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Merrimans' Playhouse Jazz Performance Series presents Rooms

Merrimans' Playhouse
South Bend, IN

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Merrimans' Playhouse Jazz Performance Series presents Rooms

Since the Fall of 2012, Rooms has been building a distinctive voice as an improvising ensemble. Comprised of Dan Pierson on keyboards, Charlie Kirchen on bass, and Matt Carroll on drums, the band has developed a large repertoire of original music that draws on a range of influences while at the same time expressing an aesthetic that is specific and personal. This aesthetic can be heard on the group's debut album, "Rooms", and at frequent performances in Chicago and beyond.

Review by Peter Margasak:

"This tight, concise local piano trio,belongs to a vibrant mainstream scene that's cropped up recently at venues outside the Umbrella Music circuit,.... The players are fluent in the vocabulary of postbop and unlike many free-jazz musicians they're not afraid to sound aware of current trends in pop. On the trio's self-released debut, 'Rooms' tightly coiled grooves flex and release around melodic, fat-free keyboard parts that bridge the gap between the hyperactive mobility of the Bad Plus and the chill, soulful fusion of vintage Bob James. Occasionally Carroll's drumming approaches New Your-style complexity and flash, and on the meditative mid tempo piece 'Silence' he braids his beats into an array of stuttery programmed percussion. Carroll and Kirchen provide malleable, sturdy support, but the focus belongs on Pierson's warm lines, played alternately on acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes. I'm impressed by Rooms Trio's focus, taste, and melodic generosity, and I"m eager to hear these guys stretch out a bit onstage."

Matt Carroll (Drummer/Composer-USA)
Matt is a musician dedicated to awakening a sense of the new while holding down a rich tradition of groove and spirit. His development started in Chicago at the age of 4, when he took up cello, classical piano, and percussion on a "drum set" of plastic paint buckets. By age seven, Matt knew that drums were the instrument he would remain connected to for life. Eventually his efforts brought him to the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, FL, where he received a full scholarship; and last year, to the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. His broad, joyfully open and inquisitive spirit continues to expand his vision beyond geographic and genre boundaries, enhancing his versatility and enabling him to convey his passion to audiences the world over.

Charlie Kirchen (Bassist/Composer)
Since graduating from college in 2010, Charlie Kirchen has played lots of bass in many different musical contexts around Chicago. He is fascinated by the point at which logic crumbles in the face of the unknown, and has made it his lifelong goal to reach that point in his music making.

Dan Pierson (Pianist/Composer)
Dan Pierson is a pianist from Chicago, Il. He studied music at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and in 2012 relocated back to his hometown of Chicago, Il. He has been active in various musical happenings since then. Dan is a member of R O O M S, which is an instrumental trio (piano, acoustic bass, and drums) that focuses on performing original songs. The trio recently recorded their debut album which was released on Aug 1, 2013. He has appeared at Andy's Jazz Club, The Jazz Showcase, Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion, The Harris Theatre, Websters, Constellation/Links Hall, and Bar Deville.