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Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland!

“Castro is one of the brightest stars in the blues-soul genre. Voracious blues energy and ultimate soul power...impassioned vocals and pure inventiveness in his stellar guitar solos.”

–Blues Music Magazine

“Sizzling, slow-burning, gritty blues and rock...shimmering, swampy, downright funky vibes drenched with Castro’s stinging, pure and crisp lead runs and fluid, jet- fueled solos.” 

–Living Blues

“Soul-baring, roadhouse-meets-church, Memphis guitar licks...gritty voice...Southern colors and rootsy textures.” 

–Washington Post“

The hardest thing to do,” says internationally beloved soul-blues rocker Tommy Castro, “is be yourself, take some chances and bring your fans along with you.” Throughout his long, constantly evolving career, guitarist, singer and songwriter Tommy Castro has always remained true to himself while exploring, growing and creating new music, and he has taken his thousands of devoted fans right along with him.

Since his solo debut in 1994, he’s made 16 albums—the last seven for Alligator—each its own unique chapter in the book of Tommy Castro. Ranging from horn-fueled R&B to piping hot blues to fiery, stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll, each release is solidly built upon Castro’s unshakable musical foundation—a dynamic mix of 1960s-influenced guitar-fueled blues, testifying Memphis-soaked blue- eyed soul and Latin-tinged East San Jose funk, all driven by Castro’s grab-you- by-the-collar vocals and passionate guitar work. 

The band has coalesced into one of the telepathically tightest units Castro has ever assembled, making them one of the most in-demand live roots music acts performing today, delivering soul-shaking, muscular music.Castro’s relentless road-dog approach—gig after gig, night after night—has won him loyal, lifelong fans everywhere he plays. The Washington Post says Castro is “phenomenal and funky” with “soulful vocals and inspired blues guitar.” The San Francisco Chronicle describes Castro’s music as, “funky Southern soul, big city blues and classic rock...silvery guitar licks that simultaneously sound familiar and fresh.” No Depression says “Castro plays gritty, string-bending blues like a runaway train...a glorious blend that rocks the soul and lifts the spirits.”

 

Performing music by icons of early jazz such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson, King Oliver, and Bix Beiderbecke, as well as lesser known musical stylists, territory bands, and innovators such as the Missourians, Fess Williams, Alex Hill, and Jabbo Smith, the Sextet has cemented its reputation as a favorite among both listening audiences and dancers.  The band has performed at the Portland Jazz Festival, Portland Lindy Exchange, Camp Jitterbug in Seattle, the Seaside Jazz Festival, and all the major Portland area clubs past and present including Jimmy Mak’s, the Blue Monk, Secret Society and Duff’s Garage.

Andrew Oliver – piano, cornet
David Evans – clarinet, tenor sax
James Powers – trombone
Doug Sammons – guitar, banjo, vocals
Pete Lampe – bass
Tyson Stubelek – drums

Ticket holders for this show receive free admission to Jack London’s Burly-Q Revue, Downtown Portland’s hottest late-night burlesque - featuring the finest dancers from the Rose City, the West Coast and beyond!

 

Notes on Seating: The Jack London provides two options for ticket purchasers: Reserved Seating and General Admission. Reserved Seating is purchased on a table-by-table basis in the central part of the venue and is only available for select shows. General Admission seating is limited on a first come first serve basis and may be standing room only. 

During his uprising in the music scene, BrandonLee continuously seeks instruction to master his saxophone craft by working with multiple instructors such as Pacific Northwest Saxophone great Tracy Knoop and one of this generation’s emerging artists Braxton Cook. This ongoing instruction has been a catalyst for BrandonLee’s search for his musical voice. 

While being a band leader and solo artist, BrandonLee has showcased his talents working with some of the music scene’s most exciting producers/artists around the world such as; Jam of the Week Founder/Portland based Trumpeter Farnell Newton, EyeLoveBrandon, Jonny Tobin, multi-instrumentalist from Portland Machado Mijiga, to just name a few. In 2018, BrandonLee Cierley ventured into exploits outside of his staple genre to be a guest artist with TwoFriends, LA Dj Duo, at sold out music festivals Lucky & Paradiso. 

