Rusty Higgins

Rusty Higgins is an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, & session musician. Based out of Los Angeles, Higgins has been working in the music industry for over 40 years and has performed with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Aretha Franklin, Ralph Carmichael, Bob Florence, Les Brown, Toni Tennille, and countless others.

David "Rusty" Higgins is an Akron, Ohio native who attended Cuyahoga Falls High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and graduated in 1967. Rusty then went on to Kent State to pursue a major in Bassoon Performance at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. He then traveled with many different bands for five years before moving to Los Angeles, where he has served as a woodwind doubler (saxophone, clarinet, flute) for 39 years. His primary experiences include extensive recording studio, theater, and jazz concert work. In addition to teaching at APU, he has conducted master classes, clinics, and jazz workshops at high schools throughout California and Ohio, as well as atKent State University and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Higgins was previously a featured sax soloist with Les Brown’s Band of Renown. He joined Captain & Tennille in 1979 and served as Toni Tennille’s symphony orchestra conductor beginning in 1984, conducting more than 70 orchestras. He played for both of Ronald Regan’s presidential inaugural balls. Additional performance experience includes playing in the bands of Gordon Goodwin (Big Phat Band), Louis Bellson, Clark Terry (Montreux Jazz Festival), Ray Anthony, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bill Holman, Bob Florence, Tom Kubis, Wayne Bergeron, Ralph Carmichael, Nelson Riddle, Jack Sheldon, Ray Charles (Hollywood Bowl), Buddy Miles, L.A. Rams Band, and others. Higgins has also recorded and/or performed with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Mel Tormé, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Sting, Kenny G., Arturo Sandoval, Michael Buble, Michael Feinstein, the Temptations, Diana Ross, Manhattan Transfer, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Cash, Avenged Sevenfold, and more.

In 2000, Higgins won a Grammy with Bob Florence for producing the Album, Serendipity 18 Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance.

Besides recording and performing, Higgins has been teaching the saxophone students at Azusa Pacific University since 2002. He also directs the Azusa Pacific Jazz Ensemble #2, and teaches the woodwind techniques course. Rusty also owns and manages his own store, Long Beach Woodwinds.

Rusty is married to his wife Georgia, and have three children: David, Benjamin and Erin.

References

1. Biography of Rusty Higgins on the Phil Norman Tentet website: 2. Interview with David Beatty, director of Commercial Music at Azusa Pacific University, conducted on Sept. 17th 2016