Gustav Mahler once said that a symphony should be like the world, containing a bit of everything. Drawing from a wide range of musical styles, Jason Yeager (piano), Randal Despommier (alto sax/vocals) and Aubrey Johnson (vocals) perform an all-embracing, global music ranging from eclectic jazz arrangements of chamber works by Messiaen to reharmonizations of medieval Icelandic hymns. With this new trio based out of New York City, past and present come together in an intoxicating whirlwind of jazz, classical and folk. Tonight’s program features original compositions, arrangements, songs, as well as tunes from the Great American Songbook.
Recordings:
About the Musicians
Randal Despommier
Randal Despommier, a native of New Orleans, and has pursued multiple disciplines as a composer and improviser on both alto saxophone and piano. His compositions, which draw upon jazz, blues, classical and early music, have been performed internationally by the Accademia Musicale Chigiana Chamber Ensemble, Duo Musagète, Boston Metro Opera, and the New England Conservatory's new music series. Music Ministry has also been an integral part of his life, including his musical directorship of the Catholic Center of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel, and his accompaniment of the gospel choir at the A.M.E. Church of Zion in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Despommier holds a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies & saxophone performance (cum laude) from Loyola University at New Orleans, where he studied composition with Luigi Zaninelli, and his doctorate in music composition from the New England Conservatory, under the tutelage of Malcolm Peyton and Anthony Coleman. He is currently Associate Professor of Music at Bard High School Early College in New York City.
Jason Yeager
New York-based pianist/composer Jason Yeager’s music is deeply expressive and multi-faceted. A recording artist on Greg Osby’s Inner Circle Music label, Yeager has released two albums of original music to wide acclaim, "Ruminations" (2011) and "Affirmation" (2014). Mentored by jazz pianists Danilo Perez, Fred Hersch, Frank Carlberg, and Ran Blake, Yeager’s evolving musical personality reflects his love of jazz and improvisation combined with elements of 20th century classical music, the blues, Argentine folk styles, drum’n’bass rhythms and more. He is also active as a sideman in various groups in New York, Boston, and beyond, and has performed or recorded with several noteworthy artists including Greg Osby, Ran Blake, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Jason Anick, Noah Preminger, Jason Palmer, James Cammack, Mark Walker, Aaron Goldberg, John McNeil, Sara Serpa, Aubrey Johnson, and Linda Oh, among many others. In addition to his work with the Jason Yeager Trio and playing as a sideman with other groups, Jason is composing a set of pieces for solo piano inspired by compelling pieces of war journalism. A graduate of the Tufts University/New England Conservatory double degree program (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Kappa Lambda), Jason is a member of the piano faculties at Berklee College of Music in Boston and the Varta Academy of Musical Arts in New York City. He is also the winner of the Hot House Magazine Jazz Fans Decision 2014 contest for best pianist and best organist.
Aubrey Johnson
Born to a musical family in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Aubrey Johnson fell in love with music at a very young age and began singing in church and taking classical piano lessons. Jazz piano and voice lessons in high school, with Lawrence University professor Christine Salerno, inspired her to pursue a degree in vocal jazz performance at Western Michigan University. At WMU, Aubrey was a member of Gold Company, the university’s world-renowned vocal jazz ensemble, and studied classical and jazz voice. With Gold Company, directed by Dr. Steve Zegree, she performed at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, Miller Auditorium, the 2006 IAJE conference in New York, and with Bobby McFerrin, Janis Siegel (Manhattan Transer), Darmon Meader (New York Voices), Roger Treece, and Fred Hersch. During her time in Michigan, Aubrey won two DownBeat Collegiate Student Music Awards for “Best Jazz Vocalist” and “Jazz Vocalist, Outstanding Performance.” She recorded and performed the original compositions of pianist Ron DiSalvio, featuring legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb. Her work with Cobb/DiSalvio can be heard on their 2007 Origin Records release “Essence of Green”, and “Songs For Jazz Legends” (BluJazz, 2015). Upon completion of her degree at Western Michigan, she relocated to Boston to pursue a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory, where she studied with Danilo Perez, Jerry Bergonzi, Dominique Eade, Allan Chase, John Lockwood, George Garzone, Frank Carlberg, Jerry Leake, and Ken Schaphorst. While at NEC, Aubrey founded and was the assistant director of an official ensemble: a 9-person vocal group directed by Dominique Eade. In 2009, Aubrey graduated with honors, was awarded the “Gunther Schuller Medal” for “making an extraordinary contribution to the life of the school,” and won her third DownBeat Magazine Collegiate Student Music Award for outstanding performance in jazz voice.
In 2009 and 2010, Aubrey performed (singing wordlessly and playing auxiliary keyboards) with Lyle Mays (keyboardist of the Pat Metheny Group), including shows at the Zeltsman Marimba Festival and the Gilmore Keyboard Festival, which also featured Steve Rodby (bass), Paul McCandless (woodwinds), and Mark Walker (drums). Also in 2010, she recorded on Bobby McFerrin’s Grammy-nominated EmArcy release “VOCAbuLaries.” In the fall of 2011, Aubrey relocated to New York City where she currently resides. Her performing and teaching has taken her throughout the US and Canada, China, Europe, and South America. She is currently composing music for a new album to be released in 2017 under Greg Osby’s independent record label, Inner Circle Music. She resides in Brooklyn, NY and teaches at Queens College, the New York Jazz Academy, and Peridance Capezio Center.