Reed Miller | Straight Up!

Thu, Apr 23

Coming to us from NYC: Straight Up! is a co-led jazz trio founded by guitarist Reed Miller and drummer Andrew Kushnir, joined by bassist Sam Trapchak. What began as outdoor sessions in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park during the summer of 2021 quickly grew into a tightly-knit ensemble rooted in the aesthetic of mid-century modernism. Straight Up! has spent the past five years refining a sound one that honors the timeless energy of bebop and hard-bop while exploring the harmonic and rhythmic complexity of composers like Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, Randy Weston, and Bud Powell. While inspired by the legendary Poll Winners trio (Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Shelley Manne), the trio performs compositions beyond the boundaries of mainstream guitar jazz. Straight Up! has quickly made a name in the Manhattan and Brooklyn jazz scenes performing at renowned venues like Smalls Jazz Club, Midnight Blue, St. Tuesday, and The Red Room.