Calendar

ETHAN IVERSON TRIO featuring 
Andrew Jones (bass) and Matt Mayhall (drums)

21+

Pianist, composer, and writer Ethan Iverson was a founding member of The Bad Plus, a game-changing collective with Reid Anderson and David King. The New York Times called TBP “Better than anyone at melding the sensibilities of post-60’s jazz and indie rock.” During his 17-year tenure, TBP performed in venues as diverse as the Village Vanguard, Carnegie Hall, and Bonnaroo; collaborated with Joshua Redman, Bill Frisell, and the Mark Morris Dance Group; and created a faithful arrangement of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and a radical reinvention of Ornette Coleman’s Science Fiction.

Since leaving TBP, Iverson has kept very very busy.
2017: Co-curated a major centennial celebration of Thelonious Monk at Duke University and premiered the evening-length Pepperland with the Mark Morris Dance Group.
2018: premiered an original piano concerto with the American Composers Orchestra and released a duo album of new compositions with Mark Turner on ECM.
2019: Common Practice with Tom Harrell (ECM), standards tracked live at the Village Vanguard.
2021: Bud Powell in the 21st Century, a vigorous reconsideration of the bebop master, is featured on the March cover of DownBeat.
2022: The current release is Every Note is True on Blue Note records, an album of original work in trio with Larry Grenadier and Jack DeJohnette.

Iverson also has been in the critically-acclaimed Billy Hart quartet for well over a decade and occasionally performs with elder statesmen like Albert “Tootie” Heath or Ron Carter or collaborates with noted classical musicians like Miranda Cuckson and Mark Padmore.

For almost 20 years, Iverson’s website Do the Math has been a repository of musician-to-musician interviews and analysis. Time Out New York selected Iverson as one of 25 essential New York jazz icons: “Perhaps NYC’s most thoughtful and passionate student of jazz tradition—the most admirable sort of artist-scholar.” Iverson has also published articles about music in the New Yorker, NPR, The Nation, and JazzTimes. 

Journey back in time with us to a lost age of hot jazz and even-hotter cabaret. We proudly bring you bawdy entertainment in the classic style as in the Golden Ages of Harlem, Paris, Berlin and of course New Orleans' legendary Storyville. This April we have an eye-popping lineup featuring the salacious talents of Sandria Dore, Miss Dahlia Mae, Zora Von Pavonine, Persephone Illyri, the steamy sounds of the legendary Bridgetown Sextet and hosted by the Mad Marquis.

THE BRIDGETOWN SEXTET has been providing Portland and the Pacific Northwest with authentic and energetic 1920s and 30s jazz, stomp, blues, and swing for over 15 years, with a trademark sound evoking Creole New Orleans, the stomp of prohibition era Chicago, raucous and wild 1920s Memphis and Kansas City, fast-paced Harlem stride piano, and the tight swing of depression era Manhattan. Performing music by icons of early jazz such as Jelly Roll Morton, the Sextet has cemented its reputation as a favorite among both listening audiences and dancers.

In fact, this true all-star band (all four members are Oregon Music Hall Of Fame inductees) has been a sensation going back to 1997, when they began a 20-year run on Thursday evenings at Portland’s legendary “Jimmy Mak’s” (The Oregonian dubbed them “Jimmy Mak’s signature group”).  They’ve continued their Thursday night tradition at the Jack London Revue for the past 6 years. With 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.  No wonder they've thrilled audiences wherever they've played.

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

“Dayramir [has] immense talent and sweeping musical vision” -NPR

We're honored to be celebrating the acclaimed Cuban pianist, composer and musical ambassador Dayramir González' new album V.I.D.A  - Verdad, Independencia, Diversidad y Amor - Truth, Independence, Diversity and Love to be released on this Friday April 12th with a full live celebration by Dayramir and his exceptional group.

"The genres of this album lend itself to the Afro Cuban-World-Jazz sound, and is an extension of work that distinguishes this project from the more acoustic sonority of my previous album The Grand Concourse.

