Biamp Portland Jazz Festival Cyrus Chestnut Trio w/ Alan Jones Trio Presented by PDX Jazz
Cyrus A. Chestnut is a distinguished jazz pianist, composer, educator, and performer with a career spanning over 30 years. Renowned for his masterful improvisation, dynamic compositions, and profound contributions to jazz, he has collaborated with some of the most influential artists in the genre. His work bridges tradition and innovation, ensuring jazz’s continued evolution through performance and mentorship. Education & Early Life – Chestnut’s musical journey began with classical piano training under esteemed instructors AdahJenkins, Marie White, and Linda Lessey. This foundation fueled his passion for jazz, leading him to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging at Berklee College of Music. His exceptional talent earned him accolades such as the Oscar Peterson Award, Count Basie Award, and Quincy Jones Award. Musical Contributions – After Berklee, Chestnut collaborated with jazz legends, including Betty Carter, Michael Carvin, Jon Hendricks, and Chick Corea. His improvisational style and harmonic sensibility also led him to work with Freddie Hubbard, Aretha Franklin, and Wynton Marsalis. A sought-after performer, Chestnut has played at premier jazz festivals such as Montreux, North Sea, and Montreal. His discography includes acclaimed albums like Soul Brother Cool, There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit, and Kaleidoscope, blending contemporary influences with traditional jazz. Mentorship – Dedicated to fostering future jazz musicians, Chestnut has taught at institutions such as the Rimon School of Music, Middlebury College, and Howard University. He has also led workshops at the Central PA Friends of Jazz Camp and Omaha Public Schools Jazz Camp, guiding students in improvisation, performance, and composition. Awards & Legacy – Chestnut’s contributions have earned him prestigious honors, including the NAACP ACT-SO Award for Music Composition, the Eubie Blake Scholarship Award, and the Benny Golson Jazzmaster Award. His influence extends beyond performance, with features in The New York Times and the Smithsonian film Piano Grand: A Smithsonian Celebration. A vital force in jazz, he continues to shape its future while honoring its rich traditions. Portland’s Alan Jones Trio opens the show. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
Celebrate a Third of a Century of the Tony Starlight Show!
Celebrate a Third of a Century of the Tony Starlight Show! Tony Starlight, backed by his amazing band, featuring the All-Star Horns and vocalists Barbara Ayars and Thea Enos, will perform highlights from 33 1/3 years of the Tony Starlight Show. Songs from all the classic Starlight Shows: Sinatra By Starlight, Rat Pack, Neil Diamond, Elton John, James Bond, TV Themes, AM Gold, and of course the musical mash-ups and comedy routines that have been filling nightclubs and theaters for the last third of a century. Tickets$35 General Admission$45 At the Door$50 Preferred Seating (seating in the first 7 rows of the center section) Minors ok with Parent or Guardian VIEW OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES HERE
MUSIC HEALS THE SOUL – A Benefit Concert for LaRhonda Steele on her Journey Against Cancer
LaRhonda Steele is a dynamic force in our music community, she has worked with so many in our entertainment industry! Join us for an ALL-Star Concert to help us raise funds to support her battle with cancer. The Norman Sylvester BandCurtis SalgadoAlan Hager Lloyd JonesArietta WardLenanne MillerRichard ArnoldSarah BillingsPeter DammannTevis Hodge Jr. Mary FlowerMark SteeleMaryEtta CallierNafisaria MatthewsAmy LeSageHosts~ Lynn Darroch & Ken Boddie Seating is all General Admission, no matter what price you pay for tickets.All profits will go to the Jeremy Wilson Foundation LaRhonda Steele Artist Relief Campaign and will directly benefit LaRhonda and her family. To donate even more to the LaRhonda Steele Artist Relief Campaign, click HERE. Minors ok with parent/guardianReview our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS
PGMC Cascade presents She Persisted
For the 5th year in a row, Cascade, the proud a cappella ensemble of Portland Gay Men’s Chorus struts their stuff and shows off its Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent like they mean it in this one of a kind show of queer excellence, joy and pride. Exclusively featuring female/femme artists and songwriters, this show pays tribute to the powerful women in the world of pop music and their persistence in overcoming adversity. Tickets are $39 plus fees for General Admission This show participates in the Arts for All program which offers $5 tickets for those with an Oregon Trail Card or SNAP card. Purchase at the door on the day of the show only. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
Judith Hill
