Simon Rowe Organ Trio to Perform With Matt Patnode

By Brianna Brickweg
Contributing Writer
The Simon Rowe Organ Trio will be performing at Studio 22 on October 22 at 8:00 p.m. with Dr. Matt Patnode.

Dr. Simon Rowe is an associate professor of music at Minnesota State University Moorhead where he teaches jazz piano and jazz studies, along with coordinating the music industry program.

He fronts both the Simon Rowe Trio and the Simon Rowe Organ Trio. He performs at Studio 222 every other Friday at 8:00. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for students. The show is all ages.

“We often get high schools students coming and right up to retired folks,” said Rowe.

Rowe’s jazz initiative began in 2005. He began working at the Hotel Donaldson and then operations moved to Studio 222 three seasons ago.

The organ trio consists of Rowe on organ, Nick Fryer on guitar and Joel Thompson on drums.

Dr. Patnode has previously performed with both the Simon Rowe Trio and the Simon Rowe Organ Trio.

Patnode is an associate professor at NDSU. He teaches saxophone studies, applied saxophone lessons, saxophone quartets and jazz studies.

Patnode plays saxophone, flute and clarinet, “but I try not to play clarinet in public,” said Patnode. He mostly plays tenor saxophone and will be playing tenor sax with the trio.

The traditional sound of an organ trio includes an organ, drums, guitar and tenor sax, which dates back to the 1960s and the organist Jimmy Smith, who was a big proponent of organ trios, said Patnode. Almost every club had an organ for the use of jazz musicians.

“There is a rich tradition of tenor saxophone in the organ trio context so this is sort of a classic pairing,” said Rowe.

Patnode and Rowe have been playing together since Rowe arrived in Fargo in 2004.  The two began working immediately after Rowe’s arrival.

“A lovely thing about the tri-college consortium here is that a lot of the faculty work together,” said Rowe.

Patnode said that since Rowe’s come to town, he’s been great about inviting various soloists to come in.

“Each player brings a different sound to the trio itself. If you think of the trio as a kaleidoscope, when you have a different player with it, you turn the kaleidoscope; it’s a different sound, a different pattern,” said Patnode.

Patnode performs with a variety of groups, including Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome, Alan Carter’s Big Band, which performs every Monday at Studio 222, and the Hard Bob Saxophone Quartet.

“We all wear different hats,” said Patnode about professional musicians, “I always get asked ‘What band do you play with?’ I play with, like, six of them so it depends on what night and what weekend it is.”

Patnode also said he is lucky to have as many musician friends, like Dr. Rowe, as he does in Fargo.

“We’re a close-knit jazz community,” said Patnode, “We end up working together in different groups and different situations. We’re a small jazz family [within the three colleges].”

Rowe encourages people to come out for a night of quality jazz music in an area which doesn’t experience a lot of jazz.

“This is the only sophisticated small venue concert space presenting jazz in the area,” said Rowe, “Many who visit from bigger cities are envious of both the quality of music and the environment and the warmth and enthusiasm of the crowd in the FM area.“

The Simon Rowe Organ Trio’s next performances are on November 5, November 19 and December 3.

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If You Go

What: Simon Rowe Organ Trio With Matt Patnode
Where: Studio 222
When: Fri, Oct 22, 8pm
Info: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)