ROOM3
Minneapolis Jazz Fusion Collective
“Discovering the world of Room3 is like watching a Miyazaki film for the first time.”
- Natalia Toledo of The Current
Room3 is a jazz fusion wild card rooted in tradition yet driven by experimentation. Their sound is imaginative, playful and rhythmically sharp, mixing elements of bebop, contemporary jazz, prog rock, funk and more. The collective operates out of Minneapolis most commonly as a five-piece, with RAWTWHYLAH (aka Colin Mitchell) on drums, Beck Anderson on bass, Eli Awada on keyboards, Jovon Williams on tenor and soprano saxophone and Evan Espinoza Robles on percussion. Each member is a student of their craft with a unique approach to their instrument and a willingness to push boundaries. Room3 has performed consistently at venues across the Twin Cities, from The Dakota Jazz Club to the First Avenue Mainroom, for over two years, and they were recently selected as one of First Avenue’s “Best New Bands of 2024.”
Their debut album, Bill’s Garden, is out April 20, 2025.
Bill’s Garden Album Preview
Following two years of consistent gigging and refinement of their chemistry, the fiery Minneapolis-based jazz fusion project, Room3, is releasing their highly anticipated debut album, Bill’s Garden. The record comprises 11 original compositions that could very well serve as the soundtrack to a psychedelic, funk-infused space odyssey.
Bill’s Garden kicks off with an homage to Room3’s hometown of Minneapolis, with a four-on-the-floor, chicken grease groove modled after the legendary Minneapolis Sound. It features a cast of seasoned Minneapolis instrumentalists, including Alex Browne on trumpet, David Feily on guitar and L.A. Buckner on percussion. From there, the group dips its toes in several genres, spanning from spoken-word-style boom bap (Mornin’ wit Monk) to smooth R&B (Don’t Forget 2 Breathe), latin jazz (Moqueca) to djent prog rock (Angst). In this way, Bill’s Garden is a sample platter of Room3’s musical musings, a testament to their sonic versatility. And while each song offers a unique experience, the project is held together by consistent instrumental storytelling and a defined tone and personality in each of the players’ performance. As for the album’s name, Bill’s Garden, it could refer to a deranged spaceman hopelessly watering withered plants to no avail as he floats through a dark abyss for eternity, or a damn good Chinese restaurant in South Minneapolis – no one truly knows.
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