KEVIN KORSCHGEN’S YOUTHEMISM

Now that he’s reached 70. Drummer Kevin Korschgen finds himself performing mostly with musicians who are less than

half his age. That’s a good thing. Their youth helps to keep the veteran percussionist (Euphemism for old Man) motivated,

energetic, and creative. … Kevin is best known in Greenville for developing and curating The Wheel Sessions. Now in its

eighth year of presenting concerts, 108 sessions to date, The Wheel Sessions underground performance series has

established itself as the premier location for hearing great jazz in the Upstate. Its musicians regularly represent a wide

radius, extending to Charlotte, Asheville, Atlanta, Charleston, and beyond. Youthemism represents Greenville (Peter

Dimery), Marion, NC (Mike Hostein) and Asheville, NC (Quinn Sternberg).

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PETER DIMERY

Peter Dimery’s journey to becoming a gifted tenor saxophonist began thanks to his mother. “I’d wanted to play an

instrument, but I didn’t know which one I was going to pick,” he says. “My mom said, ‘I like saxophone,’ so I gave it

a shot, and I fell in love with it.” Specifically, Dimery fell in love with the versatility of the tenor sax and became

skilled at handling contemporary classical music along with soul and jazz. Ultimately, jazz gained a slight advantage

over the other genres because Dimery discovered John Coltrane in his teens. “Coltrane became THE thing I was

grasping for,” he says. “The first couple of records I heard were Blue Train and Giant Steps, and I obsessed over those

album for the longest time. I have a passion for improvised music, as the spontaneous composition mirrors the

methods of Existentialism: assessing your surroundings and interlocutors, responding properly for the moment with

an ear for reflection and an eye for the future, an acceptance of the “Now” and lauding it as most important. 

“What sets me apart stylistically may be easy enough to hear when compared, but what I believe sets me apart is my

focus on the marriage of Art and Philosophy. I feel that I occupy more spaces than simply being a musician, and my

diversity of interests makes my life more fulfilling and allows me to show up for others.”

 

MIKE HOLSTEIN

Bassist/Guitarist/composer Mike Holstein has been playing music since early childhood. His first instruments were

guitar, violin, piano and drums. While attending Western Carolina University he discovered the bass and he quickly

became one of the most sought after bassists in the Southeast, often writing his own music. He joined the creative

young jazz group, the Taken Back Quartet, which soon became a fixture on the thriving Asheville music scene,

playing to a loyal almost cult-like following.

In 2001, the quartet along with Sharon LaMotte, formed the Jazz Composers Forum, a non-profit organization

dedicated to the presentation and documentation of original instrumental jazz. The Forum became a mainstay of the

local music fabric as Mike and the Taken Back Quartet accompanied guest composers in concert presentation. 

Mike’s involvement now includes workshops, presentations in grade schools, and tours of venues throughout the

region.

He has presented his own music multiple times as leader and in the capacity of ‘Composer-in-Residence’. Since

2004, Mike has been a member of the band Cotangent, a New York based group led by pianist/composer Bill

Gerhardt, replacing Parisian-born Francois Moutin, one of the world’s premier bassists.

He has performed with Joe Locke, Ingrid Jensen, Randy Brecker, Frank Kimbrough, Kendra Shank, Ron Horton, Marc

Mommaas, Tim Horner and Sheila Jordan, among others. A truly gifted musician, Mike is finding himself more in

demand than ever as he performs in jazz clubs in New York, throughout the Carolinas, and continues to be a force

with the Jazz Composers Forum and the Like Mind Trio.

I asked Mike, “How is it different for you as a bassist, switching from one setting to another, e.g.: with a vocalist, a

big band, or a small combo?”

His response, “I really enjoy changing settings, getting into new situations with different musicians, playing

different music. As a bassist in swing music, the role really doesn’t change that much, but the level of intimacy with

the other musicians and the listener can change quite a bit. I really enjoy the smaller instrumental

groups because we’re all dealing with the same types of ideas such as creating or supporting melodies without words

to help support the mood or vibe and everyone really gets a chance to contribute.

