Tierney Sutton at Jimmy Maks

I don't think my writing skills are up to the task to describe the show Senora Music Man and I attended last night at Jimmy Maks.  When I first saw that The Tierney Sutton Band had booked a gig at Jimmy's, I immediately bought two tickets for the early show (last night).  I had heard of her 3 Grammy nominations but, that doesn't guarantee a good show - I've been oversold before (nah, I won't mention names).   I shouldn't have worried; this was one of the best sets of music - mostly jazz, ever served up over a Jimmy Mak gyro.

Ms. Sutton began with a short interview with Ezra Weiss in which she explained that the gig is the "Tierney Sutton Band", NOT Tierney Sutton with a trio of supporting musicians.  Amen to that!  Pianist Christian Jacobs, bassist Kevin Axt, and drummer Ray Brinker each contributed evenly to this quartet.  I found my attention drawn to each of these excellent musicians at different points of performance.  Tierney used her considerable vocal talent to mold her lyrics into another instrument in this full bodied quartet.  A lot of singers make that claim; this lady actually does it.

OK the set...  A lot of the songs are from what is becoming known as the Great American Songbook.  Selecting classics and standards runs the risk of delivering a set that has already been done (and done and done....).  Nope - not this time.  Each tune was presented with an imaginative and energetic interpretation that met with complete approval from the full house at Jimmy's.

A few notes:  "It Ain't Neccessarily So" was presented with primal overtones delivered forcefully, yet precisely by Ray Brinker.
"Summertime" and "Cry Me a River" - couldn't help but think of Dinah Washington in Tierney's vocal interpretation.  It was fascinating to see and hear Kevin Axt weave his bass lines throughout these melodies.
Finally, when the tune "Fever" introduced, I groaned inwardly as this is a tune made famous by Peggy Lee, ruined by The McCoys and made tedious by everyone else.  Everyone else but the Tierney Sutton Band.  The interpretation was fresh, innovative, and yet true to the song as written.  Again, many make that claim; this band got  it done.
I loved the whole set; the fastest 90 minutes I can recall.  I can and will go see this band again.

OK; this is what you are going to hear.

Ray using a delicate touch.

Summertime and it's still raining in Portland!

Hivemind at Mississippi Pizza

We heard Gabby Holt at the Alberta Rose theater  a couple of months ago showing off her singer/songwriter persona.  I enjoyed the show but singer/songwriter stuff is not at the top of my list.  I remember wondering at that time how she might sound with a good band.  
Got my answer!  Gabby joined Hivemind with Daniel Bedell on guitar and drummer Evan Prochaska.  I'll be brief - these guys are good!  All original stuff (I think).
Most new bands trying to present a set of original stuff usually wind up with the same song presented over and over again with nothing but a tempo change.  Not these guys; every tune was very different and interesting.  I loved the use of the wah wah pedal and overall musicality.  Don't know if the acoustics at Mississippi Pizza or the equipment was lacking but I was straining to discern the lyrics.  Bet they were as good as the music.
This was good, honest rock and roll (is the term acceptable? Don't care, it's my blog).  Gabby, Dan, and Evan - I think you have something here.  Thanks for a good time!

Tara Williamson at Wilfs

I have been wanting to hear Tara ever since I heard that she is replacing Karla Harris as the newest member of Signatures ("my favorite girl group").  She performed with her trio of very capable sidemen, Justin Smith on trumpet, John Shaw on bass, and drummer Ed Pierce.
I loved the first set, a variety of jazz standards from the 20's (Fats Waller) to the 60's (Peggy Lee).  My favorite number was an up tempo interpretation of "Moon River".  I have heard a number of artists perform that classic; everyone seems to have stolen Andy Williams' chart; the song is beautiful but always sounds the same.  Tara gave it a lively twist; a gutsy move that more than succeeded!
Her second set showcased her singer/songwriter side; playing acoustic guitar and singing some original tunes.  She is a talented lady.  Really look forward to her work with Barb, Kat and Suzette at Tony Starlights in June.
Love the shows (and the food!) at Wilfs.  Check out their upcoming shows.

