Thursday

5/10/18

Byrne & Bass @ Hotel Vintage Plaza

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

Tim Gilson, bass

422 SW Broadway

Portland, Oregon USA

5:30 - 7:30 pm

No Cover

Tim Gilson has been a mainstay in the Northwest for many years. In 1985 he joined the Mel Brown Quintet with which he recorded the award winning 'Gordon Bleu' CD. During this time Tim had the opportunity to play with many nationally acclaimed artists including Mose Allison, Ritchie Cole, Bud Shank, Herb Ellis, Julian Priester, John Handy, Ernestine Anderson and many others. In 1988 Tim won 2nd place in an international bass competition in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter substituted for John Clayton with 'Slide Hampton and the New Jazz Masters' in a concert in Sacramento. He toured Japan in 1993 with the Mel Brown Quintet with special guest artist Chuck Findley on trumpet; then in 1994 he moved to Madison Wisconsin where he served as Principal Bassist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and substituted on a regular basis with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Since returning to Portland in 2002 Tim plays regularly with the Oregon Symphony backing guest artist such as Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling and Herbie Hancock. Tim has also accompanied several guest artists including Wycliff Gordon, Antonio Hart, Matt Wilson, Ingrid Jensen and Wynton Marsalis during their tours of the Pacific Northwest.

Wednesday

5/30/18

Paula Byrne Quartet

featuring

Darin Clendenin, piano

Clipper Anderson, bass

Brad Boal, drums

@ North City Bistro

1520 NE 177th Street

Shoreline, Washington

7:30 - 9:30 pm

$10 cover

Darin Clendenin is recognized as one of the Northwest’s finest pianist and keyboard artists. Fluent in numerous styles of music, his stylish interpretations of everything from old classics to jazz standards, from classical to modern works enchant audiences everywhere. His performances, as well as his arranging and composing talents, are sought after for their artistry as well as their magical innovative mix of styles.

Past performances include: Opened for Herbie Hancock, Zoo Tunes Concert Series, Seattle; Mt. Hood Jazz Festival; International Jazz Festival; Du Maurier Jazz Festival; Toronto Jazz Festival; Ballard Jazz Festival; Port Townsend Jazz Festival; Rising Jazz Stars Foundation, Beverly Hills, CA; Portland Jazz Festival; Blaine Jazz Festival Clinics and Concerts; Bumbershoot, Seattle; Jazz in the Valley; and Anacortes Arts Festival.

Bassist Clipper Anderson is a musician who defies labels. Equally comfortable with straight-ahead, traditional, free jazz or bebop, he plays with genuine reverence for the music and an unassuming mastery that speaks for itself. He is a virtuosic improviser, known for creating intelligent lines, which are often executed with stunning speed and precision. He is the quintessential support player who steadily holds the pocket and creates a solid foundation for whomever he shares the bandstand with. He is also a well-respected vocalist. Earshot Jazz has aptly described Clipper as "a player for the connoisseur to savor", and rightly so.

Clipper's musical resume is as impressive as it is deep. He has played with a long list of jazz greats including Michael Brecker, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Samuels, Peter Erskine, Bruce Forman, Tamir Hendelman, Bob Mintzer, Lew Soloff, Bucky Pizzarelli, Benny Golson, Paquito D'Rivera, Phil Woods and Buddy DeFranco. He performs at jazz festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada and has appeared at the Highland Jazz Festival, the Port Townsend Jazz Festival and the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation Jazz Festival. He is also a featured artist, annually, at the Buddy DeFranco/University of Montana Jazz Festival and the Blaine Jazz Festival. As a session musician, Clipper has played on numerous projects. He has recorded five CDs with Northwest vocal icon Greta Matassa, including their critically acclaimed holiday CD "To All a Good Night". This recording was also Clipper's first outing as a producer. With his new CD "The Road Home", on Origin Records Clipper makes his debut as a solo artist and composer. This 11-song disc is a thoughtfully crafted collection that reflects his influences and pays homage to his mentors.The CD quickly rose and held the number 20-22 spot on the national jazz radio charts for several months. Clipper is presently on the jazz faculty at Pacific Lutheran University.

Brad picked up his first pair of sticks at age ten and hasn't stopped playing since! After much dedicated study of snare drum and drumset throughout middle and high school, he received a Jazz Studies Drumset Scholarship to The University of North Texas. During his four years at North Texas, Brad worked his way through the ranks playing for ensembles such as: The 2 O'Clock Lab Band, The UNT Jazz Singers, The Jazz Repertory Ensemble, Zebras and other individualized faculty led small groups.

Brad has performed, recorded or toured with: The Count Basie Big Band, Benny Green, Bob Brookmeyer, Sam Rivers, Anne Hampton Callaway, Nancy King, Vincent Herring, Lynn Seaton, Stephan Karllsson, Bobby Shew, Jamey Aebersold, Dan Haerle, Anthony Cole, Steve Gilmore, Tommy Walker, Othello & The Hipknotics, Blake Lewis, Tim Noah and Paris Rutherford.

Brad also keeps a busy schedule as a versatile freelance drummer based out of the greater Seattle area. Through his drumming, Brad has also gigged and traveled internationally as well as throughout the US. His superb musicianship and steadfast professionalism have made him one of the Northwest's most in demand musicians.

