Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective
Fri, Jun 07
|Merrimans' Playhouse
A contemporary jazz nonet based in Indianapolis. The group is dedicated to writing and performing new music ranging from originals to jazz standards.


Time & Location
Jun 07, 2024, 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 $17 General/$6 Student. Concert is one long set. End time is approximately 9:00 pm.
Founded in 2019, the Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective is a contemporary jazz nonet dedicated to the performance and development of the modern jazz repertoire. Based in Indianapolis, the group is composed of established local professionals and young, up-and-coming musicians who share a passion for bringing this music to our community. The ensemble is also an outlet for emerging and professional composers, arrangers, and performers, programming both original music and fresh arrangements of familiar standards. The 9ollective has enjoyed performances at historic McGowan Hall, Merrimans’ Playhouse, Chilly Water Brewing Co., and the world famous Jazz Kitchen.
https://ashanafelt.com/hickeyshanafelt-9ollective
Alex Shanafelt - conductor/co-leader
Kent Hickey - trumpet/co-leader
Sam Butler - trumpet
Tommy Neidecker - trombone
Garrett Fasig - alto sax
Spencer Schillerstrom - tenor sax
Evan Drybread - bari sax
Graham Helft - guitar
David Richards - bass
Chelsea Hughey - drums
Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective @ The Jazz Kitchen, May 17th, 2022 - YouTube
Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective @ McGowan Hall, June 10th, 2022 - YouTube
Kent Hickey is an in-demand trumpet player and educator based in Indianapolis, IN. He received his undergraduate degree in jazz studies from Butler University and his master’s degree at the esteemed Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of John Raymond. Locally, Kent has played alongside some of the scene’s best including Sean Imboden, Rob Dixon, Nick Tucker, Joel Tucker, and Kenny Phelps among others. The trumpeter currently leads two of his own projects, the Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective and the Kent Hickey Trio. Previously, Kent worked as a trumpeter aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships in the Summers of 2018 and 2019. In addition to performing, Kent is also a passionate educator who strives to share his love of music with the next generation. He maintains a private studio of about 30 trumpet students at various schools in the Indianapolis area and is also the outreach liaison for the Butler Youth Jazz Program, a branch of the Butler Community Arts School. Recently, Kent was also appointed Adjunct Professor of Jazz Trumpet at both Butler University and the University of Indianapolis.
Alex Shanafelt is the co-director, conductor, and composer for the Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective, a contemporary jazz nonet based in Indianapolis with a mission of playing original charts and arrangements by local musicians. The 9ollective has enjoyed performances across Indiana, including Merriman's Playhouse, the Taggart Amphitheater, and Indy's own The Jazz Kitchen. Additionally, the group recently released their debut album “illuminate” in October 2022. Alex is also one of the co-founders of the Contemporary Art Music Project (CAMP), a non-profit organization that promotes innovative new music by collaborating with living composers and performing artists from around the world. At CAMP, Alex helps to administrate their annual international music festival, CAMPGround, as well as leading the development of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary undergraduate education program called The Artist Orchard.
Sam Butler is a jazz trumpet player and composer from Fairhope, Alabama, currently based in the Bloomington/Indianapolis area. He draws much of his inspiration from jazz trumpet legends like Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard, and looks to combine this style with that of modern players like Wynton Marsalis, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Roy Hargrove. Sam currently attends Indiana University as a senior and has been invested in the Indianapolis and Bloomington jazz scenes since 2018.
Spencer Schillerstrom is a Chicago-based saxophonist, educator, and composer. Attempting to bend definitions established by genre, Spencer has taken his unique sound to venues all over the midwest as a bandleader and sideman at venues such as Andy's Jazz Club, The Chicago Jazz Showcase, The Promontory, and currently holds a residency at The Waterfront Cafe. Spencer holds an MFA from DePaul University in Jazz Saxophone, is a Tenor Madness Saxophones Artist, and is a former student of world renowned musicians Dana Hall, Scott Burns, Patrick Bartley, and Steven Snyder. As an educator, Spencer has held positions at DePauw University, the British International School of Chicago, and, currently, Hinsdale South High School as the saxophone studio paraprofessional and jazz program co-director. "Introducing Spencer Schillerstrom" is now available on all streaming platforms.
Eric Garcia is a freelance performer, educator, and composer based in Indianapolis, IN. Though he is trained in jazz, he explores wide varieties of genres and soundscapes to meet the needs of the moment. As an artist, he always does his best to push music forward while paying homage to artists of the past, as well as provide the Indianapolis community with high-quality performance and instruction in jazz and other genres.
Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from the Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services Private Trust Foundations, which include grants from the Stanley A. and Flora P. Clark Memorial Community Trust Foundation (2020-2021; 2022-2023 seasons), the John, Anna, and Martha Jane Fields Memorial Trust Foundation (2021-2022; 2022-2023 seasons), and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust (2021-2022; 2022-2023; 2023-2024 seasons). Special concert event support provided by the Arts Midwest Grow, Invest, Gather (GIG) Fund grant (2022-2023 season). Activities are made possible in part by the Arts Organization Support (AOS), Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency (2023-2024 season).
Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from The Esther and George Jaruga Charitable Foundation (2020-2023 seasons). The Student and Home Grown Series concerts made possible, in part, with support from the ArtsEverywhere Grant from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, and the Arts Project Support Grant and the Arts Recovery Grant through the Indiana Arts Commission.