In the intimate confines of Little Jumbo Bar, three musical architects will converge to build sonic cathedrals from pure improvisation. The Blingus Trio brings together a trinity of Asheville's most innovative voices: Jeff "Apt. Q-258" Sipe, the Grammy-nominated rhythmic alchemist who transforms drum kits into interdimensional portals; Quinn Sternberg, the gravitational bass force whose four strings hold entire musical solar systems in perfect orbit; and Jay Sanders, the genre-defying guitarist-composer whose sonic experiments blend everything from jazz fusion to symphonic grandeur.
This isn't just another jazz trio—it's a meeting of minds where Sipe's legendary groove mastery (honed through collaborations with Trey Anastasio and John McLaughlin) converges with Sternberg's architectural bass storytelling and Sanders' universe-building compositional vision. Expect musical conversations that dance between chamber music intimacy and cosmic exploration, where decades of collective experience crystallize into moments of pure spontaneous creation.
When three masters of their craft gather in one room with nothing but their instruments and boundless creative possibility, magic happens. The Blingus Trio promises an evening where every note is a question, every groove is an answer, and the space between the beats holds infinite potential.
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Quinn Sternberg doesn't just play bass—he becomes the gravitational center around which musical solar systems orbit, his four strings serving as the invisible force that holds melody and rhythm in perfect harmonic balance. In Asheville's intimate jazz venues, Sternberg has mastered the art of musical architecture, building rhythmic foundations so sturdy that horn players can stretch toward the stratosphere while drummers explore the outer reaches of syncopation. His upright bass doesn't merely walk—it tells stories with every step, each note choice revealing decades of deep listening to masters like Ray Brown and Ron Carter while forging his own path through the modern jazz landscape. This is bass playing as conversation rather than accompaniment, where Sternberg's melodic sensibilities transform traditional rhythm section roles into something more akin to chamber music, proving that the most profound musical statements often come from the spaces between the obvious beats, where subtlety meets groove and creates something that makes everyone else in the room sound better.
In the sonic laboratory of Asheville's Blue Ridge Mountains, Jay Sanders conducts experiments where Sonny Sharrock's raw electricity meets John Hartford's pastoral wisdom, where Bill Frisell's ambient textures dance with Dave Holland's rhythmic architecture. This guitarist-composer-alchemist doesn't just write music—he constructs musical universes from the ground up, whether he's crafting intimate chamber pieces or preparing symphonic statements for the Blue Ridge Orchestra. His 2024 solo debut 'Evanescent' reads like a love letter to impermanence itself, featuring seven original compositions plus a tone poem dedicated to the Voyager spacecraft, performed by an eight-person ensemble that German critics praised for its 'astonishing range of styles and sounds.' From organizing Asheville's inaugural Improvisational Music Festival to serving on URSA Asheville's board, Sanders embodies the community-building spirit that transforms mountain towns into musical meccas. His upcoming 'Sinfonietta Helene,' premiering with the Blue Ridge Orchestra in September 2025, represents not just a personal artistic milestone, but the moment when decades of cross-genre exploration crystallize into symphonic form—proving that the most profound musical innovations happen when you're brave enough to let jazz, rock, blues, metal, and African influences speak the same language.
Jeff Sipe transforms drum sets into portals between musical dimensions, his sticks serving as wands that conjure everything from jazz fusion precision to jam band euphoria. Born in Berlin but raised on American groove, this founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit alongside Colonel Bruce Hampton helped create a musical language that fused jazz, fusion, bluegrass, rock, and avant-garde into something entirely unprecedented. Operating under the mystical moniker "Apt. Q-258," Sipe has become the drummer that makes other musicians' eyes light up—touring with everyone from Trey Anastasio and Warren Haynes to John McLaughlin and Leftover Salmon. As one musician put it, he's "regarded as one of the best drummers alive" yet remains "just a normal guy who lives down the street" and says yes to almost any musical invitation. Three Grammy nominations later, this Winchester Conservatory and Berklee-trained percussionist has mastered the art of making complex music sound effortless, whether commanding symphony orchestras in Warren Haynes' Jerry Garcia celebrations or exploring uncharted territory with his own Jeff Sipe Trio. Living in North Carolina's mountains, Sipe embodies what guitarist Jimmy Herring calls someone who "lives for music"—remaining his first choice among any drummer on the planet. In Sipe's hands, every beat becomes a conversation between tradition and innovation, proving that the most profound rhythmic statements come from drummers who understand that technique serves soul, not the other way around.
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