetical Order:
Moe Koffman (flute, saxophone, clarinet, composer, arranger) was born Dec. 28, 1928 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He passed away on March 28, 2001 in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada. A Canadian jazzlegend, Koffman gained lasting respect and recognition by his peers as one of the nation’s most important jazz institutions throughout a celebrated five-decade career in which he recorded dozens of albums and performed with legions of the music’s greats. Moe Koffman was on of Canada’s true jazz icons, and in recognition of that, was...
read morePat LaBarbera (saxophonist, teacher, composer) was born in Mt. Morris, NY, in 1944. His first teacher was his father, Joseph, a clarinetist. His brothers are also noted jazz musicians: Joe, a drummer, and John, an arranger and composer. LaBarbera’s other teachers included Joe Viola, Don Menza, and Joe Allard (saxophone), Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, and Warne Marsh (improvisation), and Bernie Piltch (flute). LaBarbera also studied arranging and composition 1964-7 at the Berklee College of Music, Boston. After travelling 1967-74 as a...
read moreBob Leonard (baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute) has spent 20 years in Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass while also playing in the pit orchestra’s of Toronto’s busy theatres. As he puts it, “too many shows and acts to count or name”. He also has played on numerous jingles and film scores. He is a first rate woodwind doubler which has continued to place him in demand with Toronto based bands and has recently been playing in the John MacLeod, Rex Jazz Orchestra in downtown Toronto.
read moreRuss Little (trombonist, composer, arranger, conductor) was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1941. He was raised on the island of Jamaia for the first few years of his life before moving back to Canada to attend Malvern Collegiate Institute and the University of Toronto where in 1966 he attained his honours degree in the Humanities, with special emphasis on History and English. It was during his time at Malvern Collegiate that he was taught trombone and inspired by the legendary teacher, trombonist George M. McRae. While studying at...
read moreBob Livingston (trombonist) is a charter member of Rob McConnell’s famed boss Brass, playing trombone in live concert, recording, and touring with that renowned big band from the time of its formation in 1968. He is heard on more than 30 albums and CD’s with The Boss Brass, and many other recordings including releases by Santana, John Herbeman, The Spitfire Band, Singers Unlimited, Mel Torme, and The Hi-Los. He was a member of Doug Hamilton’s Brass Connection and Ian McDougall’s Trombone Workshop Octet, and long-time...
read moreLorne Lofsky (guitarist) started off playing rock music but took an interest in jazz upon hearing the Miles Davis album “Kind of Blue”. Hearing this record was, for Lofsky, a musical revelation that led to a dramatic change in his approach to playing music. Lofsky began a more formal study of music while attending York University, in the mid 70’s (’74/75), focusing on jazz theory and performance. He spent two years under the guidance of John Gittins and Bob Witmer. At a gig in Toronto Lofsky met jazz pianist Oscar...
read moreJames MacDonald (french horn) is a freelance professional French Horn player, educator, and conductor from Ontario, Canada who has enjoyed many successes in a wide variety of musical activities over many years of music making. he continues (29 years now) as principal horn with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and also plays with the Ontario Philharmonic, and orchestra based in durham region just east of Toronto, where he lives in the town of Port Perry. As well, he occasionally works with the orchestras of Brantford, Kingston, Hamilton,...
read moreJohn MacLeod (trumpet, flugelhorn, composer, arranger, bandleader) was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1955. His impeccable credentials in nearly every aspect of the music industry have been firmly established in a distinguished career spanning over three decades on the Canadian music scene as a player, composer, arranger, and conductor. As a jazz artist, he has had the opportunity to perform with many of the music’s legends as well as some of the leading names in the world today. He has worked with every major figure on the Toronto...
read moreSteve McDade (trumpet/flugelhorn) was born in Bridgeton Cross, Glasgow, Scotland in 1962. His family moved to Burlington, Ontario, Canada, when Steve was 4 years old. McDade began playing the trumpet at the age of 12 with the Burlington Teen Tour Band, touring Europe and North America to participate in band competitions, and at just 14 was featured as a soloist at Hamilton Place in Hamilton, Ontario. He played professionally throughout the area after that, and entered the Humber College Jazz Studies program when he was 18 years old. McDade...
read moreIan McDougall (trombonist, arranger, composer) was born in 1938, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and grew up in victoria, British Columbia where he began his “professional” career at the age of 12 when he joined the Victoria Local (247) of the American Federation of Musicians, the youngest person ever to join that local. Ian is perhaps best known for his work as lead trombonist with Rob McConnell”s Grammy and JUNO Award-winning “The Boss Brass” for 20 years, during which time two suites composed by McDougall –...
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