Devin Phillips, Saxophones
Kiran Raphael, Piano
Eric Gruber, Bass
Tyson Stubelek, Drums
Born and reared in New Orleans, Devin Phillips’s intense affair with the saxophone began at the age of eight. At 14, he was accepted into the prestigious New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, whose alumni include Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr. and Nicholas Payton. There, trained in music theory and multi-styles composition, he graduated in 2000 with top honors. He has also tutored under clarinetist and educator Alvin Batiste. Like many budding young horn players form the Big Easy, he put his time in playing with the local brass bands in a traditional process of initiation in the musical process. Devin Phillips has paid his dues performing, touring and recording with top jazz artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, The Headhunters, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, musician Lenny Kravitz, and Los Hombres Caliente, with whom he recorded two award-winning albums.
His reputation as a sax man with intricate and rhythmically innovative sounds made him a popular feature at jazz festivals: France’s Jazz de Vien Festival; Tokyo’s JVC Jazz Festival; Itanbul’s The Ruins; Spain’s Barcelona Jazz Festival; the Netherlands’ North Sea Jazz and the New Orleans Jazz Festival. In 2005, Phillips formed New Orleans Straight Ahead. But in August, Hurricane Katrina muted the music. With all gone, save his sax, and his family scattered throughout the U.S., Phillips evacuated to Portland and reformed New Orleans Straight Ahead with other musician evacuees. Phillips and took advantage of a program created by the PDXJazz Festival in partnership with Azumano Travel, which invited jazz musicians affected by the hurricane to come to Portland with their families, either for temporary shelter or for good. The invitation included free transportation to Portland, temporary housing, and access to an active jazz network with performance and workshop opportunities.
Over the course of six months, more than 50 New Orleans musicians traveled to Oregon, a dozen musicians, including Phillips, have decided to remain in Portland. Since arriving, Phillips has performed at a number of local clubs and appreciated the opportunity to be part of the Portland Jazz Festival. Phillips says that opening the festival with “Amazing Grace,” talking with McCoy Tyner and being asked to stand in for one of Eddie Palmieri’s frontline players were high points for him.
Showtimes: 7:00pm & 9:00pm
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Lakecia Benjamin, Saxophone
Zaccai Curtis, Piano
Ivan Taylor, Bass
EJ Strickland, Drums
PHOENIX, released in January 2023 on Whirlwind Records and was masterfully produced by Terri Lyne Carrington alongside an incredible cast of soon-to-be-announced iconic special guests. The live tour will feature Benjamin’s quartet. The new album is a deeply personal outing for Lakecia and presents mostly all original compositions and arrangements, solidifying her standing as not just an amazing player but as a formidable composer and arranger. The record continues Lakecia’s legacy work with artists that she respects and has been mentored by and was heavily influenced by her experiences over the past two years, and all that she has learned since the release of Pursuance at the cusp of the pandemic.
Lakecia says: “This album is a bit of a rebirth for me; it continues the inter-generational legacy work I’ve been doing in the past by featuring guests that have inspired me musically, spiritually and as a human being. I am painting the picture of reinventing and recreating oneself from ‘the ashes’, so to speak, although this time using my own compositions as the vehicle. I am excited to be starting a new journey and partnering with Whirlwind Recordings to introduce this album to the world.” One of the most sought-after and revered saxophonists in the world, Lakecia was voted 2020 Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Alto Saxophonist and Up and Coming Artist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. Known for her charisma and dynamism as a player, as a composer she has an inimitable skill of fusing traditional conceptions of jazz, hiphop and soul. She’s performed alongside Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, The Roots, Macy Gray and many more.
Showtimes: 5:30pm & 7:30pm
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In the course of his three decade career, critically acclaimed, GRAMMY® nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Ravi Coltrane has performed and recorded with jazz legends Elvin Jones, Terence Blanchard, Kenny Barron, Steve Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Jack DeJohnette, and many more. Born in Long Island, Ravi is the second son of jazz icons John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane. Alice Coltrane, was a significant influence on Ravi’s spiritually-tinged style of jazz and it was Ravi who encouraged Alice, after a long hiatus, to return to performing and recording with “Translinear Light” (Impulse!, 2004), before her passing in 2007. Ravi has released six albums as a leader. His latest, Spirit Fiction, is on the Blue Note Record label.
Showtimes: 7:00pm | 8:30pm | 10:30pm
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Vincent Herring – alto saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – trumpet
James Carter – tenor saxophone
Paul Bollenbeck – guitar
David Kikoski – piano
Essiet Essiet – bass
Jeff “Tain” Watts – drums
The fiery and soulful alto saxophonist Vincent Herring convenes a spectacular all-star octet featuring Jeremy Pelt, James Carter, Paul Bollenback, David Kikoski, Essiet Essiet, and Jeff “Tain” Watts. WNPR reports that “Herring fuses instrumental mastery with equal and unified parts of jazz’s holy trinity of heart, mind, and soul,” which is also a perfect description of this project. Something Else! was the only Blue Note album recorded by the great alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. Released in 1958, it became an iconic masterpiece for its blend of heart, mind, and soul. Something Else!, the band, takes its inspiration from this soul-warming music with new arrangements and original compositions in the same spirit.
Showtimes: 7:00pm | 9:00pm | 10:30pm
Streaming: $15.00 ~ Friday & Saturday Shows
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Saxophonist Tim Ries, whose unique and varied career has led to widespread exposure him to larger audiences around the world, leads an impressive quartet. Since his 1985 arrival in New York, Ries has performed and recorded with a who’s who of jazz, rock, pop and world music icons: The Rolling Stones (from 1999 to present,) Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Donald Fagen, Michael Jackson, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Rod Stewart, Lyle Lovette, and jazz greats Red Garland, Donald Byrd, Hank Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Phil Woods, Tom Harrell, Chico Hamilton, Michael Brecker, Joe Henderson, Tony Bennett, Al Foster, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, and Maria Schneider. JazzWeekly summarizes his remarkable career saying, “Few saxists successfully wear as many musical hats as Tim Ries. While he is best known as the tenor saxist for the rolling stones, he has built up an impressive jazz and classical catalog.”
Showtimes 7:00pm & 9:00pm
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