Tri-state natives TH!CK, an up-and-coming piano-bass-drums trio, craft open, propulsive, mind-bending jazz in the vein of progressive mainstays The Bad Plus and Avishai Cohen. Band leader and pianist Brett Sandler founded the group in 2010 at Hofstra University with Adam Pin on drums, later joined by Peter Longofono on electric bass. The group’s exploratory compositions and crack musicianship garnered early praise, which in turn motivated them to record their eponymous debut EP in 2012.

TH!CK’s ever-expanding library of original tunes reflects its members’ common interests in searching improvisation buoyed by virtuosic runs and breaks. Layered motifs accumulate tension over the course of a piece, then lurch suddenly into ohesive song. Each musician places a high premium on elliptical voicing, organic phrasing, reharmonization, and diosyncratic execution.

The trio performs regularly to growing crowds in venues across Manhattan and Brooklyn. When not performing, they can be found settling their differences over a spirited round of Catan in Bushwick.