Monks Livestream's Upcoming Shows

Seth Carper - Saxophone

Tito Carrillo - Trumpet

Ross Margitza - Piano

James Suter - Bass

Mike Gordon - Drums

Making his return as a bandleader to the Austin jazz scene, Dr. Seth Carper brings his saxophone and a stellar band of old and new friends to Monks to perform his original compositions and inventive arrangements of jazz standards. Originally from a small farm in North Carolina, Seth has performed all over the world as a sideman and leader. He spent seven years in the central Texas jazz scene, co-founding the NOW Jazz Orchestra, teaching at Texas State University, and performing with a myriad of groups. After a five-year absence while teaching at Cornell, Syracuse and Binghamton Universities, Seth is excited to return to Texas State University to rejoin the jazz faculty and bring his music back to the Austin jazz community.

Ryan Townsend – Piano

Oscar Bukowitz – Bass

Spencer Frye – Drums

Ryan Townsend is a working pianist and brass instrumentalist from San Antonio, Texas. A third generation musician, Ryan began playing French horn at age 11 and piano at age 15 as a church musician. After working in freelance performance and education, he moved to Austin to pursue a degree in jazz piano from the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas.

Since moving to Austin he has performed at local staples such as the Elephant Room, Parker Jazz Club and Monk’s, playing alongside renowned local and traveling talent including Solomon Jaye, Diego Rivera, and Andre Hayward among others. As a band leader, he fronts “The N:OW Project,” an experimental jazz fusion quintet. Other projects include annual performances of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” 2026 tribute show “Shades of Bill Evans,” and 2023 recording “The Riverside Five: Live at Jazz TX.”

Ryan currently performs regularly with the Dirty River Jazz Band, UT Jazz Orchestra, and with his trio as a house musician at Nica on 4th.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Drew Simpson Quintet!

Drew Simpson - Guitar

Tito Carrillo - Trumpet

Ryan Howard - Piano

Chris Jones - Bass

Michael Longoria - Drums

Drew Simpson is a guitarist and composer known for his expressive sound and dynamic blend of bossa nova, bebop, and modern jazz. He first made his mark in California, performing with jazz luminaries such as Wilton Felder, Ronnie Laws, Wayne Henderson, Ricky Lawson, Terrence Blanchard, The Banda Brothers, Bobby Hutcherson, Will Donato, Phillip Ingram and more, while appearing at renowned venues and festivals across the U.S. His debut album Noteworthy earned international acclaim, with “On Fallen Ground” and “Coastal Rays” reaching the Billboard Top 10. His follow-up release, Come Home, further showcased his composition skills across straight-ahead jazz and Bossa.

Since relocating to Texas, Simpson has become an active voice in the state’s vibrant jazz community, performing at The Elephant Room, River Sun, Continental Club, Monks, appearing on Austin PBS’s Women in Jazz, and bringing his music to festivals throughout the region. Building on his years of performing across the country, Simpson continues to captivate audiences with original compositions and inventive arrangements.

Amanda Bellitto – Vocals

Josh Meadows – Piano

Andrew Harkey – Bass

Chris Torres – Drums

Originally hailing from Fairfield, Connecticut, Amanda Bellitto is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and educator currently based in Austin TX. Starting early on with a formal training in jazz, she studied with luminaries such as Sheila Jordan. She has built a career spanning many genres including folk, bluegrass and pop. Her artistic pursuits have led to performances across the United States and Australia.