photo by Miguel Patino

Meridian Trio features Chicago based-musicians Nick Mazzarella on alto saxophone, Matt Ulery on bass, and Jeremy Cunningham on drums.

Mazzarella, the group’s leader and composer, formed the ensemble in 2014 to play a steady monthly gig ​at a club in the south side neighborhood of Pilsen where he lives. That engagement lasted three years, during which time the trio developed a tight-knit musical rapport and a repertoire of original material. Through many hours of public performance, they gradually cultivated a unique and cohesive group sound–​one ​as energetic as it is nuanced.

Mazzarella’s compositions for the trio draw upon the traditions of both avant-garde and modern jazz through a synthesis of free improvisation, interval-based improvisation, modalism, elements of the blues, swinging grooves and other cyclical rhythmic structures. The common thread unifying these components is a strong melodic sensibility shared by the players, formed and continuously refined by live performances.​

To date, the trio has released two recordings of its original music: Andromeda EP (Whistler Records), and the full length album Triangulum (Clean Feed Records). More information is available at nickmazzarella.com/albums.

Drummer Jeremy Cunningham’s bio is at http://jeremy-cunningham.com/bio/

Bassist Nick Ulery is profiled at https://www.mattulery.com/about/