BrandonLee Cierley has performed over all the Greater Puget Sound area and has been featured on KMHD with a featured track from newly formed Portland based label “LofiJazzSoul”, and was showcased on KNKX’s Live Studio Session segments. 

Ticket holders for this show receive free admission to Jack London’s Burly-Q Revue, Downtown Portland’s hottest late-night burlesque - featuring the finest dancers from the Rose City, the West Coast and beyond!

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland

KASSA OVERALL is a jazz musician, emcee, singer, producer and drummer, a product of New York City’s jazz scene who melds avant-garde experimentation with hip-hop production techniques to tilt the nexus of jazz and hip-hop in unmapped directions, reflecting a panoramic musical background from West Coast G-Funk to the sounds of the New York underground.

In the past two years, Overall has released four critically acclaimed projects, GO GET ICE CREAM AND LISTEN TO JAZZ, I THINK I’M GOOD, SHADES OF FLU and SHADES OF FLU 2, gathering support from artistic visionaries including Virgil Abloh and Thom Yorke. Whatever the experiment, Overall remains faithful to the pocket of jazz drums in the tradition of his mentors, the late Elvin Jones and Billy Hart, with whom he studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

“Mercereau is a virtuosic multi-instrumentalist with credits spanning around 20-something instruments” Pop Matters

Listening to Nate Mercereau's music feels like staring down a kaleidoscope. The songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist surveys the fractured borders between sounds, and celebrates the beautiful moments where they collide. And when he’s not making his own music, he’s looking at the world of pop through his prismatic perspective —he’s produced or played on records by Jay-Z, Shawn Mendes, Lizzo, and The Weeknd, just to name a few. 

Moreover, Mercereau has learned that no matter what sounds he’s working with he needs to lean in close, to focus on the details. “When you keep zooming in on something, it keeps getting more detailed,” says the Los Angeles-based artist. “It's like there's worlds within that world.” His new album, SUNDAYS, embodies that as he dives headlong into a mystical, rich vein of sonic worlds, each song more intricate and intimate than the last.  

SUNDAYS developed out of what Mercereau calls “spontaneous composition”—weekly delves into his psyche via live-streamed performance. The sets were built in fluid collaboration with a series of percussive improvisations dreamt up by Carlos Niño, a forward-thinking producer, instrumentalist, and staple of L.A.’s experimental scene. 

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland!

Half Chinese and half Icelandic, Laufey spent much of her childhood traveling between Reykjavík and Washington, DC, where she learned to speak English with barely a trace of an accent. Inspired in part by her mother, a classical violinist, she took up piano and cello early on, but it was her father’s collection of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday albums that spoke to her on a deeper level. “I’m definitely very influenced by composers like Ravel and Chopin,” Laufey explains, “but when I discovered the Great American Songbook and the music of George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers, it felt like this middle ground between jazz and classical that suited me perfectly.”

Laufey dove into the music headfirst, captivated by the lush arrangements and dreamy vocals, and by her teenage years, she was already turning heads with a mesmerizing style that belied her young age. After landing a prestigious Presidential Scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, Laufey moved to Boston, where she began writing her own songs blending sophisticated jazz melodies and slow-burning R&B grooves.

Unable to tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she began performing a mix of originals and vintage classics on Instagram and TikTok, and within a year, she would find herself racking up millions of likes, topping the Icelandic radio charts with her debut single, “Street By Street,” and earning support from Billie Eilish and Willow Smith. Laufey will release her debut EP, Typical of Me, later this year.

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland!

Sasha Berliner is a musician, composer, producer, and band leader from San Francisco, CA.

Sasha moved to New York City in 2016 to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, during which she also attended the Banff International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music run by Vijay Iyer and Tyshawn Sorey. During her last two years at The New School, Sasha was also the first US recipient of the LetterOne “Rising Stars” Jazz Award, where she headlined 10 reputable jazz festival throughout the U.S. and Canada. Shortly after, she released her debut alternative jazz album, “Azalea”, which was nominated for JazzTimes 2019 Readers’ Poll’s “Best New Release”, featured by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York Times, and has been described by critics as “shimmering and thoughtful” (Kassel, TIDAL), “gleefully exploring various genres and headspaces” (Tremblay, CTEBCM).