Saturday

6/2/18

Paula Byrne Trio

featuring

Darin Clendenin, piano

Clipper Anderson, bass

@ Hotel Sorrento

900 Madison Street

Seattle, Washington

7:00 - 10:00 pm

Darin Clendenin is recognized as one of the Northwest’s finest pianist and keyboard artists. Fluent in numerous styles of music, his stylish interpretations of everything from old classics to jazz standards, from classical to modern works enchant audiences everywhere. His performances, as well as his arranging and composing talents, are sought after for their artistry as well as their magical innovative mix of styles.

Past performances include: Opened for Herbie Hancock, Zoo Tunes Concert Series, Seattle; Mt. Hood Jazz Festival; International Jazz Festival; Du Maurier Jazz Festival; Toronto Jazz Festival; Ballard Jazz Festival; Port Townsend Jazz Festival; Rising Jazz Stars Foundation, Beverly Hills, CA; Portland Jazz Festival; Blaine Jazz Festival Clinics and Concerts; Bumbershoot, Seattle; Jazz in the Valley; and Anacortes Arts Festival.

Bassist Clipper Anderson is a musician who defies labels. Equally comfortable with straight-ahead, traditional, free jazz or bebop, he plays with genuine reverence for the music and an unassuming mastery that speaks for itself. He is a virtuosic improviser, known for creating intelligent lines, which are often executed with stunning speed and precision. He is the quintessential support player who steadily holds the pocket and creates a solid foundation for whomever he shares the bandstand with. He is also a well-respected vocalist. Earshot Jazz has aptly described Clipper as "a player for the connoisseur to savor", and rightly so.

Clipper's musical resume is as impressive as it is deep. He has played with a long list of jazz greats including Michael Brecker, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Samuels, Peter Erskine, Bruce Forman, Tamir Hendelman, Bob Mintzer, Lew Soloff, Bucky Pizzarelli, Benny Golson, Paquito D'Rivera, Phil Woods and Buddy DeFranco. He performs at jazz festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada and has appeared at the Highland Jazz Festival, the Port Townsend Jazz Festival and the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation Jazz Festival. He is also a featured artist, annually, at the Buddy DeFranco/University of Montana Jazz Festival and the Blaine Jazz Festival. As a session musician, Clipper has played on numerous projects. He has recorded five CDs with Northwest vocal icon Greta Matassa, including their critically acclaimed holiday CD "To All a Good Night". This recording was also Clipper's first outing as a producer. With his new CD "The Road Home", on Origin Records Clipper makes his debut as a solo artist and composer. This 11-song disc is a thoughtfully crafted collection that reflects his influences and pays homage to his mentors.The CD quickly rose and held the number 20-22 spot on the national jazz radio charts for several months. Clipper is presently on the jazz faculty at Pacific Lutheran University.

Sunday

6/3/18

Paula Byrne Quartet

featuring

Randy Halberstadt, piano

Clipper Anderson, bass

Mark Ivester, drums

@ Seattle Jazz Vespers

1111 Harvard Avenue

Seattle, Washington

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Randy Halberstadt has been a major figure on the Pacific Northwest jazz scene for many years. A multi-dimensional pianist, he is equally at home playing be-bop, Latin, down-home blues, mainstream, free and eclectic jazz. He has performed with Herb Ellis, Terry Gibbs, Buddy de Franco, Matt Wilson, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, Joe LaBarbera, and many others. In 1990, Randy performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival with drummer Mel Brown. Randy has performed with the Seattle Symphony and is the pianist for the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra.

On the strength of his large repertoire, great sense of swing, and acute listening skills, Randy has established himself as a first-call accompanist for jazz vocalists. He has performed with Sheila Jordan, Kevin Mahogany, Dee Daniels, Greta Matassa, Marlena Shaw, Meredith d'Ambrosio, Ernestine Anderson, Nancy Kelly, and Jackie Ryan. In 1997 Randy performed with the innovative Jay Clayton at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. He is featured on Jay's 1997 recording Circle Dancing (Sunnyside) and Nancy Kelly's 2009 recording Well Alright! In 2004 Randy joined Meredith d'Ambrosio for a concert tour of Israel.

Bassist Clipper Anderson is a musician who defies labels. Equally comfortable with straight-ahead, traditional, free jazz or bebop, he plays with genuine reverence for the music and an unassuming mastery that speaks for itself. He is a virtuosic improviser, known for creating intelligent lines, which are often executed with stunning speed and precision. He is the quintessential support player who steadily holds the pocket and creates a solid foundation for whomever he shares the bandstand with. He is also a well-respected vocalist. Earshot Jazz has aptly described Clipper as "a player for the connoisseur to savor", and rightly so.

