Third Coast Swing is heavily influenced by the music of Django Reinhardt and his band The Hot Club of Paris. The jazz ensemble takes influence from the band and uses it to shape their own styles of gypsy swing, bolero, jazz, and more! The quartet tonight will be Stephen Plummer-guitar, Kaedin Plummer-guitar, Tom Knific-bass, and Grant Flick-violin.

Stephen Plummer is a passionate, versatile and engaging guitarist, who displays his southern roots, New York City training, and devotion to the legacy of Django Reinhardt and Gypsy Jazz. Raised in Alabama and Atlanta, Stephen studied at the Atlanta Institute of Music, the City College of New York, and NYC’s New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. He is the founder/director of Third Coast Swing , has shared the stage with national touring artists including guitar greats of Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo, Denis Chang, and Jimmy Grant. Based in Ludington, Michigan, Stephen shares his talents teaching at the Ludington Area Center for The Arts. His commitment to the study and performance of the music of Django Reinhardt and proponents of Gypsy Jazz has delighted audiences and inspired legions of new fans.

Kaedin Plummer grew up surrounded by art since the age of 13. Both parents are actors and directors. His brother Elliot is a singer, his sister a graphic artist and his older brother, Stephen Plummer as his guitar mentor. He now plays rhythm guitar with his brother Stephen who formed this Michigan based jazz group “Third Coast Swing”. Kaedin also studied music with Keith Kuczynski at Ludington High school, playing euphonium in The wind symphony, and bass in the jazz band. He then studied with Ted Malt at West Shore Community College. Playing upright bass in wind symphony and guitar in the big band jazz band. He received a certification for guitar build and repair from Galloup Guitar School, in Kalamazoo. For the past 6 years Kaedin has been gigging and recording with the Third Coast Swing Band all around the state of Michigan.

Tom Knific has performed with many of the great jazz and classical artists of our time on tour and on record. They include Gene Bertoncini, Michel Legrand, Billy Hart, Randy Brecker, Dave Brubeck, Fred Hersch, and others. He and Eric Marienthal co-led the “Dream Band” with Toots Thielemans, Kenny Werner and Harvey Mason in the first live interactive concert multi-cast over the Internet. As a classical artist, he has recorded with Pepe Romero, Andre Watts, Philippe Entremont, and the Merling Trio. He has appeared as a soloist with orchestras and has performed as principal bassist with orchestras and chamber orchestras in the U.S. and Europe. He has appeared at chamber music festivals throughout North America and Europe and was a founding member, bassist and composer for the contemporary music group, OPUS 21. Tom is professor emeritus of double bass and director of jazz studies at Western Michigan University.He has also taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy, Michigan State University, Cleveland Institute of Music, and has been visiting artist/faculty at The China Conservatory, Beijing, since 2008. In 2019, Knific helped launch a new Jazz Academy in Bangkok, Thailand as advisor and teacher. He has presented over two hundred master classes worldwide.

Grant Flick is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, and collaborative artist currently based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While his main instrument is violin he typically inhabits spaces where it is not uncommon to find him playing nyckelharpa, tenor guitar, mandolin, or just about any other fifth-tuned stringed instrument. He lives fluidally between idioms/genres with a focus on original instrumental music primarily influenced by American improvisational idioms (bluegrass, jazz, new acoustic music, etc.), the music of Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli, and chamber music both new and old. His most recent album “The Great Door” showcases his writing style in a quartet featuring entirely original material. His performance portfolio is diverse as he has played at places such as the Argyros, Baltimore Museum of Art, Billy Strings’ Renewal Festival, Cole Porter Festival, Grand Ole Opry, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, the International Society of Bassists’ Convention, Michigan Jazz Festival, Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest, Savannah Music Festival, and Telluride Bluegrass Festival, among others. He has appeared on stage with artists such as Darol Anger, Frank Vignola, Julian Lage, Mike Marshall, and Time for Three, to name a few. 

This show will be at the Flamb-OWE-nce Community House located at 2492 Scottwood Ave.

Potluck at 6:00, Music at 7:00.

$20 cash at door, as always, 100% goes directly to the musicians.