Luther professor and group TROIS to present Jazz concert

Tom Bourcier, Luther College instructor of jazz and improvisation, will perform in a jazz trio with two guest artists Sunday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. The trio will perform in the Luther College Noble Recital Hall, Jenson-Noble Hall of Music.

Along with Bourcier on piano, guest performers include Karyn Quinn on acoustic bass and Rich McDonald on drums.

Quinn is a professor of bass and music theory at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and directs instrumental jazz ensembles.

McDonald is an assistant professor at Winona State University. He teaches several jazz courses as well as percussion lessons and methods.

The group name TROIS, French for three, is intended to reflect the autonomy of the individual instruments, rather than piano as leader, bass and drums as accompaniment. The three instrumentalists ideally interact on an equal level.

The concert will feature several original works by Bourcier including. “Hayes Park Groove” and “The Message” from Bourcier’s first trio recording from 1993.

“Perspective”, “Michel” (a tribute to late pianist Michel Pettruciani), “Lucky Seven” and the “Jordan River Blues” are all new compositions prepared especially for this performance.

Several original arrangements of standards will also be performed, including “Softly”, “/As In A Morning Sunshine and Jitterbug Waltz”, a Thomas “Fats” Waller classic.