From this week’s press release from The Cave:

Wednesday June 18th: NANCY KING INVITATIONAL

This week Nancy invites the swift, wry, hoping, and still young pianist Dan Gaynor. Dan is what in astronomy would be called “an orbit”.

Thursday June 19th: ALAN JONES PRESENTS…

his new Quartet of Portland all-stars Randy Porter, Rob Davis and Tom Wakeling. Collectively known as The Cavemen This group will be performing new original music of Alan’s along with not too common and very interesting re-workings from the modern jazz literature.

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.

Friday June 20th: EZRA WEISS - NEW JAZZ QUARTET

Jazz composer/pianist Ezra Weiss has returned to Portland from New York City, where he recorded several CD’s and led bands at major venues.  Now, Weiss has formed a new quartet, which will debut at the Cave on June 20th.  The quartet includes drummer Alan Jones, bassist Dave Speranza, and saxophonist Renato Caranto. 

Ezra Weiss’s piano playing evinces a distinctive expressiveness that is doubly impressive coming from a jazz musician who’s still in his twenties.  He also possesses composing and arranging skills of an unusually high order. He has earned the coveted ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award no less than three times and has received rave notices from the press. Weiss’s new album, Get Happy, further evidences his wide-ranging abilities on a program of original songs and specially picked material from the Great American Songbook that, taken as a conceptual whole, concerns the pursuit of happiness. The album is available at ezraweiss.com and cdbaby.com.

Saturday June 21st: HAILEY NISWANGER QUARTET and the JEFF CUMPSTON “GOING AWAY TO ZIMBABWE” PARTY

Yes, Jeff Cumpston, one of the great drummers and musical educators in Portland is packing up his family and moving to Zimbabwe!!!  Clearly Jeff is also a bold and fearless adventurer, which you have to be if you’re going to be any kind of jazz drummer…so we shouldn’t be too surprised by his outrageous move. Jeff has been an important teacher and inspiration to many students who have gone on to develop their own careers in music. This band is made of 3 of these young musicians who have benefited from Jeff Cumpston’s vision and wisdom and are obviously placing themselves as the next generation of deeply talented and highly motivated musicians.

Hailey Niswanger is 18 years old, has a real live time feel and plays the alto saxophone with the fearlessness of a true improviser. She has already made quite a scene in the jazz world performing with the 2007 and 2008 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble in Hollywood, California, receiving outstanding soloist awards from many festivals around the US and being selected for the MENC 2007 All Northwest Jazz Band. It looks like Hailey will go away to college next fall, possibly to Berklee on the full scholarship they’ve offered her, so come see her play and get her autograph while it might still be relatively easy. Hailey will be joined by fellow friend female phenom, Kate Davis on bass, her high school band director Jeff Cumpston on drums and the also very young and talented Sam Hirsh on piano.

This week’s press release for The Cave:

Wednesday June 11th: NANCY KING INVITATIONAL

This week Nancy invites the clever, intricate, swinging, and still young pianist Dan Gaynor. Dan is also what in baseball would be called “in the hot box”.

Thursday June 12th: ALAN JONES PRESENTS…

If you asked randomly around the world, “who is the greatest musician living in Portland, OR”, it’s quite possible, likely even, that most of the responses would be…Dave Frishberg. It’s worth taking a minute to check out some of the things he’s done over a 40-year career http://www.davefrishberg.net/long_bio.php. He played with Ben Webster! He played with Gene Krupa! He writes and sings hilariously intelligent songs that are very famous…but those songs are for another night. On this night he’ll be playing version of breathtaking piano with Warren Rand. Warren has “Revered Master” status in Portland. He has the biggest, fattest sound you can get on an alto saxophone, has played since it’s inception with the Mel Brown sextet/septet and the Alan Jones Sextet.  He’s played blues for years with Robert Cray and Albert King. Dave Speranza will be playing bass. Dave is playing very, very well, just look at the company he’s keeping. Alan Jones will play drums.

Friday June 13th: ANDREW OLIVER SEXTET

Andrew is a very motivated, prolific and exceptional piano player and composer. One of the leaders in the great movement of young talented musicians in Portland, he brings to his work the experiences of living, studying and playing for 3 years in New Orleans, touring in unusual and interesting places like Poland, Bulgaria and Africa, the ability to speak French and play cello, trumpet and drums.  This is an opportunity to hear a young creative musician on his way up.  Joining Andrew will be Dan Duval, guitar and composition; Mary Sue Tobin, soprano, alto saxophone and clarinet; Willie Matheis, tenor saxophone; Eric Gruber, bass and Kevin Van Geem, drums

Saturday June 14th: DAVID FRIESEN TRIO

David Friesen bass, Randy Porter piano, Alan Jones drums have been playing together for many years, traveled all over the world, recorded 3 internationally acclaimed CD’s, have a virtually telepathic rapport with each other and have never had a rehearsal.

Monday June 16th: INGRID JENSEN QUARTET

Special Note: Next week INGRID JENSEN will dart into Portland to do some work with David Monette on a new trumpet and while she’s here play a rare, secret gig at the cave on MONDAY JUNE 16th with Randy Porter, Dave Speranza and Alan Jones + special guests.  I know, we don’t usually have music on Mondays, but sometimes you have to make exceptions.  This will be a party!

The Cave is located at:

636 SW Jackson St (at the corner of Broadway in the PSU neighborhood). 

This week’s press release from The Cave:

Wednesday June 4th: NANCY KING INVITATIONAL

This week Nancy invites the prodigious, very talented, and quite young pianist Dan Gaynor. Dan is also what in basketball would be called a “play maker”. He sets up opportunities for other people to score.

