Arica Schiffli (Alto Sax) - Arica has played alto sax since 5th grade. Her most favorite place to play was on the football field at half time with the Golden Wave Marching Band (Farmington, IL), and the Marching Illini (University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, aka The Best Band in the Land, right Susan?). She even had her license plate personalized to show her love for band, but let's not talk about that.
Arica now spends her time working with fun people from 9-6 (give or take a couple hours) at Intel where she solves the world's problems one day at a time. Afterwards she can be seen playing with RC Swing, singing loudly at the displeasure of her lucky, newly acquired husband, playing softball in the lowest co-ed division Folsom allows, being a yoga master, and generally enjoying the perks of California.
Arica now spends her time working with fun people from 9-6 (give or take a couple hours) at Intel where she solves the world's problems one day at a time. Afterwards she can be seen playing with RC Swing, singing loudly at the displeasure of her lucky, newly acquired husband, playing softball in the lowest co-ed division Folsom allows, being a yoga master, and generally enjoying the perks of California.
Bert Bertram (Trombone) - Bert started playing trombone professionally at age 14. He studied trombone at the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio, beginning there while a junior in high school; worked his way through the University of Cincinnati electrical engineering college playing swing and progressive jazz with several bands. He took a rest from performing for 5 years while serving in the U. S. Army as a personnel officer and then starting his career in computer engineering. After moving to Seattle in 1969, Bert began playing with the community band, and was soon invited to play with a number of swing bands, Dixieland bands, stage bands, musical shows, and the Bellevue Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. Bert also taught trombone at Bellevue College.
Bert played with the Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band for a little over a year. He left them in 1978 to join John Holte’s Radio Rhythm Orchestra for 25 years, playing hot swing from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. He spent 5 years with the Foggy Bottom Jazz Band. For many years, Bert was a member of the Duwamish Dixieland Jazz Band, the Ain’t No Heaven Seven, and Joe Ross And The Birdwatchers for many years. Bert led his own small band, and regularly played with a number of other bands in the Greater Seattle area. He often performed on American Cruise Lines ships in Seattle, playing trombone, singing, and playing tuba when needed.
Bert has traveled with musical groups throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, British and French Canada, Yukon Territory, and the Cayman Islands. He spent three years touring with a Las Vegas style show band.
Bert retired from computer engineering in 2002 and has been a career musician and performer since then. He moved to California in 2018 to be near family.
Bert played with the Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band for a little over a year. He left them in 1978 to join John Holte’s Radio Rhythm Orchestra for 25 years, playing hot swing from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. He spent 5 years with the Foggy Bottom Jazz Band. For many years, Bert was a member of the Duwamish Dixieland Jazz Band, the Ain’t No Heaven Seven, and Joe Ross And The Birdwatchers for many years. Bert led his own small band, and regularly played with a number of other bands in the Greater Seattle area. He often performed on American Cruise Lines ships in Seattle, playing trombone, singing, and playing tuba when needed.
Bert has traveled with musical groups throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, British and French Canada, Yukon Territory, and the Cayman Islands. He spent three years touring with a Las Vegas style show band.
Bert retired from computer engineering in 2002 and has been a career musician and performer since then. He moved to California in 2018 to be near family.
Beth Crandall (Alto Sax) - Beth began her musical career at age 8, playing violin at James Caldwell School in Springfield, New Jersey. After many years and many different instruments (including voice), she finally settled on saxophone during her junior year of college. She obtained a Music Education degree from Kean University in Union, NJ, and kicked around for a couple of years, teaching marching band and picking up any substitute job she could. She performed with the Rutgers Marching Scarlet Knights during their Big Ten debut season and with Fusion Core, a top 5 corps within the DCA circuit.
In 2017, Beth picked up and moved across the country to California, where she is now the music director at Mills Middle School in Rancho Cordova (alma mater of several RC Swing members!). She is excited to be making music in the same community as her students. In her non-music-related time, Beth enjoys knitting, reading, exploring California with her husband, and following competitive drum corps as fiercely as a middle-aged man follows football.
In 2017, Beth picked up and moved across the country to California, where she is now the music director at Mills Middle School in Rancho Cordova (alma mater of several RC Swing members!). She is excited to be making music in the same community as her students. In her non-music-related time, Beth enjoys knitting, reading, exploring California with her husband, and following competitive drum corps as fiercely as a middle-aged man follows football.
Elizabeth Adams (Bass Trombone) - Elizabeth works as a family nurse practitioner in Butte County.
She started the trombone in 8th grade and played through high school and two years as a music major at Sacramento State before going into nursing. After 30+ years of not playing the horn, Glenn reached out to ask her to join the band. Her anxiety at having possibly forgotten how to read music and remember the note positions on the slide was eclipsed by the unexpected difficulty in seeing the notes on the stand because of presbyopia ("old eyes"). Elizabeth and Aging have a love/hate relationship.
She started the trombone in 8th grade and played through high school and two years as a music major at Sacramento State before going into nursing. After 30+ years of not playing the horn, Glenn reached out to ask her to join the band. Her anxiety at having possibly forgotten how to read music and remember the note positions on the slide was eclipsed by the unexpected difficulty in seeing the notes on the stand because of presbyopia ("old eyes"). Elizabeth and Aging have a love/hate relationship.
Glenn Lewis (Trombone) - Glenn saw his first big band in 4th grade when the Cordova High Jazz Band came to his elementary school. Glenn remained involved in public school music programs throughout high school and participated in the performing music curriculum at American River College before choosing to enter an unrelated career in public service.
After a 30-year hiatus from performing music, he began joined the Shriners Big Band in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Glenn completed a career in public service in 2020 and is currently pursuing a degree in Trombone performance and private music instruction at Cosumnes River College. Glenn is inspired by creating and sharing the gift of music.
After a 30-year hiatus from performing music, he began joined the Shriners Big Band in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Glenn completed a career in public service in 2020 and is currently pursuing a degree in Trombone performance and private music instruction at Cosumnes River College. Glenn is inspired by creating and sharing the gift of music.
Julie Gustafson (Bari Sax) - Hi, Bari the Sax here. Julie and I became partners in 1981. Before that time, Julie started playing my smaller cousin, the alto sax in the 5th grade at Franklin Elementary School in Loomis, CA. During Julie’s freshman year of high school at Del Oro, there were too many altos in the concert band, so Julie switched over to Bari Sax. Ever since then it has been “all about the bass” for Julie. I was a high school graduation present from Julie’s father, Richard Howard (An avid trumpet player himself). Julie credits her love of music to her father, as he was always practicing at home and was a dedicated member of the Sacrament Traditional Jazz Society for many years. Since Julie and I met, I have been dragging her around to play with several different groups over the years: Sierra College Concert Band, Sierra College Wind Ensemble, Sierra College Jazz Band, DeAnza College Concert Band, Foothills College Concert Band and William Jessup Wind Ensemble. Julie is currently playing with the Nevada County Concert Band, the Blended Metal Saxophone Quartet, and, of course, RC Swing.
Kel Karoly (Trumpet) - Kel has been playing trumpet since he was in the fourth grade and got his Bachelor of Music Performance at Sac State.
Mike Burk (Upright Bass) - Mike recently moved to Folsom from Atlanta to join Micron Semiconductor as an automotive system architect. Mike has been playing bass since grade school. From 1964 until today, yes 55 years, he has maintained an active schedule as a semi-professional musician while pursuing his main career as an engineering executive. Mike plays all styles of music but prefers Big Band , so when he was offered a chance to join RC Swing he quickly jumped on the opportunity. Mike has really enjoyed the band so far and plans to hang around.
One amazing story about Mike surfaced as he was introduced into the band. Mike was in a band in Indianapolis that actually played for Susan's sister's wedding 33 years ago. Small world !!!
One amazing story about Mike surfaced as he was introduced into the band. Mike was in a band in Indianapolis that actually played for Susan's sister's wedding 33 years ago. Small world !!!
Stephen Brooks (Guitar) - Steve is a transplant from New York City; moving to California at age 9. Growing up listening to his father’s Frank Sinatra albums, Steve developed an apprecation for the big band sound. Steve pestered his parents for a guitar at age 11 after being insprired by rock and folk artists. The Sears and Roebuck Stella accoustic-finger-pulverizer started the the life-long musical obsession. Making his career in graphic arts he continued learning and playing music along side his day job. Mostly a self-taught guitarist with occassional short stints at lessons, a smattering of classes, and hundreds of barely studied books, Steve continues to persevere in his love of music and jazz.
