Jazz, Poetry & Wine

Spencer “p.s. edekot” Aubrey is a poet, performer, and creative connector who uses words, music, and human connection to inspire meaningful dialogue and reflection. He describes his work simply: “I thrive as a connector through words, actions, and music and find joy in relational depth.”

Spencer earned a Bachelor of General Studies degree from Arizona State University in 2012 and a Master of Arts degree from Wilkes University in 2016.

Matt Kendrick is an award-winning bassist, composer, and recording artist from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He studied classical bass at the UNC School of the Arts and jazz improvisation with Jerry Coker at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Throughout his career, Matt has performed with an impressive roster of jazz luminaries, including Marian McPartland, Ernie Watts, Gene Bertoncini, Archie Shepp, Jaki Byard, Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), Craig Harris, Dick Hyman, and JoAnne Brackeen. He is also a two-time recipient of the North Carolina Jazz Composers Fellowship.

Dave Fox is an inventive keyboardist and composer celebrated for his versatility across modern mainstream jazz, avant-garde improvisation, rock, and classical music. Originally from North Carolina, he spent his early years in New Jersey, Texas, and Kwajalein, experiences that helped shape his broad musical perspective.

Dave holds an Ed.D. in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, along with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Piano Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Since 1996, he has served as Professor of Music at Greensboro College. His recording career includes collaborations with a wide range of artists and projects exploring both free-form and melodic jazz traditions.

Saxophonist Drew Hays performs actively as both a classical and jazz musician. He is a founding member and baritone saxophonist of the Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra, performing throughout North Carolina with the ensemble, including appearances at the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival in High Point. He also serves as one of the group’s in-house arrangers.

Drew performs regularly throughout Greensboro and the surrounding region with a variety of jazz ensembles, including his own trio and quartet, the Guilford College Jazz Faculty Quintet, and the Wally West Little Big Band. He has toured throughout the United States and the United Kingdom as baritone saxophonist with the New Century Saxophone Quartet. His orchestral appearances include performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Roanoke Symphony, and the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra.

Drummer Kassem Williams was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began learning to read music at the age of eight and quickly discovered a passion for drumming that would shape his life and career. At age thirteen, he moved with his father to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he attended Northwest School of the Arts.

Kassem is a graduate of the Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. An accomplished and versatile performer, he appears extensively throughout the region in a wide variety of jazz and contemporary music settings.