Ben Schmidt-Swartz Quartet
Wed, Sep 09
|Merrimans' Playhouse
The quartet explores original music as well as jazz standards that are meaningful to the band. The aesthetic comes out of a tradition of decades of music from the great jazz saxophone quartets. Also featuring Matthew Fries on piano, Carlo De Rosa on bass, and Chilean drummer Nelson Oliva.
Time & Location
Sep 09, 2026, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM EDT
Merrimans' Playhouse, 401 E Colfax Ave, Suite 135, South Bend, IN 46617, USA
Guests
About the Event
TICKETS are $15 General/$6 Student. Concert is one long set. End time is approximately 9:00 pm.
Composer and saxophonist Ben Schmidt-Swartz leads his quartet in a program featuring original compositions alongside selected jazz standards that honor the great saxophone quartet tradition. Drawing inspiration from artists including Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, and Oscar Peterson, the ensemble continues that lineage through contemporary original compositions rooted in the straight-ahead jazz tradition. Reuniting with Chilean drummer and composer Nelson Oliva, the project reflects more than a decade of shared musical collaboration while blending expressive improvisation, thoughtful composition, and dynamic ensemble interaction. The performance features original works by Schmidt-Swartz and Oliva, together with selected standards honoring the centennial celebrations of Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
Ben Schmidt-Swartz - saxophone
Matthew Fries - piano
Carlo De Rosa - bass
Nelson Oliva - drums
Tickets
Advanced
Advanced and door prices are the same; Tickets available at door after online sales end at 6:00 pm.
From $6.00 to $15.00
Sale ended$15.00
$6.00