Susan Boring (Tenor Sax) – Susan came by her love of swing music early in life. Her dad played tenor in and was bandleader of a group called The Sentimental Moods for many years and she always loved hearing his group play. Susan started playing saxophone in the 6th grade and continued throughout school. During college, she joined the “All-American” Marching Band and concert bands at Purdue University. Upon graduating from college, Susan took a few years away from music to join the circus….ahem….Peace Corps in Nepal and to navigate through her 20s. In 2005, after realizing how much she missed making music with a group, she joined the Rancho Cordova River City Concert Band. A few years later, she and some friends decided to start a swing band, she called her dad to see if he still had his library - HE DID! The rest is history (in the making)!
Tim Geach (Piano) - Tim started playing piano at age 11, and spent his early years playing solo classical piano. Listening to his dad play trumpet in big bands in the Sacramento area influenced him in the direction of jazz, and he joined his dad playing in the Cosumnes River College jazz band in 2013. An alto sax player in that band then invited him to join the newly formed RC Swing. He's been having tons of fun swinging with these 17 talented musicians ever since. Besides RC Swing, he plays in the CRC jazz band and the occasional solo piano gig whenever he can pick one up.
Tim Ragan (Trumpet) Tim started playing trumpet in 6th grade. His father, Harold, showed him the basics, and Tim went on to play in concert band, stage band, and jazz band throughout his school years in Monterey.
"Maynard Ferguson played at my high school in 1972, and the trumpets all warmed up in the boy's locker room. It had a cement floor and was quite "echoie", if that's a word. Man oh man, I had never heard the trumpet sound so loud, high, and beautiful."
Tim played through college, studying under Mario Iglesias and Ron Coolidge among others. He picked the horn back up several years ago, and currently plays in other area bands, including East Wind Band and the Capital Brass Quartet. Tim really enjoys the music and fun people in the RC Swing Band, and looks forward to continuing his musical journey with the group.
"Maynard Ferguson played at my high school in 1972, and the trumpets all warmed up in the boy's locker room. It had a cement floor and was quite "echoie", if that's a word. Man oh man, I had never heard the trumpet sound so loud, high, and beautiful."
Tim played through college, studying under Mario Iglesias and Ron Coolidge among others. He picked the horn back up several years ago, and currently plays in other area bands, including East Wind Band and the Capital Brass Quartet. Tim really enjoys the music and fun people in the RC Swing Band, and looks forward to continuing his musical journey with the group.
Walter Benjamin (Trumpet) - A tall, lanky kid of small town middle Georgia roots, his earliest influence came from listening to Al Hirt playing that ‘Nawlins’-style of Danny Boy on television as a wee youngster. Walter fed his newly found passion by learning and playing trumpet in his grade school years. Of course, he was a band geek in his Southwest High school’s concert, jazz and marching bands too. How awesome was it to play for Florida A&M’s Marching 100! Now we’re talkin!
But alas, life happens. The Air Force came a callin’ and put the musical side on the shelf for more years than he’d like to count. Family, Information Tech and a bit of travel later still left him lamenting for more. Pretty soon, YouTube came along and rumblings of nostalgia hit. Al Hirt, Herb Alpert, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Count Basie, Arturo Sandoval and Rick Braun made him hunger out loud. Fed up, his friends had an intervention and convinced him to buy a student trumpet and PLAY!
One thing led to another…Walter found a home with River City Concert Band for a few years before being plucked by RC Swing bandleader, Susan B, when she offered him a ‘sit in’ with the group in 2015. After they allowed him to take home the trumpet book, he never gave it back. Walter calls himself the ‘frustrated trumpet’ player of the section from his dreams of living a grand life of playing swing all day long.
But alas, life happens. The Air Force came a callin’ and put the musical side on the shelf for more years than he’d like to count. Family, Information Tech and a bit of travel later still left him lamenting for more. Pretty soon, YouTube came along and rumblings of nostalgia hit. Al Hirt, Herb Alpert, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Count Basie, Arturo Sandoval and Rick Braun made him hunger out loud. Fed up, his friends had an intervention and convinced him to buy a student trumpet and PLAY!
One thing led to another…Walter found a home with River City Concert Band for a few years before being plucked by RC Swing bandleader, Susan B, when she offered him a ‘sit in’ with the group in 2015. After they allowed him to take home the trumpet book, he never gave it back. Walter calls himself the ‘frustrated trumpet’ player of the section from his dreams of living a grand life of playing swing all day long.
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