March 2026 Check-In's

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Dinner, Free Member Wine Flights and Live Music At
Maryhill Winery, Vancouver Waterfront, Washington
Monday, March 2, 2026



We just made it in under the wire. There was a sign on the door saying they were closing at 5PM today and the last request for a wine flight would be 4:15PM. It was already 4:20PM when we arrived, but the manager (owner?) said it was close enough that we could order our 2 flights as well as order some food. Evidently too many of the staff were out sick with whatever was going around and they didn't have enough staff to stay open later.

Open Mic Tuesday At
Slim's Cocktail Bar & Restaurant
Tuesday, March 3, 2026



A great dive bar only about 10 miles from our Vancouver home! They have a pretty extensive menu of good food for a dive bar, not all fried. They have a good selection of beer on tap, a limited selection of wine by the glass or the bottle, but a very extensive stock of spirits. They also have a billiards table. They have been serving the St. John's section of Portland since 1911!

2026 Biamp Portland Jazz Festival
Opening Night VIP Reception At
The Loft at Hotel Vance, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, March 5, 2026 5:30PM - 6:30PM


Late show with
David K Mathews and The George Colligan Trio At
The 1905 Jazz Club, Portland, Oregon
Friday, March 6, 2026, 10:15 PM

David K Mathews - piano; George Colligan - drums; Patrick Golichnik - bass

"Home grown Dave Mathews, he can play everything" - Etta James. David K Mathews is a brilliant pianist, keyboard and organist who has been touring internationally for decades with many famous artists most notably great Carlos Santana. Don't miss this special late night set featuring up-and-coming basis Robert Rodriguez and Drummer George Colligan for an incredible set of jazz piano trio music. "And we have David K. Mathews on keyboards, who was with Tower Of Power and Etta James before us. He's become imperative to the band because he's got knowledge of everything from Otis Spann and McCoy Tyner to Randy Weston and Eddie Palmieri" - Carlos Santana.



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Bottle Release Party At
Quartz Mountain Distillers, Vancouver, Washington
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 12PM - 6PM

Big news. Very big. Barrel-aged BIG. We're throwing a Bottle Release Party on Saturday, March 7th, 2026, and you're invited because (1) you have excellent taste and (2) we trust you around nice things. This celebration is for our Syrah Finished Rye Whiskey, a limited-release beauty that started life right here in Vancouver, WA, then finished in Syrah wine barrels from Pomeroy Cellars of Yacolt, WA. Think rye spice meets dark fruit, wrapped up in a smooth finish that may cause spontaneous smiling and the purchase of multiple bottles.

This is a very limited release, which means bottles will not wait patiently for you to "think about it." They will leave. Quickly. Probably with your neighbor. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and come hang out with us. Worst case scenario? You drink great whiskey. Best case? You leave with bottles and bragging rights. We'll have the glasses ready.

All 5 of the whiskey tastings were very good and we ended up purchasing a bottle of the Syrah Finished Rye Whiskey that was featured, but also purchased a bottle of the Bottled-In-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel Release (Batch No. 1 Bottle No. 126 of 250) that was also featured but not mentioned in the promotion of today's bottle release party.

Vancouver Station
The Biggest Food Cart Pod In The Country
Saturday, March 7, 2026

They are currently doing a soft opening with less than a dozen food carts so far. They have space for 43 food carts. Hopefully they will get enough food carts to sign up to make this venture a success.

Dinner & Jazz by The Big Easy Band At
Conway's House Of Jazz, Clackamas, Oregon
Tuesday, March 10, 2026



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Fenix Rising (Sax) Blues Band At
The Blue Diamond, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, March 12, 2026




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Mystic Mama Band
Celebrating An Early St. Patrick's Day At
Cascade Bar & Grill, Vancouver, Washington
Friday, March 13, 2026, 8PM-12AM






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Mystic Mama Band is back at The Cascade Bar & Grill. Irish Shenanigans begin! Hoppin R&B 50s,60s,70s,80, & 90s with the Mystic Mama Band powerhouse singer Jenny Moriarty, the Award winning Silky on guitar the talented singer Danny Barnett on keys plus that Incredible sax player Eric Rabe, groovy bass player Greg Damico and funk man on drums, Stephen Weinstein. $5 cover, Yummy food, great dance floor and drinks!

Women In Jazz: Alden Hellmuth Quartet
The 1905 Jazz Club, Portland, Oregon
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 8:30 PM

Alden Hellmuth is a saxophonist, improviser, and composer "out of the ordinary" (In & Out Jazz) and currently based in New York. Originally from Hartford, Connecticut, she grew up surrounded by the legacy of the great saxophonist Jackie McLean and received her bachelor's degree from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. In 2025 she received her master's degree from the Herbie Hancock Institute at UCLA, where she was mentored by artistic director Ambrose Akinmusire and Herbie Hancock. Grounded by her foundations in tradition and drawn to a wide spectrum of experimental musical practices, Alden is deeply inspired by art that moves with emotion and lives within dissonance. As a composer and improviser, Alden strives for authentic expression through freedom, intuition, and a deep dedication to her craft. Her debut album, "Good Intentions," released in September 2024 under the Fresh Sound New Talent label, won "Debut Album of the Year International" (Deutscher Jazz Preis) and garnered international acclaim, with Steve Smith of For The Record describing it as "a vital debut," and Culture Jazz praising it as "...full of character, great imagination, and vibrant energy." She recently recorded her sophomore album with Justin Brown, Logan Kane, and Miller Wrenn, featuring Paul Cornish and Yakiv Tsvietinskyi.

Alden has been awarded a number of opportunities including Chamber Music America's Performance Plus grant (2025), ASCAP's Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award (2024), New Music USA Next Jazz Legacy Semi-Finalist (2022), The Focusyear Fellowship (2021-22), and since 2016 has participated in numerous programs committed to the support and empowerment of female artists, including the Women In Jazz Organization and the Dorothy Goodwin Fund. She has performed at venues and festivals across the globe including The Hollywood Bowl (LA), Blue Note Jazz Festival (LA), International Jazz Day (Morocco & Abu Dhabi), Stanford Jazz Festival (CA), the Jazz Aux Ecuries Festival (FR), the Hartford Jazz Festival (CT), Ottawa Jazz Festival (CA), Rochester Jazz Festival (NY), The Jazz Gallery (NYC), Smalls (NYC), Smoke Jazz & Supper Club (NYC), Bird's Eye (CH), Jamboree (ES), The Loft (DE), Porgy & Bess (AU), and many more.

Alden has performed and/or recorded widely across genres with artists including Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Adi Meyerson, Josh Evans, Lex Korten, Kahiem Rivera, Moses Sumney, and in 2023 released two electronic tracks (sophia x maxine). She has also arranged pieces for Moses Sumney, Brandee Younger, and other artists



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We had the Garrett Baxter Special Pizza this evening as we've had it before and liked it, but it seemed spicier this evening than last time. In the future, I think we'll mostly stay with plain cheese pizza. Garret Baxter was the bass player this evening and we always enjoy not just listening to him play, but also watching him play the bass. Play the above videos and maybe you will see what I mean.

YOU'RE INVITED
PX Sherry Cask Release Party!
Westward Whiskey, 65 SE Washington St, Portland, Oregon
Sunday, March 15, 2026, 4-5pm

Celebrate the debut of Westward Whiskey PX Sherry Cask with an evening of music, tasting, and community. Enjoy the new release alongside a signature PX cocktail, live music from Lane Norberg, Spanish-inspired bites, and a rare library tasting experience available only to club members.



Women In Jazz: Rivkah Ross - A Roy Haynes Tribute
The 1905 Jazz Club, Portland, Oregon
Shelli Tucker, Barbara & Me
Sunday, March 15, 2026, 7:30 PM

Rivkah Ross - Drums, Brian Myers - Saxophone, Patrick Carr - Piano, Matt Sazima - Vibraphone, Jack Radsliff - Guitar, Kaytlin Hansen - Bass

Roy Haynes passed away in November of 2024, and March 13, 2026 would have been his 100th birthday. For this special show in honor of Roy Haynes, Rivkah and her group will cover some beloved Roy Haynes tunes, as well as her original music which was inspired by him and his style.

Rivkah Ross is a female jazz drummer-composer-bandleader born and based in Portland, Oregon. She has carved her own trail with the initial release of her debut album, Dare to Hope, on Portland-based PJCE Records. This bold offering gives a glimpse into a world that's both deeply personal and informed by the language of jazz giants like Roy Haynes, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and Steve Swallow.

Rivkah has been playing drums on the East and West Coasts for the past two decades and got her Bachelor of Music at Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. Highlights of her career as a drummer so far include performing in Europe and opening up for Dick Dale, the B-52s, The New Mastersounds, LMFAO, and Lady Gaga, and performing on stage with Stevie Wonder.