Clipper's musical resume is as impressive as it is deep. He has played with a long list of jazz greats including Michael Brecker, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Samuels, Peter Erskine, Bruce Forman, Tamir Hendelman, Bob Mintzer, Lew Soloff, Bucky Pizzarelli, Benny Golson, Paquito D'Rivera, Phil Woods and Buddy DeFranco. He performs at jazz festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada and has appeared at the Highland Jazz Festival, the Port Townsend Jazz Festival and the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation Jazz Festival. He is also a featured artist, annually, at the Buddy DeFranco/University of Montana Jazz Festival and the Blaine Jazz Festival. As a session musician, Clipper has played on numerous projects. He has recorded five CDs with Northwest vocal icon Greta Matassa, including their critically acclaimed holiday CD "To All a Good Night". This recording was also Clipper's first outing as a producer. With his new CD "The Road Home", on Origin Records Clipper makes his debut as a solo artist and composer. This 11-song disc is a thoughtfully crafted collection that reflects his influences and pays homage to his mentors.The CD quickly rose and held the number 20-22 spot on the national jazz radio charts for several months. Clipper is presently on the jazz faculty at Pacific Lutheran University.

Mark Ivester is a consummate drummer, widely respected for his sensitive musicianship and sincere dedication to his craft. He is experienced in many different idioms from pop-rock to big band to jazz, latin jazz and orchestral settings. Mark's live performance credits are extensive, having worked with such jazz luminaries as John Patitucci, Larry Coryell, Freddy Hubbard, Mal Waldron, Diane Schuur, Eliane Elias, Bud Shank, Howard Roberts, Jack Sheldon, Michael Brecker, Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel, Frank Foster, Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, Tierney Sutton, Ann Hampton-Calloway, Karyn Allison and Mose Allison. His versatility is demonstrated on a wide range of recordings such as jingles, film scores and album projects including those of R&B artist Philip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire, Grammy award winning new-age duo Tingstad and Rumbel, Brazilian keyboardist Jovino Santos Neto and vocalist Greta Matassa. Mark is currently on the faculty of Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA and Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA.

Wednesday

6/13/18

Paula Byrne Sings!

with The Ron Steen Trio

@ Wilf's Restaurant & Bar

800 NW 6th Ave (@ Union Station)

Portland, Oregon USA

7:00 - 10:00 pm

$10 cover

Wilf's is an gorgeous space with great acoustics. Ladies, put on your silk dress and stilettos. Gentlemen, shine your shoes and join me for a night of elegance.

Friday

6/22/18

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

Vince Frates, piano

@ Benson Hotel Palm Court

309 SW Broadway
Portland, Oregon USA

8:30 - Midnight
No Cover

More about Vince:

Emmy Award-winning composer and pianist Vince Frates has established a diverse career in television and film music. Among his credits are TV themes, sound tracks, film trailers and promotional advertisements of every stripe.

As a composer for Nonstop Music, Vince has written music for ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, RTL and CNN as well as Disney, Dreamworks, Warner Brothers, HBO, and Universal. His compositions have been used as themes, underscores and promos in video productions heard around the world.

Vince keeps his fingers moving by playing with many fine players that reside in his hometown of Portland Oregon. He enjoys playing keyboards with singers, ensembles and as a soloist.

Vince offers his clients a deep bag of compositional possibilities including orchestral scoring, hybrid orchestration, world, soul, blues, rock, alternative and jazz. Using his gift for understanding and supporting the essence of a project, Vince enjoys finding musical solutions for his clients. He believes, "Anything that can be imagined can be said with music."

Saturday

6/23/18

Paula Byrne Sings !

Sunday

7/8/18

Paula Byrne Quartet

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

Craig Bidondo, piano

Tim Gilson, bass

Carlton Jackson, drums

Arcane Cellars

@ Wheatland Winery

22350 Magness Dr.

Salem, Oregon USA

1:00 - 4:00 pm

No cover

Pianist and keyboardist Craig Bidondo has been performing on the West Coast for over 20 years. Originally from Alaska, Craig studied piano and music composition in Los Angeles before moving to the Portland area in 1988, and has been playing as a solo artist and with various professional groups in the Pacific Northwest ever since. His fresh jazz sound has been influenced by his years of playing not only jazz but also classical, rock, new age, and gospel music.

Besides backing up local talents such as Tony Starlight, Ollie McClay, Johnny Martin, Heather Keizur, the Swizzle Chicks, Skip Von Kuske, Cherie Price, Malea, Sally Sieh, and the Art Abrams Swing Machine Big Band, Craig has performed as a solo artist and bandleader at restaurants, weddings, parties, art shows and corporate events throughout the West Coast. Some of the local venues that have enjoyed his music include Tony Starlight’s Supperclub and Lounge, the Persimmon Country Club, the Benson Hotel, the Jenkins Estate, the Heathman Hotel, The Caswell-Martin Gallery, The Columbia Gorge Hotel, Timberline Lodge, The Shilo Inn on Airport Way, Dy’s Broadway Diner and many other locations.

Tim Gilson has been a mainstay in the Northwest for many years. In 1985 he joined the Mel Brown Quintet with which he recorded the award winning 'Gordon Bleu' CD. During this time Tim had the opportunity to play with many nationally acclaimed artists including Mose Allison, Ritchie Cole, Bud Shank, Herb Ellis, Julian Priester, John Handy, Ernestine Anderson and many others. In 1988 Tim won 2nd place in an international bass competition in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter substituted for John Clayton with 'Slide Hampton and the New Jazz Masters' in a concert in Sacramento. He toured Japan in 1993 with the Mel Brown Quintet with special guest artist Chuck Findley on trumpet; then in 1994 he moved to Madison Wisconsin where he served as Principal Bassist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and substituted on a regular basis with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Since returning to Portland in 2002 Tim plays regularly with the Oregon Symphony backing guest artist such as Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling and Herbie Hancock. Tim has also accompanied several guest artists including Wycliff Gordon, Antonio Hart, Matt Wilson, Ingrid Jensen and Wynton Marsalis during their tours of the Pacific Northwest.

