Stephen Rush and Jeremy Edwards have been playing and performing together for over a decade in a variety of musical situations. From jazz, musical theatre, opera, electronic, and now acoustic duo, the two have formed a deep musical connection that defies genre. Their first and recently released album Naked Dance! features five original compositions from Rush and one from Edwards that explore the possibilities of the acoustic piano and drum combination. For more about their unique musical language and inspiration—arising in part from using Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies cards as an impetus for improvisation—visit www.rushedwards.com.
Stephen Rush is a Professor at the University of Michigan, where he works with students from music, dance, art, and engineering as the director of the Digital Music Ensemble and teacher of creative process. Rush has had premieres in five continents, and released over twenty-five CDs, as well as a book on jazz theology titled Better Get It In Your Soul (2008). Rush has premiered and recorded his music with major orchestras and performed with Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Grimes, Steve Swell, Eugene Chadbourne, Pauline Oliveros, his band Yuganaut, “Blue” Gene Tyranny, and the late Peter Kowald.
Jeremy Edwards is a drummer/percussionist, recording engineer, composer, and educator working in a variety of musical genres. He received a bachelor’s degree in music technology and percussion and a masters degree in improvisation from the University of Michigan. Jeremy has actively toured the United States and Canada performing original music and continues to perform locally with rock, jazz, and experimental music groups. Jeremy works for the UM School of Music, Theatre, and Dance as a music and multimedia computer specialist and lecturer. Edwards has performed with Skeleton Birds, The Silent Years, Thomas Buckner, and has engineered sessions with Geri Allen, Bob Hurst, and Karriem Riggins, including the NAACP Image award-nominated album Geri Allen & Timeline Live!
This monthly series, curated by UM Associate Professor Adam Unsworth, presents outstanding local artists in an intimate setting and is made possible by the Doris Sloan Memorial Fund.
