Photo by Mark Baker
SAXOPHONES
PAUL GILLESPIE (tenor saxophone, flute) – Paul is a tenor saxophonist who performs regularly in the Seattle area as a member of the Jazz Police, PGM Trio, Kevin McCarthy Quartet, and others. He aspires to compose and perform modern music and develop a unique style and sound as a jazz artist. Paul studied composition with William O. Smith and recently finished writing a string quartet. A graduate of Indiana University and the University of Washington, Paul currently teaches music in the Bellevue (Washington) School District.
BARBARA HUBERS-DRAKE (alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet) – Barbara began on saxophone in 4th grade when Carl Hoon, her music teacher, told her that she was made to play saxophone. She put down her saxophone during her sophomore year at Iowa State University after being told the marching band wasn’t for girls. Twenty-five years later, the longing to play saxophone resurfaced, and she embraced it once again, proving it’s never too late to revive or begin a new musical journey. Since then, Barbara has built an impressive resume, encompassing performing, founding new bands, and arranging/composing. She has formed notable quartets, including Bamboo and Brass LTD, Our House Jazz Quartet, and Four Moore, and co-founded the 17-piece Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO). Her performance repertoire has included appearances with SWOJO, Moonlight Swing Orchestra, 85th Street Big Band, Kings of Swing, South Sound Saxophone Ensemble, Yellow Hat Band, Carnival Band, Fidgety Feet Jazz Band, Cascade Symphony Orchestra, Formation Wind Band, and Highline Symphonic Band among others. In addition to performing with Critical Mass Big Band, she currently performs with Our House Jazz Quartet, Bamboo and Brass LTD, Fidgety Feet Jazz Band, and South Sound Saxophone Ensemble. Despite not having studied music in college, she is a testament to lifelong learning. As a “late bloomer”, she is currently honing her jazz skills with Bob Reynolds and Greg Fishman, and studying classical saxophone under Dr. Erik Steighner at Pacific Lutheran University.
AL LOWE (alto and soprano saxophone) – Al began his professional music career at the young age of 13, using his alto saxophone skills to fund his college education. Sixty-five years later, he continues to play professionally. After teaching instrumental music at various public-school levels, he became the music coordinator for a large California school district. Having achieved his career goals and reached the top of the salary schedule, Al transitioned to the video game industry. He was a pioneer in creating some of the first educational video games, composing music for many early titles, and designing and coding numerous games, including the highly successful Leisure Suit Larry series. This achievement allowed him to retire at 52, spending more time with his family, enjoying music, and playing golf. Currently, Al performs with the Eastside Saxophone Quartet alongside his wife, Margaret, and with MOJO, a reading big band that has been active since 1989.
IAN BASQUES-JELLISON (tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet) – Ian, a Seattle native, has been the Music Director of Critical Mass Big Band since 2022. He began his musical journey at the age of eleven playing both saxophone and clarinet. He has been performing professionally in the Puget Sound area since 2005. Ian studied saxophone under Greg Metcalf and attended Stanford University, where he played jazz while earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Ian has performed with renowned artists such as Buster Williams, Dave Douglas, Ingrid Jensen, Jon Faddis, Katerina Pavlikova, Dave Camwell, and Roscoe Mitchell. He has also played with local bands including the Eastside Modern Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Police, Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra, Moonlight Swing Orchestra, and Northwest Jazz Conspiracy.
SARA VOSKUHL (baritone saxophone, clarinet) – Sara became a multi-instrumentalist early on by convincing her parents to stop at every pawn shop they passed, buying old instruments for a few bucks so that she could learn them all. After college, she set aside the instruments while focusing on her cartography career, but brought them back out of storage when she pivoted into band instrument repair a few decades later. Always an excellent reader, Sara holds down the low end on baritone saxophone, having played with local groups including Route 66 Big Band, Moonlight Swing Orchestra, Harder than Contra, The Mood Swings, and others. Sara can also be found playing clarinet with the Woodinville Community Band and Emerald Harmonies Clarinet Choir, and indulges her love of all the other woodwinds while fixing musical instruments at her business, BandWright Repair.
TRUMPETS
MARK BAKER (trumpet, flugelhorn) – Mark’s career as a trumpet performer began in high school when he toured throughout America and Europe with Wayne Watson and the Continental Singers. He has performed at jazz venues throughout Europe including the North Sea and Montreux Jazz Festivals, and with many artists including Matt Catingub, Dave Frishberg, Bud Shank, The Four Freshmen, The Hi-Lo’s, Mark Murphy, The Ritz, Soundsation, Ernestine Anderson, and Bobby Shew. After moving to Minnesota and Colorado, Mark is back in Seattle performing jazz, solo, and orchestral work in the Seattle area and is excited to be in a brand-new group playing Hornheads music. He is currently studying trumpet with John Harbaugh at CWU.
