The Palm Arts Telluride Summer Jazz Series concludes Sunday, September 22nd at 7:30PM at the Michael D. Palm Theatre with amazing percussionist, educator and composer Rudy Royston and his eclectic Flatbed Buggy project.

Rudy Royston, first-call drummer with Bill Frisell, JD Allen, Dave Douglas and a host of other jazz greats, has honed a thoroughly engaging voice as a composer and bandleader. 

Royston’s Flatbed Buggy project, is rich in tonal contrast and mood yet steeped in the supple, enduring swing and groove that has driven his writing and playing from the start. The instrumentation is a striking departure as Royston leads a compact, almost chamber-like quintet featuring Gary Versace (accordion), Luis Pino (bass clarinet/saxophones), Hank Roberts (cello) and Joe Martin (bass). “I was going for something that was more about melodies,” Royston declares. “I wanted to illustrate a story.” And indeed, the melodies flow forth with rich harmony and surpassingly subtle orchestration and interplay occurring at every step as well. Rudy was raised in Denver, Colorado and began playing drums and percussion as a toddler. While a sophomore in high school, Rudy attended the Telluride Jazz Camp in Telluride, Colorado on scholarship, where he studied jazz drum set for the first time with Duffy Jackson and Ed Soph. It was then Rudy knew he would pursue music the rest of his life. 

Tickets on Sale Now at www.telluridepalm.com. $10 students, $20 adults, $5 more at the door