PDX JAZZ Hoxton Thursdays 2022
10 Unique Shows | August 18 – October 20
Featuring many of Portland’s top jazz artists in an intimate setting.
Lovely Rita | The Hoxton, Portland
15 NW 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97209
Doors 4:30 pm | Show 5:00 pm
General Admission $15.00 / $10.00 (PDX Jazz Member and Hoxton Guest)
The mission of PDX Jazz is to evolve the art of jazz by engaging our community, celebrating live performance, and enhancing arts education.
The Hoxton is a series of open-house hotels inspired by the diversity and originality of the streets and scenes that surrounds us.
EVENT #1
Mike Horsfall/Dan Balmer Quartet
Thursday, August 18
Mike Horsfall has enjoyed a successful musical career for over 40 years, serving as concert soloist, accompanist, musical director, educator, composer, arranger, and recording artist on both vibraphone and piano. In 2010 Horsfall was voted into the Oregon Jazz Society’s Hall of Fame as a member of the award winning trio, Tall Jazz, which he co-founded in 1989. He has performed and recorded with a diverse group of world class acts, including Anat Cohen, Kurt Elling, Janis Siegel, Pink Martini, Valarie Day and Nu Shooz, the Portland Chamber Orchestra, Marv & Rindy Ross, Rebecca Kilgore, Marilyn Keller, and Darrell Grant, to name just a few. Horsfall is a tireless jazz educator, serving on the faculties of Willamette University, Mt. Hood Community College, Clark College, and Oregon Episcopal School.
Dan Balmer: From coffee house gigs at fifteen to chart-topping success with the Tom Grant Band in the 90s, world tours with two-time Grammy Award winner Diane Schuur and contemporary jam-bands, Dan Balmer brings fire and heart every time he plays the guitar. His playing spans nearly one hundred CDs including twelve as a leader from which his original works have appeared internationally in television, film and radio.
EVENT #2
Jack Radsliff Quartet
Thursday, August 25
Jack Radsliff is one of the most in demand guitarists and bandleaders in Portland. He regularly leads bands at the 1905, Portland’s premier jazz venue, and at clubs around Oregon. Jack is a regular member of groups led by some of the Oregon’s premier jazz musicians. These include Alan Jones’ “Social Music,” Torrey Newhart’s “Obsidian Animals,” and bands led by Michael Raynor, Christopher Brown, Kerry Politzer, Kathleen Hollingsworth and Cyrus Nabipoor.
Jack teaches music, both out of his private teaching studio and at the Alan Jones Academy of Music (AJAM). He also hosts the weekly “AJAM Session” at the 1905 (Sundays 4-6), where professional and amateur musicians alike can grow on the bandstand.
Jack’s second record “Barefoot” is set for release in spring 2023. It features Randy Porter, Todd Sickafoose and Alan Jones.
EVENT #3 & 4
Dan Faehnle Trio
Thursday, September 1
Thursday September 8
Dan Faehnle: There is little doubt that jazz guitar has entered a new and exciting realm when Dan Faehnle takes the stage.
Beginning in 2000, Faehnle stepped into the guitar chair with Diana Krall, performing on numerous world tours, television shows, radio and media events. As an integral part of the Diana Krall quartet for three years, Dan garnered accolades from such publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, JazzTimes and Downbeat magazines, as well as many international publications.
While based in Portland, Oregon, Dan established relationships with such legendary jazz artists as Leroy Vinnegar, Chuck Israels, Dave Frishberg and Dick Berk. His ongoing association with these musicians has led to numerous live performances and CD recordings. Faehnle has also worked with such noted musicians as Joey DeFrancesco, Eddie Harris, Clark Terry, Zoot Sims, and Jeff Hamilton. Other significant colleagues have been Mel Brown, Ron Steen, Nancy King, Dave Friesen and Rebecca Kilgore.
Faehnle’s recording credits begin with his own debut release, “My Ideal”, a straight ahead jazz CD which showcases Faehnle’s strength of melodic content and groove. “My Ideal” also features longtime friend and pianist Larry Fuller, bassist Ed Bennett, pianist Tony Pacini, and Mel Brown on drums. Other recording credits include CDs with Leroy Vinnegar, Chuck Israels, Dave Frishberg, Rebecca Kilgore, Ben Wolfe, Dick Berk and Tom Grant. Dan also appears on the CD “Sympathique” with the popular band Pink Martini.
