Skeeter Shelton (tenor saxophone)
Joel Peterson (contrabass)
Thollem McDonas (piano)

Soar Trio's sound encompasses a world of energetic music-making that is part erudite composition, part virtuosic improvisation and part populist affability. The group combines musicians who have an affinity for taking innovative music directly to the people. Savage melodicism, soulful economy and ecstatic Free Jazz all inform the trio's direction.

Skeeter C.R. Shelton is one of the most under-recognized saxophonists in free jazz/creative music. His father, drummer Ajaramu Shelton, was a charter member of the AACM who played with Roscoe Mitchell, Muhal Abrahms, Kalaparusha, Fred Anderson, Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons. Skeeter grew up around these influences and absorbed a whole lot of tenor playing. His status as a leading figure in Detroit's creative music community is undisputed and his obscure national status is due to reticence, not talent. But he hasn't completely escaped notice by notable peers—Skeeter has worked with musicians like James Blood Ulmer, Fred Anderson, Faruq Z. Bey, Hakim Jami, Dennis Gonzales and The North Woods Improvisers.

Also based in Detroit, multi-instrumentalist Joel Peterson has performed a wide array of music as a member of groups like Immigrant Suns, The Scavenger Quartet (with Frank Pahl), Odu Afrobeat Orchestra (with Adeboye Adegbenro, Lac LaBelle, Xenharmonic Gamelan, ECFA and in trios and quartets with Faruq Z Bey, Kenneth Green and Michael Carey. As an improviser, he has performed with people like Tatsuya Nakatani, Steve Cohn, Amy Denio, Luk Houtkamp, Eugene Chadbourne, Rhys Chatham, Jason Stein, Carl Smith, Damo Suzuki and many others. Besides the double-bass, his primary gigging instrument, Joel also performs on clarinet, oud, qyteli, guitar and more ... continue reading >>

A Hallwalls Artist In Residence project

Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet, compostion)
Angelica Sanchez (piano)
John Lindberg (contrabass)
Pheeroan Aklaff (drums)
with:
Jonathan Golove (cello)
Steve Baczkowski (saxophone)
Omar Tamez (guitar)
John Bacon (percussion)