Russell Scarbrough is a composer and trombonist living in Rochester, New York. His music has been performed by professional and university jazz ensembles, pops orchestras, and military ensembles across the United States and in Asia. He received a degree in Jazz Composition from Towson State University where he studied composition & arranging with Hank Levy and played lead trombone in the TSU Jazz Ensemble on two recordings. He also attended the Eastman School of Music, studying with composer Bill Dobbins, and receiving his Master of Music degree in 2004 and Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2008.

In the 1990's Scarbrough spent several years in Phoenix, Arizona where he worked with tuba virtuoso Sam Pilafian and was the first director of the Concert Jazz Band II at Arizona State University. He recorded with the Mahronic-Pilafian-Hopkins Jazz Nonet on their 1997 release, "Hidden Agenda", on Summit Records.

As a trombonist, Scarbrough was Assistant Principal Trombone in the Gettysburg Symphony Orchestra from 1990-1995, performing the Rimsky-Korsakov "Concerto for Trombone" during the 1992-1993 season. He has studied with John Gifford, John Melick, Wayne Wells, Harry Watters, Mark Kellogg, and John Marcellus.

While at Eastman his music was performed by various classical and jazz ensembles and featured in events such as the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Eastman Jazz Showcase and the 2003 Commencement Ceremony. He has played trombone in the new music ensemble Ossia, the Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra, the Eastman Trombone Choir and Bionic Bones, the New Jazz Ensemble and the Dave Rivello Ensemble. In 2004 he was awarded the Raymond and Maxine Schirmer Prize in Jazz Composition. In 2005, he became the first recipient of the "Billy Joel Scholarship" at Eastman. In receiving this award, Scarbrough composed a major new work, a 28-minute, three movement Concerto Grosso for Jazz Quintet and Orchestra, premiered by the Eastman Studio Orchestra in March 2006.

In 2003, Scarbrough formed a new 18-piece ensemble, the Russell Scarbrough Big Band, to feature his own original works and new compositions by young composers in the Rochester area. Scarbrough and two other composers were commissioned by The Commission Project to write new works for a concert of premieres featuring the Russell Scarbrough Big Band in February 2005. Since then, the band has occasionally expanded to orchestral size to feature his works for studio jazz orchestra.

Since 2005, Scarbrough has been the director of the Roberts Wesleyan College Jazz Ensemble. The ensemble regularly performs his original compositions, and features well-known jazz artists.