I've always felt inspired by music.  I found two old 8-track tapes that were discarded on the street when I was about 10 years old.  8-tracks were out, and cassettes were in!  But I took them home--  Bob Marley "Live" and Elmore James "King of the Delta Blues".  I didn't even have a player, but later found one, on the street again. I played those tapes over and over.  And also The Beatles "White Album", because my Dad had it along with some other great old albums.  I listened to a lot of radio.  As kids, we didn't have any money for just going out to buy music.  Maybe we got a record or two for birthdays.  I remember buying Jesus Christ Superstar for about $4.99 at the White Hen Pantry. Later, I discovered used record stores!  First purchase - "Moonflower" by Carlos Santana.

I began playing guitar and writing songs in about 6th grade. I used to try to multitrack record using two old Panasonic tape recorders. Later, friends persuaded me to try out for high school jazz band. So I spent a summer learning jazz chords and stylings and surprisingly, made the band the following Fall.  I was the only female in the rhythm section.  At that time, girls were not playing electric guitar or bass.   I will always be thankful to Dominican High School and Mark Kleckly, jazz teacher.  The following summer, I auditioned for Summer Street workshops and joined an all-city high school group led by Milwaukee saxophonist Berkeley Fudge. Then Berkeley asked me to join the Inner City Arts Council jazz band as a bass player. 

What other early band experiences did you have?

In the early 1980s, I attended Marquette University's College of Engineering for about a year.  I just wanted to be out playing music, which I did in every bit of spare time with The Elevators, a new wave band. Then, an opportunity came to go down south to play and record with Einstein’s Riceboys.  I was only 19, but decided that school could wait until later. Riceboys was an intensely creative, independent group known for originality and energetic performances. We were on the verge of national recognition with radio airplay everywhere when things broke down.  Overall, it was a great experience. Riceboy's recordings were on the cutting edge of the emerging digital technology. 

Later, I went back to college to complete a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and to revisit favorite energy transformation classes such as electromagnetic fields and thermodynamics. I took some drum classes with Ko Thi African Dance Company. Most importantly, I discovered the practice of Tai Chi Chuan with Grandmaster Chian Ho Yin.  The slow dance-like movements were an awakening.  I began to tune in to the vibrations of the human body's organs and chi meridians. I was in awe of the potential for healing and happiness (embodied in Master Yin) and the healing apsects of sound, energy, and chi.  I decided to get out of the late night music scene and focus on the practice. I realized I could help myself and others.   Later in the early 1990's, I joined Tai Chi Chuan Center of Milwaukee and have continued in the practice of Yang style to this day.

I heard you moved to the East Coast.  Why?

I moved to Boston to work for Raytheon Corporation as a radar engineer on Patriot Missile Defense System and projects. The original GPS frequencies were secret back then.  I still have them memorized!  Now everyone has GPS in their cars.  I just had to find some musicians and found Nerve Ring, an 11-piece performance art group. We did an amazing piece on Evolution at the Institute for Contemporary Art and recorded a fine music video too, but the set got shut down by the police. And, I discovered Ibrahim Camara’s Cambridge drumming circle. Ibrahim gave me my first djembe drum. Back then, women didn't play it for traditional reasons.  But Ibrahim had all the Boston women playing djembes.  He was so welcoming.  We had a great, diverse, musical fellowship going in Cambridge on Wednesday nights.  I think that is what music is all about -- bringing people together.

I returned to Milwaukee in the late 1980s, to work for a small Biotech company. We were using light energy for diagnostic purposes, for example, using infrared light to “see” through the skin in order to measure glucose levels in diabetics. We did projects with ultrasound and hydroponics for the NASA space station.

Did you get back into music?

Yes! After marrying Sheldon Rusch, writer and yoga instructor. I formed Zebra Muscle, a five-piece original rock group.  We produced recordings, videos, and energetic live performances.  I was fortunate to travel to Brazil as an Earthwatch volunteer (the music, culture, and Nature were deeply inspiring!)  But I put everything on hold with the birth of our daughter in 1993.  As a new mother, focusing on family and parenting was top priority. 