Ain't Misbehavin'

Gettin' Mellow?

Nah!

Devin Phillips at The Blue Monk

This was my second visit to the Blue Monk; a small basement music venue on Belmont.  Mr. Devin Phillips was holding court with his quartet of Ramsey Embick on piano, Lee Ball on bass, and drummer Jonas Oglesby.  Devin was at the top of his game (OK, when is he anywhere else?).  His tenor sax growls, whines, and bellows his interpretations of Ben Webster, Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane tunes.  By the way, Devin, "crepuscule" is the period immediately following the sunset.

Devin's play is the musical equivalent of Jim Brown on a football field; he can knock you down, dance around you, or just plain sprint away as he takes his horn through its paces.   Devin's breaks were filled in very capably by Ramsey Embick who matched Devin's intense and fluid play.  I had never heard Ramsey before but hope to hear him again soon!  The man can play.

Check out the Blue Monk; make sure you go hungry; this former North Jersey boy has deemed the Italian fare bona fide; try the spaghetti with spicy Italian sausage.

The Devin Phillips Quartet

Playing Monk at the Monk

Karla; A Fond Farewell

This blog has focused on current musicians and the local clubs that offer live jazz to the Portland community.  We are a fortunate bunch of music junkies to have such a plethora of local talent, many with national, and, yes, international fans of all ages.  So it is a little sad when a shining star such as Karla Harris folds up her song book and leaves town to join her family in Atlanta.  Her last gig was performed at Wilf's on March 14th, backed by Joe Millward and Ron Steen.  She played a variety of jazz and pop tunes, my favorite was "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - the tune made popular by Roberta Flack. It touched!
Karla was both sultry and wholesome, brash and subtle, she hit a nerve and soothed the soul.  In other words, we were treated to a typical Karla Harris show.  We are gonna miss you, lady!

Sharing a smile

Karla and Ron

Joe covering the bass line and piano.

Haley Horsfall (and Mike!)

Patti and I went for dessert at Touche's on Friday night to hear the Father/Daughter Horsfall musical duo.  What a treat!  I had heard that Haley was a singer - an understatement.  We were fortunate to sit right behind them as they performed and got to watch the communication between pianist and singer.  Haley performed a number of jazz tunes including the difficult "O Patu".  She also did a very nice interpretation of Bobby Hebb's "Sunny"- one of my favorite pop tunes.  Mike delivered high energy accompaniment; does he ever back off a tune?  Nah!  We'll hear them again!!!!!

Touche's is a nice place to hear music.  It reminded me of clubs in New York, small, intimate, and alive. Lots of young people there.  The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

2012 Battle of the Bands

Jimmy Maks was the site of the Jazz Society of Oregon's 2012 Battle of the Bands; 4 high school combos representing Battle Ground, Lincoln and West Linn High Schools.  West Linn won the inaugural competition last year and brought a strong team back to defend.  Lincoln brought 2 teams, Glen and his Men and the JJ Nils Sextet.
Battle Ground competed for the first time and is taking the hardware north of the Columbia with a narrow win for the Jeff Cumpston Trophy.

Each band performed 3 tunes;  one tune of their choosing, one that was given to them 2 weeks prior to the competition - all bands performed that same tune, "I Could Write a Book".  The third tune was a randomly drawn set of charts given each band that evening.  Each band had to perform a tune that they had not seen prior to the evening of the competition.  As Art Abrams said, "this is what jazz is all about, you get a gig and often do not see the music until you arrive at the club....".  Art was joined on the judging panel with Mike Horsfall and Devin Phillips.  Yeah!

From my perspective as a non musician, my attention was drawn to two things:
First, I realize (again!) how much I enjoy watching young people perform with such skill and enthusiasm.  These students are good musicians having fun performing in one of the nation's top jazz venues.  Second, I was intrigued by the feedback given the musicians by our judges.  The criticisms were direct but always in a positive light.

