The Blue Talon Quartet is a newly founded jazz group consisting of four Adams students: seniors Joie Warnke on saxophone and Ryden Lardimore on guitar, junior Joel Martinez on drums and sophomore Michael Maxwell on bass guitar. The group was brought together over the students’ shared love for jazz music and passion to take their musical talents to the next level. They have already been playing for a few local events around South Bend and they look forward to getting more opportunities to play at events. Though The Blue Talon Quartet has been playing since May 2023, they only recently gave it its official name. The group did not originally start with its current members, undergoing several changes before being confidently settling on the current lineup. Warnke and Martinez being the only original members of the group from when it was formed.
The group has performed at numerous events throughout their time together, including the Great Friends of Schools Brunch, the SBCSC Retirement Banquet, SBCSC Back To School Bash, the Mayor’s Inaugural Ball at the Century Center, SBCSC Spelling Bee and Adams’ Jazz Soundsations. They have enjoyed playing at these events and getting the opportunity to meet a diverse group of people that they previously would not have met without the quartet, and they strive to continue receiving exciting event invites. On Mar. 2, the quartet competed at Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) District Jazz competition. They presented three songs, earning a gold rating and soloist award for every solo performed. In total, the group won 11 awards. Primarily, their song selections are pulled from the “Real Book”: a book full of jazz standards.
The group has also had the opportunity to work with local jazz musicians. Alongside playing at the local Merrimans’ Playhouse, which has given them the opportunity to work with saxophonist Todd Neunschwander. They also worked with drummer TJ Thompson during Adams’ Jazz Soundsations. Both Neunschwander and Thompson play in clubs and venues across the0midwest.
As they continue their playing, the band aims to increase their audience while also improving their talents as musicians. The Blue Talon Quartet’s next performances will be at Big Band Bash at Adams on May 3 and a Juneteenth performance at The History Museum located in downtown South Bend. For further updates, follow the group’s Instagram @bluetalonquartet.
