BoxDeserterTrio

Box Deserter Trio's sound encompasses a whole world of music-making that is part erudite composition, part virtuosic improvisation, part populist affability; challenging music that still manages to be charming and thought provoking to audiences beyond initiated New Music fans. Melodic modernism, classical economy and elemental Free Jazz all inform BoxDeserter Trio’s direction. The group combines musicians of disparate generations and locales that have an affinity for taking innovative music directly to the people.

Skeeter 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. He also leads the group Spectrum 2.
 
Thollem McDonas is a pianist from San Francisco who has toured almost non-stop around the world for the past several years. He has a conservatory background (studying with Lou Harrison), but left that world to perform his own music. Thollem is a recent recipient of a Meet The Composer grant and was also commissioned by The Limon Dance Company for a large-scale piece in commemoration of their 50th year anniversary. Last autumn he spent 15 weeks playing 65 concerts circumnavigating the U.S. In September he was invited to perform on the only piano Debussy owned the last 14 years of his life. This will be released as the first album ever recorded on Debussy's piano. Thollem’s other CDs include solo piano works, large ensemble pieces and various collaborations, such as an upcoming release on the legendary ESP Disk the end of April.
www.thollem.com

Also based in Detroit, multi-instrumentalist Joel Peterson have performed a wide array of music as a member of groups like Immigrant Suns, The Scavenger Quartet, Odu Afrobeat Orchestra, The Sure Shots, 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 and many others. Besides the double-bass, his primary gigging instrument, Joel also performs on clarinet, oud, qyteli, guitar and more. From 2005-2008 he ran Bohemian National Home, Detroit’s primary venue for creative arts.


(Concert at Detroit Institute Of Art - Rivera Mural Garden - April 17th, 2009 Photo - Marc Andren)

BoxDeserter Trio Tour Schedule

*April 17th at The Detroit Institute for the Arts - Detroit, MI
*April 18th at Kerry Town Concert Hall, Ann Arbor, MI
*April 19th at Hungry Brain, Chicago, IL
*April 20th at The Iron Post, Urbana, IL
*April 21st at Creative Music Forum, Springfield, IL
*April 23rd at The Tap Room, St. Louis, MO
*April 24th at The Tap Room, St. Louis, MO
*April 24th at Mangia (late night), St. Louis, MO
*April 25th Earth House, Indianopolis, IN
*April 26th Urban Spirit, Columbus, OH
*April 28th at Exile, Long Island, NY
*April 29th St. Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA
*April 30th at 2739 Edwyn, Detroit, MI
*May 1st at benefit for theWorld Social Forum, Detroit, MI