The scoring was very close; each band gave interesting interpretations on the sight reading pieces; one incorporated vocals into their performance; I loved it!  See you next year.

Next up; Mike Horsfall this Friday at Touche's and the Karla Harris Farewell party at Wilf's on March 14th.

Lincoln HS Glen's Men (sorry about the photo quality; operator error)

Battle Ground

West Linn defending the trophy

Lincoln HS JJ Nils Sextet

Art, Mike and Devin watching and listening

Battle Ground Music Director Greg McElvey accepting the trophy!

Fat Tuesday at the Mission Theater

This was only one of two of the Portland Jazz Festival shows I was able to attend.  I wasn't going to miss this one no matter what.  Imagine, Devin Phillips with the Bridgetown Sextet and Da Pipes herself, Miss Marilyn Keller!  Patti had a long day at work and as we were leaving to go to the show, she warned me that she was only staying for the first set.  During the third tune, she looked over at me and said, "Don't worry about me, I'm not going anywhere - this is too good to miss!"  True dat!
I enjoy the traditional New Orleans jazz sound but prefer other styles - usually.  These guys played several Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and my favorite tune of the evening, "Mr. Jellycord", a smooth and sultry Jellyroll Morton tune.  The stage was packed with some of Portland's finest musical talent topped off with several vocals by Miss Marilyn Keller, a favorite of mine for years.
Many thanks to PDX Jazz Festival for putting this one on.

Bridgetown Sextet

Andrew, Devin, and David

 Marilyn Keller - can I get an Amen?

Tom Wakeling and friends at Ivories

Tom Wakeling, Steve Christofferson, David Evans, and Todd Straight performed at Ivories on February 18th.  Yeah, Senor Music Man got a little behind in his work.  Back to blogging... it was a great show.
This was the first time I heard Tom for an extended set.  Man, we have so many talented bassists in this city!  Jolie, am I right?

Listening to several of the tunes, I was struck by two things; one, Steve seems to be always improvising within a tune and, second, the last few shows that I have particularly enjoyed have one common denominator - David Evans.  He can play!

Simply put, this was 4 excellent musicians making some great music.  What a fast set!  I was particularly moved by a Billy Strayhorn tune, "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing"; kind of metaphysical but absolutely spellbinding.   Really!

Hey, if you haven't been to Ivories, you are missing a great evening of jazz in a very comfortable setting.

Steve

Tom and David (Todd is hidden behind David)

Portland Jazz Trio at SMART

We attended the SMART fund raiser on February 16th at the Portland Art Museum and were pleasantly surprised to see that the Portland Jazz Trio was providing the music during the cocktail hour. Comprised of Dan Presley, David Averre and George Mitchell, this trio provided a perfect musical backdrop to the pre dinner gathering.

Thanks, guys!

A Signature Farewell to Karla Harris

Signatures performed a very special show last Friday night at Tony Starlight's Supperclub and Lounge.  Karla Harris is leaving the group to join her family in Atlanta.  Ouch!  Karla is an original member of the group and has contributed so much of her energy and soul to my favorite "girl group".  Like I have said before, try to sit still when she rips the lead in "Heartache Tonight";  the opening number of the show.  She will not only be missed as a member of Signatures but a number of local venues will miss her solo shows.

Karla, you are a special lady and I hope our paths cross again!

Barb Ayars, Signatures founder, introduced Tara Williamson as the newest member to fill Karla's spot with the group - an excellent choice!   I have heard her sing at Tony's; she will fit in well with Barb, Kat, and Suzette.  I really look forward to their next gig.

This was Karla's night; she selected most of the tunes presented.  The music was energetic and emotional, especially Kat's lead on "Songbird".  There were more than a few moist eyes in the crowd.

