Local music legend, Turtle VanDemarr, has performed in many influential bands over the years. Lead guitarist for Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, the Fly By Nite Jass Band, The Freak Mountain Ramblers, Anita Margarita and the Rattlesnakes to name a few. Having been a regular in the Portland Music scene since the late 60's, he is widely known for the versatility of his guitar playing styles.
Turtle has been compared to Django Reinhardt and Jerry Garcia in the San Francisco Chronicle. As a member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, he is routinely hired by nationally touring acts.
About 3 years ago he gathered together some of Portland's premier guitar players to form what is now known as "Turtle's Guitar Mafia". They play every first friday @ McMenamins Edgefield Winery and folks are loving it. A mix and match of Portland's older guitar legends with some of the hottest young-uns that have been revving up the Portland music scene. Different guitar styles, stealin' licks from each other and having way too much fun. Turtle aka known as "Zeus" is moving slow and easy and attempting to keep up with these amazing guitar slingers.
Saturday October 19 Eddie Martinez performs at The Jack London Revue. Eddie’s discography reads like a who's who of Rock Royalty as well the soundtrack of the past 30 years. Born and raised in NY and being a first call studio guitarist and performer for years, you’ll find that Eddie’s credits include Robert Palmer, Mick Jagger, David Lee Roth to Steve Winwood, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Yoko Ono to Celine Dion, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Nona Hendryx, RUN DMC to Meat Loaf, just to name a few. Eddie has been a part of that eclectic Rock History. Eddie and his band return to Portland for the first time in more than 2 years for his album release party. You'll hear songs from Eddie’s new record titled Akosua, which will show Eddies unique blend of Rock, Funk and Blues themes. Joining Eddie will be his All Star lineup including Ramsey Embick (Keys) and John Mazzocco (Bass). As always the mission is to raise the roof and the fact that Eddie makes Portland his home it's going to be an extra special show and party from start to finish! Don't miss The Eddie Martinez album release party Saturday May 18 at The Jack London Revue!
Join us for a classic night of cocktails and cabaret with a rotating cast of phenomenal local and touring performers.
Contact Critical Hit Burlesque for reserved seating or large party rates.
The Jack London Revue is located at 529 SW 4th Ave, Portland
Follow the hardwood path through the Rialto Poolroom
"If this band appeared in New York City, they'd be a sensation!" That was guitar great--and one-time Mel Brown bandmate--George Benson's reaction after hearing the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group open for him in 2003. This true all-star band has been a sensation for a long time—including a 20-year run on Thursdays at Portland’s Jimmy Mak’s (The Oregonian dubbed them “Jimmy Mak’s signature group”). A collective resume that reads like a "Who's Who" of NW jazz, blues, and soul, this group has the talent and confidence to be completely spontaneous--from their blistering solos to their improvised arrangements and segues.
MEL BROWN -- An Oregon icon, has been labeled the "Gentleman of Jazz," with a career spanning a half century. The city of Portland proclaimed June 22, 1989 "Mel Brown Day" in recognition of Mel's achievements as a musician and educator, receiving the Governor's Arts Award in 2002. Mel first made his mark as a Motown staff drummer, recording and touring with the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and many others. He subsequently spent ten years working with Diana Ross and other pop acts before giving up the road in 1991 and returning home to his first love: jazz. Mel has been a fixture in Portland ever since, leading groups six nights a week at Jimmy Mak's and other venues when he isn't backing jazz artists like Joey DeFrancesco and Benny Golson.
DAN BALMER -- Widely considered the defining sound of contemporary jazz guitar in the Northwest. Described by the Los Angeles Times as "the model of what a contemporary guitarist should be," Dan is one of the most original and creative artists to come from the fertile Northwest music scene. Dan has played and recorded with a long list of jazz greats, has released six CDs of his own, is a jazz educator and a noted composer. Dan leads his own groups and performs with jazz artists including Diane Schuur, Benny Green, and Jeff Hamilton.
