We are excited to welcome back Chris Hovan's Organic Trio! Tapping into the current Hammond organ revival, the 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 natives Cliff Metcalf on organ and Lawrence Barris on guitar.

Tickets to attend this show are $20 each. This event will also be livestreamed on BOP STOP's YouTube 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.

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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 O’Farrill, Brian Lynch, Alex Harding, and James Carter. 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.

At Hope, Metcalf was a recipient of the Swaby Scholarship, the Freshman Music Prize, Distinguished Artist Award, and the Jazz Alliance of Mid Michigan Izenson Memorial Scholarship. His Hammond Family status has allowed him to meet and make valuable connections with jazz organ greats including the legendary Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Currently working towards a degree in music education, Metcalf enjoys a healthy performing schedule with artists such as Sean Dobbins, Jordan VanHemert, Randy Marsh, Alex Harding, Paul Carrie and the Soul Sensation, The Thirsty Perch Blues Band, Thornetta Davis, and Larry McCray. He can regularly be seen at festivals and pubs in Central, West and Northwest Michigan.

Larry Barris started playing guitar at a very young age. By the age of 13, he was already working professionally in and around Detroit with "The Black Nasty," a well-known local R&B band of the era. Larry quickly made a name for himself among the Chitlin’ Circuit, playing behind comedians such as Rudy Ray Moore and Redd Foxx.

It wasn't long before Larry started working with a "who's who" of Detroit jazz heavyweights, including Marcus Belgrave, Teddy Harris, Donald Walden, Dennis Rowland, Wendell Harrison, Bobby Wright and Rod Lumpkin. He also performed with national artists as they passed through Detroit, such as George Benson, Mary Wilson & The Supremes, Ben E. King, The 5th Dimension, George Burns, Joan Rivers, Earl Klugh, Joe Sample, Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Jack McDuff, Dave McMurray, Fabian, Little Anthony & The Imperials, David Ruffin, and Eddie Kendricks, among others.

In 2001, Larry released his eponymous first CD, followed in 2003 by the release of his second CD, Love On Me. Larry officially joined organissimo in December of 2012, a Lansing-based organ trio known for their original material and unique take on everything from the pop music of The Beatles to the neglected gems of classic organist Big John Patton.