Aaron Irwin Trio
Performing live in the corner at Little Jumbo, 241 Broadway, Five Points, Asheville. No cover. Pull up a seat.
Admission no cover · ever
Saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Aaron Irwin leads a long-standing trio with guitarist Mike Baggetta and drummer Bill Campbell. The group's music centers on melody, space, and collective sound, blending chamber-like intimacy with Americana rooted language and modern improvisation. Irwin writes in a direct, song forward style, using open forms that encourage real conversation between musicians and invite listeners into the unfolding narrative of the music.
The trio's debut album Wobegon (2018, Fresh Sound New Talent) established their focus on clarity, restraint, and open space. That language was further developed on (after) (Adhyâropa Records, 2024), a record shaped by unhurried themes and immersive ensemble interplay. Their latest release, Spark (Adhyâropa Records, 2026), builds on this foundation with a broader dynamic range, blues and folk influenced melodic sensibility, and subtle use of effects that widen the trio's sonic palette without overtaking its acoustic core.
The Aaron Irwin Trio has toured extensively throughout the United States, including an eleven city tour in August 2025. Beyond his work as a leader, Irwin has performed with Darcy James Argue's Secret Society and Jamie Baum's Septet+, and regularly appears in Broadway productions in New York City. Baggetta leads the long-running group mssv and has worked in trio settings with Jim Keltner. Campbell has toured and recorded widely with artists including Madison Cunningham, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Andrew Bird.
Live, the Aaron Irwin Trio offers performances that unfold with focus and momentum, moving fluidly from lyricism to expansive improvisation while maintaining a strong sense of narrative and collective direction.
Saxophonist, multi-woodwind instrumentalist, and composer Aaron Irwin is from central IL. Recognized as a “lyrical alto saxophonist and a compelling original composer” (Steve Futterman, The New Yorker), Irwin is a sought-after presence in both the jazz andcommercial worlds. He has eight recordings of original music as a leader, with instrumentations spanning from trio to sextet. His recent work as a leader focuses on long-running collaborative ensembles that draw from jazz, American vernacular traditions, and song-centered improvisation. In addition to his own groups, Irwin has performed with many leading jazz voices in the New York music community including the Grammy-nominated Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Jamie Baum’s Septet+, Bob Sabin’s Tentet, The Mike Fahie Jazz Orchestra, the mixed wind group Weathervest, as well as pop artists Kristen Chenoweth, Rufus Wainwright, Josh Groban, Idina Menzel, and The Roots. Irwin maintains a busy schedule as a freelance musician, performing in jazz clubs, concerthalls, and Broadway theatres, working with many of New York’s finest musicians and bands.
Irwin holds a bachelor’s degree in music from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois and a master’s degree in music from the University of Miami in Miami, Florida. He is a dedicated educator with over 20 years of teaching experience and is on faculty at the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, New York, having served as adjunct saxophone professor at Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland from 2017–2023.
It has been said that MIKE BAGGETTA is “a guitarist of slippery proficiency” (New York Times), that his performances are “totally compelling” (Jazz Journal, UK) and that “his melodic sense is truly beautiful.” (JazzReview.com)
Mike’s singular and very personal musical style seeks to blur the lines between song and solo, while connecting a wide range of musical genres that influence him. The press says this approach is “…beguilingly atmospheric…” (Time Out New York) and that “Baggetta’s music is quietly transgressive… Even when he plays a lot of notes, his playing can sound almost static, as though ideas were being snagged out of thin air.” (Hartford Courant)
Baggetta’s most recent release is the album ‘Everywhen We Go’, his second album with drummer Jim Keltner and bassist Mike Watt on the BIG EGO label. He also leads the band mssv, a post-genre power trio featuring the iconoclastic rhythm team of drummer Stephen Hodges and bassist Mike Watt. They have just released their 3rd studio album ‘On And On’ on BIG EGO Records, followed closely by an extensive tour in the US, UK and Ireland from March to June of 2025. mssv has also released a live album on Striped Light Records (with special guest J Mascis), as well as 3 limited edition 7” releases featuring guest artists Petra Haden and Nels Cline. This band grew out of Baggetta’s first album for BIG EGO, ‘Wall of Flowers’, which featured a reimagining of his music alongside bassist Mike Watt and drummer Jim Keltner.
Aside from mssv, Baggetta has had the pleasure to work all over the world with a wide range of visionary musicians across many generations including David Torn, Jim Keltner, Mike Watt, Nels Cline, Psychic Temple, Jeff Coffin, Henry Kaiser, Petra Haden, Steve Gigante, Rev. Fred Lane, Donny McCaslin, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Joseph C. Philips’ Numinous, Imani Uzuri, Viktor Krauss, David Wax Museum, Julian Lage, Jon Irabagon, Jerome Harris, Tom Harrell, Eivind Opsvik, Jeremy Udden, and Ruth Brown among many others. Baggetta is an Endorsing Artist for Koll Guitars, Benson Amps, D'Addario Strings, Reunion Blues Gig Bags & Cases.
Bill Campbell is a Brooklyn based drummer and songwriter who has performed, recorded and toured around the world with many great artists including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joel Frahm, Andrew Bird, Norah Jones, Cass McCombs, Bonny Prince Billy, Justin Towns Earl, Lucius, Brazilian Girls, and Madison Cunningham. He also leads his own band, Breastfist, which has built an international cult following and has released 4 albums including “Amuse Deuce” on groundUp records, a label created by Michael League of Snarky Puppy, who has called Breastfist his “favorite live band in the universe”.