Los Angeles Times longtime Jazz Music critic Don Heckman once wrote of Carlton Jackson's drumming as being "intensely musical..."

The description perfectly describes Carlton, as he has been associated with various areas within the musical world, and continues to be a first call musician in the performance and recording industry. His flowing, incisive style & a firm respect for the inherent tradition of various music genres has made him a natural choice for local, national, and international projects. This awareness has led to his performances appearing in feature films, television and radio.

Celebrating the diverse musical community which continually engages him, Carlton brings his distinctive style to each musical endeavor. A native of Portland, Oregon, his well-documented work with contemporary jazz pianists Tom Grant and Dan Siegel, guitarists Dan Balmer and Terry Robb, Blues/R&B singers D.K.Stewart and Curtis Salgado, country-pop singer Toni Land and iconoclastic composer Jon Newton, have solidified his performer status as engaging and versatile.

A further sampling of the artists whom Carlton has worked with includes the legendary "Father of the Jazz Walking Bass" Leroy Vinnegar, as well as other greats such as Billy Eckstine, Bo Diddley, Jerry Hahn, Maryann Price, Mark Isham, Jim Pepper, Bobby Torres, James Cotton, Houston Person, actor Bruce Willis, Melissa Walker, Dianne Schuur, Larry Coryell, Danny Barnes, Bill Frisell, and Gordon Lee (in Trio & Big Band settings.)

Carlton is currently a member of the teaching faculty roster with the award-winning Western Oregon University/Mel Brown Jazz Workshop. He teaches privately at Trade Up Music in Portland, and is engaged in many facets of music education at the grade, high school, and college levels.

Wednesday

7/18/18

Paula Byrne @ Classic Pianos

featuring Randy Porter on Piano

Larry Holloway on Bass

Charlie Doggett on Drums

3003 SE Milwaukie Ave.

Portland, Oregon USA

7:00 - 9:30 pm

$15 Advance; $20 Door

Jazz pianist Randy Porter has a refined understanding of improvisation and the spontaneous communication between musicians. As a Steinway Artist, Randy Porter draws from a rich palette of sonorities found within his imagination and the depths of the piano. Lynn Darroch of The Oregonian states, “Porter has built a reputation as a musician’s musician, a knowledgeable, inventive, and sophisticated player with a remarkable sense of time and gorgeous keyboard facility…”

Randy Porter has performed with many jazz greats, including Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, and Benny Golson. He has also performed with the Charles McPherson Quartet throughout the US and in France, Italy, Greece, and China. The Charles McPherson Quartet has re-created the music from the classic recording Charlie Parker with Strings, performing with many orchestras nationwide. Porter has also toured with Diane Schuur and Bobby Caldwell, conducting the Jazz Orchestra for their “Sing in Swing” tour.

Randy Porter has toured Europe with bassist David Friesen and has performed on several recordings with Friesen. Friesen’s 2001 Trio CD, Name of a Woman, received 4 stars from Downbeat in June of 2002 and featured Porter as pianist and composer. Porter has also recorded, performed, and toured worldwide with singer Gino Vannelli; Porter’s pianistic contributions can be heard on Vannelli’s CD’s, Yonder Tree, Slow Love and Canto.
Musical highlights include performing at Kimball’s with Art Farmer and Clifford Jordan, Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center with Diane Schuur, Seattle’s Jazz Alley with New York Voices, Yoshi’s in San Francisco with Karrin Allyson and Rebecca Kilgore, The House of Blues in Chicago and BB King’s Blues Club in NYC with Gino Vannelli, the Monterey Jazz Festival with Madeline Eastman, the Chicago and Detroit Jazz Festivals with Charles McPherson.

Porter’s compositions and arrangements can be heard on his own recordings: Thirsty Soul, with John Wiitala on bass and Reinhardt Melz and Todd Strait on drums; Brio, also featuring John Wiitala and Reinhardt Melz; Modern Reflections with Nancy King on vocals, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Mel Brown on drums; and Eight Little Feet with Bob Magnusson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums. Samples of Porter’s writing and playing can be found on Apple’s iLife jingles. Porter also composed the music for the 2009 documentary, Deep Green.

Porter has been a performer and educator at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival for many years where he has coached many young jazz musicians. He has also worked several years at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and Jazz Camp West with singer Madeline Eastman. Porter teaches master classes and adjudicates student combos and bands at highschool and college jazz festivals. Currently, Porter teaches jazz piano at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

Larry is the go-to bassist for many regional and national artists and bandleaders. Early in his career, Larry had the opportunity to perform with musical greats such as Chet Baker, Harold Land, Louie Bellson and Gary Foster. He has had the honor of working with Bernadette Peters, Steve Allen, Don Rickles, Regis Philbin, Bob Newhart and Joan Rivers. What distinguishes Larry from other bassists is his technique of tuning his instrument in fifths, which gives his bass a wider range of sound and clarity. This technique was pioneered by Larry's mentor, the great bassist Red Mitchell. Larry was the first recipient of the Red Mitchell Scholarship Award, granted for his "dedication to the challenge of experimentation" and his "spirit of innovation."

