Thread City Jazz Trio - Thread City Jazz Trio (2023)

A revamped performance ensemble, Thread City Jazz Trio, featuring three music department faculty is set to release a new album this coming January. The self-titled release is an adventurous re-imagining of jazz standards through the fusion of the unique artistic perspectives of Anthony Cornicello (piano), Rick O’Neal (bass) and Matt Bronson (drums).

As fellow faculty at Eastern, Cornicello, O’Neal and Bronson inspire each other to be creatively engaged in bringing their own interpretations to jazz standards. Often, the members will try to play familiar pieces in the context of different genres. “There are some times we’ll walk in and we’ll be like, let’s try this as a Latin,” said Cornicello. “Other times, it happens in performance.”

Improvisation is a core aspect of the way the trio performs and is a skill that can keep songs from going off the rails. “That’s the beauty of jazz,” said O’Neal. Cornicello added, “In a certain way, you’ve kind of got to go with it.”