EVENT 5
Eric Gruber Trio with George Colligan & Michael Raynor
Thursday, September 15
Eric Gruber is a highly sought-after bassist in multiple genres and has toured the US, Europe, and also Western Africa as a US Jazz Ambassador under the direction of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been privileged to share the stage with such greats as Randy Brecker, Joe Lovano, Phil Woods, Paquito D’Rivera, Danilo Perez, Wynton Marsalis and Terell Stafford, and can regularly be seen playing with local luminaries including Darrell Grant, George Colligan, and Dmitri Matheny. He is frequently recognized for his harmonically innovative solos, driving rhythms, and superb sense of time.
George Colligan is a New York based pianist, organist, drummer, trumpeter, teacher, and bandleader. An award-winning composer (Chamber Music America/Doris Duke Foundation grant recipient, RACC Grant Winner) and player (winner, Jazzconnect.com Jazz Competition, DownBeat Critics Poll Winner), Colligan is highly in demand as a sideman, having worked with players like Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Cassandra Wilson, Ravi Coltrane, and many others, both on the bandstand and in recording sessions (appearing on over 150 CDs). Colligan is currently an Assistant Professor at Portland State University and a member of Jack DeJohnette’s New Quintet.
Drummer Michael Raynor splits his time between Portland and Chicago, where he spent more than twenty years playing with tenor sax icon and NEA Jazz Master, Von Freeman. Raynor also toured with vocalist Kurt Elling and can be heard on two of his Grammy nominated recordings, including “Live in Chicago,” featuring Jon Hendricks. He has worked with Freddie Hubbard, Eric Alexander, Tia Fuller, Steve Coleman, Gary Bartz, Johnny Griffin, Ira Sullivan, Jon Faddis, Bob Sheppard, Bobby Broom, Fareed Haque, Howard Levy, Arturo Sandoval, Chuck Israels, Nancy King, and Bob Dorough among others.
EVENT #6
Jack Radsliff Quartet
Thursday, September 22
Artist info above at Thurs Aug 25
EVENT #7
Mike Horsfall/Dan Balmer Quartet
Thursday, September 29
Artist info above at Thurs Aug 18
EVENT #8
Bobby Torres Quartet
Thursday, October 6
Bobby Torres: 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 Torres has been on the music scene for over 40 years. Besides performing as a percussionist, Bobby is a record producer, songwriter, percussion instructor, session musician and band leader.
On April 30, 2016, Bobby was given the Jazz Journalist’s Association Jazz Hero Award. This award is given to advocates, altruists, activists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact in their local communities. On September 11, 2015, Bobby performed with the Tadeschi Trucks band to a crowd of over 25,000 people at the Lockin’ Festival in Virginia. This concert was a tribute to Joe Cocker and featured many of the original members of Mad Dogs & Englishmen. On August 24, 2009, Time Magazine published “Woodstock, How Does it Sound 40 Years Later?” an article which included a photo of Bobby in performance on stage with Joe Cocker at Woodstock along with the Mad Dogs & Englishmen.
On May 4th of 2009, Bobby performed for Archbishop Desmond Tutu before his adoring crowd of over 4,800 people. And, later that same year, Bobby was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. The formal ceremony, which included fellow inductees Terry Robb, Dan Balmer and others, was October 17, 2009 at the Roseland Theater. A versatile musician, Bobby was nominated for “Outstanding Percussionist” – a Muddy Waters Award – as a result of his work performing with Le Bon, Craig Caruthers, The Dan Reed Network, Curtis Salgado, Lloyd Jones and Linda Hornbuckle – all local R&B and Blues Musicians who developed national and international reputations of their own.
EVENT #9
Eric Gruber Trio with George Colligan & Michael Raynor
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Artist info above at Thurs Sept 15
EVENT #10
Bobby Torres Quartet
Thursday, October 20
Artist info above at Thurs Oct 6