“The Sound of Our City” featuring John Gross on Tenor Saxophone

With new music by James Miley, John Nastos, and Jessika Smith
Also featuring music by Ryan Meagher and Dan Duval

Thursday, February 26th, 7 pm
The Old Church, Portland, OR

Metropolitan Youth Symphony Jazz I – 7:00 pm – 7:30 pm MYS is a non-profit organization that provides high-quality musical training to a diverse background of young musicians. MYS jazz bands play in competitions and festivals and at clubs around Portland, in addition to appearing on the MYS concert series. Many members of the ensembles go on to prestigious music schools and professional careers in the music field after they leave MYS. The MYS Jazz Program also offers small jazz combos to students, as well as a Jazz Improvisation class. Video Link:http://youtu.be/JB2LrInPbBI PJCE Records All-Stars – 7:45 pm – 8:30 pm PJCE Records is a grassroots record label that documents a wide variety of original music being created by Portland, Oregon area jazz composers and improvisers. PJCE Records is operated by the Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble. Kerry Politzer (piano), Blake Lyman (tenor sax), Ryan Meagher (guitar), and Ken Ollis (drums) all have tremendous records under their own direction on the label. Thomas Barber (trumpet) and Jon Shaw (bass) have played important musical roles on more than one release on PJCE Records. Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble featuring John Gross – 8:45 pm – 9:50 pm The mission of the Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble is to operate a 12-piece ensemble that commissions and performs original works by members of the ensemble and by other jazz composers in the Portland music community. The PJCE acts as a forum for the development and presentation of new works by established and emerging composers, and to engage and enrich community awareness and appreciation for contemporary music. John Gross is a saxophone legend entrenched in the Portland jazz scene for many years. To the PJCE he represents both where jazz in Portland has come from, and where it is headed. Video link: –http://youtu.be/NnaiuxUHKIg – this composition was written by James Miley who is writing another piece for the PJCE for the February concert. Here is one by Douglas Detrick – http://vimeo.com/101271465