08/31/2026
Special Set Alert!
Saturday Night Oct 3 at the Adorni Waterfront Center will be a master class in improvisational excellence. We are fortunate to have some of the world’s best here this year and we asked Joel Paterson to select a group to best showcase these skills.
Paterson is a Chicago-based guitarist and steel guitarist known for his improvisational skills and his ability to blend multiple styles into spontaneous performances. For over two decades, he has been a mainstay of the Chicago roots music scene, playing sets that mix jazz, blues, western swing, rockabilly, and country.
Carl Sonny Leyland is globally recognized for his exceptional, fluent improvisational skills, prioritizing spontaneity and raw energy over rehearsed set pieces. Rather than strictly adhering to standard charts, Leyland treats every performance as a unique, evolving conversation with the piano.
As a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, Nathan James blends rhythm, songwriting, and spontaneous performance. His background in blues and roots music has honed his ability to adapt and respond in real time, whether playing guitar, harmonica, or his handmade washboard guitar.
Dennis Gruenling is widely regarded as one of today’s top electric blues harmonica players, and his improvisational abilities are a key reason for his acclaim. His style blends classic postwar Chicago blues harmonica with 1940s–50s jump and swing blues, creating a sound that is both rooted in tradition and adaptable to modern.
Paterson’s Trio relies heavily on the exceptional improvisational skills and deep chemistry of its rhythm section: Beau Sample on upright bass and Alex Hall on drums. They are reuniting for Redwood Coast and along with good friend and 20 year collaborative partner Jonathan Doyle they anchor the band's repertoire with a spontaneous, high-energy approach. Quite simply, there is nothing that these musicians can’t do and excel.
We don’t know where this set will go – and perhaps they don’t either and that’s the point. If you’re a fan of exceptional musicianship, depth and improvisational excellence – you won’t want to miss this set.