MARTY MOLLOY (trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone) – Marty is a Seattle-based jazz player whose sound reflects both the city’s rich musical traditions and his own deep love for improvisation. His career has spanned small jazz groups, large Latin jazz ensembles, hot Brazilian bands, and energetic Afro-pop dance bands, giving his playing a versatility and spirit that shines whether he’s in the brass section or stepping forward as a soloist. Along the way, Marty has been fortunate to study and perform with outstanding mentors, including George Bornkamp, Jim Knapp, Julian Priester, Larry Fowlkes, Barbara Donald, Woody Shaw, Carter Jefferson, Anthony Braxton, Peggy Stern, Gary Peacock, Jerry Granelli, Joe Henderson, Ron Soderstrom, Jim Coile, Brian Chambers, Lonnie Williams, Jon Goforth, Fred Radke, and Jay Thomas. Their inspiration continues to shape his musical voice, which blends the power of the big band tradition with the colors and rhythms of global music. With warmth, energy, and a genuine love for the music, Marty brings heart and joy to every performance.
JEFF LEINBAUGH (trumpet, flugelhorn) –
GREG KLEIN (trumpet, flugelhorn) –
VICTOR ROSS (trumpet, flugelhorn) – Victor began his musical career at the age of 10 when he picked up the guitar. Without a backward glance, he then chose the trumpet at the age of 14. Victor played trumpet through high school with Highline High School’s symphonic and stage bands in Burien, Washington. His musical journey continued for four years with the University of Hawaii’s Jazz Ensemble. In 1984, he set aside his trumpet to pursue a career as a CPA. Seventeen years later, with the encouragement of Rich Wetzel, he returned to his trumpet and joined Critical Mass Big Band (f/k/a Tsunami) in 2001, the year it was founded. He is one of its longest playing members. Victor has witnessed the band’s evolution from an informal community group to its present stature. He is honored to perform alongside some of the finest musicians in the Pacific Northwest.
TROMBONES
JIM ELDER (trombone) – Jim discovered his love for the trombone back in middle school, drawn to its deep, rich tone. With the encouragement of a dedicated private teacher, he developed a passion for music that carried him through high school and college. After setting aside his horn for nearly two decades to run a small business, Jim returned to playing and has been making up for lost time ever since. His musical heart lies in jazz, swing, trad jazz, and funk. Inspired early on by Chicago’s James Pankow and guided by his high school music teacher Frank Minear, a former member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Jim developed a style rooted in big band tradition with a flair for expressive, energetic playing. Jim has played with a wide range of groups, including Whiskey 8 Phat Band, Emerald City Horns, Cascadia Big Band, Mach One Big Band, Crossroads Bible Church Orchestra, Wild Wave Dixieland Band, Washington State University (WSU) Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra, and the award-winning Auburn High School Jazz Band. A career highlight came in 1977 when Jim was selected to perform with America’s Youth in Concert, playing at legendary venues such as Carnegie Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall, and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. In addition to Critical Mass Big Band, Jim currently performs with Seattle Solid Gold, and Fidgety Feet Jazz Band.
DAVE BUCK (trombone) – Dave, the son of a high school band director, was awarded his first trombone at the age of seven. He earned a BA from Cal State, Fullerton, where he studied trombone with Kenny Sawhill and Mike Jameson. Later, he received an M.Arch from the University of Utah. Dave performed one summer at Disneyland and has shared the stage with Tom Ranier, Grant Geisman, Doc Severinson, Stan Kenton, and Maynard Ferguson—though he believes they probably won’t remember him. In addition to performing with Critical Mass Big Band, Dave leads the BelPres Trombone Choir.
DOUG LORA (trombone) – Doug started his musical journey with the trombone in 5th grade and has never looked back. Throughout his career, he has performed in jazz bands, small bands, concert bands, marching bands, combos, and symphonies. Doug’s extensive experience spans various venues, including recording studios, restaurants, clubs, churches, and significant regional locations such as the Paramount Theater in Seattle, WA; the ShoWare Center in Kent, WA; the First Interstate Center for the Arts in Spokane, WA; the Moda Center in Portland, OR; and the Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, BC. His musical talents have taken him around the world. Notably, he traveled across Great Britain with the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Marching Band, culminating in a 23-minute halftime show at the Football Association Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium, which is the UK equivalent of the Super Bowl. Doug also performed throughout Switzerland with the NMSU Jazz Band, including at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival. For eight seasons, Doug played lead trombone for Symphonia Northwest, a contracted symphony that toured regionally with musical artists Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant, performing Christmas shows. Additionally, he toured 32 U.S. states and the former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria, and Switzerland with the Continental Singers and Orchestra. Doug has had the privilege of performing with remarkable artists, including trumpet players Wayne Bergeron, Phil Driscoll, and Clark Terry; saxophonists Tony Campise, Pete Christlieb, Dave Camwell, Katerina Pavlikova, and Steve Marsh; trombonist Linda Small; and vocalists Danny Quintero, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Jordon Smith, Anacani, and Kyli Lora.
