This group, a brand-new aggregation, pays homage to the great pianist and composer Thelonious Monk just two days after his birthday (Oct. 10). More an appreciation band than a cover band, this quartet will share some unexpected songs and reimaginings of Monk's incredible music.

Band Members:
Bryan Nichols - Piano
Dave King - Drums
Bryan Murray - Saxophones
Dan Carpel - Bass

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Bryan Nichols is a pianist, composer, and educator based in Minneapolis. Often found playing jazz and improvised music, but at home in a variety of musical worlds, he leads and composes for his own trio, quintet, and nonet, in addition to performing, recording, and touring with a variety of forward-thinking artists. The Star Tribune has called him “a versatile, daring and inventive keyboardist...one of the Twin Cities' most respected jazz players.” He is a recipient of a prestigious McKnight Fellowship for Performing Artists and a residency at the Kennedy Center for Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead program. Nichols has released two albums as a leader to critical and audience acclaim; an original solo piano work, Looking North; and a suite of originals for his quintet, Bright Places.

Dave King is a drummer and composer originally from Minneapolis, MN. He is best known as a founding member of the internationally recognized jazz groups The Bad Plus and Happy Apple. He has also recorded and/or toured with many other jazz luminaries and has appeared on over 100 recordings, including seven records as a leader under his own name. He has been prominently featured in many top publications for creative music, including DownBeat, JazzTimes, the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune. He is currently an adjunct professor at The New School in NYC and has taught at Stanford University, New England Conservatory, Duke University, and many more major institutions around the world.

After 20 years of living, studying, and performing in the New York music scene, Bryan Murray relocated to Apple Valley, MN, with his family in 2022. While in New York, Murray led an “avant country” band called Bryan and the Haggards that focused on the songwriting of country music legend Merle Haggard. The band’s two albums on Hot Cup Records and one with Eugene Chadbourne on Northern Spy Records have received much praise. The New York Times said, “…their debut is satisfying as both a commentary on Mr. Haggard’s music and a dispatch from the current jazz frontier.” The Boston Globe called the debut “The Biggest Surprise Jazz Album,” and The Wire rated it as one of the top 10 jazz albums of the year. Murray has also been a regular sideman on other projects—including Moppa Elliott’s Unspeakable Garbage and Jon Lundbom’s Big Five Chord—and joined the “Love This Giant” tour with David Byrne and St. Vincent. His latest musical projects use a modified saxophone of his own creation and are recorded under the pseudonym Balto Exclamationpoint.

Dan Carpel attended Berklee College of Music, where he was in the school’s Monterey Quartet. He was a member of Jason Palmer’s band throughout his time in town, and was a mainstay in their residency at Wally’s Jazz Cafe. His time out east also notably included playing in groups led by Godwin Louis, Noah Preminger, and Melissa Aldana. Since relocating to the Twin Cities, Dan has regularly worked with Javi Santiago, Zacc Harris, and Omar Abdulkarim. He frequently performed with singer/guitarist Mary Cutrufello as well as Sonny Knight and the Lakers, and he recently became a part of Dylan Hicks’s Small Screens.