At the forefront of the Bay Area’s Jazz/indie music scene, Oakland band Glimpse Trio/Duo, with their signature blend of frenzied musicality with sincere lyrics. Glimpse Trio music is accessible, appealing, and challenging all at once. For their third and fourth albums, Glimpse Trio worked with engineer/mixing guru, Oz Fritz (Tom Waits, Primus), and mastering engineer, Doug Sax (Rolling Stones, the Who). These upcoming albums featured their already innovative sound, while firmly staying grounded in their jazz and garage rock roots. Together, lead singer and guitarist, Mike Sopko, and drummer, Hamir Atwal, are the driving force behind Glimpse Trio’s music.

Hamir Atwal – Hamir began playing the drums at the age of 10, and started playing professionally at the age of 18. He studied at the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship studying improvisation with saxophone great Joe Lovano and trombonist/composer Hal Crook. Hamir is featured on Greg Osby’s 2008 release, 9 Levels, and toured with his band for over two years playing such places as The Village Vanguard in NYC and the Green Mill in Chicago. After graduating from Berklee, Hamir moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he collaborated with musicians such as clarinetist/composer Ben Goldberg (Tin Hat Trio), trumpeter Darren Johnston (Nice Guy Trio) and saxophonist Patrick Wolff. Hamir’s rock/jazz/improv group Glimpse Trio was founded with guitarist Mike Sopko in 2010. They released their 1st CD entitled “1985,” which was described by Downbeat Magazine editor, Frank Alkyer, as “a furious blend of rock, jazz, blues with infectious folkiness.” Glimpse Trio’s second CD, “Garage,” was released July 2012, featuring Anticon producer/keyboardist Martin Dosh (Andrew Byrd), and bassist Chris Lopes (Jeff Parker, Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane). In addition to performing, Hamir has also has taught drum clinics at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the Berkeley Jazzschool, and Music Academy International (Nancy, France). Hamir has performed with such musicians as Joe Lavano, Greg Osby, Hal Crook, Dave Santoro and many more.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Mike Sopko, has been playing and studying guitar for over 20 years. Now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mike teaches locally and performs through out the the US. Mike has studied with a variety of teachers such as Dave Fiuczynski, John Schott and Bob Fraser, developing an array of guitar styles, including jazz, classical, rock and Bluegrass. Over the years, he has played, recorded, and toured with such musicians as Thomas Pridgen, G. Calvin Weston (Ornette Colman), Mike Watt, Dosh, Nina Ott, and Chris Lopes (Jeff Parker). Currently, Mike teaches at the Avloni Academy of Music, where he has been the head guitar instructor since 2003. In 2010, Mike founded the Bay Area jazz/rock band, Glimpse Trio, with drummer, Hamir Atwal. Glimpse Trio’s first album, 1985, was awarded Frank Alkyer “Editor’s Pick of the Month” in Downbeat Magazine.