Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee - woodwinds
Celine Kang (NYC) - guitar
Isabelle Waldner Kalb - guitar
Jordan Glenn - drums

Born and raised in Oakland, California, saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee embodies a striking mix of sounds deriving from improvised, vocal, blues, and jazz traditions. A graduate of The New School's Jazz and Contemporary Music program, Nathan has studied with luminaries such as Melissa Aldana, Darius Jones, Tivon Pennicot, David Glasser, Or Bareket, Jon Irabagon, Anat Cohen, Joshua Rubin, and Ismail Lumanovski. Nathan has taught at Oakland Summer Music, Oakland Public Conservatory, Claremont Middle School, and The Harmony Program in NYC, providing music education at no cost to students.

As a performer, Nathan has appeared alongside generational artists such as Billy Martin, Faye Carol, Azure McCall, Selendis Sebastian Alexander Johnson, and Lesley Mok. He has performed internationally in Tokyo, and the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland, in the Bay Area at Yoshi's Oakland, and The Soundroom, and NYC at Dizzy’s Jazz Club, The Stone, and Le Poisson Rouge. A big supporter of community organizing, Nathan hosts eclectic house shows and Improv Nights, and continues to compose, improvise, and perform in New York City and the Bay Area.

TRIO Z

Gianna Caudillo: acoustic bass
Julius Zimmerman: cello
Ali Ziyad: cello

Featuring
Lena Badhia: drums
Grace Basom: piano

TRIO Z, the Berkeley-based experimental string trio of bassist Gianna (Zakhary) Caudillo and cellists Ali Ziyad and Julius Zimmerman, is an unbridled conglomeration of its members' individual musical backgrounds (ranging from symphonic performance to free jazz), and their shared passion for improvisation and spontaneous composition. TRIO Z's music turns a chamber string trio upside down and backwards, featuring collaborative, structured improvisations, off-beat jazz compositions by Caudillo, and sparsely arranged interpretations of works by Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Ben Goldberg, and John Zorn. Though formed only recently, TRIO Z has already been in the studio and on the stage, penning an auditory love letter to the emotional and musical connections that arise through close musical study and collective improvisation. Described as "transgressive," "poignant," and "thoughtful," TRIO Z sets out to swing, even when caught in the middle of a wash.

They are joined by special guests Lena Badhia (drums) and Grace Basom (piano), close contemporaries and frequent collaborators who are not only members of the TRIO Z X-Banded Big Band, but accomplished composers and bandleaders in their own right.

Tickets are $20 general admission. Children under 12 are free. Advance tickets are available here, or if the show is not sold out, you may purchase your tickets at the door before the show.

Doors open 30 minutes before show time. We accept cash or Venmo only at the door.

The Back Room is an all-ages, BYOB (for those 21+) space, dedicated to (mostly) acoustic music of all kinds. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages. The venue is ADA accessible. If you need more information or have any questions, please call us: #510-381-1997.

To join our mailing list, please click here.

Please refrain from using your phone during performances, and if you use your camera or video, please disable the flash.

Although masks are no longer required, we strongly encourage their use to keep everyone safe in our intimate space.

Thank you for your support!

Contact the host of Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee and Friends, TRIO Z +2