Judith Hill has established herself as one of the most dynamic and versatile artists in music. Her breakout appearance on The Voice earned her a dedicated fan base. Also, her collaborations with legends like Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Prince garnered critical acclaim. Her music effortlessly blends elements of soul, funk, R&B, and pop, creating a sound that is uniquely her own. Hill’s latest release, 2024’s Letters From A Black Widow follows 2021’s Baby, I’m Hollywood!. Baby offered a rowdy coming-of-age tale of a mixed-race child of bohemian California. However, Letters from a Black Widow is a formidable battle cry – a soul/funk/gospel passion play. Further, it is spectacularly written, arranged, and performed by Hill. Here, Hill plays many of the instruments, including electric guitar, which she taught herself to play since her last album. This project, though, is not a strictly solo endeavor. It’s built on the unshakable musical foundation she has enjoyed for most of her life. Thus, Hill’s band includes her parents, bassist Robert “Peewee” Hill and keyboardist Michiko Hill. Letters presents a riveting story – from private pain to communal transcendence – becoming her most soul-baring work to date. Anyone who’s followed Judith Hill’s story will recognize Letters from a Black Widow as one jaw-dropper of an album title. The tabloid-coined phrase “Black Widow” arose after the overdose deaths of her two star-making collaborators, Michael Jackson and Prince. It became a term of abuse that internet trolls hurled at the celebrated artist, driving conspiracy theories and shame campaigns. Then, Hill experienced trauma that nearly ended a career that includes a Grammy for her role in the documentary “20 Feet from Stardom.” Minors ok with parent/guardianReview our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS
Seffarine
“Seffarine’s music can melt the coldest hearts”-Chicago Reader At a momentous first meeting at a coffee shop in Fez, Moroccan vocalist Lamiae Naki and multi-instrumentalist Nat Hulskamp composed their first song and decided to get married. Brought together by their deep knowledge of the music of both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar — Spanish flamenco and Moroccan Arabic music — they created Seffarine. Seffarine takes its name from the ancient metalworking square in Fez, which is famous for the complex rhythms that ring out from the blacksmiths’ hammers, and where Lamiae’s family is well known as masters of the tradition. Seffarine’s music embraces and extends Morocco’s musical collision between Arabic, Iberian and West African cultures, forging vibrant original music deeply rooted in their backgrounds in flamenco guitar, oud and Arab Andalusian music. Nat and Lamiae built an international quintet bringing in all star musicians from Iran, the US and Spain, who infuse the sound with textured instrumentation and inspired improvisation. Sweeping kamancheh (Persian spike-fiddle) ornamentation plays off gritty bass grooves and explosive flamenco footwork, with Lamiae’s fluidly riveting voice at the center, sending up sheets of cascading Andalusi melodies punctuated by the catchy hooks of North African Chaabi, sung in her native Moroccan Arabic. Their sound has taken them around the world, from touring Australia and Europe to receiving grants to study Ottoman singing in Turkey, to the Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo, to recording with top flamenco musicians in Spain such as Diego del Morao and Latin Grammy winner Antonio Rey. Minors ok with parent/guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
JD Simo & Luther Dickinson
Individually, JD Simo and Luther Dickinson are building their own legacies as solo artists, sidemen, songwriters, and guitar heroes. Together, they’re a creative force to be reckoned with, making their own version of amplified American roots music. On the pair’s first collaborative album, Do The Rump, the musicians trade blistering guitar solos, take turns at the microphone, and turn their classic influences — including hill country blues, spirituals, swamp rock, and Afrobeat — into something contemporary, reinterpreting a number of their old-school favorites into eclectic, electrifying anthems. The partnership began onstage, where Simo and Dickinson first shared the spotlight as touring members of Phil Lesh and Friends. Dickinson had already established himself as co-founder of the Grammy-winning duo North Mississippi Allstars, as well as a celebrated guitarist for acts like Black Crowes and John Hiatt. Similarly, JD Simo had built an audience not only with his solo project, but also as a session musician for Jack White, Beyoncé, Chris Isaak, and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie. Occupying the same stage felt different, though. “Playing with Luther immediately felt as easy as water