V.I.D.A's thematic, self-reflective melodies evolved into compositions, arrangements, and orchestrations that celebrate personal triumph over the obstacles and hardships of life with an emphasis and re-focus on hope, joy, beauty and personal expression."

V.I.D.A. showcases Gonzalez at the height of his craft as a composer, pianist, and collaborator with an international cast of players at his side, including conga maestro Pedrito Martinez, vocal star Daymé Arocena, and Havana rapper Edrey “Ogguere” Riveri.

V.I.D.A. touches on the breadth of Gonzalez’s life and embodies the multifarious nature of Cuban culture. With a unique identity as a forbearer of Cuban music, Gonzalez notes, “I’m Black, I’m Cuban, I’m West African. I’m Yoruba. I studied European classical music. I’m bilingual. I’m a composer, an arranger, an orchestrator. I am a music educator and curriculum owner. I’m a socio-cultural ambassador of Cuba, a Yamaha artist, a father.”

Thanks to his own father, Afro-Cuban trumpeter Fabian González, music has always been a driving force in Gonzalez’s life. He attended musical arts schools early and began playing piano professionally at 16. Oscar Valdes, of the legendary Irakere, asked him to be a part of the group Diakara while Gonzalez was still in high school. Next he played with drummer Giraldo Piloto in the group Klimax. He attended the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana for four years and then moved to Boston and Berklee on a full scholarship.

While at Berklee, he was signed by Jazz Revelation Records, release an album on the Berklee label, and he received the Wayne Shorter Award. He has also won first place at Cuba’s JoJazz Festival and three Cubadisco Awards for his debut album with his group, Habana enTRANCé.

Dayramir González  is known as an advocate for traditional Cuban music, including the danzón. He has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Havana Jazz Festival, among others. His album Grand Concourse was released to worldwide acclaim in 2018 and he is the co-founder of NYC's Art School of Contemporary Performance and Creativity which provides music education to elementary school students.

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

Soul What
Soul What is a Portland dance band that plays memorable soul and R&B classics from Sam & Dave, Van Morrison, Sharon Jones, Ike & Tina, Etta James, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Talking Heads and more. We all know songs from these artists and love to dance to them.

The nine-piece band includes a rock solid rhythm section, blazing guitar and keyboard a tight three-piece horn section and the amazing pipes of vocalist Regynn Lesser. They’ve been around the block and know what it takes to get the room up and dancing.

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

Everything Yes is an American jazz fusion band spearheaded by the drummer Zack Graybeal, known famously as ZackGrooves on his platforms, Sean Reeser, prolific composer, producer and tenor sax master & Cole Sipe, composer, sound engineer and magistral bassist.

This powerhouse of a band brings a fresh take on the style while staying true to the roots. Let’s meet the members!

BrandonLee Cierley has been a featured performer on Seattle's KNKX for multiple Live Studio Sessions and his music has also been featured continuously on PDX's KMHD Jazz Station. He released his debut album "Here Comes a New Challenger" in July of 2020 bringing in over 20k streams and counting which earned him a spot on PDX's jazz station KMHD's Best Single of the Year. 

July 2022, BrandonLee released a much anticipated summer 2-pack EP "Thank You for Waiting" which featured LA-based Saxophonist Braxton Cook and was placed on Spotify Editorial Playlists such as: Smooth Jazz Beats, Smooth Beats & Fresh Finds: Jazz reaching over 1 million streams and counting. In March 2023, BrandonLee Cierley got the opportunity to open up for Braxton Cook at the Jack London Revue for Braxton's "Black Nostalgia Tour". 

Dmitri Matheny Group

MATHENY PLAYS MANCINI

The Henry Mancini Centennial Celebration

The Dmitri Matheny Group honors Henry Mancini’s 100th birthday with new arrangements of his classic hits Charade, Days of Wine and Roses, Dreamsville, Moon River, Mr. Lucky, Peter Gunn, Pink Panther, Romeo and Juliet, Royal Blue, Slow Hot Wind, Two For The Road, and more!