At that time, I did some part-time field research in hummingbird communication with Dr. Millicent Ficken and Dr. Carolyn Pytte at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Our work was published in The Condor, The Auk, Animal Behaviour, The Passenger Pigeon, Natural History, National Geographic and others. I did many hours of Nature recording at this time. We made amazing discoveries by slowing down the speedy hummingbird vocalizations. I will always cherish the quiet time spent at sunrise -- recording birds and ambient sounds.   Then Sheldon and I had another daughter and a son!  Music really slowed down with the expanding family, especially playing with others.  I was able to continue writing songs and occasionally performed as a solo bass poet. The Internet was emerging and selections from self-produced recordings "Inside-Out" and "Natural" received international radio airplay on three continents. That was nice feedback.

What is New World Mammal?

When the kids were young, I self-published a group of poems in a handmade natural binding entitled "New World Mammal". I donated all proceeds from the book to Foundation for Children in Need. I created a "New World Mammal" door that is currently on display at Club Timbuktu in Milwaukee.   I just love to keep the creativity flowing and work with others. I started teaching community drumming circles for children ages 5 through 13. I also began creating original soundscape recordings for a dance company in the Eagle River school system. I statred film scoring for Brazilian director Diego Costa.

And now you are back playing live music with kt's Universal Love Band?

I love this group. We have synergy, diversity, and we really enjoy playing together.  I am also involved with Mali Blues Group with Tani Diakite and for the past six years, I have been contributing to  Express Yourself Milwaukee, a non-profit group that facilitates healing artistic expression for under-served Milwaukee youth. I have also been working with youth for the last few years in the Wisconsin Correctional System.

What are some recent highlights in music? 

Jamming with Garifuna drummers in Belize.  Performances with Amlak Tafari, bassist with Steel Pulse and co-production of The River CD for Express Yourself Milwaukee.   Getting to know Jamaican legend Mickey Dread before he passed away. Opening for Mali's world music ambassadors - Amadou and Marium.  Learning to play gamelon ngoni (African harp).  All performances with Universal Love Band!   Recording our new CD "Rising Sun" and bringing it to Drepung Loseling Tibetan refugee monastery in India.  I had a master mix with me when I was so fortunate as to meet H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama.  An experience of a lifetime!  We also co-created an art project with Tibetan refugee youth and Express Yourslef Milwaukee youth.  YouTube of Tibet Milwaukee Art Exchange.

Expression through the arts is a powerful force for positive change and collaborating with others widens the circle. We can develop our self-expression and then share with others – our family, our neighborhood, our city will all benefit from our creative partnerships.            

I thank my teachers for your gifts of wisdom and encouragement. I hope to give to others as much as you have given to me.

I thank friends and family members who have been supportive and also my inspiring musical friends.

I thank my husband, accomplished writer Sheldon Rusch, and our three children.

Some Personal Notes:

I am not a natural performer. I was born with a quiet, somewhat shy temparment. Without going into detail, I didn’t talk much, certainly didn’t sing, and spent many hours in tears during childhood. But I always had a desire to share the songs I heard in my heart. So I began writing them down and learning guitar. It took a long time to find the courage to first play music and later share lyrics.

I’ll never forget Steve Wahlen from an early band, Einstein’s Riceboys, saying: “Get on the mic and sing!” In response, and not to be disrespected by a singing drummer, I put out two words from the song “Essence Rare” by Gang of Four. As I recall the line was “…working classes…” And that was it for vocals with Riceboys.

So many projects, shows, bandmates, some broke out to higher heights and gold records, some didn't make it very far. Creative arts can be punishing to body and soul on many levels. A lot of blood, sweat and more sweat between playing in the early 1980's music scene and today.

Now, I sit in a room at a Milwaukee Public Schools Transitional High School with so many beautiful, young, energetic faces doing what I call ‘community service music’. A security guard nearby, ankle bracelets under baggy pants, an undercurrent of distrust yet curiosity. Gang talk. Drug talk. And the best part dream talk - little golden nuggets of dream talk.

