Chicago and New York-based trio Whirlpool features Caroline Davis, alto saxophone & voice; Jeff Swanson, guitar; and Charles Rumback, drums. At the ninth Hyde Park Jazz Festival, they join forces with the celebrated Denver-based cornetist Ron Miles. 

Whirlpool is a collaborative band that eliminates the boundaries between composition and improvisation in a bass-less setting. The three organically evolved into Whirlpool in 2012 after dipping and dabbling in one another’s performances around town, and after an impromptu performance at a tribute-concert to the late Paul Motian, where Caroline invited her comrades to embark on a Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell-inspired adventure. 

The group has since toured and taught master classes across the US, following their well-received debut record, This World and One More. While on tour in 2013, a stop at the prominent Dazzle in Denver led to an invitation for cornetist Ron Miles to sit-in on a couple tunes. Charles comments, “We brought him up on the second song, and he ended up playing the rest of the set with us and it was incredible! He hadn’t even seen the music before.” Ron’s collaboration brought a special energy to the set as he played music “from the inside out like a rhythm section player.” This instant connection inspired the idea to record their next record with Ron. Caroline notes, “Denver has always felt like a second home to our band; our music, spirit, and personality fit in with the culture. Ron’s sensitivity was a shoo-in for this band.” Their new recording, Dancing on the Inside, was released this summer.