Kris Tokarski Trio - Honoring New Orleans Legends Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver and More...
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Show Ticket $25 Dinner is required with all reservations. *6:30 PM SHOW - DINNER RESERVATIONS FROM 5:15 PM *9:00 PM SHOW - DINNER RESERVATIONS FROM 8:00 PM Kris Tokarski - Piano Andy Schumm - Cornet, Trumpet, Clarinet Hal Smith - Drums “Tokarski knows how to swing and stride — with both hands — and his playing is fluid, supple — never stiff. His accompaniment is the very definition of sweet teamwork, and his solos are full of surprises: you can’t tell where he is about to land, but it’s graceful and satisfying when he does.” - Michael Steinman ( Jazz Lives) In 2011, Tokarski moved to New Orleans to complete a master's degree at the University of New Orleans. Shortly after moving to the "Cradle of Jazz" he embraced the early piano traditions of the city as well as those of the early New York and Chicago masters. A keen interest in the music of Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson; combined with his bebop roots allowed Tokarski to develop an all encompassing voice of his own, deeply rooted in the jazz piano tradition. Andy Schumm is a cornetist, pianist, and arranger specializing in the jazz and popular music styles of the 1920s. Schumm is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger originally from Wisconsin. As a member of the Chicago-based band, the Cellar Boys, you can hear him play cornet, clarinet, and saxophone. Andy has appeared all over the traditional jazz world, both domestically and internationally. He is also an avid student of the history of jazz. "When Hal Smith plays, the spirits of George Wettling, Zutty Singleton and Dave Tough smile. Whether it’s small group swing, San Francisco Jazz, 1920s classics or freewheeling Eddie Condon jazz, his playing lifts up the music with taste, class and subtle ideas." — Scott Yanow, Jazz Historian and Journalist. Smith has played with many of the best Traditional Jazz and Swing bands including the Dukes of Dixieland, Jim Cullum’s Jazz Band, Butch Thompson Trio, Grand Dominion Jazz Band, Bob Schulz’s Frisco Jazz Band, Climax Jazz Band, Yerba Buena Stompers, the Fat Babies and many others. Hal has also played Western Swing (Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition; Jason Roberts Band); Rockabilly (Memphis Speed Kings, the Hayriders, Gino and the Lone Gunmen, Cash Kings, Big Rig Deluxe) and Blues (James Harman, Junior Watson, Nathan James/Ben Hernandez, Blue Largo, Johnny Rover, Billy Watson).