Darrell Voss Trio

Jazz At The Cherry is excited to extend our reach southward, connecting with the vibrant jazz scene of San Luis Obispo. At its heart is drummer Darrell Voss, a driving force on the Central Coast for many years. He’ll be joined by two of the region’s finest — bassist Dylan Johnson and pianist Marshall Otwell — to form a powerhouse trio. Together, they’ll bring an afternoon of spirited, straight-ahead jazz: swinging standards, lyrical ballads, and soulful blues. Their groove is infectious, and after hearing them, you may find yourself planning a trip south to experience more of the exceptional jazz talent thriving in the San Luis Obispo area.

Performance is Sunday, October 19th at 2pm. Doors open at 1:30 for wine and light fare (included in the ticket price. Tickets are $45, available on Eventbrite.com.

Darrell Voss

Band leader Darrell Voss, percussionist and educator, has been a central figure in the Central Coast music community for over 30 years. A member of the Cuesta College music faculty since 2000, he teaches in the applied music program, is a key member of the jazz faculty, and has co-directed the Summer Jazz Workshop for the past eight years. Darrell has performed or recorded with The Starlight Dream Band, Jim Barnett Trio, John Proulx, Rick Jarrett, Jeff Babko, Andy Martin, Charlie and Sandy Shoemake, Randy Brecker, Pat Kelley, Doug McDonald, Robert Alberts Quintet, and Kathryn Loomis, among many others. He continues a full schedule of performing and teaching across the West Coast. He received his degrees from Cuesta College and Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, and studied with Jeff Hamilton, Charlie Shoemake, Steve Houghton, and classical percussionists Ross Sears and Paulene Soderholm. He has also participated in the Stanford Jazz Workshop, USC Masterclasses, Percussive Arts Society, and Jazz Educators Network events.

Marshall Otwell

Jazz pianist Marshall Otwell is internationally recognized for his artistry and extensive career in performance and education. He spent more than eight years as pianist and musical director for Carmen McRae, touring worldwide and recording several albums with her, including the Grammy-nominated Live at the Great American Music Hall with Dizzy Gillespie. He currently resides in Los Osos, California, teaches part-time at Cuesta College, and continues to share his deep love of jazz with students and audiences alike. Marshall has toured with Freddie Hubbard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Charlie Musselwhite, and has performed or recorded with Michael Brecker, Ray Brown, Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Tormé, Zoot Sims, Percy Heath, Ernie Watts, Ernestine Anderson, Andrea Carter, Steve Wilson, and many others. He has also been featured at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, opening for Diane Schuur and Lavay Smith, and appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival with his own trio as well as with Dave Becker’s Central Coast All-Stars. He has contributed to jazz education as a faculty member at Jazz Camp West, a trustee for Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz, and as a part-time instructor at Cuesta College.

Dylan Johnson

Electric and acoustic bassist Dylan Johnson has been a mainstay of the Central California music community for over 25 years. In addition to having performed extensively on both coasts of the U.S., he holds a master’s degree from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music and completed his undergraduate studies at Berklee College of Music. Based on the Central Coast of California, he performs regularly with Inga Swearingen, Charlie Shoemake, and often accompanies touring jazz artists in addition to projects in many other styles. Dylan has accompanied John Abercrombie, Ray Vega, Shunzo Ohno, Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, Adam Nussbaum, Jeff Hirshfield, George Schuller, Jim Pugh, Pablo Menendez, Colin Bailey, Lanny Morgan, Gary Foster, Red Holloway, Bruce Forman, John Stowell, Frank Potenza, Pete Christlieb, Stacy Rowles, Ron Stout, Bob Sheppard, Jimmy Branly, Paul Kreibech, Steve Ture, and Wynton Marsalis. He is currently on the music faculty at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA.