Dreamroot - About

About

Dreamroot is a band/musical collective from Durham NC. The performance style combines pre-written and improvised sections, creating what Indy Week calls "One of the distinctive strains of the Durham jazz scene, melding R&B forms with modern jazz solos that all fit nicely into the length of a longish pop song." Dreamroot released their debut album Phases in May of 2020, hoping to put out positive energy during a dark time. The album Phases was collectively composed and arranged by the members of Dreamroot.

Dreamroot has performed at venues and festivals across the east coast and has had appearances on PBS. The band consists of Theous Jones (drums), Serena Wiley (saxophone/flute/spoken word/vocals), Ittai Korman (acoustic and electric bass), Lynn Grissett (trumpet) and Joe MacPhail (piano and keyboards).

ittai korman

Ittai Korman

Ittai Korman is an upright and electric bassist as well as a music educator at Kidznotes and Dr. Bass Studios. Kidznotes is a music for social change program based on the El Sistema model of youth orchestras, originally developed in Venezuela. Born and raised in New York City, he currently lives in Durham, NC where the members of Dreamroot met and came together to form the band. His mother is a contemporary classical pianist and he grew up listening to many different styles of music and he continues to incorporate these influences and genres into his music. Battling with chronic illness for a decade, music is his medicine.

Theous Jones

They say that music is the language of the soul, and nothing could be truer for this Musician. An inspirational artist, Theous Terryel Jones has earned his reputation as a talented drummer, educator, clinician, and skillful performer. From live gigs to studio sessions and more, Theous continues to touch fans around the world with his distinct and enjoyable musical style.

Serena Wiley

Serena Wiley is an extraordinary young musician. Although the tenor saxophone is her primary instrument, her talents go well beyond that. She has a rich voice and has recently begun singing publicly. Serena also writes poems and incorporates the poetry into her music; marrying the three elements for a unique eclectic sound blending jazz, spoken word and rhythm and blues.