 

“In a small trio with drums, I can really hook up with the drummer and create an interesting and supportive

structure behind a soloist. I also enjoy working with vocalists because in that situation, instrumentalists have a

chance to support a story that’s being told by the lyrics. I find with the bigger ensembles, it’s more about staying out

of the way.”

One reason Mike is in such demand is his concentration, creativity and spontaneity.  Veteran Asheville saxophonist

Frank Southecorvo comments, “When Mike is playing in a band, of any size, he is totally immersed. He’s got an

intense focus. Of course he also has beautiful tone, great chops and a willingness to play creatively. Most people fall

back on their stock vocabulary while Mike is more likely to play bass parts that come from that particular moment.”

Jazz pianist Bill Gerhardt adds, “There are two kinds of musicians: those who PLAY music and those who MAKE

music. Mike Holstein MAKES music. I have had the privilege of knowing and collaborating with him for a dozen

years. I’ve seen him grow into one of the finest musicians in jazz. His considerable technique allows him to

transcend the bass and his creativity guarantees outstanding music on every performance. Mike has his own voice

and any chance to hear him

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QUINN STERNBERG

Bassist Quinn Sternberg is a new resident of Asheville, NC after spending seven years working as a full time

musician in New Orleans. Quinn is originally from Bloomington, Indiana, where he began playing

professionally as a teenager and quickly became a staple of the region’s music scene before graduating from

Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with a degree in Jazz Studies. He plays both electric and acoustic

bass in a wide variety of ensembles and styles. This versatility has made him an asset in collaborations with

countless artists as a studio, touring, and free-lance bassist. Quinn’s musical approach relies upon providing

functional and supportive bass lines, while still generating intense live energy and creative interaction. This

individualistic style has made him a much sought after voice in the South, his native Midwest and beyond.

As a composer Quinn draws upon his Midwest musical upbringing, influences from his time in New Orleans,

and from contemporary musical techniques. The result is a genre-defying sound that is simultaneously

melodic, groovy, and cutting edge.

In addition to free lancing and leading his own band, Quinn performs regularly with original artists such as

Mighty Brother, Ari Carter Trio, Think Less Hear More, Wrong House, Tansy, Dianella & The Arrows,

Michael Mason Trio, and Charlie Ballantine. As a leader he has released four records on his own label, Mind

Beach Records: 2016’s “Weird World” and 2019’s “Mind Beach,” and 2022’s “Cicada Songs,” and 2023’s

“Walking On Eggshells.”

 

KEVIN KORSCHGEN

Kevin Korschgen, jazz drummer and music educator, first moved to Chicago in 1980 to join a band called Rush Hour.

His teaching career began in 1983 at Notre Dame High School for Boys, where he led the school’s award-winning jazz

ensemble. He later developed a dynamic multi-cultural Latin Jazz Ensemble at Lake View High School, in Chicago,

and has instructed jazz combos at the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, and at the Chicago High School for the

Arts (Chiarts). During a three-year sojourn to Santa Fe, NM, Mr. Korschgen served as Artistic Director of the Santa Fe

Youth Symphony Association, and as Director of Bands at Santa Fe High School. Upon returning to Chicago in 2007,

he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Chicago Public Schools All-City High School Jazz Ensemble, and later

became jazz coordinator at Chiarts, the city’s magnet high school for the performing arts.

Mr. Korschgen has performed with many of Chicago’s finest jazz musicians: Chris Foreman, Jody Christian, Ryan

Cohen, Rob Amster, Dennis Carole, Pat Mallinger, Von Freeman, Pharez Whittig, Victor Garcia, Neal Alger, and

George Freeman to name a few. In addition, he has shared the stage with Jon Faddis, Wallace Rooney, John

Fedchock, James Carter, Etienne Charles, Marcus Belgrave, and Lyle Mays.

 

Now retired and living in Greenville SC, Kevin maintains an active teaching, writing, and performing schedule. He

hosts and performs at The Wheel Sessions and leads several groups of his own: Art of Thieves, The Wheel Allstars,

and the Kevin Korschgen Jazz Trio