flowing down a river,” Simo remembers. “We had all the same influences but we played nothing alike. Our styles just fit together. We didn’t have to think about it —it was just instinctual.” Those instincts take center stage on Do The Rump, whose eight songs were recorded at House of Grease, Simo’s home studio in Nashville during a series of live-in-the-studio performances. There were no overdubs. No production tricks, either. Joined by drummer Adam Abarashoff — whose background in Afrobeat and jazz helped push Do The Rump’s music into unexpected directions — the friends captured spontaneity in its purest form, recording most of the songs during a single take, allowing a natural combination of grooves and guitars to lead the way. Minors ok with parent/guardianReview our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS
Christopher Worth – LEVITY Album Release Show with special guest David Jacobs-Strain
Christopher Worth returns to the Alberta Rose for the release of his long awaited next album, ‘Levity.’ Backed by the all star recording band with both a string and horn section, Christopher will be playing the new record in its entirety as composed. David Jacobs-Strain (who co-produced and mixed the album) opens the night and will be sitting in with the band throughout. Featuring: Peter KnudsenCharlie Brown IIICory LimuacoJared MayJenni and Amanda of The AMWil KinkyPatti & Kyleen King w/ Anna Fritz (strings)Anthony Meade w/ Ryan Cheng, Paul Theodore Chandler, and Morgan Quinn (horns) With special appearances by: David RuedaPhil BondyPatrick CurtainAliina Champion Visuals by Sean Sisson Christopher Worth has become known for his unique style of bohemian blues which he developed as a street performer traveling across the US and Europe. Following the conclusion of his concept trilogy epic – The Identity Triptych – Christopher spent several years out working on and releasing Rhududu Sessions Vols. I & II with David Jacobs-Strain and, subsequently, the Sliver (EP) with The AM. Through the pandemic, he and David continued building out their home studio while composing/recording/mixing their first full length release as Worth & Strain (Xavanadu, March 2025) and beginning pre-production for Christopher’s next full album. Levity was tracked live at the Rhududu (Portland, OR) in just 3 days with no rehearsals, charts/demos sent out, and minimal overdubs. Pulling together an all-star crew of west coast musicians, Levity is Christopher’s most ambitious and vital record to date. Minors ok with parent/guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
Gabriel Kahane & Friends: only light can do that
With only light can do that, a new set of songs commissioned by 92Y, Gabriel Kahane performs his first full band shows in a decade. This new batch of tunes runs the emotional gamut, reflecting on overlapping political crises, the vicissitudes of parenting, the public utterances of brainworm-addled politicians, and the possibility of loving one’s enemies. Featuring a dozen-and-a-half songs filled out by string quartet and rhythm section, this concert offers audiences a first look at new work written by one of our keenest observers of modern life. “One of the finest, most searching songwriters of the day.” — The New Yorker Gabriel Kahane, voice, piano, guitars, electronicsAndrew Jones, bassMatt Mayhall, drumsGreg Ewer and Ling Ling Huang, violinsAmanda Grimm, violaMarilyn De Oliveira, violoncello Minors ok with parent/guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
National Guitar – The Music of Paul Simon with Jenner Fox Band
National Guitar features Pacific Northwest all star musicians from Polecat, Gregory Alan Isakov, Petty or Not, and the Jenner Fox Band. The ensemble was formed on a fateful election night when they found themselves listening to “American Tune” and discovered a mutual reverence for Paul Simon. National Guitar performs a range of Simon’s music from Garfunkel to Graceland and everywhere in between. Come prepared to sing along, groove, and celebrate some of the finest music from a true American original. The five piece band features piano, electric guitar, bass, dobro, acoustic guitar, and layered vocal harmony. With decades of arranging and touring under their belts, National Guitar brings new life to Simon’s beloved catalog. National Guitar Website The Bellingham, WA based Jenner Fox Band, will open the night with a short set of their critically acclaimed original music. “Jenner Fox Band invite us to sit still, to breathe, and to notice what we’ve been missing. Intimate, present, and unadorned.” – Atwood Magazine “Jenner is a modern original who is deeply rooted in tradition, and that tension makes him an urgently needed voice in today’s songwriting.” – Mike Errico (Author “Music, Lyrics, and Life”) Jenner Fox Website Minors ok with parent/guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
