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Merrimans' Playhouse Jazz Performance Series presents Whirlpool

Merrimans' Playhouse
South Bend, IN

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Merrimans' Playhouse Jazz Performance Series presents Whirlpool

Whirlpool from New York City and Chicago: Caroline Davis on alto saxophone/composer, Jeff Swanson on guitar, and Charles Rumback on drums. This is a beautiful-music ensemble, drawing upon the influence of simple melodies and collective improvisation.

Caroline Davis
Alto Saxophone.

Mobile since her birth in Singapore, Caroline Davis finds her creative voice as an active musician in Chicago and now, New York. She has enjoyed performances with Matt Wilson, Ellis Marsalis, and Bobby Broom; and, she was invited to perform in IAJE's Sisters in Jazz Collegiate All-Stars (2006), the Kennedy Center's Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program (2011), and received an Outstanding Soloist award from Downbeat (2007). In addition to playing with her original music projects (Caroline Davis Quartet, Whirlpool, and Maitri), Caroline frequently appeared with Chicago bands Fatbook, Deep Fayed, and Pedway. She has recently been an adjunct instructor at Columbia College, DePaul and Northwestern Universities, and a teaching assistant at the UTA Summer Music, Litchfield Jazz, and Birch Creek Jazz Camps.

Jeff Swanson
Guitar.

A transplant of South Bend, guitarist Jeff Swanson has been living in and learning from Chicago. After graduating Northern Illinois University's Jazz program in 2010, Jeff relocated and has been performing regularly throughout the Midwest since. Whether playing and writing for the trio sounds of Whirlpool or working in his other projects as a sideman, he is finding versatility and sensitivity to be rewarding traits in his new location.

Charles Rumback
Drums.

Charles Rumback is a figure of the rich and varied Chicago music scene. Though he is known more for his work as a sideman and collaborator, he also leads his own band. Some of his current projects include Colorlist, Leaf Bird and Stirrup (a collaborative trio with Fred Lonberg-Holm and Nick Macri). Charles' playing deals closely with the jazz tradition, yet his work with artists from a wide variety of backgrounds shows that he doesn't believe in the limitations of style or genre. Some of the artists Charles has worked with: Jason Ajemian, Asuna, Azita, Leroy Bach, Costa Music, Caroline Davis, Josh Eustis, John Hughes, L'altra, Leaves, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Paul Giallorenzo, the Horse's Ha, Matt Lux, Bill Mackay, Nick Macri, the Medium Necks, Ron Miles, Jeff Parker, Liz Payne, Jason Stein, and Via Tania.