Jazz in the Basement is a monthly concert series featuring local artists, coordinated with the assistance of volunteers Bertrand Uberall and John Cook. The concerts are intended to highlight young artists, new composers, or unique jazz sounds to broaden the listening landscape of our Washington, D.C. audiences. The D.C. Public Library is a proud supporter of our local music community and looks forward to expanding valuable resources to assist musicians in their creative and professional endeavors.
This February, Stage Dog Trio presents an afternoon of jazz chamber music inspired by the Penguin Cafe. Stage Dog Trio is
Liz Prince (tuba),
Jon Birkholz (guitar), and
John Dierker (bass clarinet and reeds). This Baltimore-based ensemble was formed in 2015 as Stage Dog Band, along with cellist Zack Branch. Prior performances have offered a blend of traditional jazz (Ellington’s "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo") mixed with more modern music (Nina Simone’s "Baltimore" and Kotorino’s "Sky’s On Fire"). This stripped-down trio performance promises to deliver an afternoon of improvised chamber music inspired by the delightful music of the Penguin Cafe.
Liz Prince started out playing tuba in a trad jazz combo at Roosevelt High School. She played tuba in the band from 2003-8 while studying tuba performance and music history at the University of Maryland. Liz went on to play trad jazz gigs in New York City, Baltimore, and D.C., with bands and ensembles such as Grandpa Musselman and the Syncopators, Dix Out, Sac Au Lait, and the Capital Focus Jazz Band.
Multi-reedman
John Dierker has become a major improvisational stylist, "interweaving concepts augmented by howling lines, injections of blues-drenched choruses, and Albert Ayler-like display of energy" (All About Jazz). A Baltimore, Maryland native, Dierker has worked in a wide variety of musical settings, collaborating with Peter Zummo, Jason Willett, Jad Fair, The Basement Boys, Michael Formanek, and Marty Ehrlich, to name a few. He is a longtime member of Lafayette Gilchrist and The New Volcanoes. Currently, he is working with Quartet Offensive, Lubbock, and Microkingdom, as well as freelancing in the Baltimore/D.C. area. He also is a faculty member in the Towson University Department of Music.
Jon Birkholz is a Baltimore-based multi-instrumentalist and composer/arranger. After relocating from Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2003, he has succeeded as a full-time professional musician since leaving his last day job as a mate on the Baltimore water taxi in 2004. Jon plays with Baltimore bands Super City, $100 Girlfriend, Adjective Animal, and Soul Cannon. He also records projects in his home studio, Strong Records, and hosts shows in his house, The Hippo Hut, as well as other local venues.
RSVP
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