PLAN YOUR NEXT EVENT

MUSIC CALENDAR

 

Musician Bios

---

Bobby Torres Ensemble

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's been on the music scene for over 40 years. Bobby studied under Raymund Hurry of the Last Poets in New York City. At age 16 Bobby formed "Afro-zicians," a group of drummers & dancers. He later studied under Jim Keltner & Murray Spivack in LA. Bobby had further musical training under David Wheat & Johnny Bristol. At age 25 he joined Joe Cocker. Currently, Bobby is a song writer, music producer, teacher and the leader of The Bobby Torres Ensemble. He continues to teach and study Latin percussion and drumming to this day.

"Bobby Torres Ensemble - Latin jazz with enough flavor and spice to satisfy your body and soul's need for rhythmic harmony." - The Oregonian A&E 3/9/07

Bobby Torres web site: www.bobbytorres.com

 

---

Jay "Bird" Koder

Am amazingly versatile performing artist, and a true musician's musician, Jay "Bird" Koder has  shared studio and stage with some of the world's greatest! From trading blues licks with Robert Cray and Albert Collins, to innovating contemporary jazz with Chick Corea, Freddy Hubbard and Joe Farrell,  to rocking with The Steve Miller Band and The Doobie Brothers, to the bone-crushing funk of Cool'R - formerly known as Pleasure, to recording sessions with Ricky Peterson, Gino Vanelli, and Kenny G, to sizzling with a Cuban Salsa band in Latin America, to Jazz gigs with legends like Jack McDuff and Bernard Purdie, to duets with Linda Ronstadt, to television appearances with Gospel music greats such as Pops Staples, Cindy Morgan, Larnel Harris, and Bruce Carol, to The Jeff Lorber Fusion - progenitors of the Jazz/rock fusion movement, to African music with  Master Drummer Obo Addy  producing a unique blend of cultures, to countless jingle and motion picture recording sessions--everything from NIKE to the California Raisins to "Men of Honor" (Robert De Niro), as well as performances with the world renowned Oregon Symphony, Both as a soloist and orchestra member - to name but a few - this "Master of Many Styles" has defined and defied all stylistic boundaries to cover a wide cross section of this art form we know as music.

Jay's web site: www.jaybirdkoder.co

 

---

Alla Breve

With the duo Alla Breve featuring Pianist Jim Fischer and Jay "Bird" Koder the music is magic and the evening is a passionate blend of Classical & Jazz Duets.

Jim  Fischer - pianist, composer, producer, recording artist and entertainer - is known for his extensive repertoire and an expressive musical touch that has pleased audiences worldwide. He has performed in Tokyo as well as Europe. He recently returned from entertaining for Royal Caribbean’s Dueling Piano Show (Caribbean & Mexico) and on the maiden voyage of Holland America’s M.S. Westerdam in the Mediterranean. Jim has performed with The Ink Spots, Dianne Schuur and Luci Arnez to name a few. Alla Breve on the web:
www.jimfischer.net/allabreve

 

 

---

Mike Danner

Mike Danner is an accordionist, piano player, singer and songwriter who has lived in the Portland area all his life.  He has bbeen leading his own bands and playing as a sideman since he was a teenager, and continues to delight crowds with his soulful singing and inventive playing. Currently, in addition to his solo performances, he plays with the popular 20s-style jazz combo Trashcan Joe, and hosts a podcast called "Accordion Crimes Radio"  where he interviews  and "jams" with some of the great musicians he has known over the years.  You can listen in or contact Mike at www.accordioncrimes.com

 

---

Eric Skye Trio

The Pacific Northwest based trio plays the music of Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Roland Kirk, John Coltrane, and others, in an intimate uncluttered acoustic setting, featuring adventurous, occasionally genre bending improvisation.

 

 

 

---

Trashcan Joe

Trashcan Joe is a 5-piece musical combo playing original songs and early jazz standards with a spirited and infectious joie de vivre. The band creates it sound with luscious vocal harmonies and the glorious sounds of cornet, accordion, washboard, bass, and of course the band's namesake, the homemade and recycled "trashcanjo". For a half-dozen years the group has been playing Northwest clubs, music festivals, house parties and streetcorners, delighting audiences young and old. They have just released their 4th album, "Candid Standards", showcasing their love of mid-century jazz with songs made famous by the likes of Nat Cole, Hoagy Carmichael, and Duke Ellington. Preview their unique sound here www.myspace.com/trashcanjoe

Band members:
Mike Danner: vocals, accordion
Capt James Cook: trashcanjo, vocals
Jason Wells: cornet, vocals
Kyrstyn Pixton: washboard, vocals
Arthur Parker: bass, vocals

 

---

Mark Simon Trio

Take Mark Simon's heartfelt jazz piano interpretations and award winning-compositions, add to it Dave Averre's impeccable sense of timing and musicianship, mix in Leah Hinchcliff's big ears and keen intuition and you have the Mark Simon Trio. This trio doesn't just play songs, they clearly communicate feelings. Listeners identify with the emotion of the moment, whether it is joy, reflection, folly, seriousness, wonderment or blueness. Their music is easy to listen to, attracting
fans that might otherwise not care for jazz. However, this music is also embedded with deep substance, providing appeal for the serious jazz listener.

"Mark is an eloquent and energetic player and composer in the bebop tradition. His years with Leroy Vinnegar certainly are evident and have left their mark with a strong rhythmic approach to the trio sound" - Gordon Lee - pianist, composer and recording artist

Mark Simon Trio's web site: www.marksimonmusic.com/trio.html

 

---

JB Butler

John, a Fulbright Scholar in Music, is an experienced performer in the fields of Jazz, Latin, New Music and Dance. He is equally at home playing solo or with larger groups. John began his professional career in Portland in 1975 and was active in the very busy jazz scene at that time, performing extensively with sax great Jim Pepper and legendary organist Count Dutch. He moved to N.Y. in 1981, rooming with Jim Pepper and was there less than a year before receiving an '85 gig tour of Holland and Belgium with Dutch pianist Rene Van Helsdingen. Remaining in Holland until 1987 John recorded 2 L.P.s and was guitar instructor at the Hilversum Conservatory. At this time he performed at various festivals and clubs in Holland Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and performed regularly with the great bass player Wilbur Little. Returning to N.Y. in 1988 John played regularly in the New York club scene as well as performing for the Young Audiences program in schools around N.Y. with his brother Ken Butler. While performing at New Music America Festival 1988 in Miami John met Peruvian dancer Luciana Proaño, which led to regular performances in Peru as her musical director. In 1991 John received a Fulbright Grant to Peru where he performed solo concerts and taught jazz workshops in the conservatories of Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, Trujillo and Chiclayo. He also studied Afro-Peruvian music with Carlos Hayre. In 1994 John returned to make his home base in Portland from where he has continued to perform nationally and internationally.

 

---

Ramsey Embick

Oregonian, A&E, July 6, 2007
Tim DuRoche

The Montunos Maestro: Ramsey Embick

"Ramsey Embick is Portland’s “El Jefe” of Latin-jazz piano. A 30-year veteran of jazz and Latin music’s ebb and flow of popularity, he’s worked the salt mines of the L.A. studios, as music director for the Pointer Sisters, and hired gun for Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Ray Charles, Kiss and Kurtis Blow. Embick maintained his calm by focusing on his Latin piano chops, eventually returning to Portland in 1992. Attracting players from North, Central and South America for his stellar combo, Ramsey Y Los Montunos, his own appearances with the group are becoming rare. But make no mistake: They are red-letter days for incendiary music and dance. A deeply sensitive player and a first call for jazz vocalists, Embick has been instrumental in buoying the growth of Northwestern Latin music for years through his own groups; as a member of Cambalache, Latin Expression, La Mayor, Nueva Era, Barrio Latino, Pa’Lante and Conjunto Alegre, as well as in support of such salsa greats as Luis Conte, Poncho Sanchez, Clare Fisher, Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval and the legendary Jesus Alfonso of Los Munequitos de Matanzas. The Salem-born “Ramzini” as he’s known, can conjure up a big city rumba riot, a la Eddie Palmieri, unlike any bandleader around." Ramsey's website: www.ramseysalsa.com

 

---

Sam Hirsh

Born in Kyoto, Japan in 1989, Sam Hirsh grew up in Portland, Oregon and began classical piano studies at the age of 5. Influenced by his father, a saxophonist, his attention soon turned to Jazz. Sam played in school bands before joining his father’s jazz quintet, with whom he later recorded a CD entitled ‘Seekin’ and Speakin’. His senior year of high school, he was selected for the piano chair in the All- Northwest jazz band under the direction of Ellen Rowe. After high school, he was accepted to Manhattan School of Music and The New School but could not attend due to financial reasons. He currently attends Mt. Hood Community College and plans to reapply back east this coming year. He had the opportunity to travel to Kaohsiung, Taiwan for the annual Lantern Festival in February of 2008 with the Mt. Hood Community College Jazz Band.

Sam, besides leading his own trio, plays with the finest musicians around Portland. He has performed at venues such as Jimmy Mak’s, The Cave, the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival and most recently the Sherman and Clay Steinway Piano store where he performed duo piano with Gary Moran, a long time friend and an accomplished pianist from Philadelphia.

Sam lists Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, Sonny Clarke and Benny Green as some of his main influences. Sam has performed and / or studied with Javon Jackson, Jimmy Heath, Red Holloway, Benny Green, Gerald Wilson, Terrell Stafford and Wycliffe Gordon just to name a few. He currently studies jazz piano with Randy Porter.

 

---

Vince Frates

Jazz pianist Vince Frates is a fairly recent transplant to Portland, having moved here from California 4 years ago. He has been active in the music scene performing regularly as a soloist and is also a favorite  accompanist of singers in town. Vince is also an Emmy award winning composer who has been writing music for TV and film for nearly two decades. His music can be heard on such varied shows as "ABC Sports","Good Morning America" and "NBC Nightly News".  He's written  the music for numerous movie trailers and his film credits include several PBS documentaries including "Butch Cassidy and the Outlaw Trail", "The Great Salt Lake: America's Legacy of Wetlands” and “The Long Walk:Tears of The Navajo”.  His music can be heard daily on a host of television shows ranging from "Oprah" and "Dateline" to "Friends" and "The Sopranos".

 

---

Mr. Tom

Always having an interest in playing guitar and singing, Mr. Tom has spent the last 15 years playing for audiences in Michigan and here in the Northwest. Many of the songs that Mr. Tom plays are not usually covered by other artists, but were popular in their day. Mr. Tom covers a variety of tunes that are from the 60's and 70's with a few in 80's. It has been his goal to entertain an audience with singing and guitar accompaniment that will cause you to tap your feet and maybe remember the past!

 

---

Alan Tarpinian

Alan Tarpinian graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music (Boston) in 1976. During that time, he attended Master Classes in Cervera, Spain with Emilio Pujol, the last surviving pupil of Francisco Tarrega (known as “the father of the modern guitar“) There, he performed concerts in Cervera, Lerida and Barcelona. He later moved to Munich, Germany where he taught at the Neubiberger Volkshochschule and toured Germany, Austria, Italy and France. In 1978 he won second place in Munich’s first annual “Prima Vista Competition” (sight reading). In 1982, he settled in Eugene, OR  to raise his two children and has just recently relocated to Portland. In addition to private teaching, he was also on the faculty of Lane Community College, has appeared with the Eugene Symphony, Oregon Bach Festival, Oregon Festival of American Music and performs regularly around the Northwest and Canada. He also performs chamber music with flutist Denise Westby in “Duo West”. Visit his web site at: www.windnoteensembles.com 

 

---

Phil Goldberg

Phil developed a reputation as a fine jazz pianist; working in LA clubs such as the The Studio Cafes in Newport and Balboa, Dino's in Pasedena, Dante's in North Hollywood, Alphonce's in Studio City, and many more. Musicians Phil has worked with include Jay Migliori, Bill Perkins, Gene Cirico, Jim Crutcher, Frank DeLaRosa, Ron Stout, Chiz Harris, Nick Martines, Pete Christleib, Dick Berk, Gene Stone, Laurance Marable, Ed Bennett, Ron Steen, Phil Baker, just to mention a few. Phil now resides and plays in Portland Or. Groups consist of solo, and duo with his wife Nancy Goldberg; flute and vocals. He also performs often in jazz trios, quartets and quintets. Phil's website: http://mp3.com.au/philgoldber

 

---

Mark Simon

Jazz Pianist         

1. Was an integral member of the Leroy Vinegar trio with Mel Brown for several years.
2. Received heavy airplay in Portland area upon 1995 release of Portland Nights, a compact disk featuring trio and quartet renditions of Mark’s original music.
3. Performed at Mount Hood Festival of Jazz six times.

"Mark is an accomplished musician who is greatly dedicated to jazz playing and writing." - Leroy Vinnegar

"Mark is one of the more brilliant pianists and composers in the Northwest."
- Ron Steen

Mark's web site: www.marksimonmusic.com

 

---

Glenn Holstrom

Pianist Glenn Holstrom is a talented instrumentalist with a repertoire including Gershwin and Ellington, Latin , and contemporary jazz and R&B. He has appeared on CD's by Tom Grant, Dan Balmer, Lloyd Jones, Paul DeLay, and many others, and has perfomed with singers such as Ernestine Anderson and Jimmy Witherspoon.