On Friday, October 20, 2017 at 8pm, Arts + Literature Laboratory welcomes the Joe Policastro Trio, on tour in support of their new release "Screen Sounds," the third release by the band. The Joe Policastro Trio is a Chicago-based jazz trio led by bassist Joe Policastro, featuring guitarist Dave Miller and drummer Mikel Avery. While firmly rooted in jazz, the band’s open-minded, inclusive nature also brings rock, pop, old-school funk, soul, Brazilian, and free improvisation to the surface while still keeping the aesthetic of an acoustic trio intact.
Tickets are $12 in advance at http://joepolicastro.bpt.me or $15 at the door. (Advance sales end 1 hour before the show. Tickets available at the door starting at 7:30pm.)
The band is currently on a 25+ city tour in support of "Screen Sounds.” It features the singular approach of the Chicago-based jazz trio on a unique assemblage of music from movies and TV. The album features music from films such as Yojimbo, The Godfather, Blade Runner, Midnight Cowboy, and TV shows such as Taxi, The Young and the Restless, and Twin Peaks. Both a musical tapestry and personal soundtrack, the trio has re-purposed these selections blending each member's unique voice into a unified sound while shedding new light on these musical touchstones.
Long-standing residencies in Chicago served as an incubator for its members to write, arrange, and develop a collective voice in the way a band only can over time. Other releases include 2013's "West Side Story Suite", and 2016's "POPS!", also on JeruJazz Records.
Beyond Chicago, the band has been extensively playing together on the road having completed several tours even performing for President Barack Obama this past fall. As sidemen, Joe Policastro (Jeff Hamilton, Pat and Debby Boone, Phil Woods, Diane Schuur), Dave Miller (Clarice Assad, Patricia Barber, Algernon), and Mikel Avery (Joshua Abrams, Theaster Gates, Rob Mazurek) have shared the stage with a wide array of musicians but dedicate collectively to this trio.