RENATO CARANTO -- described as "one of Portland's most soulful jazz saxophonists" by The Oregonian," Renato is one of the most versatile, accomplished, soulful saxophonists anywhere. Arriving from the Philippines in '81 with only his horn, Renato has built an enviable career in Portland. After gaining a foothold in the local scene, Renato became one of the most sought-after jazzmen in the NW and beyond. In recent years, he’s toured with Grammy-winning jazz artist Esperanza Spalding and late country legend Merle Haggard. Talk about versatility!
LOUIS "KING LOUIE" PAIN -- "Portland's boss of the B-3" (The Oregonian) hails from San Francisco, where he played and recorded with a wide variety of top musicians: Tower of Power guitarist Bruce Conte, Santana saxophonist Jules Broussard, Edwin Hawkins vocalist Dorothy Morrison, and B.B. King saxophonist Bobby Forte. After moving north in '86, Louis continued the trend. His 2016 cd with vocalist LaRhonda Steele, “Rock Me Baby,” was honored by Downbeat as one of the “Best Albums of 2016.” Louis’ knack for playing exactly what's needed to further the song has made him Portland's "first call" organist.
MOSS Media Presents LadiesFirst! - a quarterly event showcase celebrating women artists in hip-hop, soul, R&B, electronic and world music. Join us for Vol 1 at The Jack London Revue on October 25!
With her clever, edgy lyricism and riotous stage persona, Karma Rivera has risen to star status in the Portland rap scene. The emerging rapper and Hype queen explores the strength and value behind words with meaning, and she does this without seeking to fall on a commercial loophole of music that hardly displays artistic value. While difficult to holistically label, her music lies within the genre realms of rap, hip-hop, and latin trap yet is characterized by an unrivaled individualist style. Driven by passion from writing and performing, Karma covers a wide range of subjects such as sexual identity, how it is to be a woman and a rap artist in the music industry and the musical and cultural movements behind her Afro-Latina roots (Puerto Rican descent). Although originally from Chicago, Karma began making music while attending Washington State University. Today, Karma has gained notoriety in Portland by embracing the opportunity to open for artists like CupcakKe, Princess Nokia, Chief Keef, Xavier Wulf and Snow tha Product. While she’s driven to continue dominating the local Portland scene, her ambitions are to bring her bouncy and catchy sound to the mainstream.
Amenta Abioto is a singer, songwriter, producer from Memphis, TN. In her one-woman performance, she builds vocal and instrumental loops from kalimba, synthesizer, drum machine, and guitar creating atmospheric textures. Weaved into syncopated rhythms and dichotomies of comedic proportions, Amenta surprises and tantalizes audiences with mind bending ideas while skipping vocally from soul-shaking gospel to smooth jazz.
Lisa Vazquez is an Argentine bred Wonder Woman in all aspects of her craft. A Hip Hop / Soul producer, Vocalist and Multi Instrumentalist, Lisa blends worldly and jazz flavors with sultry vocals and deep lyrics all over a classic hip hop thump to get you moving. She has shared stages with Just Blaze, Talib Kweli, Chali 2na, and KRS One while being featured at festivals such as Soundset, Summer Meltdown and Oregon Country Fair. Lisa was also a finalist in the 2018 International Goldie Awards DJ and Beat Battle, garnering herself esteem in the eyes of well known producers and DJ's.
Lisa is the answer to what hip hop has been lacking in recent years. She creates her beats live, while layering her vocals to create a rich canvas for her lyrics andsultry vocals.Truly a one woman show like no other. Lisa taps into her creative world further with her Beatmaking Series - "Flip It Friday" -which you can find on Youtube.
DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid have spent more than eighteen years igniting dance floors with cutting edge music not limited by borders or language. They host the longest-running Bhangra and Bollywood party in the world (Andaz est. 2002), co-founded the Pacific Northwest’s first Global Bass dance party (Atlas 2003-2013) and host two weekly radio shows (CHOR BAZAAR on XRAY.FM and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Kush on KBOO.FM.) In 2013 Anjali and The Kid initiated TROPITAAL! A Desi Latino Soundclash, which they host monthly at The Goodfoot.