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Celebrating St. Patrick's Day At
Dublin Pub, Portland, Oregon
Shelli Tucker, Barbara & Me
Tuesday, March 17, 2026


Barbara getting ready to go out for St. Patrick's Day


The Dublin Pub removed "Taco Tuesday" from their calendar for St. Patrick's Day, but they did not replace it with anything and they didn't do any promotion of what they were doing for St. Patrick's Day on their website or social media. We had to call them to find out they were doing anything. They said they were having live music, special drinks and a special menu for the day and would be open until at least midnight. It wasn't until we arrived at 8 PM before we found out that all their live Irish music ended at 8 PM. They were also out of ALL the Irish food on their menu, out of Guiness Beer, and out of our "Irish Car Bomb" favorite St. Patrick's Day drink. We'll know to come earlier next time. At 9 PM the live Irish music was replaced with a DJ playing hip hop and rap that was totally unrelated to Irish music. Thus, we decided to leave and see if we could find somewhere else that was still celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Irish food and drinks, if not music.

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day At
Shanahan's Pub & Grill, Vancouver, Washington
Shelli Tucker, Barbara & Me
Tuesday, March 17, 2026


Shanahan's was still serving Irish food and Irish drinks when we arrived, and still had plenty of Irish beer on tap including Guiness. They were more crowded than we've ever seen it. It was so crowded that we had to sit at a table on their outdoor patio. There were a lot of people out on the patio. Fortunately it wasn't too cool so we were comfortable outside in our coats. The only thing they were missing, which was why we didn't plan to come here in the first place, was Irish music. Shanahan's is in Downtown Vancouver and much closer to our homes whereas the Dublin Pub is way out in the Portland suburbs more than 20 miles from our homes and requires a drive not just on highways, but also a long drive on a dark windy road through a forested area.

Dinner, Free Member Wine Flights and Live Music At
Maryhill Winery, Vancouver Waterfront, Washington
Wednesday, March 18, 2026



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Stump City Soul At
The Blue Diamond, Portland, Oregon
Saturday, March 22, 2026


In the above photo on the right, do you see the half-wall on the left and the poll in the middle of the room? When we first started going to The Blue Diamond in 2011, 15 years ago, that half wall extended all the way to the poll. That divided the room in half with one half being the bar and one half being the restaurant. With the wall blocking the view, only a few seats in the bar area could see the stage. There also used to be a number of gambling machines against the wall in the bar that are gone now. The restaurant used to have many bar stools facing the wall or the windows rather than toward the music stage.

Tearing down most of the half wall has given everyone in the bar a view of the stage and taking out the gambling machines has allowed for more seating in the bar. They also rearranged the seating in the restaurant area so that the music stage can now be seen from almost every seat without having to turn around. Clyde's Prime Rib could take a lesson from the changes that The Blue Diamond made as Clyde's still has problems with walls and layout that prevents all but a few seats from having a view of the music stage.


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MAE. SUN
The 1905 Jazz Club, Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 8:30 PM





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In the luminous world of MAE.SUN (aka Hailey Niswanger), music is a sacred collaboration with the divine. Through saxophones, clarinets, flutes, piano, and vocals, she orchestrates sonic landscapes rooted in love, awareness, and healing. After studying jazz at the prestigious Berklee College of Music on full scholarship, she began traveling the world as a professional musician, inspired by a multitude of sounds and teachings. Awakened through Thich Nhat Hanh in 2016, Hailey found a deeper meditation within her music and emerged with a new artist name and sound -- MAE.SUN --releasing three albums: Vol. 1: Inter-be (2017), Vol. 2: Into the Flow (2019), and Vol. 3: Reverence (2024).

Originally from Portland, Oregon, MAE.SUN first began making waves in the jazz community as Hailey Niswanger when she won the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz International Saxophone Competition before graduating high school. Her Billboard-charting debut album Confeddie (2009), garnered praise from jazz critics, including Nat Hentoff of The Wall Street Journal, and was listed among NPR''s top jazz albums of the year. While living in New York City, she released her second and third albums, The Keeper (2012) and PDX Soul (2015), all while touring with Esperanza Spalding's Radio Music Society.

MAE.SUN has continued to collaborate widely across the music world. Her flute can be heard on the Grammy-winning "Black Parade" by Beyonce and on Terri Lyne Carrington's The Mosaic Project. She has been a frequent collaborator with Medasin, and their viral song "Magic" has accrued nearly 70 million streams across music platforms. In 2021, her musical partnership with Mia Garcia brought forth the band OHMA, whose debut album Between All Things (2022) led them to open for FKJ on a North American tour. The duo released their second album, On Loving Earth (2024), and has performed internationally in Japan, Europe, and Mexico, as well as at the Hollywood Bowl with Incubus and on their album Morning View XXIII.