VINNIE CHRIST (bass trombone) – Vinnie plays bass trombone with the Critical Mass Big Band, bringing a passion for music and a remarkable ability to lift the spirits of the musicians around him with his humor. Vinnie’s mechanical aptitude, musicianship, and wit also provide service and support to Seattle-area brass musicians at his instrument repair business, BandWright Repair. Since moving to Seattle in 2013 to pursue a career in musical instrument repair, he has performed with various ensembles and bands, including Pacifica Big Band, Cascadia Big Band, “Harder than Contra,” Woodinville Community Band, Poker Club Brass Ensemble, Mach One Big Band, Riverwinds Concert Band, “the Of,” Northwest Symphony Orchestra, and The Seattle Wind Symphony.
RHYTHM
NEAL ADAMS (guitar) – Neal is a talented seven-string guitarist, music instructor, and composer based in Seattle, WA. A 1998 graduate of Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Composition, Neal also pursued advanced performance studies at California State University, Fullerton. Over his 40 years of guitar playing, he has had the privilege of learning from several esteemed musicians, including seven-string guitar master Ron Eschete (Gene Harris, Ray Brown, Warren Marsh, Hampton Hawes, Dizzy Gillespie), Brad Rabuchin (Ray Charles), Milo Peterson (Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra), Mark White (Berklee College of Music), Garrison Fewell (Berklee College of Music), and guitar Master Ted Greene (The Chord Chemist). In 2015, Neal felt inspired to move to Seattle and join the vibrant local community of musicians and artists in the Pacific Northwest. He currently leads his own band, These Certain Birds, and is an active member of Critical Mass Big Band and Jazz Underground. Neal also imparts his musical knowledge as an instructor at Sound Music School and Off the Wall School of Music in Seattle.
SETH AHNERT (piano) – Seth teaches and performs on both piano and percussion. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Whitworth University and a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado. As a percussionist, he has performed in jazz ensembles small and large as well as in symphonic settings. As a pianist, he is equally at home exploring the works of Bach and Mozart or Ellington and Monk. His work as a percussionist informs his rhythmic perspective as a pianist, while his piano experience adds a melodic sensibility to his drumming. In addition to playing piano with Critical Mass Big Band, he can be heard with smaller jazz groups around the Pacific Northwest such as Chehalem Jazz Trio, the Deb Nielsen Quartet, and Bamboo and Brass LTD.
ROB PARKS (drums) – Rob grew up in Seattle and began playing all manner of musical instruments starting at about age seven before finally focusing on drums and percussion. He played in various bands through public school and studied in the jazz program at Seattle Pacific University with Bill Watrous, Martin Behnke, and others. During that time, he started a long involvement with the contemporary Christian music scene, playing in churches and playing on numerous recording projects. He also played with Pat Boone, Debbie Boone, Dino Kartsonakis, Don Francisco, and many others. After college Rob hit the road for a few years with various rock bands, playing in nightclubs in Hawaii and across the western states. After taking a few years off to raise a family and write software, Rob returned to the music scene. He keeps a busy schedule of dates playing jazz, rock, and orchestral music in a wide variety of settings.
PHIL DEMAREE (bass) – Phil, a native of Boulder, Colorado, and an alumnus of the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), has over 25 years of experience playing bass. While at UNC, he studied under Gene Aitken. Throughout his career, he has toured the U.S. and Canada, performing alongside renowned artists such as Ray Charles, The Mills Brothers, Dianne Schuur, Joe Williams, and John Gary. In addition to his bass playing, Phil is a former vocalist with the Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra. He frequently performs and sings with Roadside Attraction Big Band and the vocal trio Trish, Hans, and Phil. His talents extend to composing and arranging music for each of these groups as well as for Critical Mass Big Band. Phil has also arranged choral pieces for the Seattle Choral Company, including “Santa Through the Swing Years,” which premiered at SCC’s Christmas concert in 2004. A true Renaissance man for the new millennium, Phil possesses extensive experience in the computer industry, having dedicated nearly two decades to troubleshooting computer hardware and software.
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Ian Basques-Jellison
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Barbara Hubers-Drake, President
- Rob Parks, President Emeritus/Advisor
- Ian Basques-Jellison, Music Director
- Victor Ross, Treasurer
- Phil Demaree
- Dave Buck
- Marty Molloy
