Evento

Merrimans' Playhouse Jazz Performance Series presents J.J. Wright Group

J.J. Wright's style cannot be easily categorized. Trained as a jazz improviser at the New School for Jazz in NYC, he's also passionate about sacred music. Palestrina and Bach vie with Monk and Cannonball Adderley as just a few of his harmonic and melodic inspirations. While with the US Naval Academy Band, Wright performed for the Presidentalong with several other high-profile diplomatic gigsand the Caribbean Jazz Project: Afro Bop Alliance, recording and performing with vibraphonist and Latin Grammy award-winner Dave Samuels.

J.J. is Director of Music at Sacred Heart Parish, the crypt church underneath the University of Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and is the editor and creator of Sacred Music at Notre Dame's online journal: Music and the Sacred.

Matt Ulery is a Chicago based bassist and composer performing since the age of 14 years. Ulery's music is informed by the entire spectrum of jazz, classical, rock, pop, and folk specifically American, South American, Balkan, and other European folk styles. He performs not only on upright and electric bass, but doubles on tuba.

Ulery is the leader of his own group, Loom, and a member, among others, of Eastern Blok, and the Grazyna Auguscik Group. Ulery has released 5 albums of all original music under his name including his most recent release of a double album on Dave Douglas's Greenleaf Music record label in June 2012.

Jon Deitemyer has quickly earned his place among a new breed of creative, expressive jazz drummers. Grammy-winning singer Patricia Barber raves: "Jon Deitemyer is the drummer everybody wants right now" and Chicagojazz.com says: "Jon Deitemyer has earned a reputation as a must-hear drummer and doesn't disappoint."