Blue Cranes:
Portland jazz ensemble Blue Cranes has long established itself as a forward-thinking entity. The quintet, made up of Reed Wallsmith on alto saxophone, Joe Cunningham on tenor saxophone, Rebecca Sanborn on keyboards, Jon Shaw on bass, and Ji Tanzer on drums, is steeped in the history and sound of the artists that came before them, but too curious and creative to simply replicate the past. Since their formation in 2007, the band has become a key player in the Portland, Oregon creative music/DIY scene and one of the most exciting groups to keep tabs on in the Northwest. They’ve developed a singular musical voice grounded in melody and explosive improvisations–marking off their unique microcosmic territory in post-jazz circles.
Night Brunch:
Night Brunch delivers piercing lyrics in dense vocal harmony over jangular guitar and timeless groovemath. New project of local stalwarts A. Walker Spring (Bitch’n, Point Juncture, WA), Sarah Fennell (Lost Lander), Pony, and Danny Aley.
Patrick McCulley:
Patrick McCulley is a Portland based saxophonist, educator, composer, and creator that seeks to transform the saxophone from a purely melodic instrument into an undefinable and unstoppable force of nature. McCulley’s solo compositions sculpt the saxophone’s sound into transcendent metaphors for emotions not often expressed in music: the inescapable vagaries of change, the ecstatic joy of flight, and the yearning search for renewal amidst destruction. His music utilizes an array of extended techniques to defy conventional musical idioms in favor of raw, provocative, honest, and unusual sounds without abandoning the listener to the chaos of pure noise.
