Listed among Cleveland's Most Interesting People by Cleveland Magazine in 2021, saxophonist, composer, and educator Chris Coles brings an outstanding trio to the BOP STOP. This stellar group of musicians will play unique interpretations of jazz standards and more. Featuring:

• Jordan McBride - Bass
• Paul Samuels - Drums
• Chris Coles - Saxophone

Tickets to attend this show are $20 each. This event will also be livestreamed on BOP STOP's Facebook page at showtime. Accessing the stream is free but donations are encouraged and directly support the band. To donate, select "Donation: Livestream Attendee" as your Ticket Option above and follow the steps below:

• Select "1" as your quantitee and click "Add to Cart"
• You may enter your name if you wish and click "Submit"
• Click on the "Edit Cart" button that pops up.
• Enter the amount you wish to donate under "Order Summary" and click "Checkout" to enter your card information.

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Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, saxophonist Christopher J. Coles is based in the Greater Akron area. He serves on the faculty of the University of Akron as Assistant Professor of Practice in Jazz Studies. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in performance from Youngstown State University, where he studied extensively with James Umble, Kent Englehardt and David Morgan and a master’s degree in performance from the University of Akron. At the 2015 Banff Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music, Chris had the distinct honor of studying with many influential jazz pioneers, including Vijay Iyer, Mark Turner, Imani Izuri, Tia Fuller, Billy Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Zakir Hussain, Somi, Vosany Terry and Miles Okazaki, among others. Chris was a winner of the 2017 Knight Foundation Arts Challenge in Akron, Ohio for his composition “Nine Lives.” “Nine Lives” was written in 2015 in memory of the nine lives lost at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. This work is about 40 minutes and features other art forms such as dance, animation and spoken word.

Chris regularly appears with many local ensembles, including Black Dog Octet, Red Rhinoceros Revival Octet, Bluelight, The Admirables, Sam Blakeslee Large Group and The Stokes Legacy Jazz Orchestra. His own jazz quartet, Gleam, released its debut album in summer 2018. Chris has performed with many notable local and international jazz musicians such as Eddie Baccus Sr., Melvin Burks, Kenny Davis, Glenn Holmes, Bill Ransom, Cecil Rucker, Grammy Award winner Slide Hampton, Ralph Lalama and Allen Vizzutti.

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Jordan McBride picked up the bass at age 12 and began to develop a sound influenced by the Philadelphia Jazz scene. As a teen, Jordan studied with jazz greats such as bassist Andy McCloud and Mike Boon, often trailing with musicians into jazz clubs around Philadelphia. Jordan studied classical music earning a position in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and studied jazz band performance and bass at Philadelphia’s prestigious Settlement Music School. There, he joined a group of young jazz performers and began performing in and around Philadelphia. The group quickly gained a reputation that landed the young musicians gigs for Philadelphia Mayor, John Street, Philadelphia Eagle owner, Jeffrey Lurie, and a New York City performance for Freddie Hubbard’s memorial tribute, opening for jazz legend McCoy Tyner. Before entering college, Jordan had the opportunity to work with jazz legend Jimmy Heath.

Jordan McBride holds an Artist Degree from Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he worked with Peter Dominquez and Gerald Cannon. Jordan is a creative arranger and composer based in Cleveland, OH.

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Paul Samuels grew up in suburban Cleveland, where his father was a violinist for the Cleveland Orchestra and his mother was a visual artist. Samuels’ father took him to concerts performed by McCoy Tyner, Tony Williams, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sarah Vaughn—jazz innovators who inspired young Paul to become a performing artist and drummer.

Starting his professional music career at age 14, Samuels studied with Cleveland Orchestra percussionist Robert Matson and drummer Bob McKee. As he played drums around the Cleveland area, Samuels was influenced by local musicians Lawrence Jacktown Jackson, Greg Bandy, Lamar Gaines, Bill DeArango, Jamey Haddad, Val Kent, Skip Hadden, Ace Carter, and Neal Creque.

In 1975, Samuels immersed himself in the New York music scene. While he learned from the up-and-coming musicians of his generation, it was drummer Billy Hart who influenced his musical direction. He is presently a visiting teacher of jazz studies at Oberlin Conservatory.