(excerpt from Jazz at Joes):
Charlie Doggett was born in Oregon and began playing drums at an early age. His first paying job as a musician was at the age 15. Up to this point Doggett was mostly self taught and he credits his uncle, (who played trumpet), with showing him how to hold the drumsticks. His first formal teachers were at the University of Oregon and included drummers Chris Lee, Alan Jones, and pianist Gary Versace. Upon graduating from the U of O, Doggett was employed by both the University of Oregon and Lane Community College teaching drum set and percussion. He later relocated to Portland, Oregon where he currently resides. Doggett has performed extensively throughout the Northwest, West Coast, Canada, and Europe. He is a member of Upper Left Trio, a group comprised of pianist Clay Giberson and bassist Jeff Leonard. This piano trio has been together for nearly a decade and has four releases to date on the Origin Arts Label... "Cycling", "Sell Your Soul Side", "Three", and "Ulternative".

Thursday

7/19/18

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

& Todd Marston, piano

& Larry Holloway, bass

@ Double Mountain Brewery

4336 SE Woodstock Blvd.
Portland, Oregon USA

7:00 - 9:00 pm
No Cover

Todd Marston has pursued a diverse musical career ever since his days playing in both punk bands and jazz combos as a teenager. His love of music has guided him to receive a jazz piano education at Berklee College of Music, tour nationally as a sideman with singer-songwriter Sonya Kitchell and indie folk rock band The Grownup Noise, and perform extensively in Asia with the Sam Hooper Band and Mike Null's Soulcasters. However, Todd's main passion has always been composing and songwriting. In 2012, one of his original projects, Boston-based instrumental quartet Choose to Find, released their 2nd album titled Songs Without Words. This music draws on influences ranging from post rock to minimalist classical music. Todd's composition, Above Water (featured on Songs Without Words) won 5th place in the 2013 Indie International Songwriting Contest. Todd is currently pursuing a master's degree in music & wellness at Portland State University. In his studies, he has worked under the tutelage of notable pianists/educators Joanne Brackeen, Charlie Banacos, Lisa Marsh and George Colligan.

Larry is the go-to bassist for many regional and national artists and bandleaders. Early in his career, Larry had the opportunity to perform with musical greats such as Chet Baker, Harold Land, Louie Bellson and Gary Foster. He has had the honor of working with Bernadette Peters, Steve Allen, Don Rickles, Regis Philbin, Bob Newhart and Joan Rivers. What distinguishes Larry from other bassists is his technique of tuning his instrument in fifths, which gives his bass a wider range of sound and clarity. This technique was pioneered by Larry's mentor, the great bassist Red Mitchell. Larry was the first recipient of the Red Mitchell Scholarship Award, granted for his "dedication to the challenge of experimentation" and his "spirit of innovation."

Sunday

7/22/18

Paula Byrne @ Jo Bar

featuring Christopher Woitach, guitar

Tim Gilson, bass

Bobby Torres, drums

715 NW 23rd Avenue

Portland, Oregon USA

7:00 - 10:00 pm

No cover

Christopher Woitach is a jazz guitarist and composer living in Portland, Oregon. He performs a wide range of jazz styles, from Dixieland to Free jazz, Ragtime to Bebop. His compositions reflect his diverse musical tastes and abilities, and combine the intricicies of Baroque counterpoint with the freedom of modern jazz.

Christopher Woitach has played with many nationally and internationally known artists, including Bernadette Peters, Rich Little, Hank Roberts, Bob Mover, Tony Monaco, Mel Brown, and John Stowell. He regularly performs throughout the Pacific Northwest, and at jazz festivals in the U.S. and Canada.
Woitach’s recordings have been played on broadcast and internet radio stations across the globe. They have received excellent reviews from such respected jazz publications as Jazz Improv and Cadence, and internet sites including Jazzguitar.de and Jazzreview.com.

Christopher Woitach studied jazz guitar with Chad MacLoughlin and Steve Brown in Ithaca, NY, and Jim Hall in New York, NY. He studied counterpoint with David Borden and composition with Robert Keefe in Ithaca, NY.
Woitach’s current projects include writing music for a new recording with his group, the Cathexis Orchestra, recording a new duo CD with guitarist John Stowell, and working on a compositional collaboration with electronic music composer Joseph Harchanko. He is an adjunct professor of jazz guitar at Western Oregon University.

Tim Gilson has been a mainstay in the Northwest for many years. In 1985 he joined the Mel Brown Quintet with which he recorded the award winning 'Gordon Bleu' CD. During this time Tim had the opportunity to play with many nationally acclaimed artists including Mose Allison, Ritchie Cole, Bud Shank, Herb Ellis, Julian Priester, John Handy, Ernestine Anderson and many others. In 1988 Tim won 2nd place in an international bass competition in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter substituted for John Clayton with 'Slide Hampton and the New Jazz Masters' in a concert in Sacramento. He toured Japan in 1993 with the Mel Brown Quintet with special guest artist Chuck Findley on trumpet; then in 1994 he moved to Madison Wisconsin where he served as Principal Bassist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and substituted on a regular basis with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Since returning to Portland in 2002 Tim plays regularly with the Oregon Symphony backing guest artist such as Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling and Herbie Hancock. Tim has also accompanied several guest artists including Wycliff Gordon, Antonio Hart, Matt Wilson, Ingrid Jensen and Wynton Marsalis during their tours of the Pacific Northwest.

