MUSIC
BY BRETT CAMPBELL
POLYRHYTHMICS
BIG BANDS
Ensembles perform everything from international fusion to
George Gershwin
E
very artist wants to build a brand these days, so it takes some courage to change your
name after building up a reputation and a fan base. But that’s what Jasnam Daya
Singh — previously Weber Iago, and before that called Weber Drummond — has
done.
The Brazil-born, Vancouver, Washington-based pianist and composer has per-
formed and recorded around the world with jazz greats such as Oregon’s Paul McCandless
and L.A. flutist James Newton. Since gaining his new name along with his new religion
(Sikh), he’s maintained his fusion of jazz, classical and Brazilian music. On Aug. 16 at
Roaring Rapids Pizza, he debuts a new composition performed by top Portland jazz artists
in the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble.
Another relatively large band that incorporates jazz and other influences, Seattle’s
Polyrhythmics, opens for the eclipse Aug. 21 at Silverton’s gorgeous Oregon Garden.
The nine-member ensemble (including trum-
JOSEPH ALESSI
pet, trombone, three percussionists, guitars,
bass, sax/flute, keyboard) cooks up irresistible
horn-fueled polyrhythmic funk over cyclical
grooves, heavily influenced by Fela Kuti’s
Afrobeat, other times more reminiscent of
Meters-style New Orleans funk, and always
danceable.
A very different horn-driven experience
happens at the University of Oregon, which is
hosting famous classical trombonist Joseph
Alessi for educational purposes all week. His
residency culminates in several concerts fea-
turing him with workshop participants, with
the big final trombone choir concert Aug. 12 at the UO’s Beall Concert Hall.
Actually, you’ll find a trombone or three in all the shows listed here, including on stage
at The Shedd’s annual Oregon Festival of American Music, which wraps up this week-
end with reprises of some of the shows we told you about in last month’s preview. This
Thursday’s (Aug. 10) Star Dust big band concert features Jesse Cloninger and the Emerald
City Jazz Kings performing classic 1920s-’40s American songs, some from films or mu-
sicals that are now less well known than the songs they spawned. The program includes
Hoagy Carmichael’s “Star Dust,” “Skylark” and “Georgia on My Mind,” as well as Duke
Ellington hits and more.
Friday’s (Aug. 11) matinee with big band and vocal quartet stars the lyrics of Ira Ger-
shwin and music by some of last century’s greatest songwriters such as Harold Arlen, Kurt
Weill, Vernon Duke and, of course, Ira’s brother George. Friday evening’s show features
one of Ira’s only rivals for the title of greatest 20th century lyricist, Lorenz Hart, and music
by his great partner Richard Rodgers and others, from “Blue Moon” to “The Lady Is A
Tramp” and so many more hits and rarities.
Saturday’s (Aug. 12) matinee concert, sporting a smaller combo (including two horns)
backing a vocal quartet of Shedd stars spotlights Arlen’s immortal music: “Blues in the
Night,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “The Man That Got Away,” “Stormy Weather” and
many more, including “Over the Rainbow.” Saturday night’s closing concert is basically
an American Songbook greatest hits show, with a jazz septet and vocal quintet reprising
some classics from the earlier shows and others, like “Body and Soul,” Casablanca’s “As
Time Goes By,” Cole Porter’s “Night and Day,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” and a dozen
more.
And don’t forget the festival’s flurry of free lectures and films, all happening at The
Shedd all week. ■
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eugeneweekly.com • A ugust 10, 2017
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