OBI is proud to announce our newest member of the band: please welcome bassist Liz Draper! [cue applause] We’ve already had a chance to perform with her at Tapestry Folkdance Center in November. and she was awesome. We’re now very excited to have her join our ensemble.

A bit about our newest member; Liz Draper received a Bachelors of Music in Double Bass performance from the University of Minnesota in 2004. It was there that she studied under St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Chris Brown and Minnesota Orchestra’s Peter Lloyd and James Clute. Her classical endeavors have found her performing both as a featured soloist and as an active section member in a number of orchestras and chamber ensembles. Liz has been a professional gigging jazz bassist since age 16. Her improvising has led her to The School For Improvised Music in Brooklyn, New York. Liz has performed and recorded with such groups as the Grammy Award-winning Okee Dokee Brothers, Soul Asylum, Charlie Parr, The Cactus Blossoms, Black Blondie, The Rose Ensemble, Ben Weaver, Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, and Dakota Dave Hull just to name a few. Liz has also taught privately since 1998.

With suvh a great range of experience, we’re looking forward to working with Liz. She officially starts with OBI at the Schooner Tavern in South Minneapolis on January 17th. We hope you’ll stop by and help us welcome Liz to Rogaria.