Join PJCE at Wilf’s for Happy-Hour Jazz on Thursday nights
Engaging! Entertaining! Uplifting!
Each week features a PJCE Records artist for two early evening sets highlighting a mix of orginal music and well known standards.
Wilf’s lively lounge is known for fresh, local ingredients, extraordinary service, and modern takes on classic cocktails.The high copper-colored ceilings, bronze chandeliers, and cozy red wingback chairs provide guests with an intimate escape from the world. Pre-purchase your tickets and meet us under the clock tower at Union Station for a fun happy hour hang. *Your ticket purchase ensures a reservation at Wilf’s.
Thursday, May 8th
Randy Porter/Tim Willcox Trio
5:00-7:00 PM
$15 cover + $15 food/drink minimum
*PJCE Sustainers receive one half-price ticket and 40% off every ticket after that
Become a PJCE Sustainer today!
Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Randy Porter has a refined understanding of improvisation and the spontaneous communication between musicians. As a Steinway Artist, Randy Porter draws from a rich palette of sonorities found within his imagination and the depths of the piano. Lynn Darroch of The Oregonian states, “Porter has built a reputation as a musician’s musician, a knowledgeable, inventive, and sophisticated player with a remarkable sense of time and gorgeous keyboard facility…”
Randy Porter has performed with many jazz greats, including Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, and Benny Golson. He has also performed with the Charles McPherson Quartet throughout the US and in France, Italy, Greece, and China. The Charles McPherson Quartet has re-created the music from the classic recording Charlie Parker with Strings, performing with many orchestras nationwide. Porter has also toured with Diane Schuur and Bobby Caldwell, conducting the Jazz Orchestra for their “Sing in Swing” tour.
Saxophonist, Tim Willcox, was born in Eugene, OR. Taking up saxophone at the age of eleven, Tim quickly fell in love with jazz music. He was exposed to great jazz recordings by two very inspirational teachers, Carl Woideck and Joe ingram. Throughout high school, Willcox earned several national honors, winning A Downbeat Magazine award as well a being named a Presidential Scholar of the Arts in 1993. This honor was bestowed upon Tim at the White House by president Bill Clinton. Willcox was also the recepient of the Stan Getz / Clifford Brown fellowship, presented by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Moving to New Jersey in 1994 to attend internationally acclaimed William Paterson University, Willcox got the chance to study with jazz greats Kenny Burrell, Harold Mabern, Vic Juris, Rufus Reid, Steve Wilson, John Riley, as well as taking lessons outside of school from Rick Margitza, Lee Konitz, and the NY Phil’s David Demsey. After graduating in 1998, Willcox moved to New York City where he played with Marc Copland, Jeff Hirschfield, Vic Juris, Reid Anderson, Ben Monder, Matt Pennman, Scott Mclemore, John Herbert, Michael Kanan, and many other acclaimed musicians.
Since moving to Portland in 2002, Willcox has performed with David Friesen, Randy Porter, Alan Jones, Bobby Torres, George Mitchell, Gary Hobbs, Gary Versace, John Gross, PDXV, and Victor Noriega. Tim has recorded with Gino Vannelli, Randy Porter, Art Hirihara, Ingrid Jensen, Peter Erskine, Larry Grenadier, Marcus Reynolds + Farnell Newton, Bill Athens, Darek Oles, Chris Mosley, and a slew of others.
Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create original jazz music that engages and supports our community’s diverse artists, cultures and place. In operation since 2008, PJCE is the only organization dedicated to commissioning and performing original music by Portland musicians, building a broad audience through unique, collaborative and community-oriented programming that builds bridges between communities in this vibrant city.
