No Trio for Cats

Active since: 2012

No Trio for Cats organically reinvents the language of the jazz piano trio, transforming mainstream sonorities through a compositional approach that reimagines the swing pulse to explore new sonic horizons. Active since 2012, the Roman trio—Andrea Saffirio (piano and composition), Andrea Colella (double bass) and Matteo Bultrini (drums)—is one of the most distinctive presences on the contemporary Italian jazz scene.

The group was born from the artistic meeting of three musicians united by a desire not to renounce jazz tradition, but to use it as a starting point for innovative sonic explorations. The close rapport developed over the years has allowed the trio to create a personal language that defies mainstream categories, organically integrating influences ranging from late-nineteenth-century symphonic music to elements of Black music—from Motown culture to hip-hop sonorities—without ever allowing these crossovers to become clichés or to overwhelm the project's jazz essence.

Jacob Hurlock

Born: September 25, 2002

Hans Fuecker

Born: January 18, 1966

Hans Fuecker is a German pianist, composer, and arranger with a career spanning multiple decades across jazz, classical, and Latin genres. He studied classical piano at the Maastricht Conservatory under Prof. Barbara Grajewska, and expanded his musical versatility by studying composition and jazz trombone with Jiggs Whigham in Cologne.

As a sought-after instrumentalist and arranger, he has collaborated with prominent acts such as Latin House, Connexion Latina, and salsa legend Larry Harlow. His concert tours have included performances with jazz greats like Buddy DeFranco, Dusko Goykovich, and Matthias Rüegg, as well as shared stages with icons such as Mel Lewis, Christian McBride, and Marc Johnson.

Dimitri Nassar

Born: January 23

Pianist/Music Educator

Dimitri Nassar was born in East Cleveland, Ohio, where he began playing the piano at five years old at the insistence of his father Ivan Nassar, a professional piano tuner. Dimitri’s early piano studies took place at the Cleveland Music School Settlement and the Cleveland Institute of Music under distinguished pianist and jazz educator Cliff Habian. With more than a decade of piano instruction under his belt, Dimitri Nassar was accepted into Shaw High School's jazz ensemble “Rhythm Teens” and was later recruited to further his talents at South Carolina State University, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in music education. Dimitri later earned a master’s degree in music education from Anderson University.  

Milo Hehmsoth

Milo Hehmsoth is an emerging jazz pianist whose artistry blends traditional jazz roots with a fresh, modern perspective. As the son of renowned jazz composer and pianist Hank Hehmsoth, Milo carries forward a legacy of musical excellence while carving out his own unique voice in the jazz world.

Milo leads the Milo Hehmsoth Trio, captivating audiences with their dynamic interplay and innovative arrangements. Most recently, he was invited to perform at the prestigious Austin Jazz Society Georgetown Concert Series, a testament to his growing reputation in the jazz community.

Gordon Hulbert

Adam Ponting

Born: July 26, 1971

Adam Ponting is a jazz pianist, acoustic bassist, drum programmer, arranger and composer.

Adam grew up on a farm in country NSW, Australia, and started doing jazz gigs at age 12. His first jazz influences were Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Erroll Garner and Martial Solal. In the late 80s he attended the jazz program at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, then led by Don Burrows.

1990s: Adam played with the Ghosts of Saturn, a fully improvised jazz-rock quartet featuring Carl Dewhurst. He led a trio with Simon Barker and Ashley Turner. He played and recorded with Neilsen Gough, often with Craig Scott and Alan Turnbull, one of Australia's finest ever rhythm sections. He played with a lot of the great players of the Australian jazz scene - Bernie McGann, Dale Barlow, Alan Turnbull, Craig Scott, Ed Gaston, Jason Morphett, Tim Hopkins, etc.

Spencer Zweifel

Christopher Pitts

Pianist and Composer, Christopher Pitts seeks to transcend the piano and connect with community by engaging with sounds of the African American Diaspora.

Christopher has been featured with Lauren Henderson, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Sara Reich Tap Music Project, Sean Imboden Large Ensemble, Andrew Danforth Quartet and Rob Dixon Triology. Christopher is featured on Evan Drybread Quartets “Tiger Tail” release as composer and pianist which reached the top 20 on Jazz Week charts

Christopher's primary musical expression is with his trio CP3, who recently recorded and released an EP "BE Free" January 2024 during a residency at Cliff Bells. An established entity in Indianapolis you can hear the trios connection every 1st Friday at McGowan Hall at no cost.

Hutchinson Andrew Trio

The Hutchinson Andrew Trio (HAT), is a unique voice on the Canadian Jazz Scene. Over the past 8 years this acoustic piano based trio has been bringing their own sound to the Canadian jazz landscape. The Trio is comprised of three-time Western Canadian Award nominated bassist Kodi Hutchinson, CBC Galaxie Rising Star pianist Chris Andrew, and Downbeat award-winning drummer Karl Schwonik. They are the winners of the 2013 TD Grand Jazz Award from the Montr��al International Jazz Festival. HAT��s music can be categorized as contemporary acoustic jazz. They bring their unique Prairie perspective to music mixing elements such as contemporary swing, latin, oddmeter and acoustic groove