The Vail Series presents American Patchwork Quartet

American Patchwork Quartet (APQ), led by multi-GRAMMY® award-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, binds timeless American folk songs with jazz sophistication, country twang, West African hypnotics, and East Asian ornamentation. APQ’s sound is a masterful confluence of tradition and innovation, transcending culture, politics, and ideology. 

In APQ, Ross intertwines with other GRAMMY®-winning artists: Harini Raghavan, Chennai born singer, composer and violinist; Yasushi Nakamura, an internationally acclaimed Issei jazz bassist; and, Clarence Penn, a drumming protégée of Ellis Marsalis whose fibers were honed by African American church traditions. 

American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) is on a mission to reclaim the immigrant soul of American Roots Music and showcases the dynamic diversity of contemporary culture by reimagining timeless songs from America’s past. 

“APQ creates music to unify and lift up diverse voices.” - CBS 

Visit APQ’s website to learn more. 

Tickets are free for Denison students, faculty, and staff. 

A limited number of tickets are available for public sale on a first come, first served basis at $20 each. A limited number of Vail Season Passes are also available for all six concerts for $80 (visit “Passes” at the top of the ticketing page).

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The Vail Series was endowed in 1979 by a generous gift from the late Mary and Foster McGaw in honor of Jeanne Vail, class of 1946. Just as it was intended to do, the Series enriches the artistic experience of the entire Denison community. Programmed creatively with the mindful pursuit of learning across traditional academic boundaries, more than 100 individual Vail Series artists have found their way to Denison’s classrooms and stages, but that doesn’t include the dozens of ensembles or full symphony orchestras that have played here over the years.