MOBKE

About this event

TICKETS are $20 General/$10 Student. Concert is one set; End time is estimate.

MOBKE is a transatlantic quartet at the crossroads of musical influences. The idea took shape in Théo Girard’s mind after returning from his first trip to the United States. Fascinated by every era and style of American jazz, he sought to bring together musicians with strong artistic identities, capable of embracing this heritage while forging their own paths.

MOBKE, featuring:

Théo Girard (France) - double bass

Sophia Domancich (France) - piano

Nick Lyons (USA) - alto saxophone

Tom Rainey (USA) - drums

MOBKE was initiated by Théo Girard in 2020 and finally came to life in 2022. It is a French-American ensemble whose members will come together in two stages: first in France in February, then in the United States in September. Théo Girard took his time forming his first groups, Bulle and Pensées Rotatives, both of which are now widely acclaimed.

The quartet brings together artists with richly diverse musical backgrounds: Tom Rainey, Sophia Domancich, Nick Lyons, and Théo Girard. Each contributes a distinctive voice to this musical adventure, where Théo Girard’s compositions serve as the starting point for a collective creative process that reveals the exceptional talent of every member.

MOBKE is a meeting of distinctive musical worlds that come together to explore new directions and push the boundaries of jazz.

Sophia Domancich , a multifaceted pianist, brings her experience and virtuosity to the ensemble. Known for her duos with Simon Goubert, she also performs with ensembles led by Denis Charolles, François Corneloup, and Sylvain Kassap, maintaining a distinctive presence on the jazz scene.

Nick Lyons , still relatively unknown in Europe, is an alto saxophonist whose music bridges tradition and the avant-garde. A student of Connie Crothers and an admirer of Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz, he is distinguished by his inspired approach and subtle art of improvisation.

On double bass and serving as artistic director, Théo Girard, founder of Discobole Compagnie & Label, grounds MOBKE in a bold creative vision. Trained by leading figures in European and American jazz, he has performed on stages around the world with projects as varied as Bratsch, Macha Gharibian, Le Bruit du [sign], and Sibiel. In 2019, he released his debut album, 30YearsFrom, before turning his attention to composing for large ensembles with Pensées Rotatives.

Percussionist Tom Rainey was born in Los Angeles, California in 1957. Since moving to New York City in 1979 he has performed at festivals and clubs throughout North America and Europe with a wide range of artists, including John Abercrombie, Ray Anderson, Tim Berne, Jane Ira Bloom, Ted Curson, Marc Ducret, George Gruntz, David Torn, Mark Helias, Fred Hersch, Andy Laster, Joe Lovano, Carmen McRae, Mike Nock, Simon Nabatov, New and Used, Matthias Schubert, Tom Varner, WDR Big Band, Ken Werner and Denny Zeitlin.

Tom Rainey received an National Endowment for the Arts grant to compose and perform a concert of music for percussion and drums featuring Dave Samuels and Arto Tuncboyaci. Rainey’s voluminous recording credits and the artistic caliber of the musicians he’s supported would easily place him on the A-list of drummers closely identified with the New York City modern creative jazz scene roughly from the late ’80s onward.

Tom Rainey recorded his debut album as a leader, "Pool School" for Cleanfeed Records in May 2010. The CD also features Mary Halvorson on guitar and Ingrid Laubrock on saxophone. The trio’s follow-up CD "Camino Cielo Echo" was just released on Intakt Records.

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, the John, Anna, and Martha Jane Fields Memorial Trust Foundation, and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust. 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.

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.