Bluestem Jazz Presents: Rodrigo Villanueva Trio ft. Mark Davis and Clay Schaub

Doors 6:00PM / Show 7:00PM

$15 or $10 with Student ID day of show

Rodrigo Villanueva Jazz Trio featuring Mark Davis and Clay Schaub is Rodrigo's newest project, where he incorporates original compositions and jazz standards inspired by the Bill Evans Trio.

Rodrigo has played and recorded with many leading jazz and classical artists including Jangeun Bae, Craig Butterfield, Frank Caruso, Eddie Gomez, Fareed Haque, Stefan Karlsson, Alex Mercado, Hiro Morozumi, Jon Nelson, Ed Saindon, Rodolfo Sanchez, Ben Sidran,Anders Svanoe, Liam Teague, and Takayoshi Yoshioka, Shaila Durcal, Alejandro Fernandez, and Lucero among others.

 Rodrigo performs frequently with the Eddie Gomez Trio, the Alex Mercado Trio, the NIU jazz faculty group, Nucleus, as well as his own jazz projects. He endorses Sabian Cymbals, Yamaha Drums, Evans Drumheads, Vic Firth drumsticks, and Latin Percussion. He is currently a Full Professor of Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University where he directs the NIU Jazz Ensemble and teaches drums and Jazz Arranging. Professor Villanueva has been featured at the Jazz Education Network, the Percussive Arts Society, and the Midwest Clinic International Conventions. He was recently awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholar Grant for research and teaching in Brazil (Summer of 2022). 

Mark Davisis an accomplished pianist and an influential educator who has performed with jazz luminaries Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Tom Harrell, Jimmy Heath, Brian Lynch, Charles McPherson, Frank Morgan, and Phil Woods, among others. He is the founder and artistic director of the Milwaukee Jazz Institute. Mark is the author of two top-selling books, the Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method Book 1 and the Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method Book 2. He leads the group We Six, which just released a new album entitled Vivid Dreams. For more information, visit www.markdavismusic.com.

Clay Schaub has been a professional jazz bassist since 2000.  He worked for years in the New York City jazz scene as a skilled sideman, performing regularly with Greg Ruggiero, Michael Kanan, Gregory Tardy, Bob Mover, Frank Morgan, Joe Bonner, Luisa Sobral, Igor Lumpert, etc. Moving to Milwaukee in January of 2013, Clay carries on making music with friends, composing, teaching, and raising a family. He finds great joy in it.