Thursday June 5th: ALAN JONES PRESENTS…

his new Quartet of Portland all-stars Randy Porter, Rob Davis and Tom Wakeling. Collectively known as The Cavemen This group will be performing new original music of Alan’s along with not too common and very interesting re-workings from the modern jazz literature.

Friday June 6th: PSU STUDENT COMBO NIGHT

Organized, facilitated and run by world-renowned pianist Darrell Grant and the spectacular composer/arranger Charlie Gray, the jazz program at PSU has become one of the best places to be if you want to learn jazz for real. The students in these combos are exercising their right to use jazz as a vehicle for real creativity.  If the last combo night was any indication, be prepared to hear some exciting, beautiful, inspired and mature music.

Saturday June 7th: ROBERT MOORE and the WILDCATS

Robert Moore is as unique a singer as he is a trumpet and harmonica player. Coming out of Birmingham Alabama and definitely embodying that Southern “thing”, he combines his influences of soul and gospel into his own distinct interpretations of bebop and swinging jazz. In Robert’s approach you hear King Pleasure, Mark Murphy, Mose Allison, & Ella alongside Otis Redding, Roger Miller & classic blues masters. Joining Robert on Saturday will be Dan Gildea on guitar, Dennis Caiazza on bass, and the legendary Ron Steen on drums.

The Cave is located at 636 SW Jackson, under the Green Onion restaurant.

If you’re in the mood to read a review of The Cave that doesn’t question the need for another jazz club in Portland (as the Oregonian’s did), head over to LivePDX and check out Tom D’Antoni’s review of the new club.

Remember, if you’re looking for more information on The Cave, make sure to check all of the items on JazzPDX.org tagged The Cave.

This week’s press release from The Cave:

Wednesday May 28th: NANCY KING INVITATIONAL

“She is, I think, one of the best singers that ever walked the planet.”

-       Karrin Allyson, Jazz Vocalist

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

This week Nancy invites the prodigious, very talented, and quite young pianist Dan Gaynor. Dan is also what in basketball would be called a “play maker”. He sets up opportunities for other people to score.

Thursday May 29th: ALAN JONES PRESENTS…

a very unique musical experience.  From New York City comes Alexander Berne, a soprano saxophone player who plays unlike anyone on earth. Can’t really explain it…probably best just to come and see for yourself.  Alan and Alexander will be joined by the great Portland veteran and Pink Martini bassist Phil Baker. 

Friday May 30th: THE RANDY PORTER TRIO

There are few more interesting, more talented, or just plain better piano players on earth.  Randy has recently been out on the road with Gino Vannelli and with Diana Schuur…they agree with the above statement.  Randy brings a special trio to the cave…Justin Durrie bass and Reinhardt Meltz drums.

Saturday May 31st: RANDY PORTER’S NEW MUSIC PROJECT

For Saturday night it’s Randy getting especially creative with an eclectic combination of great musicians, mixing concepts and genres to create “new music”.  Come check out a very special event featuring Jarrod Lawson keyboards and vocals, Reinhardt Meltz drums, Dan Balmer guitar + mystery guests.

The Cave is located at 636 SW Jackson.  Music starts at 8 PM and there is a $5 cover charge.

This week’s Cave update:

Wednesday May 21st: NANCY KING INVITATIONAL

 

“She is, I think, one of the best singers that ever walked the planet.”

 

-       Karrin Allyson, Jazz Vocalist

 

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

 

It was such a great show last week that Nancy decided to do it again and invite, Steve Christofferson and Tom Wakeling. The music produced by these long time friends is more than great…it’s astounding…it’s very beautiful…it’s SO worth spending your Wednesday night listening to it.

 

Thursday May 22nd: ALAN JONES PRESENTS…

 

his new Quartet of Portland all-stars Randy Porter, Rob Davis and Tom Wakeling. Collectively known as The Cavemen This group will be performing new original music of Alan’s along with not too common and very interesting re-workings from the modern jazz literature.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Friday May 23rd: HAILEY NISWANGER QUARTET

 

Hailey is 18 years old, has a real live time feel and plays the alto saxophone with the fearlessness of a true improviser. She has already made quite a scene in the jazz world performing with the 2007 and 2008 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble in Hollywood, California, receiving outstanding soloist awards from many festivals around the US and being selected for the MENC 2007 All Northwest Jazz Band. It looks like Hailey will go away to college next fall, possibly to Berklee on the full scholarship they’ve offered her, so come see her play and get her autograph while it might still be relatively easy. Hailey will be joined by fellow friend female phenom, Kate Davis on bass, her high school band director, world-class musician and soon to be resident of Zimbabwe Jeff Cumpston on drums and the also very young and talented Sam Hirsh on piano

 

 

Saturday May 24th: CHRIS MOSLEY’S EX-STATIC BAND

 

Chris was Born and raised in Austin, TX, lived in Denver for High School then on to Berklee in Boston before finally moving to Portland to become an exciting and unique addition to our already rich guitar culture. He has studied with some of the world’s great musicians including Joe Lovano, Mick Goodrick

 

and Dave Fiucynski and has put out two excellent CD’s of his own music “The Miraculous Aspect of Time” and “Outside Voices” which makes obvious what a talent he is both on guitar and as a composer. Also playing and fresh from NYC is bassist, band leader and composer Sam Howard, and mostly still fresh from NYC the truly inspiring drummer Russ Kleiner.

The Cave is located at 636 SW Jackson.  There is a $5 cover - music from 8-11 PM.  Minors welcome until 9:30

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