The Inventions Trio brings together the talents of a marvelously gifted cellist and two classically trained masters of jazz and improvisation to present programs that explore the intersection of chamber music and jazz, performing fresh interpretations of classical and jazz themes as well as original works such as Bill Mays’ “Fantasy for Cello, Trumpet, and Piano.” Inventions grew out of Mays’ and Stamm’s long association and duo work together, followed by the commission from Drs. Howard Horn and Frank Osborn of Mays’ three-movement “Fantasy for Cello, Trumpet & Piano,” and the subsequent release of their CD, Fantasy, in 2007. The Inventions Trio is a touring performance group, always seeking to expand its repertoire as evidenced by the release of their second CD, in 2008, The Delaware River Suite. The Inventions Trio is a new perspective on both art forms. Stamm, Mays, and Horn find the chamber music in jazz and the jazz in chamber music. Combining their experiences, these three musicians not only share their music, but also speak to the audience about the art and craft of what they do and how they do it. In doing so, they bring the listener into the process as a participant, showing what it means to be alive in both traditions. Improvisation is the heart of jazz, just as it was a central part of European classical music for centuries. Bach and Mozart paved the way for every great jazz master to assert a unique voice. Have you ever wondered what a conversation between Johann Sebastian Bach and Charlie Parker would be like? We’ll never know what they might have said to each other, but we can hear their dialogue in music. In Mays’ words: “Whether playing Borodin or Bird, Bach or bop, the aim is to make the music come alive in a new way, find great melodies, be true to the composer’s underlying harmonic scheme, let the music swing, listen intently, play honestly, always honoring the rich traditions from which we’re drawing and building upon.” Trumpeter Marvin Stamm, pianist Bill Mays, and cellist Alisa Horn impart a different perspective to the music of composers like Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Borodin with the melding together of classical music and jazz. Performing this rich repertoire, the trio illuminates the elements that audiences from all genres treasure, sharing their music from the stages of clubs, concert halls, festivals, and performing arts centers throughout the world. Marvin Stamm, Bill Mays, and Alisa Horn explore and give new life to this wide and wonderful world of music. from http://marvinstamm.com