From New York City, to Woodstock with Joe Cocker, through ten years of touring with Tom Jones, to forming his own Latin jazz group in Portland, Bobby Torres has been on the music scene for over 40 years.

Besides performing as a percussionist, Bobby is a record producer, songwriter, percussion instructor, session musician and band leader.

On April 30, 2016, Bobby was given the Jazz Journalist's Association Jazz Hero Award. This award is given to advocates, altruists, activists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact in their local communities. On September 11, 2015, Bobby performed with the Tadeschi Trucks band to a crowd of over 25,000 people at the Lockin' Festival in Virginia. This concert was a tribute to Joe Cocker and featured many of the original members of Mad Dogs & Englishmen. On August 24, 2009, Time Magazine published "Woodstock, How Does it Sound 40 Years Later?" an article which included a photo of Bobby in performance on stage with Joe Cocker at Woodstock along with the Mad Dogs & Englishmen. On May 4th of 2009, Bobby performed for Archbishop Desmond Tutu before his adoring crowd of over 4,800 people. And, later that same year, Bobby was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. The formal ceremony, which included fellow inductees Terry Robb, Dan Balmer and others, was October 17, 2009 at the Roseland Theater. A versatile musician, Bobby was nominated for "Outstanding Percussionist" -- a Muddy Waters Award -- as a result of his work performing with Le Bon, Craig Caruthers, The Dan Reed Network, Curtis Salgado, Lloyd Jones and Linda Hornbuckle -- all local R&B and Blues Musicians who developed national and international reputations of their own.

Friday

7/27/18

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

Craig Bidondo, piano

@ Allison Inn & Spa

2525 Allison Lane
Newberg, Oregon USA

6:30 - 10:30 pm
No Cover

Pianist and keyboardist Craig Bidondo has been performing on the West Coast for over 20 years. Originally from Alaska, Craig studied piano and music composition in Los Angeles before moving to the Portland area in 1988, and has been playing as a solo artist and with various professional groups in the Pacific Northwest ever since. His fresh jazz sound has been influenced by his years of playing not only jazz but also classical, rock, new age, and gospel music.

Besides backing up local talents such as Tony Starlight, Ollie McClay, Johnny Martin, Heather Keizur, the Swizzle Chicks, Skip Von Kuske, Cherie Price, Malea, Sally Sieh, and the Art Abrams Swing Machine Big Band, Craig has performed as a solo artist and bandleader at restaurants, weddings, parties, art shows and corporate events throughout the West Coast. Some of the local venues that have enjoyed his music include Tony Starlight’s Supperclub and Lounge, the Persimmon Country Club, the Benson Hotel, the Jenkins Estate, the Heathman Hotel, The Caswell-Martin Gallery, The Columbia Gorge Hotel, Timberline Lodge, The Shilo Inn on Airport Way, Dy’s Broadway Diner and many other locations.

Saturday

7/28/18

Paula Byrne Sings !

Friday

8/10/18

The Songs of Richard Rodgers

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

Mike Horsfall, piano

Private Event

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Mike Horsfall has enjoyed a successful and diverse musical career for over 35 years, serving as a performer, educator, composer, arranger, recording artist and concert soloist on both piano and vibraphone. He has performed and recorded with a large number of world class musicians, including Bud Shank, Bobby Shew, Leroy Vinegar, Chuck Redd, Holly Hofman, and Rebecca Kilgore, and has worked with such notable groups as Pink Martini, the Nu Shooz Orchestra, and the Portland Chamber Orchestra. In 1989 Mike co-founded the trio Tall Jazz, which went to perform, record, and educate for over 20 years. They became the first ensemble to be voted into the Jazz Society of Oregon's Hall of Fame. Mike currently serves on the music faculty at Willamette University, Mt. Hood Community College, and Oregon Episcopal School.
www.mikehorsfall.com

Wednesday

8/29/18

Paula Byrne @ Jo Bar

featuring George Mitchell, piano

Dennis Caiazza, bass

715 NW 23rd Avenue

Portland, Oregon USA

7:00 - 10:00 pm

No cover

In 2009, George Mitchell performed with a 40-piece orchestra at the extravagant Symphonica in Rosso at the Gelredome, in Arnhem, Netherlands. He played at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies in Oslo, Norway, in 2008, and at a command concert for Prince Charles in Hyde Park, London, in 2002. He was one of several performers at the 2001 private benefit and farewell salute to Bill Clinton in Los Angeles; earlier that year at a private concert, honoring Motown founder Berry Gordy; in 2000 at the VH1 Divas Live from Madison Square Garden, New York; and got soaked as thunderstorms poured on Miss Ross’ 1983 Live in Central Park mega concert before a massive crowd of 400,000 fans.

Mitchell’s keyboard talents were featured in command performances for the Queen of England, and more recently at Super Concerts in Taipei and Tokyo with Ms. Ross and renowned opera singers Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo.

Most recently, Mitchell was a guest keyboardist on Wicked: The Musical at Keller Auditorium, during its 2012 Portland run; and at the prestigious 10 Grands Concerts at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, in Portland, from 2005 to 2010.

