11/09/2023
Jon Bakken’s Hot Pockets & The Dalton Petersen Trio - Benefit for Madison Area Welcome Corps
Join us as we welcome the Dalton Petersen Trio and Jon Bakken’s Hot Pockets for a night of jazz and beyond - all at The BrickHouse here in downtown Madison this Saturday night. Our doors open at 7pm, free show follows at 7:30 pm, and seating is limited. All donated proceeds will go to the Madison Area Welcome Corps, which will welcome and sponsor refugee families in our community.
The Dalton Petersen Trio:
Jef Thor, keys
Dalton Petersen, bass
Dr. Christian DeJongh, drums
Jon Bakken’s Hot Pockets:
Joel Shotwell, saxophone
Jon Bakken, strings
Daniel Heier, drums
The Dalton Petersen Trio is a South Dakota based ensemble who have been performing together since 2016 when they met at Augustana University, playing jazz gigs for a variety of nonprofit benefits, private parties, and local events. The trio is known for their funk, latin, and modern jazz stylings, as well as a repertoire that spans a large swath of classic jazz standards and original arrangements.
In July 2023, the trio released a self-titled EP that showcases their voracious tastes in music: from a propulsive rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Take The A Train” to a noisy cover of Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers.”
Jon Bakken’s Hot Pockets features a rotating roster of musicians who improvise melodies, grooves, and noise. The sounds can shift from traditional blues to contemporary classical to pop tributes – depending on the folks involved in that performance and what everyone is feeling at the time. The main goals of the group are to (1) get new friends in a room together, and to (2) let each person fully express their own artistic voice.
JEF THOR | KEYS
Jef Thor has held positions as principal bass clarinetist in the Augustana Band and Augustana Orchestra as well as principal pianist for the Northlander’s Jazz Band and Jazz Combo. His accompanist accomplishments have included positions within the Augustana Theater Department, notably, the South Dakota premier of Stephen Dolginoff’s Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story. At the Augustana Chapel of Reconciliation, he served as Chapel Ambassador, Music Coordinator, and Organist from 2015-2018.
He has performed with a variety of musical acts including Mato Wayuhi, Lemmons, the Brian Hanegan Quartet, Granola, and his own ensemble —Jef and the Thornets.
When he’s not playing jazz, he enjoys spending time exploring Sioux Falls with his incredible partner, Cheyenne. He holds a Master’s of Education from Augustana University and currently teaches English at Roosevelt High School.
DALTON PETERSEN | BASS
Dalton Petersen has been a regular performer in jazz combos, dance bands, jam bands, and orchestras throughout the region. He studied classical bass under Dr. Rongstadd at University of South Dakota and under John Casey while performing in the Northwest Iowa Symphony and while attending Augustana University.
Dalton has performed with a variety of musical acts including Allen Vizzutti, Jeff Coffin, Aden Meckler, Shaun Johnson Big Band, L.A. Buckner, and John Raymond.
Dalton is working towards his Master’s in Music Education through Northern State University. When he’s not laying down funky bass lines, he’s collecting vinyl and enjoys mixing and recording music. He teaches high school orchestra in Watertown.
DR. CHRISTIAN DEJONGH | DRUMS
Dr. Christian DeJongh has held positions as a band leader for a variety of combos, musicals, and other ensembles through the years. He studied jazz drum set under John Ramsey at Berklee College of Music and Tommy Giampietro at the University of Massachusetts. Christian is also a classically trained percussionist and studied Japanese Taiko drumming at University of Northern Iowa.
Christian has worked as a freelance musician and educator throughout the region, specializing in drum set especially for jazz, funk, rock, latin, and Afro-Cuban. He has performed with a variety of musical acts including Jeff Coffin, Wycliffe Gordon, Allen Vizzutti, and the Glen Miller Jazz Orchestra.
When he’s not banging on the drums, Christian enjoys spending time with his family, his beautiful dentist girlfriend Maddy, and his cat Rho. He holds a Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove, Oregon, and is a practicing doctor in Sioux Falls, SD.
JOEL SHOTWELL | SAXOPHONE
Joel is an active freelance saxophone player and educator based in Sioux Falls, SD. As an artists he regularly composes, arranges and performs with many groups in the region, as well as groups of his own creation. In May 2023, Joel released his first album of solo original music called Everything A Thousand Million Times.
As an educator he has a large private studio, teaches at various camps and clinics bands around the area. He has had the pleasure of performing with Wayne Newton, Les Browns Band of Renown, Tim Ries of the Rolling Stones, Debbie Duncan, Matt Wallace, The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and many others. He also performs regularly with The JAS Quintet, The Hegg Brothers, The Jazz Diversity Project, The Jazz Curators, Habeas Porpoise, Jami Lynn, Holiday Jam and many other groups in the area.
JON BAKKEN | CELLIST, BASSIST, SONGWRITER
Jon Bakken is a classical cellist, jazz bassist, songwriter, composer, and elementary strings teacher. He is also the creator of Tiger Meat, a quarterly zine and website about South Dakota albums. Jon recently released an album called Return to the City of Afterwall and an EP of songs from an upcoming musical theater collaboration with Eliza Blue called The Grass Widow. He lives in Brookings, South Dakota with his wife and two kids who are way cooler than him.
DANIEL HEIER | DRUMMER
Daniel Heier is a passionate drummer and teacher based out of Sioux Falls, SD. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from McNally Smith College of Music in Saint Paul, MN with a Bachelors of Music in Percussion Performance. There he studied under percussion greats Marv Dahlgren, Gordy Knudtson, David Stanoch, Kevin Washington, Dave Hanzel, Paul Stueber, David Schmalenberger, and more.
As an accomplished musician in jazz and commercial music, his talents have taken him on regional, national, and international tours. He is a member of the JAS Quintet and Jazz Curators. Daniel has also shared the stage or studio with the Hegg Brothers, Jami Lynn, The Psalms Project, Geoff Gunderson, Phil Mattson, The South Dakota Symphony, The Diamonds, and many more. Daniel currently serves with the 147th Army Band in Mitchell, SD.
Daniel is an active private lesson teacher and clinician. His students consistently play in honor bands, jazz bands, garage bands, worship teams and drum lines. He has recently adjudicated or presented clinics at the Augustana University Jazz on the Upper Great Plains Festival, Morningside College Middle School Jazz Festival, South Dakota Middle School All State Band, Case School of Music Day of Percussion and many regional schools.