“Mancini is my hero,” says bandleader Dmitri Matheny, “not just for his award-winning scores and orchestrations, but because of his unparalleled gift for songcraft. There’s nothing like a Mancini melody! Wistful, whimsical, romantic, or sinister, his songs always deliver.”

“An all-star jazz band featuring some of the most accomplished musicians in the western United States” (All About Jazz), the Dmitri Matheny Group is beloved for their crowd-pleasing performances of lyrical originals and timeless classics. This season’s Mancini showcase promises to be one of their most popular programs yet.

Winner of NW Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year honors in the Seattle Earshot Golden Ear Awards, flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny has been lauded as “one of the most emotionally expressive improvisers of his generation” (International Review of Music). An honors graduate of Berklee College of Music, Dmitri Matheny vaulted onto the jazz scene in the 1990s as the protégé of jazz legend Art Farmer. Since then he has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal international following, releasing twelve CDs and touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.The San Francisco Chronicle calls Matheny “one of the jazz world’s most talented horn players.”

After leaving Berklee, Kuroda moved to New York City, where he enrolled at the New School’s Jazz and Contemporary Music program, graduating in 2006. After graduating, Kuroda quickly ensconced himself in the vibrant N.Y.C. jazz scene, performing with such artists as Junior Mance, Greg Tardy, Andy Ezrin, Jiro Yoshida, Akoya Afrobeat, Valery Ponomarev’s big band, and others. In 2011, Kuroda released the independently produced album Edge, followed by Bitter & High and Six Aces in 2012.

In 2013, Kuroda signed with Blue Note Records and recorded his third solo album, the José James-produced Rising Son. Released in 2014, Rising Son featured a strong soul-jazz and hip-hop influence exemplified by the presence of several Roy Ayers compositions including “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” which featured James on vocals.

“This man (Chuck) is the Jimi Hendrix and the Django Reinhardt of the steel guitar…” — Andy Grigg, Real Blues.

“The Campbell Brothers play music that until recently was heard only in gospel churches, with pedal steel guitar lines swooping skyward like a gospel shouter.” — Jon Pareles, The New York Times.

The Campbell Brothers featuring National Heritage Award winner, Chuck Campbell; and composer/songwriter Phil Campbell— formed the Campbell Brothers in the 1990s and took their Pentecostal Church heritage to world stages by incorporating what is identified by many fans as blues, country, soul and rock styles, and more into their music.  The Campbell Brothers confidently patent an intense, passionate, and dedicated stage presentation that connects with audiences and consistently converts them to the Campbell Brothers sound.  

Starting in 1997, the Campbell Brothers have released more than six albums that take Sacred Steel African American gospel music and presents it as an ascending spiral of spirit inspired guitars and high-energy rhythms.  Along the way, they’ve performed with artists such as the Allman Brothers, B.B. King, Medeski Martin & Wood, Steve Vai, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sonny Landreth, Robben Ford, Dr. Bobby Jones, Maria Muldaur, Mavis Staples, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and many other world-class artists; in addition to performing in over 25 countries including Japan, France, England, Spain, Colombia, Morocco, Tunisia, the Canary Islands, Barbados, China and all 50 States of the USA.   

The Campbell Brothers music has been featured on the hit HBO television show The Sopranos and other hit television series such as The King of Queens and Crossing Jordan.  Recently they were commissioned by the Lincoln Center and Duke University to compose a Sacred Steel interpretation of John Coltrane’s seminal work A Love Supreme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this jazz classic.  

In 2018 The Campbell Brothers were inducted into the Rochester, New York Music Hall of Fame and their music is featured in the exhibit on Gospel music in the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C.   

For this concert The Campbell Brothers will feature Denise Brown on vocals and other bandmembers, Phil’s son, Carlton Campbell, on drums and Daric Bennett on bass.   They will also be performing music from their upcoming new album release.  Be prepared for a rocking good time!

