Upcoming Shows
Some may know pianist Randy Porter as saxophone great Charles McPherson’s frequent pianist. Others may know him from his annual performance and teaching at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival, or his performances with such greats as Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Arturo Sandoval, Karrin Allyson, Sheila Jordan, Diane Schuur, Wynton Marsalis and numerous symphony orchestras. Based in Portland, Oregon, he is without a doubt one of the city’s major contributions to the international jazz scene.
At age 20, bassist Jeff Johnson joined the band of renowned drummer Philly Joe Jones. In the decades since then, he has played with the greatest jazz musicians of several generations… including legends such as Chet Baker, Barney Kessel, Sonny Stitt, Benny Golson and Lee Konitz. Jeff is a two-time winner of Seattle’s Earshot Jazz “Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year” award.
Randy and Jeff have performed and recorded together for years. Randy and Anton have collaborated since 2006, and recorded together recently on Ed Reed’s Born To Be Blue CD. Jeff and Anton only recently met, performing under vocalist Jackie Ryan. This evening will mark the first performance of the three artists together. We can’t wait to hear what the chemistry will produce!
Read MoreThis concert features the world renowned, New York based clarinetist, Ken Peplowski. The late Mel Tormé said, “Since the advent of Benny Goodman, there have been too few clarinetists to fill the void that Goodman left. Ken Peplowski is most certainly one of those few. The man is magic.” The litany of musicians Ken has collaborated with includes: Charlie Byrd, Peggy Lee, George Shearing, Madonna, Hank Jones, Rosemary Clooney, Tom Harrell, James Moody, Cedar Walton, Houston Person, Steve Allen, & Woody Allen. “Although not necessarily in that order,” says Ken.
Ken will be joining Anton and his gifted bandmates Adam Shulman and John Wiitala for an evening of spontaneous, swinging music.
Read MoreOakland: Ed Reed Quintet
Vocalist Ed Reed amazed the jazz world when he came out with his highly acclaimed debut CD at age 78. That was five years and a second and third CD ago, and he just keeps getting better…
Given his track record of exponential creative growth over the past four years it might be premature to say that “Born to Be Blue ” is Reed’s definitive statement, but his third album possesses all the distilled emotion and narrative coherence of a jazz masterpiece.
— Andrew Gilbert, San Jose Mercury News
Here Ed performs with the band of that CD (with bassist John Wiitala stepping in to fill the bass chair), the band that earlier this year wowed audiences and critics in New York and Boston.
Learn more about Ed Reed.
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