Rusty has been an intregal part of the Chicago Jazz scene since 1968, when he joined Judy Robert's trio. Since then he has worked with almost all the top Chicago-based artisits including Larry Novak, Patricia Barber, Frank Portolese, Frank D'Rone, Jim Beebe, Johnny Gabor, Marc Pompe, and Johnny Frigo, to name a few. He spent six years touring the world with George Shearing until 1978, after which he free-lanced locally and nationally, working off and on for several years with Marion McPartland and Adam Makowicz. Among his other credits he can include Buddy DeFranco, Lee Konitz, Ira Sullivan, Monty Alezander, Mose Allison, Bobby Engriquez, etc., including singers Mark Murphy, Anita O'Day, Sylvia Sims, and Morgana King.

Besides being active as a full-time player he enjoys teaching both in clinics and privately in his home in Park Ridge, Illinois. Some of his credits include workshops at the University of Arkansas, Milikin University, University of Texas El Paso, and Chautauqua Institute in New York. He has written articles published in Modern Drummer Magazine and Percussive Arts Notes.

Having had many years of experience playing in all types of jazz from traditional to ultra modern he enjoys sharing his knowledge with others with emhasis on practical techniques and concepts pertinent to both commercial and jazz music.

Since so much of his experience has been in the areas of piano trios and backing singers, one of his specialties is the brushes, but he also loves to fire it up with high intensity modern bebop.

Feel free to contact him for information about bookings either as a side man or leader, or about clinics and private lessons.