Bill Cunliffe and Trimotif at Feinstein's At Vitello's

David Shostac (flute)
Phoebe Ray (bassoon)
Bill Cunliffe (piano/composer)
Chris Bleth (oboe)


Trimotif… an ensemble with a penchant for tangents… is a group of flute, oboe, bassoon, and piano/composer that explores musical expression absent the confines of a defined genre. Our objective is a seamless fusion of classical music and jazz with improvisation as an integral part of our work. Bill Cunliffe, our pianist/ composer, frequently composes original works for the ensemble and we often add musical collaborators to the mix. Our programs cultivate a warm interactive atmosphere....

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David Shostac (flute)
Phoebe Ray (bassoon)
Bill Cunliffe (piano/composer)
Chris Bleth (oboe)


Trimotif… an ensemble with a penchant for tangents… is a group of flute, oboe, bassoon, and piano/composer that explores musical expression absent the confines of a defined genre. Our objective is a seamless fusion of classical music and jazz with improvisation as an integral part of our work. Bill Cunliffe, our pianist/ composer, frequently composes original works for the ensemble and we often add musical collaborators to the mix. Our programs cultivate a warm interactive atmosphere.

Los Angeles Times REVIEW – By Don Heckman

Bill Cunliffe adds colors to his palette An oboe and bassoon join the pianist’s trio at the Jazz Bakery.
Oboe and bassoon are not instruments that ordinarily turn up in jazz. But fans of Bill Cunliffe have learned to anticipate the unexpected from the eclectic pianist-composer. The performance by his Trimotif ensemble Friday at the Jazz Bakery, blending his jazz trio with the oboe of Chris Bleth and the bassoon of Phoebe Ray, was a fascinating glimpse of an unusual–but highly effective–musical combination….

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