Don't Miss Dmitri Matheny & Friends!

The quartet will include Dmitri Matheny on flugelhorn, Ben Fajen on tenor saxophone, Steve Christopherson on piano and Eric Gruber on bass!

Dmitri Matheny - Flugelhorn

“Dmitri Matheny is a jazz treasure. The lyrical Matheny has impressive chops, but it’s his warmth and soulfulness that win you over.”—All Music Guide

Acclaimed for his warm tone, soaring lyricism and masterful technique, American flugelhornist DMITRI MATHENY has been lauded as “one of the most emotionally expressive improvisers of his generation” (International Review of Music). An honors graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Dmitri Matheny vaulted onto the jazz scene in the 1990s as the protégé of jazz legend Art Farmer. Since then he has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal international following, touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, traveling to 19 countries. With over 100 recordings to his credit, Dmitri Matheny has released 11 albums as a leader. His latest is Jazz Noir, a fresh spin on crime jazz, film noir movie themes and timeless classics. The San Francisco Chronicle calls Matheny “one of the jazz world’s most talented horn players.”

Ben Fajen - Tenor Sax
Ben has played jazz his entire life, counting among his inspirations Joe Henderson, Dayna Stephens, Joshua Redman, Dexter Gordon, John Coletrane, and many others. Locally, Ben has enjoyed playing with many of the great Portland jazz artists. Although Ben is new on the Portland jazz scene, he has already made a big impact, most notably through the LooseWig house concert series he started in the Mt Tabor area of Portland and through his LooseWig Jazz Sextet, which was featured in the 2017 PDX Jazz Festival.

Steve Christofferson - Piano
He's been described as "one of the Northwest's most inventive pianists," (Willamette Week) with "a deft, lyrical touch and fevered imagination." (Victoria Times-Colonist) His trio is "focused, a very cohesive group capable of exploring standards and lesser-known jazz pieces with a soul and drive that hearkens all the way back to Monk, Garner and Bud Powell." (Cadence Magazine) His originals are "among the best compositions you'll hear on the local scene," (Dan DePrez) and David Frishberg says "Steve gets a great sound and plays with real authority and impeccable taste; he's one of my favorite piano players."

Eric Gruber - Bass
Eric is highly sought after among Portland jazz professionals and has also gaining national recognition. He is often seen performing with various notable Northwest musicians including Darrell Grant, Devin Phillips, Marilyn Keller and Dmitri Matheny; as well as playing frequently throughout Oregon and Washington with Skybound Blue. He is frequently recognized for his harmonically innovative solos, driving rhythms, and superb sense of time.

Tyson Stubelek - Drums
Portland native, Tyson Stubelek has toured internationally across Canada, the UK, throughout the United States, and has played and performed with numerous prominent musicians including: Danilo Perez, Esperanza Spaulding, Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Ingrid Jensen, Jerry Bergonzi, Billy Hart, Bob Moses, Joe Locke, Dave Douglas, Clarence Penn, Tony Malaby, Ben Street, Adam Benjamin, Joshua Redman, George Colligan, and Darrell Grant. In 2013, Tyson returned home to Portland where he performs and teaches regularly. He remains entirely dedicated to learning new things, bettering himself as a person and musician, and passing on positivity through music community.

Video from Dmitri Matheny's Recent Release