My favorite tunes were Kat and Karla's duet on "Dog and Butterfly", Barb and Karla's "Since I Fell for You", and the group's interpretation of "Space Captain", one of my very favorite songs (I am sure this was done to shut me up - I have been pestering Barb for some time to do the tune).

As in all Signatures shows, the house was full and a good time had by all.  Do yourself a favor and get on their email list to catch a future show.  Tell 'em Senor Music Man sent you!

"Groovin'"

Ok, Tony, one number!

Dog and Butterfly - beautiful!!!!!!

Space Captain - thanks, ladies!!!!

A thorn surrounded by roses.  Eat your hearts out, boys!

Dover Gailey Project @ Ivories - January 19th

Our monthly JSO members night was at Ivories last Thursday.  Hey, guys and gals, you are missing some good gigs!  The feature band of the evening was the Dover Gailey Project led by John Dover on trumpet and featuring Matthew Gailey on vocals.  The DG Project presented a tribute to Chet Baker's music.  They did it well.  John plays a very solid trumpet and I was impressed with Matthew's vocal efforts.  It is very satisfying to see a vocalist truly feel the song.  His emotional effort on "The Thrill is Gone" was my favorite tune of the evening.  I am sorry I did not get the names of the bass and guitar players; they provided excellent support for the leads by John and Matthew.

The service is good at Ivories; I particularly enjoyed my bread pudding dessert!!!

The opening set was an energetic piano solo by Kerry Politzer.  Would love to hear her as part of an ensemble.

Midnight Serenaders @ Tony Starlights Supperclub and Lounge January 14th

The Midnight Serenaders show can be summed up simply as FUN!!!!!   These folks are excellent musicians who play 20's and 30's style jazz and pop.  This is the second time I've heard them and thoroughly enjoyed both shows.  Tunes vary from catchy, up tempo numbers such as "Can't Dance, I've Got Ants in My Pants to bluesy numbers like "Handyman", sung with naughty intent by the always entertaining Dee Settlemeier.  She and Doug Sammons pair effectively on vocals, voices blending and/or contrasting as needed.
Doug and Dee are supported by a quartet of excellent musicians; David Evans on sax/clarinet, Doc Stein on Hawaiian steel guitar, and Pete Lampe on bass, and Garner Pruitt playing a muted trumpet that gives so much of the traditional flavor to this music.
It wasn't surprising that Tony Starlights was sold out last Saturday.  This music was great and, as I said earlier, these guys are FUN!  Their next show is:
Saturday, February 4 (2 - 3 pm)

(Ledding Library First Saturday Music Series)
10660 SE 21st Ave., Milwaukee, OR
tele: 503.786.7580

Next up for Senor Music Man - Ivories on the 19th.

Dee and Doug

You gonna be my "Handyman?"

Garner taking the lead.

New Years Eve at Jimmy Maks with Soul Vaccination

Don't know where I've been hiding for the past 10 years but this was my first exposure to Soul Vaccination.  Wow, these guys cook with gas!  This is a full musical ensemble cranking out some of the best funky soul this side of Tower of Power.  Jeff, ol' buddy, you missed a good one!
Patti and I spend every New Year's Eve with our good friends Sam and Amy Miller at Jimmy Mak's.  I was concerned over investing a New Year's Eve with a band I never heard of but I have learned to trust the folks at Jimmy Mak's.  They didn't let me down. Soul Vax opened with a hot rendition of "Pick up the pieces" and then really poured it on. Their full horn section (with baritone sax!) was complemented nicely by 3 very capable vocalists.  The Tower of Power influenced set was over in a flash and left me wanting much, much  more.  I'll see them again and will still be "diggin' on James Brown". They will be returning to Jimmy Mak's on January 28th - don't miss this band!

See you on the 14th at Tony Starlights for the Midnight Serenaders - one of Senor Music Man's favorites.  There is a lot of good music happening in our city throughout the month. Check out the jazz calendar on the Jazz Society of Oregon website; better yet, join and we'll send it to you!

Soul Vaccination - smokin'!