Maile Quinn - saxophones, flute, voice
My name is Maile and I'm a second year student at UCSB. I'm a Film Studies major from Long Beach and transferred to UCSB after one year in community college. I have played saxophone in big band since middle school and have sung vocal jazz since high school. I started my own combo in 2021 and we have been gigging regularly around the Southern California area since then! We play private events and have monthly residencies at restaurants and bars in Long Beach. Since moving to UCSB, I have joined the jazz ensemble and an awesome, new jazz combo. I'm excited to continue developing my skills and making music with the amazing musicians at this school. My goal is to keep performing jazz as long as I can, wherever I can.
Ryan Badie - drums
Hello! My name is Ryan Badie. I am a sophomore studying sociology and psychological and brain sciences, now enjoying my second year as a drummer in the UCSB Jazz Ensemble and Combos. Coming from a background of rock and heavy metal drumming along with some roots in classical piano, to pick up the art of jazz has been a difficult yet extremely rewarding experience. Joining the jazz community at UCSB (with very minimal experience) has given me the privilege and challenge of keeping up with some of the best musicians I have ever played with. I credit all my recent progression as a musician and drummer to this amazing program, and I couldn't be more grateful to be a member of such a talented community.
Ariel Spagnolo - piano
I am a second-year physics major from Berkeley, and I currently play piano in one of the Jazz Ensemble’s combos, as well as playing bassoon in the Chamber Orchestra. I grew up in a musical household, where I was exposed to a wide variety of genres and styles of music-making. I studied several instruments earlier in life, before settling on piano and bassoon in middle school, when I also started playing jazz. In high school, I played each year with one of the five teacher-directed big bands, as well as various combos. In this environment, I got to play with a wide range of really wonderful musicians, allowing me to fully fall in love with jazz; I even had the chance to play live on air for KCSM’s Jazz on the Hill program! After coming to UCSB, I keep finding even newer ways of enjoying this music.
