PDX Jazz Member Presale: Friday, August 23 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Monday, August 26 at 10AM PST
Portland Jazz guitar legends combine forces to honor their hero the great Wes Montgomery. Balmer and Faehnle will be joined by organist George Mitchell and drummer Michael Raynor to perform Montgomery compositions and tunes Wes made famous from all phases of his career. Like their tribute to Grant Green the two virtuosi will pay homage to one of their greatest influences reflecting Wes' style and music while still playing in their own distinctive styles.
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.
An in-demand educator, Dan maintains a busy schedule of private lessons, group clinics and master classes throughout the US and abroad. He adjudicates student jazz band competitions at events such as the Monterey Next Generation Festival and Reno Jazz Festival along with being a long-term teacher at the Centrum Jazz Workshop. He is the director of jazz combos at Lewis and Clark College while also on faculty at virtually every other college in the greater Portland, Oregon area.
Dan has performed or toured with Joey DeFrancesco, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Les McCann, Javon Jackson and Karrin Allyson, Benny Golson, Jeff Hamilton, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Ingrid Jensen, Duduka da Fonseca, Kendrick Scott, Taylor Eigsti, Buddy De Franco, Bruce Forman and countless others.
Dan’s love of guitar and making music combined with discipline, technique and restless curiosity provide an ever-deepening experience for himself and his listeners. In every performance he finds himself in the middle of the path, amidst a continuous and compelling process of discovery.
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.
George Mitchell: George has been pop superstar Diana Ross’ first-call pianist for more than three decades. He continues to tour with her musical ensemble and play before audiences throughout the United States and worldwide.
Mitchell’s keyboard talents were featured in command performances for the Queen of England, and more recently at Super Concerts in T’ai-Pei and Japan with Ms. Ross and renowned opera singers Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. In 2009, he was center stage with Ms. Ross and a 40-piece orchestra at the extravagant Symphonica in Rosso held at the Gelredome, in Arnhem, Netherlands. He performed with Ms. Ross at the 2008 Nobel Peace Price ceremonies, in Oslo, Norway; at a command concert for Prince Charles in Hyde Park, London; the 2001 private benefit and farewell salute to Bill Clinton in Los Angeles; a 2001 private concert in Los Angeles honoring Motown founder Berry Gordy; and the 2000 VH1 Divas Live from Madison Square Garden, New York.
He has made numerous appearances as an ensemble player on top-rated television shows, including: Oprah, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC’s Today Show and the Arsenio Hall Show. Since 2004, Mitchell has performed annually at the prestigious 10 Grands Concert, and is featured on its lively compilation CDs of top pianists from around the USA. When not touring, Mitchell pursues his first love—playing jazz piano, Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards. He also is a highly sought-after studio musician and jazz piano instructor.
From an early age, the Portland, Oregon, native displayed a musical maturity and talent that landed him engagements with jazz legends such as Sonny Stitt, Philly Jo Jones, Richie Cole, Eddie Harris, Jon Hendricks and Kirk Whalum. Closer to home, he lends his musical voice to all jazz styles. He is the keyboardist of choice for virtually every Northwest band leader, and for guest artists performing with the symphony or booked at local jazz venues and festivals.
In 2008, Mitchell released his superb Ballads CD, a collection of popular jazz standards. In 2003, his long-awaited second CD Play Zone, which showcases Mitchell’s unique styling, and features several of Portland’s best jazz artists, was released. Mitchell’s first recording, Perspectives, features all original songs in the classic jazz quartet.
It goes without saying…George Mitchell is not only one of the most talented and well-respected musicians around, but one of the busiest!
Michael Raynor: Drummer Michael Raynor has been immersed in the Chicago jazz scene since moving there in 1988. After hearing tenor saxophone icon Von Freeman on the radio late one night, he found his way down to Von's weekly gig at the New Apartment Lounge on Chicago's south side and sat in with the band. Three days later Von asked him to the studio to record "Walkin' Tuff" (Southport Records), and Raynor has been his regular drummer ever since. A later recording with Von, "The Improviser" (Premonition Records), was included in Downbeat Magazine's "Best CDs of 2002."
His association with Von lead to numerous gigs with other Chicago greats including Eddie Johnson, John Young, Jodie Christian, Johnny Frigo, Bobby Broom, Charles Earland, Ryan Cohan, and Fareed Haque. Over the course of his career, he has also worked with a host of New York and Internationally based musicians such as Johnny Griffin, Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Ira Sullivan, Steve Coleman, Jon Faddis, Eric Alexander, Bob Sheppard, Rick Margitza, and Arturo Sandoval.
Raynor began working with vocalist Kurt Elling in 1996 with a weekly engagement at Chicago's Green Mill Lounge, and over the next four years the group toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, Scandinavia, and Australia. He can be heard on three of Elling's recordings for the Blue Note label, including "Live In Chicago," which features, among others, vocalese master Jon Hendricks.
In 2004, Raynor toured southeast Asia as a U.S. Jazz Ambassador with the Chicago Jazz Quartet. This program, co-sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, included concerts, clinics, and collaborations with local musicians in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. He has also performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Jazzfest Berlin in Germany, the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy, the Natt Jazz Fest in Norway, both the Montreal and Toronto Jazz Festivals in Canada, and has played several times at the Chicago Jazz Festival.
Raynor enjoys sharing what he has learned on the bandstand and offers lessons on a sliding scale to reach out to a variety of students. Past students include David Bloom, founder and director of The Bloom School of Jazz, and Mike Reed, who was distinguished as "Rising Jazz Star" in last years Downbeat Magazine Critic's Poll. He has also served as adjunct faculty for Roosevelt University, directing the graduate jazz combo, and spent three years working with children in Chicago area schools through Urban Gateways.
Current projects include gigs with pianist Anthony Molinaro, and a collaboration with pianist Dennis Luxion, with whom he is working on a new recording. He continues to play with, and be inspired by, Von Freeman, and enjoys playing a more active roll in the weekly jam session, encouraging young musicians who continue to come sit in at the club where he got his start.