He has appeared many times as an ensemble player on top-rated television shows, including: Oprah, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, the TODAY Show, and the Arsenio Hall Show.

Dennis Caiazza, originally from Rochester, New York, earned a Bachelors of Music in Classical Guitar and Lute from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY. He then did extensive graduate work on string bass in the Jazz Studies Program at The Eastman School. Dennis has been a full-time professional musician for over 25 years. Before moving to Atlanta in 1992, Dennis played and sang regularly with the Gap Mangione Jazz Trio and Big Band, and also performed and recorded with jazz greats Clark Terry, Eddie Daniels and Marian McPartland. In 1998 Dennis formed "Swing Factory," an eight piece swing band that played in and around the Southeast, recorded two internationally acclaimed CD's, and remained a popular force on the jazz and swing scene for over three years. Since moving to the Northwest in 2002, Dennis has had the privilege to work with some of its great musicians and world class entertainers, including Don Rickles, Ramsey Embick , Ron Steen, John Stowell, Tony Pacini, Dave Frishberg, Tom Grant, Gary Hobbs, Dan Balmer, Rob Davis, Kenny Hing, Bill Beach, Nu Shooz and The Woody Hite Big Band.

Saturday

8/25/18

Paula Byrne Jazz

Friday

8/31/18

Paula Byrne Sings !

Friday

9/14/18

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

Stephanie Torres, vocals

Anthony Proveaux, guitar

Mary Sue Tobin, saxophone

Jonathan Eder, piano

David Kennard, bass

Jay Harris, drums

Secret Society Ballroom

116 NE Russell Street
Portland, Oregon USA

8:30 - 11:30 pm

Paula Byrne's voice is like chilled champagne on a hot summer day. She moves easily between songs that are lush and beautiful to highly rhythmic, wild rides. Her sense of humor, revival of obscure songs and new twists on old standards keeps the audience engaged and enraptured.

Stephanie Torres is no stranger to the performance world. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she has done a number of musicals, plays and performances over two decades. She is a founding member of The Swizzle Chicks, a swing band with an original CD, sang with the quartet Signatures for 3 years (with the incomparable Karla Harris), and is excited to join Paula Byrne and Bossa Luna! When not practicing music, Stephanie can be found on the dance floor doing Swing, Salsa and Zydeco.

Mary-Sue Tobin has performed with The Oregon Symphony Pops (Pointer Sisters, Johnny Mathis) and numerous Jazz Festivals (Portland Jazz Festival, Waterfront Blues festival, Mount Hood Jazz Festival, Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, Vancouver Wine and Cheese Jazz Festival, Banff International Jazz Festival) and has shared the stage with international jazz and R&B stars such as Dave Douglas, The Temptations, James Moody and Esperanza Spalding. She appears in the movie "Hear No Evil" with the group Dub Squad and has toured internationally with the groups Flatland and Dub Squad, opening up for legends like Herbie Hancock, Steel Pulse and Third World. She has recorded and performed with numerous regional and international artists of all genres.

Anthony Proveaux plays Bossa Nova, Jazz and Pop music on nylon string guitar, and he also sings. He has performed and produced music professionally in the Northwest for many years. Anthony previously founded the group Bossanaire which has performed at many venues and festivals around Oregon, including a feature spot last October on the main stage at the 'Oregon Coast Jazz Party' in Newport. Anthony's production company, Pro-Arts, has recorded and produced many well-known Northwest artists and bands. He is excited to be performing with Bossa Luna.

Jay Harris, Jonathan Eder and David Kennard.

The Bossa Luna Rhythm section features Jay Harris on percussion, David Kennard on bass and Jonathan Eder on piano. These three players have performed together for many years, and their trio "Moon by Night" plays regularly at the Benson Hotel, and other venues. They provide a solid rhythm foundation for Bossa Luna, playing a wide variety of latin, swing and dance grooves.

Thursday

9/20/18

Paula Byrne @ Christo's Lounge

featuring Randy Porter, piano

Tim Gilson, bass

Charlie Doggett, drums

1108 Broadway St., NE

Salem, Oregon USA

7:00 pm

$12 Advance; $14 At Door; $10 Student

Jazz pianist Randy Porter has a refined understanding of improvisation and the spontaneous communication between musicians. As a Steinway Artist, Randy Porter draws from a rich palette of sonorities found within his imagination and the depths of the piano. Lynn Darroch of The Oregonian states, “Porter has built a reputation as a musician’s musician, a knowledgeable, inventive, and sophisticated player with a remarkable sense of time and gorgeous keyboard facility…”

Randy Porter has performed with many jazz greats, including Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, and Benny Golson. He has also performed with the Charles McPherson Quartet throughout the US and in France, Italy, Greece, and China. The Charles McPherson Quartet has re-created the music from the classic recording Charlie Parker with Strings, performing with many orchestras nationwide. Porter has also toured with Diane Schuur and Bobby Caldwell, conducting the Jazz Orchestra for their “Sing in Swing” tour.

