‘...vibrant, youthful sound...exceptional band...’
Mark DeJong: former Music Director, Saskatoon Jazz Society

‘...amazing and inspiring individuals...’
Dr. Milton Schlosser: Director of Music, Augustana University

Chicago Goes West (CGW) is a collaboration between three young, exciting and extremely talented jazz musicians from across North America.  Leader and award-winning drummer
Karl Schwonik hails from rural Alberta, Canada, while experienced trumpeter and co-leader
James Davis is from the cultural hub of Chicago.

The CGW jazz trio, comprised of drums, trumpet and bass, was founded in 2008 by Karl Schwonik for one of his many North American touring projects. Upon meeting James Davis
while teaching at a jazz camp in Connecticut, Schwonik was impressed with impeccable
tone and facility on the trumpet and immediately invited him to join the CGW trio.

The trio, although influenced by modern music, shows its strong ties to traditional jazz while
at the same time bringing a fresh approach to this instrumentation.The group has a diverse repertoire including many intricate arrangements of jazz standards and a number of original compositions.  

In their travels through Canada and the U.S., CGW has performed at jazz clubs, festivals, universities, concert halls and performance spaces of all kinds. Their performances over
the last year have been very well attended and given much critical acclaim. The trio has
also given numerous clinics at elementary, junior high and high schools in their travels.
Performance highlights have included: The J.F. Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), Cellar
Jazz Club (Vancouver, BC), Beat Niq Jazz Club (Calgary, AB), University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, SK), Chris’ Jazz Cafe (Philadelphia, PA), Cliff Bells Jazz Club (Detroit, MI),
Dazzle Jazz Club (Denver, CO) and Indiana University.

The LEADERS:

KARL SCHWONIK: Drumset

  -- See under 'Karl Schwonik' in this section --

JAMES DAVIS: Trumpet

James Davis is an innovative young Chicago trumpeter and music maker.  Along with being a finalist in some of the world’s premier trumpet competitions (including the International Trumpet Guild and Carmine Caruso Competitions), Davis holds a Master’s degree from the University of North Texas where he recorded and toured with the famed ‘One O’Clock Lab Band’.  Davis’ diverse experience includes performances with The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Chuchito Valdes, Tomorrow Music Orchestra, Zing!, the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, the Texas Wind Symphony, and more.  He is currently on faculty at Triton College in River Grove, IL as director
of jazz bands.