Anna Moss has a voice that will stop you dead in your tracks. She commands attention and takes audiences on a spiritual journey when she sings. Moss’s vocal quality is so unique and deeply healing that crowds often beg for down tempo and Acapella songs. It is in these moments that you can fully absorb the smokey, gritty and dynamic nature of her singing. Growing up in Berryville Arkansas, (a town whose main industry is chicken farming) Anna flew the coop and made her career playing music in the US, Canada, Europe, Central and South America. She has made waves in the folk and festival scenes of North America as a front woman for the band Handmade Moments. After seeing most of the Western World she decided New Orleans would be her home. Moving to the New Orleans has influenced Anna’s arrangements and style. She began writing her debut album in a dark depression during 2020. All shows we cancelled and live musicians were practically erased from the economy. It was in these bleak times that Anna wrote profusely and honed in her bedroom pop style. She searched for months to find a band in New Orleans to fill out her sound. Eventually she found what she was looking for. Fernando Lima, a local percussionist and drummer originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil and Olivya Lee, a flautist and vocalist originaly from Uruguay joined Anna to create the Nightshades.

Notes on Seating: This is a general admission show. Tables and chairs are available on a first-come-first-served basis, but there will be a partly open floor , with additional standing (dancing) room, for this GA event.   

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

Note: Ticket holders for this show receive free admission to the Jack London Burly-Q Burlesque Revue after the show!

Ben Rice
Ben Rice's music is deeply rooted in traditional blues, yet at the same time fiercely original. His guitar playing earns labels like "fearless," "inventive" and "powerful," and he routinly brings audiences to their feet with his stunning and emotionally honest vocal delivery. Ben is as much at home fronting his electric band as he is captivating a crowd solo with nothing but his voice and his acoustic resonator guitar.

Ty Curtis
Ty Curtis has a Blues mojo that is alive and kicking, a natural musical treat for all that stand before his stage. His offerings have a throwback Rock and Roll flair with an undeniable southern-fried ambiance. Blended, it all adds up to the authenticity of his Blues Rock Style. His explosion of emotion-power-packed performances captures the undivided attention of audiences with tantalizing guitar fret work and highly intellectual lyrics.

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

Saxophonist Leon Cotter has led a musical double life, spending much of the last decade touring the country with soul/blues band The California Honeydrops, while maintaining a reputation as a sought after sideman in Portland’s local jazz scene.

This May, Leon joins forces with his bandmates from Alan Jones’s Social Music (Alan Jones on drums, Matt Sazima on piano and Garrett Baxter on bass) to pay tribute to the artistry of John Coltrane. They’ll be covering some of his best arrangements and compositions recorded between 1958 (Blue Train) and 1964 (A Love Supreme), striving to channel Coltrane’s exceptional combination of musicianship and emotion that still inspires and resonates with listeners today.

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

Massamba Diop is perhaps the world's most renowned master of the Tama, a talking drum from Senegal, West Africa. Most recently, Massamba has received much acclaim for his collaboration with composer Ludwig Goransson on Marvel's Black Panther soundtrack, which earned both a Grammy and Oscar in 2019 for “Best Original Score”. Providing the drumming for King Tchalla's theme music, Massamba is heard throughout the film whenever the title character makes an entrance. The music also accompanies the Black Panther character in Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. Massamba has recently performed with Mumford and Sons at the 2018 Blues du Fleuve Festival in Senegal, and on their 2016 tour, including an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. He is featured on two videos in Playing For Change's latest album Listen to the Music. In 2016, he launched the “Tamani Talking Drum” to the public with Remo Percussion, the first mass-produced Tama, a drum he helped design.

Massamba came into the limelight as lead percussionist and a founding member of Daande Lenol (The Voice of the People), the band of Senegalese super-star Baaba Maal. Over the past 40 years the group has been playing all over the world, working with many notable musical figures and releasing dozens of albums, including Firin' in Fouta, which was nominated for a Grammy for “Best World Music” in 1996. Massamba himself has also performed and/or recorded with the likes of James Brown, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte, and Angelique Kidjo, to name a few. He appeared on Peter Gabriel's landmark release Passion, which won a Grammy in 1990. 

Cultural Diplomacy has also been a major part of Massamba’s work. With Baaba Maal, who himself has worked as a United Nations Cultural Emissary, he has performed at many major international events like the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Oslo, the 2012 Olympics in London, and even joined Stevie Wonder in 2009 to perform “Happy Birthday” for Nelson Mandela to close out Mandela Day at Radio City Music Hall. In 1993, Massamba and American percussionist Tony Vacca co- founded the Senegal-America project, a cultural exchange program which annually brings student and adult groups to Senegal to participate in educational, health care and artistic initiatives. In addition to releasing multiple albums featuring collaborations with Senegalese and American musicians, Massamba and Tony tour the Northeast each year with a variety of performances, school programs, and workshops, from their Northampton, MA base.

Massamba currently calls Columbus, Ohio home, but still travels frequently. He maintains regular involvement with several local and regional groups: a drum group Rhythm Café in Oakland; his own band Walo Walo, based in Portland, OR; and the world fusion group Surabhi Ensemble in Chicago.

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

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

Iba MaHr is a reggae singer known for his unique vibrato style and hit record "Diamond Sox". 

In fact, this true all-star band (all four members are Oregon Music Hall Of Fame inductees) has been a sensation going back to 1997, when they began a 20-year run on Thursday evenings at Portland’s legendary “Jimmy Mak’s” (The Oregonian dubbed them “Jimmy Mak’s signature group”).  They’ve continued their Thursday night tradition at the Jack London Revue for the past 6 years. With 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.  No wonder they've thrilled audiences wherever they've played.

Buster Williams has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, The Jazz Crusaders, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Lee Morgan, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, and Freddie Hubbard to name a few.

Lenny White is still best-known for being part of Chick Corea's Return To Forever in the 1970's. He largely started his career on top, playing regularly with Jackie McLean (1968) and recording "Bitches Brew" with Miles Davis in 1969. White was soon working with some of the who's who of jazz including Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Stanley Clarke and Stan Getz among others.

Pianist Noah Haidu has arrived as an important new voice in jazz who combines modernism, soul, and swing into his own unique approach. Recently the national media has focused on Noah as a force to be reckoned with: The Wall Street Journal singled out Haidu for a major write-up stating that “by now he has his own unique approach…sounding buoyant and and free like a pent up spirit released.”

Buster Williams has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, The Jazz Crusaders, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Lee Morgan, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, and Freddie Hubbard to name a few.

Lenny White is still best-known for being part of Chick Corea's Return To Forever in the 1970's. He largely started his career on top, playing regularly with Jackie McLean (1968) and recording "Bitches Brew" with Miles Davis in 1969. White was soon working with some of the who's who of jazz including Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Stanley Clarke and Stan Getz among others.

Pianist Noah Haidu has arrived as an important new voice in jazz who combines modernism, soul, and swing into his own unique approach. Recently the national media has focused on Noah as a force to be reckoned with: The Wall Street Journal singled out Haidu for a major write-up stating that “by now he has his own unique approach…sounding buoyant and and free like a pent up spirit released.”

Natsukasii Soul
Formed at the end of 2021, the quintet has played over 60 gigs in town and Portland. The band's repertoire includes vocal based jazz tunes and originals led by Autumn Rose whose voice is distinctively soulful and sultry. Trumpet player Frank Visconti adds melodic color over complex chord structures played by Vincent Panero on keys and guitar. Highly syncopated rhythms from Sam Hayward on drums and Greg McKelvey on electric and stand up bass weave the band's sound into a unique experience with deep roots in jazz. Their set lists cover tunes by Freddie Hubbard, Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Wayne Shorter, Oliver Nelson and Blondie. The band is working on an original studio album with Bespoke Recording Studios and continues to have a busy live performance schedule

Autumn Rose is from Eugene and has been singing all her life. She speaks Japanese and named the band after her favorite word, Natsukashii, which is the feeling you get when you sense something and it brings you back to happy thoughts of the past. She writes songs for the band as well as arranging our tunes.

