The Core represents everything essential about Asheville's jazz DNA distilled into five musicians who understand that the best ensembles aren't just collections of individual talents—they're alchemical reactions where individual voices merge into something greater than their sum. This quintet embodies the mountain city's unique musical ecosystem, where Blue Ridge authenticity meets sophisticated harmonic exploration, where the intimacy of local venues allows for the kind of musical risk-taking that transforms standards into personal statements. Named for their ability to get to the heart of every song they touch, The Core strips away musical pretense to reveal the emotional architecture beneath, proving that jazz at its best isn't about showing off—it's about showing up completely for each moment, each phrase, each possibility that emerges when five musicians breathe together in perfect musical democracy. In Asheville's thriving jazz scene, The Core stands as both inheritors of tradition and pioneers of what's next, reminding audiences that the most profound musical experiences happen when virtuosity serves vulnerability, when technique becomes the vehicle for something infinitely more human.
Featuring
Some musicians chase the notes—Zack Page lets them chase him, which might explain how he's managed to average 275 gigs per year since the mid-1990s, turning bass lines into highways that stretch from Virginia backroads to Swiss jazz festivals to Asheville's intimate listening rooms. This rhythm section nomad carries dual citizenship in the worlds of heavy metal and jazz, a musical passport stamped by legendary drummer Billy Higgins and acclaimed clarinetist Eddie Daniels, earned through decades of wandering between Los Angeles studios, New York City sessions, and now the Blue Ridge Mountains. His four strings have held down the low end on cruise ship stages and gypsy jazz jams with equal authority, whether he's anchoring 'One Leg Up' in Asheville's Django-influenced underground or laying foundation stones for folk rock storytellers. From electric bass at eleven to acoustic mastery in college, Page embodies the restless spirit of American music itself—always moving, always grooving, always making everyone around him better. As fellow trumpeter Justin Ray observed, that's the hallmark of truly great musicians: they don't just play their part, they elevate everyone else's.
In Asheville's Monday night jazz ecosystem, Evan Martin represents the rare breed of drummer who understands that sensitivity and power aren't opposites—they're dance partners. As a cornerstone of the local scene, Martin has mastered the art of musical telepathy, reading room dynamics and bandmate intentions with the precision of a master craftsman who knows exactly when to whisper and when to roar. His kit becomes a conversation partner rather than a time machine, responding to melodic phrases with percussive punctuation that feels both inevitable and surprising. This is drumming as collaborative art form, where every snare accent and hi-hat whisper serves the greater musical narrative, making Martin not just a timekeeper but a storyteller whose vocabulary happens to be built from wood, metal, and perfect timing.
From San Antonio street corners to Michael Bublé's Grammy-winning stages, Jacob Rodriguez has woven a musical tapestry that spans continents and genres. This Manhattan School of Music alumnus doesn't just play saxophone—he channels stories through reed and breath, whether he's painting midnight hues with Ambrose Akinmusire in Brooklyn's underground scene or igniting arena crowds alongside pop royalty. Now nestled in Asheville's Blue Ridge embrace, Jacob has become the valley's secret weapon, teaching the next generation at UNC Asheville while moonlighting with everything from Hard Bop Explosion's fire-breathing quintet to the mystical rhythms of Coconut Cake's traditional Congolese explorations. His baritone sax doesn't just anchor the low end—it rumbles with the wisdom of a world traveler who's learned that the most profound music happens when you're brave enough to blend your influences into something entirely new.
From Nebraska to Harvard to Little Jumbo, Dr. Bill Bares embodies the scholarly soul of jazz—a NEH Distinguished Professor whose academic credentials from Amherst College read like a jazz education manifesto written in political science and piano poetry. When a lip injury ended his All-American trumpet dreams, Bares discovered that sometimes life's detours lead to destinations you never knew you were seeking. Now directing jazz studies at UNC Asheville after teaching stints at Harvard, Brown, Berklee, and the New England Conservatory, he transforms every performance into a master class where bebop meets book learning, where chord changes become cultural commentary. His scholarly articles in American Music and Jazz Research Journal prove that the deepest musical truths emerge when academic rigor meets artistic passion, making every Little Jumbo appearance a reminder that jazz isn't just entertainment—it's American intellectual history told in real time through eighty-eight keys.
In a scene filled with talented musicians, Justin Ray has emerged as both a formidable trumpet voice and the kind of musical leader who makes everyone around him want to dig deeper into their craft. Leading the Justin Ray Quartet with the kind of understated authority that comes from deep listening and deeper respect for the tradition, Ray embodies the collaborative spirit that keeps Asheville's jazz scene thriving. His trumpet doesn't just play melodies—it starts conversations, poses questions, and creates spaces where other musicians can discover new aspects of their own voices. This is leadership through inspiration rather than domination, proving that the best bandleaders don't just direct the music, they elevate it by recognizing and nurturing the unique gifts that each musician brings to the collective sound.