Post graduation, Sasha’s music work remains primarily based in New York City. She has gone on to independently headline at venues like the NYC Winter Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, The Blue Note, Montreal Jazz Festival, and National Sawdust. She has been featured by The SF Jazz Education Center, PBS News Hour, NPR, and The New York Times for both her musicianship and her activism.

  In addition to performing internationally with her own project, Sasha Berliner Azalea, her recent notable performances and recordings have been with musicians such as Tyshawn Sorey, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, and Quincy Davis. She is an endorsing artist for Vater and Marimba One, and is a faculty member at the MalletLab percussion intensive, where she gives masterclasses and clinics. She has also lead masterclasses and Q&As at esteemed universities like MSU Denver and Berklee College of Music. She is represented by Knitting Factory Management and International Musician’s Network, a roster shared by artists such as Jason Moran and Brad Meldhau.

. Sasha was the 2020 Downbeat Critics’ Poll winner of the “Rising Star – Vibraphone” category. She was both the first woman, and at 21, was the youngest individual in the poll’s history to be granted the win. She was more recently voted in the top ten vibraphonists for the 2021 and 2022 Downbeat Reader’s Polls, sharing a list with vibraphonists such as Joe Locke, Stefon Harris, and Joel Ross. Sasha has commissioned works for Modern Marimba (Sarasota, FL) and the SWR NewJAZZ Meeting (Baden-Baden, Germany) as artist in residence for fall 2021.

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland!

The funky sound of the Hammond organ is heard in all its greasy glory on two blazing new albums from the Sam Fribush Organ Trio — Vol. I: Riverboat and Vol II: The Root. 

Produced by virtuoso guitarist Charlie Hunter, both records find Fribush, Hunter and drummer Geoff Clapp putting their special soulful spin on everything from jazz standards (Yusef Lateef’s “Plum Blossom,” Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing”), New Orleans touchstones (Allen Toussaint’s “Riverboat,” Ellis Marsalis Jr.’s “Swingin’ at the Haven”), 70s R&B jams (Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round in Circles,” The Impressions’ “We Must Be in Love”) and modern classics like D’Angelo’s “The Root” and Bonnie Raitt’s “Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About,” as well as a couple of Fribush originals. If you dig the likes of Jimmy McGriff, Big John Patton and Brother Jack McDuff, the Sam Fribush Organ Trio is most definitely in your wheelhouse.

New Yorker James Brandon Lewis has attracted attention in recent years with his prolific stream of original album projects. The New York Times attests him a great musical autonomy: “James Brandon Lewis, a jazz saxophonist in his 30s, raw-toned but measured, doesn’t sound steeped in current jazz academy values and isn’t really coming from a free-improvising perspective. There’s an independence about him.” The drummer Chad Taylor comes from Chicago and has played with Fred Anderson, Pharoah Sanders, Marc Ribot, Malachi Favors and Nicole Mitchell.

James Brandon Lewis  is a critically- acclaimed composer, saxophonist, and writer. He has received accolades from NPR, ASCAP Foundation, The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. He has been described as “a saxophonist who embodies and transcends tradition” by The New York Times. and a promising young talent having listened to the elders by Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins. The saxophonist has balanced a deep, gospel -informed spirituality with Free-Jazz- abandon and hard-hitting funk-meets-hip-hop underpinning – Rolling Stone Magazine.  He has released several critically-acclaimed albums most recently highly touted Jesup Wagon and tours internationally leading several ensembles, and is a member and co-founder of American Book award winning Ensemble Heroes Are Gang Leaders. James was recently voted Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist by Downbeat magazines 2020s International  Critics poll.

Chad Taylor is a composer, educator, percussionist and scholar who is a co-founder of the Chicago Underground ensembles. He has performed with Fred Anderson, Derek Bailey, Cooper-Moore, Pharoah Sanders, Marc Ribot, Peter Brotzmann, Jeff Parker, Malachi Favors, Iron & Wine, Sam Prekop, Stereolab and more.

Taylor has defined his voice as one that is unique, rawly refined, unending in creativity, and historically relevant in the world of modern creative music. His partnership with Rob Mazurek in the Chicago/ London Underground Duo/ Trio/ Quartet/ Orchestra, has placed him in an individualistic stylistic mode of playing that is distinct and undoubtedly original.