Randy Porter has toured Europe with bassist David Friesen and has performed on several recordings with Friesen. Friesen’s 2001 Trio CD, Name of a Woman, received 4 stars from Downbeat in June of 2002 and featured Porter as pianist and composer. Porter has also recorded, performed, and toured worldwide with singer Gino Vannelli; Porter’s pianistic contributions can be heard on Vannelli’s CD’s, Yonder Tree, Slow Love and Canto.
Musical highlights include performing at Kimball’s with Art Farmer and Clifford Jordan, Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center with Diane Schuur, Seattle’s Jazz Alley with New York Voices, Yoshi’s in San Francisco with Karrin Allyson and Rebecca Kilgore, The House of Blues in Chicago and BB King’s Blues Club in NYC with Gino Vannelli, the Monterey Jazz Festival with Madeline Eastman, the Chicago and Detroit Jazz Festivals with Charles McPherson.

Porter’s compositions and arrangements can be heard on his own recordings: Thirsty Soul, with John Wiitala on bass and Reinhardt Melz and Todd Strait on drums; Brio, also featuring John Wiitala and Reinhardt Melz; Modern Reflections with Nancy King on vocals, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Mel Brown on drums; and Eight Little Feet with Bob Magnusson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums. Samples of Porter’s writing and playing can be found on Apple’s iLife jingles. Porter also composed the music for the 2009 documentary, Deep Green.

Porter has been a performer and educator at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival for many years where he has coached many young jazz musicians. He has also worked several years at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and Jazz Camp West with singer Madeline Eastman. Porter teaches master classes and adjudicates student combos and bands at highschool and college jazz festivals. Currently, Porter teaches jazz piano at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

Tim Gilson has been a mainstay in the Northwest for many years. In 1985 he joined the Mel Brown Quintet with which he recorded the award winning 'Gordon Bleu' CD. During this time Tim had the opportunity to play with many nationally acclaimed artists including Mose Allison, Ritchie Cole, Bud Shank, Herb Ellis, Julian Priester, John Handy, Ernestine Anderson and many others. In 1988 Tim won 2nd place in an international bass competition in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter substituted for John Clayton with 'Slide Hampton and the New Jazz Masters' in a concert in Sacramento. He toured Japan in 1993 with the Mel Brown Quintet with special guest artist Chuck Findley on trumpet; then in 1994 he moved to Madison Wisconsin where he served as Principal Bassist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and substituted on a regular basis with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Since returning to Portland in 2002 Tim plays regularly with the Oregon Symphony backing guest artist such as Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling and Herbie Hancock. Tim has also accompanied several guest artists including Wycliff Gordon, Antonio Hart, Matt Wilson, Ingrid Jensen and Wynton Marsalis during their tours of the Pacific Northwest.

(excerpt from Jazz at Joes):
Charlie Doggett was born in Oregon and began playing drums at an early age. His first paying job as a musician was at the age 15. Up to this point Doggett was mostly self taught and he credits his uncle, (who played trumpet), with showing him how to hold the drumsticks. His first formal teachers were at the University of Oregon and included drummers Chris Lee, Alan Jones, and pianist Gary Versace. Upon graduating from the U of O, Doggett was employed by both the University of Oregon and Lane Community College teaching drum set and percussion. He later relocated to Portland, Oregon where he currently resides. Doggett has performed extensively throughout the Northwest, West Coast, Canada, and Europe. He is a member of Upper Left Trio, a group comprised of pianist Clay Giberson and bassist Jeff Leonard. This piano trio has been together for nearly a decade and has four releases to date on the Origin Arts Label... "Cycling", "Sell Your Soul Side", "Three", and "Ulternative".

Saturday

9/22/18

Paula Byrne Sings !

Tuesday

10/9/18

featuring Paula Byrne, vocals

Don McFarlane, piano

Tom Freedman, bass

Matthew Williams, drums

Northside Bar & Grill

62860 Boyd Acres Road
Bend, Oregon USA

6:00 - 9:00 pm

Don McFarlane is a jazz musician playing primarily in Portland and in Central Oregon. Don has a music degree from the University of Oregon, and studied with Portland jazz luminaries Harry Gilgam, Mary Field and Alan Jones. Against all advice to the contrary, he finally "quit the day job" after a 40-year career in high-tech, and now plays piano with several small combos including Portland's The Originals and Bridge City Jazz; and Central Oregon's Single Malt Jazz.

Tommy "Leroy" Freedman has been a professional musician in Portland and Bend for 25 years, playing an eclectic mix of Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Klezmer, World Beat, and Latin Rock. He has performed at numerous festivals including Seattle's Bumpershoot and Folklife, Portland Bite, Bend's Fall and Summerfest mainstage, and the Sisters Folk Festival. His playing reflects his lifelong passion for music of diverse genres. He plays double bass, trumpet, and bass guitar.

Matthew began piano at age 4 (mom was a piano teacher). He found drums in 3rd grade, and from then on played in school bands, concert bands, orchestras, stage bands, jazz combos, big bands, marching Bands and other numerous ensembles. He drummed for the Cuesta College Big Band and Vocal Jass Ensemble in the 80s. Matthew went to Montreux Jazz Festival 1987, and recorded a couple albums with them. Currently he plays and records in Bend Oregon with Chiringa!, a Latin Rock Dance Band. He also plays with the Tommy Lee Trio performing a mix of jazz standards and other favorites. Matthew really enjoys the freedom of Jazz and Latin music.

Saturday

10/27/18

Paula Byrne Sings !