United States at Offbeat Roadhouse
By WTJU
Date: 09/06/2024
Time: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
United States will pull into Offbeat Roadhouse Friday night, September 6, for a concert which will also be broadcast on WTJU. Established in 2019 amidst the challenges of the Covid lockdown, United States brings together the talents of Michael Sokolowski on piano, Drew Pompano on bass, and Jim Ralston on drums. What sets this jazz trio apart is its improvisational flexibility.
This is a free event, open to all. You can also listen to Offbeat Roadhouse on the radio (91.1 FM) or on-line, and even video stream it at WTJU’s Facebook page or YouTube channel. But concerts always sound better with you as part of the studio audience. WTJU is located at 2244 Ivy Rd in Charlottesville, right next door to Vivace. There is plenty of parking, both in our lot as well as the Sentara lot next door.
Offbeat Roadhouse is supported locally by Ting – lightning-fast fiber internet for your home and business. Learn more at tinginternet.com/wtju. Use promo code WTJU at checkout for a free month and $100 gift certificate.
Established in 2019 amidst the challenges of the Covid lockdown, United States brings together the talents of Michael Sokolowski on piano, Drew Pompano on bass, and Jim Ralston on drums. The trio’s formation was marked by a sense of unity cultivated during masked rehearsals, a shared love of the music of guitar giant Bill Frisell, and mutual respect for each other’s musicality.
Emphasizing creative arrangements and open-ended improvisations within established compositional forms, United States draws inspiration from a diverse array of source material. Its repertoire weaves together jazz standards; the American songbook; rock, folk, funk, gospel, and pop – reflecting the trio’s appreciation for the broad spectrum of influences that shape contemporary music in general; and jazz music in particular.
What sets this band apart is its improvisational flexibility. One of the group’s in-the-moment sonic explorations might pull the thread of a harmonic idea shared by seemingly disparate artists – say, Nirvana and Keith Jarrett – and spin it into a new and cohesive piece of music.
Michael, Drew, and Jim find joy and adventure in their music ‑‑ music characterized by an exciting experimental spirit and representing the genuine exploration of sonic possibilities.
