Tom Waselchuk Winter Trio
Robert M. Wydra Photography
Tom Waselchuk
What’s winter without some adventurous acoustic music to accompany falling snow? Veteran guitarist and vocalist Tom Waselchuk has created what he describes as an “ephemeral ensemble” to play a few shows featuring some favorite songs that haven't been played with his other bands (including The Dang-Its and The Honey Pies). The concert should showcase his wide-ranging and ever-evolving musical interests, accompanied by two stellar musicians: violinist Jon Vriesacker and bassist Matt Rodgers (a longtime collaborator with Waselchuk). Check ticket availability at riverartsinc.org.
$15.
media release: Tom Waselchuk is a veteran guitarist and vocalist with extensive experience in multiple genres. Tom has guided The Dang-Its since its beginnings in 1998 as a neo-honky tonk band to its current wide-ranging acoustic Americana format, and his current partnership with The Honey Pies expands on his evolving musical interests. The Winter Trio brings those interests and wide ranging skills together with Mr. Waselchuk at the center. As Tom explains, “For most of my career I’ve alternately been either a side-man or a partner, but I’ve not put my name front and center and offered a strictly personal product that reflects my guitar and singing skills in a package of favorite songs that have deeply moved me. The Winter Trio is that product.”
Tom has invited two top-tier accompanists along for the ride.
Violinist Jon Vriesacker sports a sparkling résumé. He is a Berklee College of Music graduate and a member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. The list of artists with whom Jon has performed on stage and in the studio is a who’s who in the music business. To name just a few: violin legends Johnny Frigo and Johnny Gimble, songwriters Willy Porter and Freedy Johnston, and local celebs Mark Croft and Larry Byrd. Jon performed on the Grammy nominated album Version 2.0 by Garbage (1999), and on “Al Otro Lado del Rio” from the movie The Motorcycle Diaries, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2005.
Bassist Matt Rodgers brings a similarly rich background to the table. Matt’s vast experience in everything from jazz, swing, and Latin music to pop, folk, and acoustic singer-songwriter styles allows him to shine in any setting. Matt performs with Tom in both The Dang-Its and The Honey Pies, and the two of them shared a three year stint with the Madison based Gypsy swing band Harmonious Wail. Matt has collaborated with Lucas Cates, Mark Croft, Mambo Blue, Orquestra De Kache, The Madison Jazz Orchestra, and many others. He has directed the jazz band at Madison West High School and currently teaches music at Shorewood Elementary School in Madison.