Sweet melodies and fluid, flowing jazz intertwine as Brad Terry (clarinet), Peter Hermann (guitar), Tony Gaboury (acoustic bass), and Bill Morrison (bass) play off one another's riffs—musicians at their finest. Together, they bring over 200 years of combined experience to the stage for an unforgettable evening. After the performance, audience members are invited to relax and join a casual discussion with the musicians, following their open performance and rehearsal concept.

About the group:

This ensemble does not consider itself a traditional band, group, or organization. Instead, the musicians gather for in-depth musical conversations—discussing new tunes, exploring different harmonies, and developing a list of tunes they all feel comfortable playing together.

The concept for this concert is to give the audience an inside look at what happens behind closed doors, followed by an open discussion with the performers.

In the 1970s, guitarists Chuck Wayne and Joe Puma formed a highly successful duo, both bringing brilliant yet distinct styles to their collaboration. In 1973, Brad Terry had the opportunity to sit between the two for several concerts—an experience he recalls as unforgettable.

More than five decades later, Tony Gaboury and Peter Herman bring a similar sense of musical wonder to these conversations, offering a fresh dynamic to the ensemble. Bill Morrison's bass provides a cohesive foundation, helping to tie the group together.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE:

Bill Morrison has been playing bass, more or less professionally, for over half a century. Originally from Southeastern Connecticut, he has also worked in the Boston area, Knoxville, Tennessee, two Cumberland Counties (Maine and Tennessee), and every state in the Northeast. He's lived in South Portland since 2022. Over the years, he's worked with, among others, Harvey Diamond, Phil Grenadier, Chuck Riggs, Johnny Nicholas, Greg Piccolo, Joel Press, Count Steadwell, Jim Oblon, Donald Brown, and noted jazz educators Jerry Coker and David Baker. He has been on recordings on the Rounder, Philo, and Northeastern labels. Since moving to Maine, he's played frequently at Blue, the late lamented Henry's in the Old Port, the former Urban Farm Fermentory, the recently closed Side By Each Brewing Company (do I see a pattern emerging here?), and a number of other places which, fortunately, are still open. He's in demand as house bass player for jam sessions, as long as, in his words, "they don't call any tunes written after I was born."

Tony Gaboury is a musician who people could say something like: "Amazing guitarist, Berklee professor 1995-2102. Played and recorded with George Garzone, Steve Grover, Ben Street, John Patitucci, Clark Terry, James Williams, Alan Dawson, and more.

After a challenging high school experience, Tony Gaboury chose the exhilarating path of playing jazz—ostensibly for the financial reward, though camaraderie and passion have clearly been greater motivations. Gaboury and Terry have enjoyed a friendship spanning over forty years, sharing countless tunes and musical adventures.

Tony Gaboury and Brad Terry collaborated with Lee Faulkner and Steve Grover for the presentation of Steve Grover’s “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird,” and for many years participated in “Friends of Jazz” school programs.

Peter Ellis Herman's performance experience includes Freelance Jazz and general business gigs throughout New England. Weddings, business functions, clubs, etc. Notable collaborators have been Chris Claxton, Taylor O’Donnell, Rob Duquette, Brad Terry, Richard Nelson, Steve Grover, Rob Duquette, RJ Miller, and Denny Breau, among many others.

2011-Present Ardvark Jazz Orchestra, live performance and recording of “Impressions” at MIT in April 2013. KPAC community big band, with director Chuck Millazzo. (2017). UMA Tour Band, traveling to Middle and High School band classrooms around Maine, giving clinics and concerts. Under the direction of Steve Grover (2010-2013). Scratchdog Stringband, playing bass and touring in Oregon late 2016. Acoustic Americana, Roots, Bluegrass, Country, and Rock and Roll.

Scratchdog Stringband “Scratchdog Saloon”. Recorded in Portland, OR, 2016. All original compositions by Scratchdog Stringband. Freelance Session player for various student projects, demos, and recording classes. Ardvark Jazz Orchestra “Impressions” live at MIT. WR Custom Guitars demo for Bill Russo, luthier of fine handcrafted guitars located in Wilton, Maine. Producer and collaborator on recordings of songwriters Teddy Engs and Louis Velasco (releases pending).

Brad Terry

“Undiagnosed ADD (Til was 58) prevented me from achieving ‘normal' academic goals; I was labeled' “Lazy & Stupid”. I made unsuccessful attempts to learn to read music at Juilliard, the London Conservatory, the Mozarteum (Salzburg), and the Yale School of Music. Simple explanation: I play music 100% by ear, the way a 5-year-old talks. I started learning tunes practically from birth by listening to my mother playing all the great tunes from the 20s & 30s. I’m still learning that way” –– Brad Terry.

Next door to the Terry residence in Connecticut lived a very famous clarinetist: Benny Goodman himself. In a conversation with this neighbor, Brad’s mother told of her son’s interest in music and expressed her concern about the boy’s academic struggles, “Buy him a clarinet!” suggested Goodman. And so she did—a clarinet that came with three free lessons. With those few lessons under his belt, along with one or two from Goodman, Brad went on to develop on his own, through practice and performance. At one time, he was taken under the wing of saxophonist and Basie Band member Buddy Tate, who took his young protegé into Harlem jazz clubs and got him up on bandstands with some of the day’s greatest jazz musicians.

Brad’s playing has won him accolades from Jim Hall, Roger Kellaway, Gene Lees, Doug Ramsey, and even Dizzy Gillespie. He has also developed a large fan base in Poland, which he has visited repeatedly, performing concerts and conducting workshops for budding young jazz musicians there and beyond. Some of today’s most in-demand European players, in fact, had their first lessons in jazz improvisation at the feet of Brad Terry.

(photo credit: Troy Bennett)