Next Stage Arts presents an evening with Boston-based jazz chamber ensemble The Global Trio, featuring pianist Chase Morrin, cellist Naseem Alatrash, and percussionist George Lernis, on Saturday, December 3 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage Arts.
“Earlier this year, we hosted these musicians as part of the Berklee World Strings Ensemble,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “These three were the highlight of the show, and when we had the opportunity to bring them back, we jumped on it. They represent different cultural and faith traditions, blending elements of jazz, world music traditions, and soulful expression – we couldn’t be more proud to present this to our community.”
The Global Trio features piano, cello, and percussion, breaking boundaries in jazz, classical, and folkloric traditions from the Middle East. Seeking new sounds of inclusion and global jazz, Morrin, Alatrash, and Lernis create dynamic, energetic, and surprising compositions in order to tell stories from around the world and to bring the world of improvisation and spontaneous musical communication to the stage.
Although longtime friends and collaborators, the trio officially formed in 2019. They have performed at many venues in Boston including the Berklee Performance Center, The Lilypad, and aVenue. They have collaborated with the World Strings Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Friesen, and have plans to collaborate with the community orchestra at Fitchburg University in 2023.
In 2020, they worked remotely with animator Annabelle Ponterdolph, to release a full length music animation video called Global Prayer. Additionally, they were awarded a fellowship at Yellow Barn and awarded a Berklee Recording grant in which they will record their first full album in January, 2023.
Chase Morrin is a prolific pianist and composer, having released four original albums, all acclaimed multi-cultural collaborations, and written for ensembles like the Louisville Orchestra and MAP ensemble at Yellow Barn. He is currently a professor at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute and New England Conservatory Preparatory School and has garnered eleven Downbeat awards and four ASCAP Jazz composer awards. In addition to finding innovative approaches to musical collaboration, Chase is dedicated to advocating for social change through music and creating more equitable spaces in music communities. Learn more at www.chasemorrin.com.
Naseem Alatrash is a Palestinian cellist and composer whose tone was described as ‘particularly lustrous’ by the Chicago Tribune. Naseem’s performances include a mix of improvisation and traditional melodies, with traditional Arabic, jazz and contemporary classical music influence. Naseem is currently an assistant professor at Berklee College music, Tufts University and Longy school of music. Chase and Naseem met at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute and have spent considerable time finding connections between the blues, makams, and the spirituality of tetrachords. Naseem has been awarded the composition 2021 fellowship from Mass Cultural Council, String Player of the Year twice from The National Music Competition of Palestine and performs with the Global Messengers with pianist Danilo Pérez, Turtle Island Quartet and with Amir ElSaffar’s Rivers of Sound ensemble.
Born and raised in Nicosia Cyprus, George Lernis is a drummer, hand percussionist, composer and educator who currently resides in the U.S. He has recorded and collaborated with prominent figures such as: John Patitucci, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Liebman, Anat Cohen, Blue Heron and A Far Cry String Orchestra. In addition, George performs regularly in venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and gives workshops and lectures at higher education institutions such as the Berklee College of Music and Emerson College. George is the president and managing director of the Anatoliama INC non-profit whose mission is to preserve the musical traditions of Greece around the U.S. and the world in the form of concerts and educational workshops. George’s new album ”Between Two Worlds” featuring world renowned bass player John Patitucci was released on June 10th, 2022.
Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets are $18 in advance / $22 at the door. Advance tickets are available at nextstagearts.org. For information, call 802-387-0102. Next Stage will provide a beer, wine, and cocktail cash bar.
Next Stage serves southeastern Vermont as a regional cultural hub, arts producer, and instigator of meaningful cultural experiences. Founded in 2010 as a nonprofit organization, Next Stage Arts is a transformative, community-centered project dedicated to revitalizing Putney’s cultural and economic village center through excellence in arts programming valuing diversity as a springboard for nurturing community.
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For more information and updates please go to: nextstagearts.org