Lucerne Switzerland journalist Pirmin Bossart aptly sums up James and Chad’s musical relationship after the finale at the 2019 Willisau Jazz Festival “The two musicians let us hear the great breath of an essential jazz tradition, its clarity, raw beauty and urgency shining through, even in the melting pot of contemporary jazz debates. The musicians are not stuck in a version of the past. At every second they are part of the musical process, which shapes itself and pulses with their experiences of the here and now. This is about a continuum, occurring yesterday, today and tomorrow. Why else would jazz have retained till today its transformative power?

Outer Orbit is a funk soul collective led by Galen Clark (Trio Subtonic) and fronted by vocalist Sarah Clarke (Dirty Revival). The band features an all star lineup of Tyrone Hendrix (Prince), Damian Erskine (Skerik Band), Peter Knudsen (Ghost-note) and Mike Elson (Swatkins) and works with a variety of special guests. Outer Orbit brings original burning soul and pocket heavy funk while drawing on a range of influences from Sly Stone and The Meters to Aretha Franklin and Emily King.

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland!

greaterkind was formed in Portland, OR in by friends on a mission to spread love and inclusivity through the medium of music. Channeling elements of jazz fusion and funk with undertones of R&B, gospel and hip hop, greaterkind sets out to do something new. A product of playing together in numerous live situations, greaterkind’s music is rooted in improvisation which brings a different and special energy to each show. Space and creation is key to process. Since their conception, greaterkind has enjoyed the opportunity to back internationally acclaimed artists such as The Hamiltones, Judith Hill and Brian Jackson. The band includes Charlie Brown (keyboards), Ian Michael Lindsay (bass/vocals), Cory Limuaco (drums), and Peter Knudsen (guitar/vocals).

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland!

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland!

It’s been said that you don’t seek out the blues – it seeks out you. For guitar virtuoso Albert Cummings, no words could ring more true. Cummings’ masterful guitar wizardry has drawn comparisons to iconic axe legends Albert King, Freddie King, Jimi Hendrix and even his own musical inspiration, Stevie Ray Vaughan. He has graced the stage with such esteemed luminaries as Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Susan Tedeschi, Sheryl Crow, and B.B. King, who called Cummings “a great guitarist.” He also has worked with renowned industry producers Jim Gaines and David Z.

Freshly signed to Provogue Records, a division of Mascot Label Group, Cummings joins the elite ranks of such guitar virtuosos as Joe Bonamassa, Walter Trout and Eric Gales. “It’s such an honor to be part of a label that has helped shape the careers of the greatest guitar players our world has ever known,” states Cummings. “I’m confident that Provogue is the right home for me and I look forward to working with them and getting some new music to the loyal supporters that I have.”

With mesmerizing extended guitar jams, Cummings’ Fender Strat sings while he takes you on a twisting, turning blues roller coaster. Featuring a tight, pristine tone and strong vocals to match, the seasoned entertainer has incorporated the influence of his musical idols while maintaining a distinct, genre-bending style and sound all his own. With six studio albums, two live records and a new label, Albert Cummings is back and better than ever with his latest release slated for early next year.

Raised in Massachusetts and trained as a master builder, Cummings learned basic guitar chords from his father but then became intrigued with banjo and bluegrass when he was 12. As a teenager, however, he discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan’s early material and was astounded by his mastery. After attending a 1987 Stevie Ray Vaughan/Double Trouble concert during college, Cummings’ entire world exploded as he turned his attention back to guitar, and he never looked back.

It wasn’t until he was 27 that Cummings publicly played with a band for the first time – and that was all it took. He was off and running with his band, Swamp Yankee, serving up the blues throughout the Northeast. After a stunning display of his guitar prowess at a Northeast Blues Society open jam, Cummings qualified to compete in the Blues Foundation’s 1999 International Blues Challenge. A year later, he released his first album with Swamp Yankee, The Long Way, an astonishing, critically acclaimed debut. Cummings’ skill and intensity garnered attention from Double Trouble members Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon, who were so impressed with this relative newcomer that they produced and performed on his first solo record, From the Heart (2003). Reese Wynans also appeared on the record, and it was the first time that Double Trouble recorded an entire album since Vaughan’s untimely passing.