Her collaborations span many genres. She has appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk with Karol G; on Saturday Night Live with Demi Lovato; and on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with David Letterman with Sleigh Bells. She has toured internationally with Clairo and performed with Kenny Barron, Harvey Mason, Vulfmon, The Wolff & Clark Expedition (a collaboration between drummer Mike Clark and pianist Michael Wolff), Kinga Glyk, Ben Williams, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Anna Wise, Louis Futon, and more. For the past 12 years, she has been recognized as a Rising Star in the DownBeat Critics Poll and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NPR, JazzTimes, Jazziz, and DownBeat Magazine. MAE.SUN has also performed at numerous venues and festivals across the United States, including New York's Blue Note, National Sawdust, BRIC, Winter Jazz Fest, San Jose Jazz Summerfest, and on WBGO's The Checkout.

When not on the road or in the studio, one can usually find MAE.SUN immersed in nature with a wooden flute in hand. Her sound is a call to remember the interconnectedness of all things, sharing the depth and beauty of life through music.

Bobby Torres Ensemble At
The 1905 Jazz Club, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 8:30 PM



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Noah Simpson:trumpet; Robert Rodriguez:bass; Israel Annoh:drums; Renato Caranto:sax; John Moak:trombone; Clay Giberson:keys; Bobby Torres:percussion

From New York City, to Woodstock with Joe Cocker, through ten years of touring with Tom Jones, to forming his own Latin jazz group in Portland, Bobby Torres has been on the music scene for over 40 years. Besides performing as a percussionist, Bobby is a record producer, songwriter, percussion instructor, session musician and band leader. On April 30, 2016, Bobby was given the Jazz Journalist's Association Jazz Hero Award. This award is given to advocates, altruists, activists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact in their local communities. On September 11, 2015, Bobby performed with the Tadeschi Trucks band to a crowd of over 25,000 people at the Lockin' Festival in Virginia. This concert was a tribute to Joe Cocker and featured many of the original members of Mad Dogs & Englishmen. See the full Tribute to Joe Cocker at this link. On August 24, 2009, Time Magazine published "Woodstock, How Does it Sound 40 Years Later?" an article which included a photo of Bobby in performance on stage with Joe Cocker at Woodstock along with the Mad Dogs & Englishmen. On May 4th of 2009, Bobby performed for Archbishop Desmond Tutu before his adoring crowd of over 4,800 people. And, later that same year, Bobby was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. The formal ceremony, which included fellow inductees Terry Robb, Dan Balmer and others, was October 17, 2009 at the Roseland Theater. A versatile musician, Bobby was nominated for "Outstanding Percussionist" - a Muddy Waters Award - as a result of his work performing with Le Bon, Craig Caruthers, The Dan Reed Network, Curtis Salgado, Lloyd Jones and Linda Hornbuckle - all local R&B and Blues Musicians who developed national and international reputations of their own.

Farnell Newton and The Soul of Jazz At
The 1905 Jazz Club, Portland, Oregon
Friday, March 27, 2026, 6:30 PM



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The 1905 Welcomes back, Farnell Newton's "The Soul of Jazz!"

Trumpeter Farnell Newton returns to the stage at The 1905, bringing his signature blend of jazz, soul, R&B, and more to one of Portland's most intimate listening rooms. Joined by an exceptional lineup of musicians, Farnell delivers deep grooves, rich melodies, and high energy performances that keep the room fully engaged. Known for his work with Jill Scott, Bootsy Collins, Liv Warfield, and saxophonist Mike Phillips, Farnell is sure to excite audiences in this classic and intimate jazz setting.

Shiro Nobunaga At
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Barbara & Me
Monday, March 30, 2026




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Jimi & Josh Classic Rock At
The Fling Cocktail Lounge, Santa Ana, California
Dave Fruth & Me
Tuesday, March 31, 2026



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The Fling finally replaced their sign and made sure it was lit up. For months it was dark and said The Fling was open from 6 AM until 2 AM. It is still open until 2 AM, but they have not been open until 11 AM ever since the Covid lockdowns. Instead of promoting their hours, they now promote the live music entertainment they have every evening starting at 9 PM and ends at 1:30 AM 7 days a week!

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