Rob Thorsen Trio
Monday, December 16, 2024
12 PM
Rob Thorsen Trio (Richard Sellers, drums; Melonie Grinnell, piano & Rob Thorsen, bass)
Jazz bassist Rob Thorsen maintains a diverse and busy schedule in Southern California as a performer, educator, clinician and composer. He has found his true voice in the upright bass and performs regularly as a leader with artists including the Mike Wofford/Holly Hofmann Quartet, Gilbert Castellanos, Charles McPherson, Steph Johnson and a host of others.
He has released six recordings as a leader, the most recent release, “Bass is the Space - Solos and Duos” featuring an array of jazz talents including Joshua White, Steph Johnson, Gilbert Castellanos and Marshall Hawkins in duo and solo performances. Recently released "So In Love" a 10-track album with his wife/lead vocalist Steph Johnson featuring songs from Cole Porter, Joni Mitchell, and others.
Jazz education plays an important role in his career. He teaches at Gilbert Castellanos Young Lions Jazz Conservatory, The La Jolla Athenaeums “The World Of Jazz” as well as teaching privately. In 2010 Thorsen created “Jazz an American Art Form,” a highly successful jazz educational program that features his quartet and is presented to over 8,000 students annually in primarily under-served communities. He is also involved with and performs with the Voices of Our City Choir, a soul-jazz choir created by his wife Steph Johnson for people experiencing homelessness in San Diego.
Richard Sellers has been playing drums professionally for over twenty years. In that time, he has performed with countless groups and ensembles in a variety of styles, including straight-ahead jazz, avant-garde jazz, Brazilian, Latin, funk and hip-hop.
In addition, he has worked extensively as a teacher, applying his unique rhythmic approach and meticulous technical methods. A native of Valencia, California, Richard received earlytraining from Stewart Fischer (brother of jazz giant Clare), Earl Palmer, and Joe Porcaro. The support of such greats prepared him for his move to San Diego nearly six years ago, when he began to make frequent performance appearances at San Diego State University, and gigged incessantly with the best professionals in town.
This experience includes a lasting musical liaison with (bassist) Rob Thorsen and (vocalist) Ruby Presnell, with a popular band called Ruby Blue. The band recorded their new album "Revealed", and enjoyed steady stints at San Diego's finest venues, including Marriott Yacht Club of San Diego, the prestigious University Club.
Soon, Richard was regarded as one of the premier drummers in Southern California, and he found himself sharing the stage with World Class artists such as Hubert Laws, Terell Stafford, Kenny Rankin, Kamau Kenyatta, Mike Wofford, Bob Magnusson, Marshall Hawkins, Clare Fischer, Gary Foster, Andy Simpkins, and Jackie and Roy. These players and many
others respected him immediately for his uncanny talent with brushes, his undeniable energy, and his strict attention to dynamics and groove.
Richard has made high-profile appearances at the Namm Show, an internationally recognized musical and technological convention.
Active as an educator and performer, jazz pianist Melonie Grinnell began studying piano at an early age and has since been recognized not only for her versatile skills as a pianist, but also for her abilities as a vocalist, music educator, and musical director. Melonie received her Bachelors of Music degree in Music Education with jazz emphasis from the University of Miami and a Masters of Music performance degree in Jazz Studies from San Diego State University.
Melonie has been a music educator at the collegiate level for 24 years and is an Assistant Professor at Grossmont College where she serves as a co-chair and director of piano studies and the vocal jazz ensemble.
Classes include Music Theory and Practice, Class Piano, and and Piano Performance Studies. She teaches traditional face-to-face classes as well as online classes.
Additionally, she is on the faculty for the Francis Parker/KSDS 88.3 Summer Jazz Workshop where she teaches jazz piano and co-directs middle school to high school student ensembles. She is also active as an adjudicator for instrumental jazz festivals including the Coronado/COSA Jazz Festival and the KSDS Jazz 88/CMEA festival.
As a freelance musician, she is based in the San Diego area and performs throughout the jazz community. She has also subbed as a keyboardist with the San Diego Symphony during their pops season.
Free concerts at noon every Monday year-round . . . no wonder the Mini-Concerts are the longest-running and one of the most popular classical music series at the library! This series was founded by Glenna Hazleton in 1970 at the Athenaeum, and has been going strong ever since. The concerts feature both local and touring musicians, prize-winning students, university music faculty members, local chamber ensembles. . . and the repertoire also includes jazz, folk, and world music. There are no reservations, no tickets . . . just line up at the side door of the Athenaeum before noon. (Donations are always welcome!) Mini-Concerts take place every Monday at noon and last about an hour.
The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Doors open at 11:50 a.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.