Important Safety Notice: In accordance with the Multnomah County mask mandate, all Jack London customers and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. As a further measure, no customers will be admitted without proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of negative test taken within 48 hours of admission. Stay safe, Portland

Lydia and the band debuted when the Fillmore was at its peak as one of the nation’s musical Mecca’s. Owner Bill Graham was so impressed with Lydia’s voice and the sound of the band that he immediately signed Cold Blood to his new record label. During the span of six original late-60’s, early-70’s albums, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood helped, along with Tower Of Power, forge their own specific brand of funk/soul and R&B which came to be know as East Bay Grease. That music still holds up today, proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come. Lydia Pense and Cold Blood packed the San Francisco Ballrooms in their heyday, but that was then and this is now. In the now, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood still fill halls with cheering, dancing, foot-stomping fans. Far from fading over the years, Cold Blood has flourished.

Along with Tower of Power, Cold Blood pioneered the Bay Area's brass heavy funk-rock sound, which came to be known as "East Bay Grease." After debuting at the Fillmore in 1969 and initially signing to Bill Graham's San Francisco Records label, they developed into one of the most popular high-energy bands in the Bay Area. Fronted by the proverbial little girl with a huge voice, Lydia Pense's powerful vocal chops were impossible to ignore, and despite frequent personnel changes within the band, Cold Blood always attracted inspired and creative musicians and remained a crack unit.

Cold Blood seemed to be overshadowed by Chicago Blood Sweat And Tears, Tower Of Power, and other more commercially successful horn-fueled bands of the era, but their biggest curse was the critics and reviewers who were relentlessly comparing Lydia to Janis Joplin (who, in reality praised Lydia and the band, including their blistering cover of "Piece Of My Heart"). This, combined with questionable management, frequent personnel changes, and weak album distribution relegated the group to limited success. Cold Blood appeared at the Fillmores often and at many major concerts and festivals but remained most popular in the Bay Area.

Cold Blood's sixth album, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, released during the bicentennial year of 1976, would be the group's last studio effort of the 1970s. Lydia settled into seclusion on the outskirts of Sonora for most of the 1980s, raising her daughter Danielle. As her daughter approached adulthood, Lydia again began pursuing music and by 1988 had recruited the musicians who would begin a new phase of Cold Blood's horn-driven rock and soul-drenched sound.

A live album titled Live Blood was issued in 2008, proving Cold Blood's appeal had not diminished. Featuring classic older songs as well as new material, this album proved to be what Cold Blood fans had long been waiting for: a sizzling live set that remained true to the pulsating horn-laced sound that defined the band, fronted by an incomparable singer with an astonishingly powerful voice.

Four time Grammy winner Antonio Sánchez was a gymnast on Mexico’s Junior National Team, a conservatory-trained classical pianist, the composer and performer of the score for the Oscar-winning film BIRDMAN and is one of the most inventive and heralded drummers on the planet today. 

Born in Mexico City, Antonio Sánchez began playing the drums at age five and began to perform professionally in his early teens in Mexico’s rock, jazz and latin scenes.

After pursuing a degree in classical piano at Mexico's National Conservatory he enrolled in Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Shortly after moving to New York City in 1999, Antonio was scooped-up by Pat Metheny, for whom he recorded nine albums and toured for 18 years. He has also performed with Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Michael Brecker, Charlie Haden — among others — and on several occasions he was named Modern Drummer’s "Jazz Drummer of the Year".

Antonio's popularity soared when he scored Alejandro Iñárritu’s film Birdman, winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Recent projects include his critically acclaimed The Meridian Suite, his sociopolitical electronica & drums exploration Bad Hombre and Lines in the Sand in which Sánchez turns his political anger into a moving musical statement as a protest against injustice in our current political climate and as a tribute to every immigrant’s journey.

In Spring 2022 Warner Bros Records will release SHIFT (Bad Hombre Vol II).  The much-anticipated recording features Sánchez collaborating with artists ranging from Trent Reznor to Lila Downs...from Meshell Ndegeocello to Dave Matthews and more.