Chris Hovan Organic Trio Tapping into the current Hammond organ revival, Chris Hovans Organic Trio revisits the classic organ combo genre with a renewed sense of purpose that puts swing and soulful energy at a premium. Covering both modern repertoire and iconic standards from the jazz lexicon, the trio features Michigan native Cliff Metcalf on organ and Chandler Carpenter on guitar. Performances feature classic pieces by Dr. Lonnie Smith, Cleveland legend Neal Creque, Tony Monaco, and the great Wes Montgomery.A respected photographer, journalist, and musician, Chris Hovan has been involved with music since starting piano lessons at the tender young age of five...
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Chris Hovan Organic Trio Tapping into the current Hammond organ revival, Chris Hovans Organic Trio revisits the classic organ combo genre with a renewed sense of purpose that puts swing and soulful energy at a premium. Covering both modern repertoire and iconic standards from the jazz lexicon, the trio features Michigan native Cliff Metcalf on organ and Chandler Carpenter on guitar. Performances feature classic pieces by Dr. Lonnie Smith, Cleveland legend Neal Creque, Tony Monaco, and the great Wes Montgomery.A respected photographer, journalist, and musician, Chris Hovan has been involved with music since starting piano lessons at the tender young age of five. Adding clarinet to his studies while in middle school, Hovan ultimately devoted his full attention to drums and percussion while a freshman in high school. He attended the prestigious music conservatory at Baldwin-Wallace College where he studied classical percussion with George Kiteley. It was at this time that he began expanding his sphere of influence by studying Latin and Brazilian percussion styles and collecting instruments. Hovan also studied drum set for a year at the Berklee College of Music in Boston with Skip Hadden, John Ramsay, and Tommy Campbell. Upon his return to Cleveland, he honed his big band and chart reading skills with the legendary Harry Damas. Over the past 25 years, Hovan has played in a variety of Northeast Ohio venues with such jazz artists as Rich Holsworth, Josh Smith, Francois Roland, Larry Ross, Jackie Warren, Jeremy Poparad, Bobby Selvaggio, Mark Russo, DANJO Jazz Orchestra, and Just Jazz. He has also shared the stage with such national artists as Tony Monaco, Arturo OFarrill, Brian Lynch, Alex Harding, and James Carter. Hovans Generations Quartet is his latest group, the ensemble performing at The Bop Stop and Con Alma on several occasions. Hovan also performs as a percussionist with the horn-based ensemble Funkology and Doobie Brothers tribute band, China Grove. Hovan also plays drums with Bob Niederriter and The Jazz Shepherds.Clif Metcalf is a graduate of Hope College in Holland Michigan, where he studied with jazz organ monster, Tony Monaco. In the fall of 2016, he participated in the 1st annual Jazz Organ Summit, a gathering of prominent artists and enthusiasts from around the United States that featured Jim Alfredson (Organissimo, Root Doctor, Hammond TV) and Gerard Gibbs (Organized Crime, RYZ). The event was hosted by Tony Monaco and the Hope College Jazz Faculty. Clif was honored to share the stage with Mr. Monaco, Chuck Loeb and Harvey Mason (Fourplay), as a part of the summit headline concert. Guitarist Chandler Carpenter is a rising talent on the Cleveland-Akron jazz scene. The Brunswick native did his undergraduate studies at the University of Akron and just recently earned his Masters degree in jazz performance from Youngstown State University where he studied under many distinguished professors including Dave Morgan. He has performed with drummer Owen Davis, DANJO Jazz Orchestra, and has been a regular in the house band for BLU Jazz Akrons monthly jam sessions.
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