Cutts Peaslee

Cutts is a drummer/percussionist with 30+ years of experience performing and recording a wide range of styles.

Growing up in New York City, Cutts had the good fortune as a teenager and young adult to hear and be inspired by many of his jazz drummer heroes, in small club settings - artists like Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, Billy Higgins, Steve Gadd, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette and others.

Cutts studied jazz drumming with several excellent teachers, notably Alan Dawson, in Lexington, MA, for 3 years, who imparted a deep appreciation for rudimental expertise and thoughtful musicality.  Cutts also studied at Berklee College of Music, and played in big bands throughout his high school and college years.

In Seattle, Cutts has played jazz with the Walking Hat Trio as well as numerous freelance gigs, blues with Eric “Two Scoops” Moore and others, roots rock with Randy Weeks, Louisiana zydeco and funk with Jockomo and Captain Leroy, and hard rock with Count Foxy and Thing Changers.  While living in New Orleans prior to Seattle, he performed and toured with the jazz-rock group Blood and Grits and cajun band Mamou.

As a teacher, Cutts aims to share with students his life-long love of music and drumming in particular, emphasizing musicality and technical rigor while encouraging freedom of personal expression.  A former software engineer of 20+ years, Cutts can also speak to the challenges as well as benefits of balancing music with a non-musical career day job.