May 9, 2018
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Page 9
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
N Touch
Reunion
Saxophonist
brings back
original players
by D anny p eterson
t he p ortlanD o bserver
After 17 years apart, the original mem-
bers of a popular band that started in north
Portland, N Touch, will reunite for a one
night only performance at the Alberta Rose
Theatre in northeast Portland Friday.
The jazz group, led by saxophonist El-
don “T” Jones, was comprised of mostly
Jefferson High School alumni from its hey-
day when the school was a thriving arts and
culture hub. Jones, who grew up listening
to his mom sing and play piano, also stud-
ied music at Mt Hood Community College.
Pianist Patrick Cooper, keyboardist
Chris Turner, and Jones’ brother percus-
sionist Anthony Jones were some of the
first people Jones started to jam with. Later
they would become some of the inaugural
members of N Touch.
Jones and Cooper were both musicians
at a local church when they hatched the
idea to start a band. They turned their
neighborhood jam sessions into rehearsals,
along with guitarist David Allen, percus-
sionist Darius Fentress, and bassist Dono-
van Fairly.
Jones, 49, fondly remembered jamming
sessions he held in his family home in the
Boise neighborhood of a pre-gentrified
north Portland with friends.
“We were able to get together all within
like walking distance from each other. We
were part of a community and the music
kind of reflects that same sound,” Jones
told the Portland Observer. “For us to get
back together, the original group, after all
these years, is going to be quite a celebra-
tion,” he added.
Culturally infusing different styles from
jazz to gospel to popular R&B and funk, the
band went from playing small gigs at Fri-
day’s Café in Kenton in the mid-90s to play-
ing festivals and opening for big name acts
like Tower of Power and Earth, Wind, & Fire
under the management of George Brown.
They released their self titled CD in 2001.
As the years wore on N Touch contin-
ued as a band, and is still active today, but
with differing members as the original mu-
Jazz saxophonist Eldon “T” Jones will reunite with the original members of N Touch, a band formed mostly from Jefferson High
School alumni in the 1990s, for a one-night-only reunion show Friday, May 11 at the Alberta Rose Theatre.
sicians enjoyed career successes.
ting our teeth, honing our skills,” Jones Tribute, an event he performs regularly for.
Turner played with the late pop su- said.
The N Touch Reunion Show will be Fri-
perstar Prince in his later years, Fentress
Jones, too, has enjoyed success since day at 8pm, doors open at 7 p.m., at the Al-
toured with gospel singer Fred Hammond, those first jam sessions over 20 years ago. berta Rose Theatre , 3000 N.E. Alberta St.
Anthony Jones played in billboard topping He’s worked with the Blazers and Nike for Opening acts include singer Ronnie Wright
records as well as played with renowned events, performed with the Grammy nom- and bay area saxophonist Kevin Moore.
Portland based jazz ensemble Pink Marti- inated artist Najee, and done music for the
Tickets are available $19 in advance,
ni, and Cooper worked with a number of comedian Sindad, who is his friend, among $23 at the door, and $30 VIP an online
artists including pianist Bobbby Lyle.
many other artists.
through Alberta Rose Theatre and over the
“Most of the guys from just starting in
In January 2017 Jones was honored with phone at 503-764-4131. Find the N Touch
the band has been able to achieve a great a lifetime achievement award for commu- Reunion Show event on Facebook for more
amount of success in the music industry. nity service from the World Arts Founda- information. Their self-title CD, N Touch,
But we kind of all started from here, cut- tion at the 32nd Annual Martin Luther King is available at cdbaby.com.