Few DJs can be said to have changed the sound of their city but that is exactly what DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid have accomplished since they first introduced Portland, Oregon nightclub audiences to the many varied sounds of Global Bass at a raucous New Year’s Eve debut in 2000. They are most known for incinerating dance floors with the heavy dance floor artillery of South Asia, but the duo scour the globe for any hard-hitting music that combines local music traditions with window-rattling production.
In addition to hosting their own club nights, Anjali and The Kid regularly perform at festivals. They have appeared at Sasquatch! Music Festival, Decibel, MusicfestNW, Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration, Beloved, Matatu (Oakland), Photosynthesis, Soul’d Out, Portland International Film Festival, Indian Summer Festival (Vancouver, B.C.), Kaleidoscope and Vancouver Queer Film Festival to name a few. They have guested at the legendary Basement Bhangra (NYC) numerous times as well as Non Stop Bhangra (SF), iBomba (NYC) and Bhangrateque (Chicago.)
After making a name for themselves in their hometown’s raucous house party circuit, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid introduced the Portland, Oregon nightclub scene to the sounds of Bhangra, Bollywood and Global Bass on New Year’s Eve 2000. A series of residencies followed, beginning with a night at the legendary Blackbird, and the duo began hosting their ANDAZ dance parties in July of 2002. The party’s focus on hardcore Panjabi Bhangra and the latest electronic confections from the Bollywood film industry continue to pack the dance floor after 16 years. While ANDAZ was still in the bloom of youth, Anjali and The Kid founded the revolutionary dance night ATLAS (with co-host/DJ E3) at Holocene in November of 2003 to introduce Portland to Global Bass sounds such as: Balkan Beats, Reggaeton, Funk Carioca, 3Ball Guarachero, Digital Cumbia, Urban Desi, French and Arabic Hip-Hop, Rai N B, Reggada, Dembow, Dubstep, Kuduro, Merengue Urbano and a host of other local and diasporic future musics. ATLAS was a vital party in Portland nightlife and the Global Bass scene internationally for more than nine years.
The Carroll Raaum Swing Orchestra is a 17-piece group that plays the best of big-band music from the 20's to today.
She regularly performs worldwide at jazz festivals, jazz parties, and on jazz cruises. She has been a frequent guest on National Public Radio’s ‘Fresh Air’ with Terry Gross, has appeared on ‘A Prairie Home Companion’, and with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall.
The Rebecca Kilgore Quartet (formerly known as BED) was a popular favorite on the jazz festival circuit: with Eddie Erickson (guitar/banjo/voice), Dan Barrett (trombone), and Joel Forbes (bass).
She has been performed with the Statesmen Of Jazz, dedicated to perpetuating the art of jazz for future generations.
Other venues. New York: Feinstein’s at the Regency; New York: Birdland; San Francisco: The Plush Room at the York Hotel; Oakland, CA: Piedmont Pianos; Culver City, CA: The Jazz Bakery; Fullerton, CA: Steamers Jazz Club; Phoenix, AZ: The Nash; Madison, NJ: Shanghai Jazz; LA: The Westin at LAX; Toledo, OH: Murphy’s Place; Cleveland Heights, OH: Nighttown; Ann Arbor, MI: The Firefly Club; Cincinnati, OH: The Blue Wisp; Southampton, UK: The Concorde Club; Sherman Oaks, CA: Spazio’s.
She is honored to have been inducted (in 2010) to the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and to the Jazz Society of Oregon’s Hall Of Fame, and to have been invited to perform at New York’s Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention for three years at Town Hall and Lincoln Center. She was the guest of honor at the 2013 Roswell (New Mexico) Jazz Festival, and honored as a Jazz Legend at the San Diego Jazz Party in 2016.