Andrew Green, drums;
Dustin Laurenzi, tenor saxophone;
Katie Ernst, bass/voice
Bassist, vocalist, and Eastman School alumna Katie Ernst returns to Rochester with the collaboratively-led trio Twin Talk to celebrate the release of their self-titled album on the Ears&Eyes Record label. Described by All About Jazz as “bold in its youthful energy, sophisticated in its thematic unity,” the Chicago-based band has been gaining notoriety for their offbeat melodic approach to creative improvised music. They have performed at venues and festivals throughout the US, including the 2014 Chicago Jazz Festival, the Jazz Institute of Chicago's NextGenJazz Series, and the Hyde Park Jazz Festival.
More information at www.twintalkmusic.com
Dustin Laurenzi, tenor saxophone
Since relocating to Chicago from his native Kenosha, WI in early 2012, saxophonist and composer Dustin Laurenzi has already quickly gained recognition as a unique new voice in the city's creative music community. Dustin attended Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music from 2007 until his graduation in 2011, during which time he co-founded the saxophone-fronted, genre-defying ensemble, Snaarj, whose latest release, "Levels", was praised as "a substantial work full of deep textures, deft musicianship and expertly crafted compositions" (Kyle Long, NUVO). Currently, Dustin performs actively around Chicago, both with the collaboratively-led trio Twin Talk and as a sideman in various projects.
Katie Ernst, bass & voice
Originally from Naperville, IL, bassist and vocalist Katie Ernst has been steadily gaining recognition as both a performer and composer on a national level. Katie was one of 24 young artist/composers selected to participate in the 2013 and 2014 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and performed at the Chicago Symphony Center in 2014 as a special guest alongside pianist and MacArthur Fellow Jason Moran, saxophonist Ken Vandermark, and artist Theaster Gates. Her "Little Words" project (featuring poems by Dorothy Parker) had its premiere at the Kennedy Center in DC, and was received with critical acclaim at the 2015 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival.
Andrew Green, drums
A versatile drummer and percussionist, Andrew Green is a highly sought-after sideman in many of Chicago's creative music projects. Originally from Washington, DC, Andrew moved to the Midwest to study Music Performance at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. In addition to Twin Talk, Andrew also performs with Paul Dietrich Group, Corbin Andrick Sextet, the Jamie Brewick Quintet, and Brazilian samba group Bloco Maximo.
"Twin Talk is a relatively new, youthful ensemble out of Chicago that’s steeped in that city’s long history of experimental and avant-garde jazz-based music. Drummer Andrew Green, bassist/vocalist Katie Ernst and sax player Dustin Laurenzi represent the next generation of players in that tradition, gleefully playing with song structures, melodies and rhythms to create something distinctively their own." -Cool Cleveland
“three imaginative and gifted artists…seamless and intuitive camaraderie…” -All About Jazz