Frank Visconti is from New York City and studied trumpet from 3rd grade with classical trumpet teacher Richard Brooks who was principal trumpet at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He later studied with legendary trumpet players Laurie Frink, Lew Soloff and Tony Glausi.

Vincent Panero is from Santa Cruz and performed in Japan for seven years. He also speaks Japanese. He plays keys, guitar and writes many of our original tunes.
Greg McKelvey is a classically trained bass player who also studied jazz. Greg's got the goods!

Sam Hayward is from Eugene and is one of the busiest drummers in town, frequently playing in Portland and Seattle with Soul Vibrator, Doink! and Molasses.

Born of the woods, rivers and waterfalls of Oregon, reggae-fusion group Sol Seed sports diverse vocal styles, an eclectic sonic playbook and ethereal world music influences. With a broad spectrum of musical tastes, Sol Seed flips between genre influences such as rock, soul and hip-hop over a solid reggae backbone. Committing themselves to tending a fellowship between performer and listener, the audience becomes a part of the music, creating a unique and unforgettable live experience, centered in the heart space.

Since their latest release, The Spark, Sol Seed has embarked on multiple cross-country tours, growing its fanbase from the roots up and sharing stages with the likes of Stephen Marley, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, Tribal Seeds, Groundation, The Black Seeds, Katchafire, The Green, Mike Love, The Expendables, Pepper, Fortunate Youth and many more. Sol Seed’s feel-good anthem, “Family Tree”, is one of Sugarshack Sessions top-viewed videos at over 8 Million views. New and old listeners alike can expect music that rallies and inspires from a career that has spanned over a decade and hails from the Pacific Northwest, where the trees grow tall and the roots dig deep. After a brief hiatus for family and life events, the band is back in the studio and excited to release new music and hit the road again.

Jerry Joseph is a musician who lives in Portland Oregon, but he’s often gone. He’s been inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame but is still rather obscure to a lot of people. He plays well over 150 shows a year in the usual places. Across America. Sometimes in Europe, Mexico, and Central America. Then there’s these other places he plays—Lebanon, Israel, Kurdish Iraq, India, and Afghanistan. All over the Middle East, often in war zones and refugee camps.

In addition to his touring, Jerry has set up a non-profit called Nomad Music Foundation that acts as a sort of School of Rock for displaced teenagers in areas of conflict. So far, he has taken guitars and taught lessons in camps in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Sulaymaniyah and Dahuk, both in Kurdish Iraq. These life-changing missions have been written up in Rolling Stone, Relix, and PBS News Hour.

Oh yeah, and he’s really fucking great. 

A triple threat—someone who works at the highest levels as a songwriter, singer, and player. Jason Isbell, who kinda personifies such, recently tweeted about triple threats and listed Jerry Joseph (along with Richard Thompson and St. Vincent) among the greatest examples of that phenomenon.

Most likely, if you know who Jerry is, you agree, but there’s also a big chance that you don’t. His talent, drive, work ethic, amazing body of work, and flat out badass-ness make him one of the most underrated and tragically overlooked artists alive today. He deserves better, and I’m hoping to help shine a light on who and what Jerry Joseph is and why you should listen to what he’s doing and saying.

First off, there’s the body of work. Jerry Joseph has been playing shows and making records since the 80s, first in a band called Little Women that at one point looked destined to be huge, but this is a crazy business and sometimes things just don’t go as planned. By the 90s Jerry was struggling with addiction while also creating the beginnings of a vast body of work as a solo artist and burning up the road backed by a mighty band called The Jackmormons. They built a considerable following in the great Northwest. Many of Jerry’s songs were recorded by the band Widespread Panic, and there are many people who know of Jerry through that connection. Later, after getting clean, Jerry toured and made some albums as part of Stockholm Syndrome, a sort of supergroup he formed with Panic bassist David Schools, who himself is an incredible musician. Much of Jerry’s following in the so-called jam band circles is through his affiliation with these bands.

