Rick Leppanen

A native of Marquette, Michigan, Rick has a degree in mathematics and a minor in music from Northern Michigan University.  His playing experience includes rock (he started as a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist at age 17), country, and jazz bands.  He has been a jazz educator, teaching in the Marquette public schools under a grant from the NEA and Michigan Council for the Arts, and also taught at the Michigan Tech. Summer Youth Program for seven years. He has toured nationally with show groups, and since 1985 he has freelanced as a jazz bassist in the Seattle area.  Rick recorded with the group Room to Move, with blues guitarist Eric Madis, and others, and has been a member of Pearl Django since June 1998.