The Mayor’s Holiday Ball!
Night #2 of the Mayor’s Holiday Ball features Rob Dixon & his groove oriented band Triology. One of Indy’s best in the funk, groove and jam band scene expect a soulful night of killer originals and groovin’ classics.

Rob Dixon – saxes

Bashiri Asad – vocals

Charlie Ballantine – guitar

Richard “Sleepy” Floyd – drums

Steven Jones – keys

Brandon Meeks – bass

The music of Rob Dixon is both respectful of tradition and free with expression and truly shows the musical diversity that is within Rob’s creativity. After matriculating from Hampton University and Indiana University’s School of Music, Rob moved to the top of the music world in New York City working with legendary and popular artists such as the Count Basie Band, Tony Bennett, The Ellington Band, Slide Hampton, Dakota Stanton, The Illinois Jacquet Big Band, Rufus Reid, Akira Tana, Jonah Jones as well as Bill Lee (composer and father of Spike Lee), Weldon Irving, Producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad (DJ of Tribe called Quest) and The Skatalites, Returning to Indianapolis in 2003, Dixon has continued to work with internationally renowned artists such as pianist Steve Allee, drummer Steve Houghton, The Buselli Wallarab Jazz orchestra, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks, drummer Mike Clark, the headhunters, Guitarist Dave Stryker and 7 string guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter.

Named Indianapolis’ “Best Jazz Musician” of 2015, 2016, and 2017 by NUVO Magazine, Charlie Ballantine, is a professional guitarist who performs regularly around the midwest. Charlie has been a featured artist at notable events such as the Penrod Art Festival, The Indianapolis Jazz Festival, The Bloomington Jazz Festival, Fountain Square Music Festival, The Virginia Ave. Folk Fest, and is a frequent performer at renowned jazz clubs such as The Jazz Kitchen, Andy’s Jazz Club (Chicago), and The Chatterbox. His music stems from the traditions of folk, jazz, and blues music with influences such as Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Wes Montgomery, and Jimi Hendrix.

Hailing from Indianapolis, Bashiri Asad has come to define his sound as “Indy-Soul”. From shoo-wop style singing groups and classical vocal training, to performances local and abroad, his various experiences have shaped his voice into the soul-stirring entity it is known as today. Echoes of the influences of Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding weave through his presentation, but his sound is unmistakably his own.