The Joe Policastro Trio performs tonight, Jan 15 at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Crawlspace Theater in downtown Kalamazoo, as part of a popular series sponsored by the John Stites Jazz Awards. Bassist Joe Policastro, guitarist Dave Miller, and drummer Mikel Avery join Cara Lieurance for a preview, along with WMU professor of jazz Keith Hall, an organizer of the series.
Policastro describes the trio as "an accidental" group that formed over a decade ago through a regular gig at Pops for Champagne in Chicago. What started as a Sunday night duo eventually became three nights weekly from 2009 until the pandemic shutdown. Miller joins the group in 2015, cementing the ensemble's distinctive sound.
The trio takes what Policastro calls "a democratic, non-hierarchical approach to music," drawing material from diverse sources including Eric Satie, Bruce Springsteen, Dmitri Tiomkin, and Bernstein's West Side Story. During the interview they listen to the trio's takes on "I'm on Fire (Bruce Springsteen) and ""I Can't Make You Love Me" (Bonnie Rait).
Avery, who now lives in Philadelphia, emphasizes the importance of commitment over individual virtuosity. He describes how the trio's years together create a unique grammar where melody passes fluidly between instruments rather than following traditional jazz trio roles.
Miller notes the ensemble uses minimal equipment—he plays straight through his amp with no pedals, while Avery brings a basic kit enhanced with creative "toys" for expanded sounds. Policastro employs both traditional and experimental bass techniques, including bow manipulation that mimics distortion.
Tickets and more information are available at kzoojazz.com.
This interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
