Companionship in performance drives jazz group

The Greg Thompkins Quartet, performing at An Die Musik tonight, is one group of musicians that manages to pick up wherever it left off, whatever the lapse in gigs together. Tonight’s performances will celebrate the release of their most recent CD, “The Greg Thompkins Quartet Live”.

“The people I play with are coming out of the same genre of jazz,” Thompkins said. “This is the period of 1950s Be-Bop to the current style.”

Musically, this genre of players knows all of the standards such as “Autumn Leaves” and “All the Things You Are”, according to tenor saxophonist Thompkins. He maintains that most jazz musicians are playing the same 100 tunes, and that’s how they’re able to change themselves out.

His quartet is a tight group, however, consisting of drummer and percussionist Scott Tiemann, bassist Adam Hopkins and guitarist and composer Brian Kooken, whose original pieces are also included on the CD and will be performed on stage tonight.

Kooken and Thompkins, long-time friends and both Towson University graduates, enjoy an almost symbiotic musical relationship.

“It’s great to have somebody that you can play with and know that you’re both reaching for the next level,” Kooken said. “I’ve always done that with Greg [and] it’s a joy to have that kind of companionship in playing.”

Still, with all of the improvisation and communication that comes with years of playing together, the performances are structured.

“You have to differentiate yourself from everybody else out there so that you’re not just a jam session,” Thompkins said. “One way you can do that is by the music you choose to play.” 

So, in addition to performing Kooken’s pieces, the group will also offer their spin on the works of jazz genius, Thelonius Monk. Among other works, audiences can expect a soulful rendition of Monk’s “Bemsha Swing”.

“Monk was a composer [who] redefined the harmony and structure and form of music,” Kooken said.

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