Jerry, to me is a cult figure who could, in some alternate reality, have easily been one of the biggest stars in the world. One of the greatest live performers I have ever seen and long one of my favorite songwriters. I can’t hear the chorus of San Acacia without picturing Jerry singing it in front of 100,000 screaming fans, in a soccer stadium in Brazil. In the pouring rain. With everyone singing along.

Jerry Joseph is a musician who lives in Portland Oregon, but he’s often gone. He’s been inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame but is still rather obscure to a lot of people. He plays well over 150 shows a year in the usual places. Across America. Sometimes in Europe, Mexico, and Central America. Then there’s these other places he plays—Lebanon, Israel, Kurdish Iraq, India, and Afghanistan. All over the Middle East, often in war zones and refugee camps.

In addition to his touring, Jerry has set up a non-profit called Nomad Music Foundation that acts as a sort of School of Rock for displaced teenagers in areas of conflict. So far, he has taken guitars and taught lessons in camps in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Sulaymaniyah and Dahuk, both in Kurdish Iraq. These life-changing missions have been written up in Rolling Stone, Relix, and PBS News Hour.

A triple threat—someone who works at the highest levels as a songwriter, singer, and player. Jason Isbell, who kinda personifies such, recently tweeted about triple threats and listed Jerry Joseph (along with Richard Thompson and St. Vincent) among the greatest examples of that phenomenon.

Most likely, if you know who Jerry is, you agree, but there’s also a big chance that you don’t. His talent, drive, work ethic, amazing body of work, and flat out badass-ness make him one of the most underrated and tragically overlooked artists alive today. He deserves better, and I’m hoping to help shine a light on who and what Jerry Joseph is and why you should listen to what he’s doing and saying.

First off, there’s the body of work. Jerry Joseph has been playing shows and making records since the 80s, first in a band called Little Women that at one point looked destined to be huge, but this is a crazy business and sometimes things just don’t go as planned. By the 90s Jerry was struggling with addiction while also creating the beginnings of a vast body of work as a solo artist and burning up the road backed by a mighty band called The Jackmormons. They built a considerable following in the great Northwest. Many of Jerry’s songs were recorded by the band Widespread Panic, and there are many people who know of Jerry through that connection. Later, after getting clean, Jerry toured and made some albums as part of Stockholm Syndrome, a sort of supergroup he formed with Panic bassist David Schools, who himself is an incredible musician. Much of Jerry’s following in the so-called jam band circles is through his affiliation with these bands.

Jerry, to me is a cult figure who could, in some alternate reality, have easily been one of the biggest stars in the world. One of the greatest live performers I have ever seen and long one of my favorite songwriters. I can’t hear the chorus of San Acacia without picturing Jerry singing it in front of 100,000 screaming fans, in a soccer stadium in Brazil. In the pouring rain. With everyone singing along.

Award-winning San Francisco Bay-area blues band Rick Estrin and The Nightcats have five exciting albums on Alligator Records. Their 2019 release Alligator ‘Contemporary’ highlights Estrin's harmonica virtuosity and sly soulful vocals, Christoffer Kid Andersen's wildly inventive guitar, Lorenzo Farrell's masterful keyboards and Derrick “D’Mar” Martin's funky, creative drumming, and sees the band take Estrin’s ingenious, original songs to new and unexpected places. With these musically fearless players kicking everything up a notch, Contemporary explores some different sounds, instrumentation and grooves from their previous releases, as they continue to reinvent traditional blues styles.  

"Hugely entertaining, intelligently conceived and executed roots rock with a wickedly cool and otherworldly twist on tradition. Estrin’s harp work is masterful." – Living Blues

"Rick Estrin sings and writes songs like the brightest wiseguy in all bluesland and blows harmonica as if he learned at the knee of Little Walter." - DownBeat

"Fabulous, remarkable original material” - Billboard