Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble debuts four new pieces at its Winter Concert Saturday, December 21st at Secret Society Ballroom with Kerry Politzer Quintet
Wassily Kandinsky’s Composition VIII
Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble
new works by James Miley, Ryan Meagher, Thomas Barber, and Lars Campbell
with Kerry Politzer Quintet
featuring Tom Barber, David Valdez, George Colligan, and Essiet Essiet
Saturday, December 21st
Secret Society Ballroom
116 NE Russel St.
$10 advance / $12 door
9pm, 21+
The Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble announces its sixth season with twelve world premieres of original works for large ensemble.
The season begins with the debut of four new pieces based on paintings by abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky, which will be displayed during the ensemble’s performance. Pianist James Miley and guitarist Ryan Meagher are writing for the PJCE for the first time, and returning composers Lars Campbell (trombone) and Thomas Barber (trumpet) are also composing for this concert. This will be the PJCE’s first concert under the musical direction of board member Charles Grey. The PJCE’s current lineup features a core sextet augmented by six extra horns, in a “concerto for jazz sextet” style which reflects the non profit’s mission to provide a platform for what is essentially modern chamber music blended with various jazz elements.
Also at this concert, the PJCE will open the evening with a different band for the first time ever. Pianist Kerry Politzer recently moved to Portland from New York, and has recorded an album of original music which will be released on PJCE Records in the coming months. She will be joined at Secret Society by Tom Barber (trumpet), David Valdez (saxophone), Essiet Essiet (bass), and George Colligan (drums), and will be presenting material from her forthcoming album.
The season’s remaining two concerts will also be held at Secret Society. Next on February 21st, the very physical Bonneville Dam takes the stage in musical form. The season closes on May 3rd with musical interpretations of the out-of-this-world Sun Ra. In addition to commissioning and performing new works for large ensemble, the PJCE provides infrastructure for PJCE Records, an independent grassroots record label focusing on the wide array of original music being produced here in the Pacific Northwest. Audio, video, and much more online at pjce.org and pjcerecords.org.
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