A retired social worker told me last year, “These are the worst kids in Milwaukee.”

Sometimes they give me a hard time, no need to describe the details here. That’s part of the challenge. I know where they come from— heavy burdens, shaky foundations. That’s part of their challenge.

We play some music. We talk about lyrics. We watch global music culture videos. Some of us play. Some of us walk out (but I notice the walk-outs slyly observing from across the room, sometimes). Some of us sleep. Some of us absorb the situation in ways that don’t make sense because this isn’t a typical classroom.

At our last class this session, Lucky Diop and I brought a little sound system, an African Kora and Ngoni—both are stringed harps, my bass, and two vocal mics. We took turns playing. We played to a somewhat unruly audience. But still an audience. “What happened to the guy who taught you to sing that song?” one youth asked Lucky. “He died of TB.” “What’s that?” The questions and answers go forth on many tangential subjects. One youth noticed that my ngoni has a soundhole. He noticed a photo inside the hollow gourd. “Who is that?” He trys to reach in. I said my mother. Then he backed off in a mixture of respect and subsequent distraction, because now the mic was turned ON. I decided to play “Yayu Xale Yi” which means “Mother of the Children” in a West African language called Wolof. I sang the English translation. I dedicated it to all our mothers. The room went silent for a few moments. Later we opened up the mics for the youth and gave them a background foundation beat to express themselves. It was all very good. Messy but good.

From “…working classes…” to “Yayu Xale Yi”, I realize today that I have had to make myself vulnerable again and again over the years to grow. I am thankful for the opportunities to evolve into a community service musician in Milwaukee. I thank everyone who I have worked with for the inspiration.

On being a mother who plays music:

So difficult to find the balance point...  I have "retired" in my mind, many times, felt the music wasn't being given enough time to be 'good', felt my family was short-changed by my practice time and social work with Express Yourself,  felt guilty, tired, double-booked, and finally exhausted.    I know I could have produced more music during the last 14 years.    But I came to the point of surrendering timely goals and transforming my attitude to a long term approach because children grow up quickly and parental presence is crucial.   I am now more peaceful with taking the inch-by-inch approach to creative projects. 

If you read this far, you can get the scoop on the nickname :)

KT is a nickname that was acquired in youth. K is for Kathryn; the origins of the name Kathryn lie with the goddess Hecate, mysterious being usually depicted with a torch to light the darkness. The T is for taiko, one the world’s most ancient sound producing instruments, the drum. The rich history of taiko includes communication, expression, and energizing the masses. The syllable tai or dai means large and the character ko represents shape such as a round or portly shape. So - KT symbolically means to light the dark with big transforming sound.

Humbly just trying to live up to the name!

Einstein's Riceboys "Civil Rice" QL Records 1983

Einstein's Riceboys "Massacre of Love" Unreleased 1983

Einstein's Riceboys "Out-takes"   Unreleased 1983

Zebra Muscle "Zebra Muscle -  9 Songs"   Self-produced  1989 with Video

KT Rusch "Inside-Out"   Self-distributed 1994

KT Rusch "Natural"  MP3.com   1996

56th Street "Ethiopia Sessions" Self-produced 2005

Express Yourself Milwaukee "The River" 2006

"One River" by KT Rusch and co-produced with Amlak Tafari (Yellow Wall Productions / Steel Pulse) and Express Yourself Milwaukee

Mali Blues Group "Live from Madison and Milwaukee" Motherland Recordings (BMI) 2006 

KT Rusch "Sound on Film - Music inspired 'Panacea' and 'The Parricide Sessions' "   

kt's Universal Love Band "Rising Sun" Motherland Recordings 2008

Every small act of forgiveness
brings all of us one step closer to world peace.

Every small judgment between us
leads us down a road of division.

Every small judgment
compounds all of us to war.

Every act of forgiveness,
leads us one step closer to unity.

Every act of compassion
brings you and I one step closer to love.

New poetry published in the last four issues of Journal of Martial Arts and Healing