September 2026 Check-In's

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Shelli's Birthday Party At
Margarita Factory, Vancouver, Washington
Tuesday, September 1, 2026, 4:30 PM

Christopher Brown Quartet At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 8:30 PM

John Nastos (Sax); Greg Goebel (Piano); Garrett Baxter (Bass); Christopher Brown (Drums).

Christopher Brown is an acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, and educator who seeks to be a voice within the advocacy of Jazz and American culture. And through the expansive range of groups that he has assembled and/or performed with, which range from duos to large ensembles across a spectrum of genres, his musical and personal experiences have led him towards an interest in synthesizing the principles of Jazz with the broader concerns of life. So given that music influences culture, and culture influences businesses--which in turn shape the global market economy we all participate in—is why he likes to say "we're all in the people business. No people, no business."

We brought our own bottle of wine and paid the $20 corkage fee as we usually do. This time we brought a bottle of "Signature" from Vino Robles, an unusual blend of 73% Petit Verdot and 27% Petite Syrah. This turned out to be an excellent wine. Then, near the end of the performance, Chris Brown called out my name and I was totally baffled why. Then he mentioned that I had won a bottle of wine! It was a 2022 bottle of Elouan Pinot Noir from Joseph Wagner, owner of the Stoller Vineyards which had recently taken over the Chehalem Estate Tasting Room, the most recent Vineyard & Winery that we had visited!

Ben Fowler Quintet At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Saturday, September 5, 2026, 8:30 PM

Ben Fowler - sax, Christopher Brown - drums, Dan Gildea - guitar, Ross Garlow - bass, Matt Sazima - piano

The Ben Fowler Quintet infuses modern jazz with a heavy dose of soul, blues, and gospel roots. Get ready for an incredible night of music at The 1905! The band has new music, special guests, and surprises a plenty for this evening. Besides the standard repertoire from The Pilgrimage album era, Fowler will be sizzling up some new and modern tunes as well, from some of Ben's biggest influences, including Kenny Garrett, Mike Stern, Donald Harrison, Vincent Herring, The Crusaders, and more.

Enjoying Labor Day with
2 Free Member Wine Flights, Dinner, Live Music and a View Of The Columbia River At
Maryhill Winery, Vancouver Waterfront, Washington
Monday, September 7, 2026

Tezeta Band At
Alberta Street Pub, Portland, Oregon
Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 7 - 9 PM

Tezeta Band is the sound of nostalgia and soulful dance music. It is part jazz, part soul and part ancient Ethiopian melodies blended with the R & B music of the 1960's and 1970's. It comes from a period when the influential sounds of James Brown, Jackie Mittoo and John Coltrane melted together with Ethiopian tradition in the hot clubs and lounges of Addis Ababa.

Alden Hellmuth At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 8:30 PM

Alden Hellmuth - sax, Noah Simpson - trumpet, Kerry Politzer - piano, Garrett Baxter - bass, Ken Mastrogiovanni - drums

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 curies 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.

UPCOMING:

Gordon Lee Quintet At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, September 10, 2026, 8:30 PM

John Nastos - alto sax, James Powers - trombone, Xylyn Hathaway - bass, Brent Follis - drums, Michelle Alany - violin

Gordon will be playing an eclectic mix of his own original music, some jazz standards and maybe a Jim Pepper song!

"Lee unravels a series of original melodies that are insinuating or soulful or both" - Jazz Times

"Pianist Gordon Lee's solos are often vast feats of architecture, their immense proportions looming up with great suddenness-symphonic precision as well as spontaneous improvisation" - Jazz Society of Oregon

Gordon Lee is a composer, jazz pianist, arranger, conductor and music educator. Although he is best known for his jazz performances and compositions, