Mark Usvolk – bass/composer/arranger
Ron Horton – trumpet/flugelhorn
Tim Armacost – sax
Peter Tomlinson – keys
Peter O’Brien – drums
Bassist/guitarist/composer Mark Usvolk has an unfair advantage. Since he and his wife, Roni own Lydia’s Cafe, he gets to play there whenever he wants and can usually entice musicians who play better than he does to play in his band.
After receiving his Bachelor of Music degree (BM) from the University of North Texas many, many years ago, Mark went on to make a tolerable living playing guitar and teaching until he came to the realization that his chances of finding a woman who would put up with his BS and his meager income would be greatly improved if he had a real job. In the late 80’s, Mark moved to Stone Ridge after living in Dallas and Tucson and began designing and building houses. It worked! He met and married Roni and in 2006 they bought the Country Deli from Roni’s mom, Lydia and thus began the saga of Lydia’s Cafe, a struggling music venue and gaping money pit, which brings us to the present situation.
Mark has performed with the Tucson Symphony, Salsa/Latin, jazz, R&B & funk bands during his musical era and currently makes his living as a residential designer.
Mark has assembled a dream team of musicians whose sole purpose in life has been to prepare them to perform Mark’s original compositions and to provide beautiful solos over his weird chord changes. The pieces are representative of a range of styles from jazz to Latin to funk to classical and feature memorable melodies and a somewhat unique harmonic approach.
Dream Team
Since 1982, trumpeter Ron Horton has been an integral part of New York’s flourishing jazz scene and he stands out both as an exemplary instrumentalist and as a highly progressive composer and arranger. Whether called upon as a sideman or as a leader of one of his own ensembles, he shows that he is committed to further expanding the existing perimeters of jazz.
Horton has had many long musical associations with leaders such as saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom (1983-2000) and pianist Andrew Hill. He was a member of Hill’s sextet from 1998 until 2003, and appears on the group’s critically acclaimed cd, Dusk (Palmetto 2000). He was also musical director and co-arranger for Hill’s big band, and is featured on the cd, A Beautiful Day(Palmetto 2002).
Ron Horton was born in 1960 in Bethesda, Maryland, and has been frequently called on as a sideman to perform and/or record with such artists as Lee Konitz, Will Holshouser, Rez Abbasi, Phillip Johnston, Andy Laster, Mick Rossi, Matt Wilson, Bill Gerhardt, Bill Mays, Peggy Stern, Allan Chase, Andy Biskin, Ted Nash, Jon Gordon, John McKenna, Walter Thompson, Diana Perez, Billy Newman, Mario Pavone, Tina Marsh, Maryanne DeProphetis, Landon Knoblock, Sam Bardfeld, Maria Guida, Abigail Riccards, Angie Sanchez, Kris Davis, Darcy James Argue and many others.
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Saxophonist Tim Armacost’s music is known for its balance of lyrical invention, harmonic sophistication and exciting interplay among top-tier band mates. His improvisations are brimming with ideas, but organized into a naturally flowing narrative
Touring regularly around the world both as a sideman and a leader, Armacost has worked with a phenomenal number of jazz greats, including Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Peter Erskine, Ray Drummond, Roy Hargrove, Don Friedman and Randy Brecker.
Armacost has recorded 14 critically acclaimed albums as a leader, performed on more than 60 as a sideman, and has recorded over 100 original songs and arrangements. His most recent leader outing, Time Being, featuring Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and Bob Hurst received 4 stars in Downbeat magazine, and has met with critical acclaim around the world.
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Pianist/composer Peter Tomlinson holds a BFA from SUNY New Paltz. He hasalso studied with Barry Harris, Warren Bernhardt and Mulgrew Miller.
Peter has been an adjunct professor at Western Connecticut since 1990. He has also taught instrumental music and directed stage bands, grade 3-12, for the Paul Effman Music Service since 1992. In 2006 Peter became an associate professor of jazz piano at Vassar College. Other teaching experiences include jazz clinics and coaching high school All-State jazz bands.
Recordings include albums with Grammy Award winner Jay Ungar, “The Lover’s Waltz”, and Mark Dziuba, “Son of Cramdon”, also featuring Adam Nussbaum and Jay Anderson. Of Peter’s own albums, “Momentum” , on the Compose label, featured musicians include Dick Oatts, Dave Douglas and Jimmy Cobb. Rhodes Spedale of Jazz Times Magazine says, “ He’s talented, lyrical, imaginative, and swinging- all the necessary attributes of a fine pianist.” Peter’s 2003 album, “For Evans’ Sake” is a duo with guitarist Peter Einhorn. Jim Hall wrote “ It’s amazing… I loved it!” In 2007 he recorded with singer Bar Scott and bassist Lou Pappas, “ A Little Dream”. Other musicians Peter has worked with include Ron Carter, Hubert Laws, Laurel Masse, jazz tap legend Honi Coles and singer/songwriter Natalie Merchant.
Born in Flushing, Queens, NY, drummer Peter O’Brien inherited his musical talents from his father, drummer Bill O’Brien, with whom he began his formal studies of the drums at age five. Peter toured the USA with organist Brother Jack McDuff and, from 1984-1985, performed all over the USA and Canada with the Edgar Winter Band. The band featured the legendary singer Jerry LaCroix (the original lead singer for White Trash) and performed the jazz-inflected fusion material from Edgar’s first ground-breaking record “Entrance,” as well as his rock and blues music. During this time, Peter also performed several dates with Roy Buchanan, including a sold-out show at the Beacon Theatre with Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, and Junior Wells. From 1986-1987, he toured Europe with Mark McMillan. Peter moved to Woodstock, NY in early 1988 and became a member of John Hall’s band Orleans. He was the subject of a feature article published in Modern Drummer’s Rhythm and News (Japan).
