DOUBLE FEATURE! 7:00-8:00 JANET PLANET with Tom Theabo and Kelvin Kasper on guitars. 8:15-9:15 NASCENT featuring Tom Washatka on saxophone, Noah Harmon on piano, and Zach Harmon on drums.
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NASCENT was conceived after a performance Washatka/Harmon/Harmon trio presented in the summer of 2019. They knew then and there this project would take place. These original compositions were recored in studio tracked in early 2020. The pandemic hit and time stood still for nearly a year. The tracks were mixed and finished in early 2021. This was one of the most exhilarating recording sessions in which the three have engaged.
NASCENT (Album Cover)
Featuring Tom Washatka on saxophone, Noah Harmon on piano, and Zach Harmon on drums.
TOM WASHATKA (Saxophone) — Saxophonist, composer, arranger, and studio engineer, Tom has been performing, producing and recording music for over 4 decades.
Born in Milwaukee, Washatka started playing piano at age nine, picked up the clarinet 4 years later then saxophone. Graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 1981 and immediately opened a recording studio Steel Moon Recording. Releasing his 1st album in 1983 “Island Dancer” along with pianist/composer John Harmon. In 1999 he released his CD “Easy To Love” gaining rave reviews. His latest recording is the music of Bob Dylan arranged for Big Band. Tom currently performs with his quartet, Tom Washatka Quorum, as well as the contemporary jazz/fusion quartet KWT and has performed all over the United States, Japan and Germany.
An acclaimed producer and recording engineer for Stellar Records/Steel Moon recording studio he has recorded over 20 CDs for Stellar Records with his wife/vocalist Janet Planet. As well as over a dozen CDs for independent artists singer/songwriters including guitarist Gene Bertoncini, pianist John Harmon, cellist Matt Turner and vocalist Nancy King to name a few. He enjoys producing backing tracks for artists recording demos. His passion is in realizing the music of others. Tom won a WAMI in 2018 for Best Studio Engineer/Producer. Tom is owner and composer for one of the most popular music libraries, Narrator Tracks Music. Starting as a composer with the library in 1989, over 120 CDs and 750 compositions later he now owns the company. His award winning music has been featured in movies and documentaries nationally as well as world-wide. The diversity of what Tom does invigorates his curiosity and keeps things fresh. Whether performing, recording, writing or arranging all the parts contribute to the sum.
NOAH HARMON (Piano) — Noah has been involved with music his entire life. His musical endeavors began at age four and have continued ever since. He received a bachelor’s degree in music from Lawrence University where he studied classical piano performance with renowned Canadian pianist Dr. Michael Kim. While his studies focused on classical music, Noah also became interested in jazz piano as well as composition. He has performed with larger ensembles such as the Water City Chamber Orchestra, the Oshkosh Symphony, the Big Band Reunion, and as accompanist to the Chaminade Women’s Choir. Smaller ensembles he has performed with include the Electric Company - (psychedelic rock), Bloodhawk - (metal), the Jazz Orgy - (jazz), Salsa Manzana - (Latin jazz), and Sticky Ear - (punk). He currently performs in Central Wisconsin with the Harmon Bros., the Harmon Boyz, and as a member of Kyle Megna and the Monsoons.
ZACH HARMON (Drums) — Born into a musical family in Wisconsin, Zach began studying piano at the age of three and continued for thirteen years. He started playing the drum set at age fifteen and quickly gravitated towards improvised music. In 2003, Zach became a member of the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz All-Stars with whom he toured Japan and performed at the 2003 Monterey Jazz Festival. Also in 2003, he enrolled in the Thornton School of Music at USC where he studied with the great Terri Lyne Carrington for two years.
After his sophomore year, he transferred to the Masters program at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz where he studied with Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Wynton Marsalis, Charlie Haden, Wallace Roney, Benny Golson, Robert Hurst, Lewis Nash, and many others. In 2005, as a member of the Monk Institute, he toured with Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, performing in a cultural outreach program throughout Vietnam. In 2007, he toured again with Mr. Shorter and Mr. Hancock, this time throughout India.
Zach studied tabla with Abhiman Kaushal and recorded tabla on Terence Blanchard’s A Tale of God’s Will for Blue Note Records (the album, which reflects on the events of Hurricane Katrina, won a Grammy for best large ensemble). In 2015, Zach was a featured soloist on a tabla/drum set hybrid, performing Shirish Korde’s Svara Yantra (concerto for violin, tabla and orchestra) with Marcia Henry Liebenow on violin and the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra. Over the years, as a versatile drummer and percussionist, Zach has performed with artists such as Ambrose Akinmusire, Charles Altura, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Billy Childs, Yoonseung Cho, Romain Collin, Joshua Crumbly, Chris Dingman, John Doe, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Angel Luís Figueroa, Lázaro Galarraga, Sara Gazarek, Larry Goldings, Tim Green, Tigran Hamasyan, John Harmon, Noah Harmon, Geoffrey Keezer, Kris Kristofferson, Abe Laboriel, Sr., Greg Leisz, Nick Mancini, Artyom Manukyan, Josh Nelson, Gabe Noel, Vardan Ovsepian, John Pizzarelli, Austin Peralta, John C. Reilly, Nell Robinson, Otmaro Ruiz, Joe Sanders, Gina Saputo, Anoushka Shankar, Walter Smith III, Terrell Stafford, Dayna Stephens, Strangeloop, Bobby Wilmore, Anthony Wilson and many others.
Notable venues at which Zach has performed include: Birdland, NYC; Blue Note, Nagoya & NYC; Freight & Salvage, Berkeley; Jazz Alley, Seattle; Jazz at the Bistro, St. Louis; Jazz Gallery, NYC; John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.; Joe's Pub at The Public, NYC; The Lighthouse Cafe, Hermosa Beach; Rainbow Bar and Grill, Los Angeles; Ravi Shankar Institute, New Delhi; REDCAT, Los Angeles; Regattabar, Boston; Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi; Sunset-Sunside, Paris; World Stage, Los Angeles; Yoshi's, Oakland & San Francisco. Zach continues to perform, record, compose and teach around the world.
BRIAN COURAGE (Bass) — Chicago bassist, Mr. Courage, joins the NASCENT group for this special presentation. Brian Courage co-founded a Twin Cities-based quartet with fellow saxophonist Nelson Devereaux. Courage, spent several years as one of the Twin Cities' best bass players, then move on to the New York City jazz scene. There he played for several years with Lew Tabackin, David Hazeltine, and Billy Mintz. Brian Courage is currently based out of Chicago.