Since 2011 Jazz Trip has been on a mission to highlight the finest and most talented jazz musicians in the area. The Trip drives the idiom of improvisation into new territories, and has been met with large crowds and critical acclaim wherever they play. Their lineup is a powerhouse with roots in Johnstown and Pittsburgh that evokes the sounds of the past while forging ahead. Each band member is proficient in their craft and a leader in their own right, but the combination of the three truly is an all-star lineup of talent and experience. The band hopes to bring their audience to a new appreciation of improvisation while educating the youth on this cherished tradition. Jazz Trip is currently working on their debut album of original jazz music while planning tour dates.

ZACH BODOLOSKY

Guided by his father, Mike Bodolosky, who is an educator and jazz musician, Zach started playing the drums at age 10. Soon after he started playing professionally in clubs in and around the Johnstown area, and has been teaching since age 18. . Zach has shared the stage with such notables as Toby Keith, The Guess Who, Ribbon Grass, and Jennifer Drummey, and also plays with local notables Jazz In Your Face and Black Cat Moan.

JOSHUA BEN

Joshua Ben is from a musical family — his mother sang opera professionally, and his father was a jazz guitarist. Having the support of both parents helped drive Joshua’s interest in pursuing the piano. He studied at Duquesne University and then later at the University of Pittsburgh. Joshua has shared the stage with such notable acts as Lisa Marie Presley, Keller Williams, The Wailers, and Rusted Root, to name a few, and has been featured on both radio and television internationally.

MARK PERNA

Bassist, trombonist and producer Mark Perna has performed and produced extensively with some of the finest jazz performers in Pittsburgh. He has produced or appeared on recordings by Jack Erdie, Anne Feeney, Peter King, Leslie Smith, Don Aliquo and his own CDs. For the past three years, he has played trombone and bass in the klezmer band Klezlectic. He is currently producing a series of new recordings for himself, Don Aliquo, Jazz Trip, Peter King and jazz legend Richie Cole.

MIKE SAKASH – FEATURED GUEST ARTIST

Mike Sakash holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in music education and performance, as well as a master’s degree in jazz studies and contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music. He has studied saxophone with Lynn Klock and Raymond Ricker, improvisation with Yusef Lateef, and jazz composition and arranging with Fred Sturm. Before settling in New Hampshire, Mike was Associate Professor of Music at Washington & Jefferson College. Currently, he is the music department chair at Fryeburg Academy, in Fryeburg, ME, where he directs the instrumental ensembles and teaches courses in music theory, guitar, and jazz improvisation. Mike also serves as a guest artist and clinician at music festivals throughout the country. He has performed, recorded, and toured with the Phoenix Jazz Project and the Traverser Saxophone Quartet, in addition to being a regular member of the Portland Jazz Orchestra. As a member of the Portland Jazz Orchestra Mike has had the opportunity to solo with vocalist and saxophonist Darmon Meader, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, and saxophonist David Demsey.