Overview
Americana and Jazz Collide
Sam Butler and Garrett Fasig, leaders of the Indianapolis-based Visions Jazz Ensemble, discuss the origins and techniques behind their new project, Of the People. Blending two unique American art forms in recognition of the nation’s 250th birthday, the album features classic songs like “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “Ghost Riders in the Sky” in inventive new jazz arrangements. Commissioned by the Timeless Music Project, the genre-bending collection is set for release in 2026.
About the Presenters
Sam Butler is a professional jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and educator based in Indianapolis. He has performed nationally with ensembles including Sammy Miller and The Congregation, the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Sean Dobbins and the Modern Jazz Messengers, and the Visions Jazz Ensemble, which he co-leads with saxophonist Garrett Fasig.
Garrett Fasig is an emerging composer and saxophonist based in Bloomington. He has written several original jazz ensemble compositions that have been recorded by the Brent Wallarab Jazz Ensemble and has been commissioned for both jazz ensemble and orchestral works by the New York Youth Symphony and Brianna Thomas, respectively.
The Visions Jazz Ensemble is dedicated to delivering fresh, modern interpretations of both original compositions and timeless jazz standards. Their debut release, Across the Field (Patois Records), garnered critical acclaim, earning a feature in DownBeat Magazine and worldwide radio play for its inventive jazz arrangements of college fight songs and collaboration with esteemed trombonist Wycliffe Gordon.
Upcoming Events at Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts
