BRJS Hosts Bill Gerhardt Trio Sunday Jazz Concert at Meadowbrook Inn By Jeff Eason In jazz, bigger is not necessarily better. Sometimes a small group of musicians is more capable of communicating with one another than a large band would be. The music of the trio can be freewheeling and spontaneous in a way that would become out of control in a larger setting. The Bill Gerhardt Trio specializes in those magic moments that occur when all three musicians are on the same page yet following their improvisational instincts. Jazz returns to the Meadowbrook Inn this weekend as the Blowing Rock Jazz Society hosts its monthly concert featuring The Bill Gerhardt Trio. The concert is scheduled for Sunday, May 9, at 7 p.m. Admission is $12 and the show starts at 7 p.m. Gerhardt has stated that his latest trio has that innate ability to communicate with each other through music. “It’s that give and take, the trust of one’s intuition, the feeling of knowing each other forever, total surrender to the will of the music and telepathy,” said Gerhardt. “These are some of the main ingredients of a truly great musical union and they are just some of the qualities of my bandmates Mike Holstein and Sonny Thornton.” Gerhardt is an accomplished jazz pianist who has performed all over North America, Asia, Africa and Europe. For the past five years he has lived in New York City where he has a thriving studio career recording with jazz musicians such as Billy Higgins, George Mraz, Billy Hart and Tom Harrell. He is also a member of the nine-piece group the Staring Into the Sun Orchestra and a trio featuring Michel Gentile on flute and Masa Kamaguchi on bass. He is the head of the advisory board of the Jazz Composers’ Forum in Asheville and his original compositions can be heard in independent films and commercials. Bassist Holstein is one of those rare musicians who is equally skillful in a variety of styles including jazz, rock and Latin. He picked up a wide array of musical instruments growing up and it wasn’t until he was in college that he discovered the upright acoustic bass. “I had always picked up things quickly, but the bass was—and still is—very challenging,” said Holstein. “I started listening to jazz and playing in combos at school. I had never played music that was so interactive—like a conversation with instruments.” Holstein is another member of Asheville’s Jazz Composers’ Forum and performs his music with the Taken Back Quartet. Thornton was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in New York City and New Orleans. While in the Crescent City, he studied under Ed Blackwell, one of the most influential drummers of the era. Thornton’s drumming style is instantly recognizable due to his understated approach and free, melodic style of soloing. The Bill Gerhardt Trio has been in existence for a little over a year and has performed at Addy’s and South City Grill in Greenville as well as concerts at the YMI Cultural Center and the Jazz Composers Forum in Asheville. “Jimmy Woode once told me there are two kinds of musicians: those who play music and those who make music,” said Gerhardt. “I hope you will enjoy listening to us make music.” For more information on Sunday’s concert or other Blowing Rock Jazz Society events, call (828) 265-3242.