This week The Cave presents:

• Wednesday 7/23 - Nancy King with Dan Gaynor
• Thursday 7/24 - Mordy Ferber (from NYC) with Alan Jones and Phil Baker
• Friday (7/25) and Saturday (7/26) - Marc Fendel Trio (from Seattle)

7/23 Nancy King Invitational w/ Dan Gaynor piano

“Gifted with the emotional depth of Carmen McRae, King holds standards up to the light and explores their nuances through the prism of her stunning technique. Moving and often challenging, she takes the lyrical ballad to new highs and lows.”

- Willamette Week

–Nancy has been nominated Female Vocalist of the year by the Jazz Journalist Association!–

This week Nancy again invites the prodigious, very talented pianist Dan Gaynor.  At the tender age of 25 Dan Gaynor is one of Portland’s brightest young stars. Since graduating from PSU Dan has become one the North West’s most respected and busy pianists, working with players like Nancy King, Glen Moore, Bobby Torres, Barbara Lusch, Dan Schulte.

7/24 Alan Jones Presents… FROM NYC Mordy Ferber guitar, Phil Baker bass, Alan Jones drums

“New York guitarist-composer, Mordy Ferber, is a powerful, contemporary guitarist with an attitude, energy, and a pluck all his own. And with a batch of riveting originals and plenty of zing per string,Ferber is clearly his own man.”

Jazz Times

 ”Add Mordy Ferber to the list of notable guitarists in the jazz world today. This Israeli-born sensation displays readily apparent technical fortitude and, more importantly,a confident sense of when and how to flex his talent. Ferber is a player of considerable promise who blends irreverent energies and an angular, dare we say European?, harmonic sense into an overall jazz sans frontiers.”

Jazziz

For the past twenty years, no Northwest bass player has been in more demand in more capacities than Phil Baker. Phil’s mastery of both the acoustic and electric bass as well as his talents as a composer and producer have made him one of the most successful and sought-after musicians on the West Coast. His first love is traditional jazz acoustic bass and he’s performed with jazz legends Eddie Harris, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Stitt, Diane Schuur, Ernie Watts and countless others. He remains the “first call” for many traveling artists including recent appearances with Nat Adderley, Scott Hamilton, and Joe Lovano.

In the contemporary jazz genre Phil has composed for and helped produce Tom Grant’s last 2 CDs. On these CDs Phil co-wrote the #1 hit “Love & Desire” and wrote “Tune It In” which reached #19 and on the charts.

Whether laying down the swinging foundation for a touring jazz great, helping to rock the house at a blues gig, or in the studio, Phil plays the bass the way other musicians want to hear it; with feeling, in the groove, producing a beautiful sound with effortless mastery that always supports and never needs to show off.  

Alan Jones is best-known for his leadership of the Alan Jones Sextet, which for many listeners defines the essence of Portland jazz with its adventurous, hard-swinging original music, grounded in both jazz tradition and the rugged individualism of the Northwest.

7/25 FROM SEATTLE The Marc Fendel Trio:

Marc Fendel alto, Geoff Harper bass, Alan Jones drums

Marc Fendel is an alto saxophonist now living in Seattle, but he grew up in our very own Portland Oregon.  He received a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music where he studied with legendary teachers Joe Viola, George Garzone, and Ed Tomassi. After graduating in 1995 from Berklee, headed to Seattle where he helped form the critically acclaimed group Bebop and Destruction with fellow Berklee-ites John Wicks and Dan Heck. The group which has only had two personnel changes in its ten year history has produced four recording and appeared at numerous festivals, including the Earshot Jazz Festival and Bumbershoot. For the last six years, Bebop and Destruction has appeared at Seattle’s Owl n’ Thistle Pub.

A highly sought-after instructor, Marc manages the Seattle Drum School Georgetown branch, teaches saxophone, and works with students from nationally recognized Eckstein and Washington Middle Schools. In addition to Bebop and Destruction and Swampdweller, Marc has played in a number of other groups including Portland based funk-jazz group Rosewater. He has appeared in clubs and concerts with Leroy Vinnegar, Allan Broadbent, Diana Krall, Bernie Worrell, and many others.

Geoff Harper was born in England and came to the U.S. in 1957.  In the 1960’s, he played in groups, including The Epics, at clubs, fraternity houses and functions.  The Epics appeared occasionally with artists such as Duane Eddy and Brian Hyland.

Alan Jones, as well as being a major Portland jazz cat, is also the organizer of The Cave!  He plays a mean drum!

7/26 FROM SEATTLE The Marc Fendel Trio:

Marc Fendel alto, Geoff Harper bass, Alan Jones drums