Grandpa Musselman & His Syncopators is a modern ragtime sextet in New York City consisting of Manhattan School of Music alumni led by trombonist Matt Musselman. The group formed in 2006 when trombonist Matthew "Grandpa" Musselman and five classmates at The Manhattan School began informally rehearsing Jelly Roll Morton stock arrangements from the 1920s (plundered from the Library of Congress).

Though the primary repertoire of The Syncopators is traditional jazz music from the 1920's and 1930's, they are adept interpreters of a vast spectrum of popular American music including marches, ragtime, blues, country, swing, cartoon and movie music, light classical and more by a plethora of composers such as John Philip Sousa, Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, John Kirby, Raymond Scott, and others as well as original compositions and arrangements by group members. In the summer of 2007, The Syncopators were one of six bands selected for the prestigious Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy run by Christian McBride, and have since performed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York Ctiy, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Living Theater, The Zipper Factory Theatre and The Montauk Club. The Syncopator's affinity and appetite for music that has been overlooked in history has led them to collaborate with singers and dancers alike, creating original programs like "Visions of Weimar: German Cabaret music of the 1920's and 1930's" with cabaret sensation Daniel Isengart, "Shanghai Nights: Chinese Jazz in the 1920's" with performer Shien Lee and "The Music of 1924" featuring The Syncopators themselves.

Matt Musselman (trombone), from Bethesda, Maryland, graduated with his bachelor's degree in jazz performance from the Manhattan School of Music in 2008 as a student of Dave Taylor. He has played with some of the great American repertory bands including The Glenn Miller Orchestra, The Artie Shaw Orchestra, and Vince Giordano's Nighthawks. In addition to leading Grandpa Musselman & The Syncopators he performs and tours extensively with the Brooklyn swing outfit The Cangelosi Cards.

Russell Moore (trumpet), from Albuquerque, New Mexico, graduated with his bachelor's degree in jazz performance from the Manhattan School of Music in 2006 as a student of Laurie Frink, Cecil Bridgewater. In 2005 and 2006 he composed and played trumpet in two jazz ballets as part of Barnard College's "Orchesis" dance program. This spring he will attend Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music under the direction of Dave Douglas.

Vincent Nero (soprano saxophone), from Haddon Township, New Jersey, graduated with his bachelor's degree from the Manhattan School of Music in jazz performance in 2008 as a student of Dick Oatts, Steve Wilson, and Chris Rosenberg. As a member of the MSM Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble, he is featured on the group's forthcoming album "Kenya Revisited." At present he is performing and recording with the rock band Goodbye Picasso.

Bryan Reeder (piano), from New York City, graduated with his bachelor's degree in jazz performance from the Manhattan School of in 2008 as a student of Kenny Barron and Jason Moran. In 2008 his jazz trio enjoyed a month-long residency backing singer Euan Morton at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel in New York. He is now composing and performing in several ensembles including the rock project Where's Ilva?.

Dan Peck (tuba), from East Brunswick, New Jersey, graduated with his bachelor's degree in music from Rutgers University in 2005 as a student of Scott Mendoker and graduated with his master's degree in orchestral performance from Manhattan School of Music in 2007 as a student of Toby Hanks. He has worked with conductors such as James Levine and Herbert Blomstedt, composers such as Anthony Braxton and Bruce Neely, and New York luminaries such as Dave Taylor and Dave Liebman. Currently leads his own avante-garde jazz trio.

Will Clark (drums), from Eugene, Oregon, graduates with his master's degree in jazz performance from the Manhattan School of Music this year as a student of John Riley and Samir Chatterjee. At the Manhattan School of Music, Will has performed in the Chamber Jazz Ensemble, the Concert Jazz Band, the Jazz Philharmonic, and the Jazz Orchestra with such artist as Steve Slagle, Dick Oatts and Dave Liebman. Presently, he is the featured drummer with Kyle Saulnier's New Awakening Orchestra.