Killdeer Trio, An Otsego Original, Finding Its Groove

By IAN KENYON

For Wyatt Ambrose, Sebastian Green and Evan Jagels, 2022 is a year nearly a decade in the making. In May, the trio—now officially the “Killdeer Trio”—sat down for their first rehearsal with the intent to perform as a band. Their debut performance followed in less than a month and since then has propelled Ambrose, Green and Jagels, all Otsego County residents, into back-to-back performances throughout the area.

“This group would not have been possible without the long-familiar chemistry and shared perspective between us,” Ambrose explained.

While identifying as a jazz trio, Killdeer Trio (coined by Green) concurrently leaves room for interpretation and adaptation.

“’Killdeer Trio’ could sound like a jazz trio or a disgruntled punk band and we enjoy this subtle artistic ambiguity,” Ambrose elaborated.

The embrace of creative versatility extends far beyond the band’s name and deep into Killdeer’s approach to musical composition, with equal focus on cohesion and improvisation. All compositions created, recorded, and performed are exclusively original, guided through a collaborative approach between all three musicians on arrangement and interpretation.

“For me, the inspiration is to create a situation where I can blend all of my musical influences into a cohesive sound rather than trying to fit into a specific musical style. We all want to have a group where we can let the music flow naturally and make that music as honest as possible,” Ambrose added.

Jagels explained, “In the jazz tradition, a heavy focus is placed on improvisation and jazz is the most adaptable music. Think of a sponge that soaks up many musical traditions and movements and uses them as platforms. We are a jazz trio, but we are also influenced in that same manner by all types of music—hip-hop, punk, rock, classical, free improvised music, Latin, West African… and a lot of this comes from our own personal experiences and worldview.”

For Green, his inspiration is driven by equal parts creative and personal.

“I’ve played and performed with other experimental and improvisational groups, and Wyatt and Evan’s rigorous compositions and masterful playing set a unique pace requiring a highly disciplined approach to performing in this vernacular, and it truly is distinct from any other group I’ve played with.”

Killdeer unifies the collective experiences of Ambrose, Green and Jagels not only through their years of participation in the region’s music scene, but through endeavors in the United States and abroad. Ambrose, who together with Jagels, are teaching colleagues in the Music Department at Hartwick College, credits much of his growth as a musician to those he studied alongside and collegiate peers—including Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Samara Joy, Eric Finland and Jason Clotter.

Ambrose added, an important takeaway from his studies is that the deep studies aren’t always requisite. “One emphasis I’ve tried is more direct melodies that you don’t need a PhD in jazz composition to understand and remember. I strive to write music that provokes a distinct feeling or vibe that anyone can connect to.”
Green underscored the influence of family in his progression as a musician.

“My parents, both musically-minded, raised me and my siblings in a way that encouraged curiosity and exploration, two facets that are vital in my approach to improvising with Evan and Wyatt,” Green said. Outside of the family, Green credited Conor Murphy, “a local master craftsman and keyboard genius on the sly. I was introduced by him to the world of improvised music at the age of 14, and without his generosity, patience, and tutelage I would certainly not be here today and Killdeer would not exist.”

Reflecting, Green noted the impact and influence of close friend Hagan Knauth, who prior to passing away in the spring, left a lasting impression on the understanding that instinct and humility are central to improvisational music.
“I strive to honor his legacy,” Green noted.

For Jagels, Killdeer is a further extension of an already deep history in music. In addition to his role at Hartwick College, Jagels is part of Duo Extempore in a collaboration with New York City-based pianist Nicole Brancato, working together on a European tour and recently producing a concert video on the history of Roosevelt Island in New York. At Hartwick, Jagels integrates music across disciplines, including a recent partnership with an astrophysicist and students to produce a video on exploring the cosmos. Jagels’ additional collaborations include joining together with acclaimed filmmaker Bill Morrison on one of his films at Glimmerglass Film Days, being a member of Shatter on Impact with Blake Fleming and Amar Sastry, serving as music director of Origins Cafe in Cooperstown and working together with the American Federation of Musicians (AFM Local 443).

With a range of experience and reach, Killdeer had plenty of options on how and where to proceed as a band. As Jagels noted, there was no debate on where to start.

“Between all three of us, we’ve performed across the United States, Europe and Japan. This is our home and we have chosen to make this area Killdeer’s home – and it certainly has an influence on the music,” Jagels said.

The embrace of the region is reciprocated through audiences’ embrace of Killdeer, Ambrose noted.

“I’ve been thrilled, surprised and reassured by our reception so far—we’ve played the full gambit of venues, bars, restaurants, concert halls, galleries and outdoors—every audience has been compelled to listen and seems to connect with what we are doing.”

Green agreed: “The audiences are receptive. Jazz can often feel like a private conversation between the performers and listeners can feel left out. What I have with Evan and Wyatt can be complex, but I believe our performances lack that pretentious quality and it is a wider dialogue, a shared experience.

“To have one attentive and appreciative audience member is a gift and we have been lucky to perform for any and everyone who has made it to one of our shows,” Green added.

Looking ahead, Killdeer is focused on recording. The band noted their intention of beginning with a short EP that within one day resulted in an entire album being recorded—nearly unheard of in today’s music industry. Jagels noted the album is currently being mixed and mastered and will eventually debut on digital release across all major platforms.

Killdeer plans to maintain a packed performance schedule in the months ahead, with a focus on regional jazz festivals and creative music venues. At Killdeer’s core, Ambrose recalled the energy driving the band’s inspiration and growth:

“We have something really special going on here and I feel lucky to be here during what feels like a transitional era in music.”