I recently accepted a dream job in Portland, an engagement necessitating an expansion of the geographical focus of Plastic Sax. My first serious investigation of the town’s jazz scene consisted of spending $43 for a one-day pass at the three-day Montavilla Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 5.
During the seven hours I spent in the Montavilla neighborhood I heard a pleasing array of sounds. I was compelled to leave before the more popular acts performed at the biggest and most prestigious stages, but I was amid about 200 revelers and dozens of festival staff and volunteers during my abbreviated time at the event.
Portland seems capable of holding its own with Kansas City as a jazz town. Its large-scale jazz festivals and constant influx of appearances by touring jazz acts certainly put Kansas City to shame. Excluding the student bands I caught in cafés and breweries, a summary of what I heard follows in order of my personal preference.
The Collective: Curated by Dae Bryant
An emcee introduced a set by Dae Bryant’s The Collective by suggesting the ensemble would pay tribute to Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. Instead, I detected the influence of new-school improvisers like Flying Lotus, Vijay Iyer and Tyshawn Sorey. The electro-acoustic attack, spoken word proclamations and Darrell Grant’s extended gospel riffs were precisely my thing.
Four for King: The Life, Spirit, and Music of Nancy King
Longtime readers of Plastic Sax know I’m allergic to vocalese and scat. I chose to catch Sherry Alves’ homage to the late Portland vocalist Nancy King on a hunch that it just might be something special. The bet paid off. Bolstered by former King accompanists Randy Porter and Todd Strait, Alves’ passionate advocacy of a neglected artist won me over.
Wen’ipt
It’s my understanding that Oregon, much like Oklahoma, has a large Indigenous population. Orion White, the bandleader and baritone saxophonist of Wen'ipt, gave voice to his people’s struggles and hopes in a ferocious outing. Although the band played a couple Jim Pepper covers, Wen’ipt’s unique sound is entirely fresh.
W4RP Trio
W4rp Trio, the only band I heard that isn’t based in the Pacific Northwest, played a hybrid style reminiscent of Yo-Yo Ma’s collaborations with progressive bluegrass musicians such as Béla Fleck and Chris Thile. A selection fusing compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and Craig Taborn exemplified W4rp Trio’s approach.
Shelly Rudolph’s Orfea Rising: A Jazz Myth Suite
Greek mythology! Aerialists! The premiere of Shelly Rudolph’s ambitious new song cycle Orfea Rising was an impressive spectacle.