Baker Artist Portfolios

'Pluto Dances' is a piece I composed in collaboration with the Effervescent Collective dance company. It is scored for 3 percussionists, violin, cello, bass, and electronics. It was written as a graphic score, with each part consists of a series of repeating cells written in traditional notation as well as a graphic part that is interpreted according to instructions. All of the parts allow for, and depend on, improvisational choices by the performers that give the music a sense of fluidity that could not be achieved with a strictly composed score.

These performance clips are taken from various concerts and recordings where I am either a sideman in someone else's project, or a project that I am not a primary composer. This includes groups where the music is completely improvised. Clips included are from the following projects: The Trudel/Hopkins Duo, Danny Gouker's Signal Problems, miscellaneous clips from The Banff Workshop, and recordings from my trio in a more traditional jazz context.

These performance clips are taken from various concerts and recordings where I am either a sideman in someone else's project, or a project that I am not a primary composer. This includes groups where the music is completely improvised. Clips included are from the following projects: The Trudel/Hopkins Duo, Danny Gouker's Signal Problems, miscellaneous clips from The Banff Workshop, and recordings from my trio in a more traditional jazz context.

YDT is a trio consisting of Quartet Offensive members Eric Trudel-sax, Adam Hopkins-bass, and Nathan Ellman-Bell-drums. They play original compositions as well as extended explorations on jazz standards, with a heavy focus on open improvisation.

Adam Hopkins is in the process of composing an album-length composition set for YDT titled "The Numbers in the Car." The track "The Zero In the Car" featured here is the first composition in that set.

YDT is a trio consisting of Quartet Offensive members Eric Trudel-sax, Adam Hopkins-bass, and Nathan Ellman-Bell-drums. They play original compositions as well as extended explorations on jazz standards, with a heavy focus on open improvisation.

Adam Hopkins is in the process of composing an album-length composition set for YDT titled "The Numbers in the Car." The track "The Zero In the Car" featured here is the first composition in that set.

The Out of Your Head Collective is a Baltimore-based improvised music collective co-founded by bassist Adam Hopkins and guitarist Matt Frazao in early 2009. Hopkins and Frazao curate weekly performances by the collective on Tuesday nights at The Windup Space. Out of Your Head is an attempt to broaden the local improvised music scene in Baltimore by forming groups of musicians in performance that have never previously played together.

The Out of Your Head Collective is a Baltimore-based improvised music collective co-founded by bassist Adam Hopkins and guitarist Matt Frazao in early 2009. Hopkins and Frazao curate weekly performances by the collective on Tuesday nights at The Windup Space. Out of Your Head is an attempt to broaden the local improvised music scene in Baltimore by forming groups of musicians in performance that have never previously played together.

Turn Around Norman is a Baltimore/DC/NY based jazz quintet focused on performing original modern compositions and re-workings of compositions not typically played in the jazz setting. The band consists of Cam Collins-alto sax, Brent Madsen-trumpet, JJ Wright-piano, Adam Hopkins-bass, and Nathan Ellman-Bell-drums.

Turn Around Norman is a Baltimore/DC/NY based jazz quintet focused on performing original modern compositions and re-workings of compositions not typically played in the jazz setting. The band consists of Cam Collins-alto sax, Brent Madsen-trumpet, JJ Wright-piano, Adam Hopkins-bass, and Nathan Ellman-Bell-drums.

Quartet Offensive is an ensemble of Baltimore musicians devoted to composing and performing new music. The group blurs the lines between jazz, rock, metal, and experimental music with a constant focus on improvisation. Quartet Offensive consists of John Dierker-reeds, Eric Trudel-sax, Matt Frazao-guitar, Adam Hopkins-bass, and Nathan Ellman-Bell-drums.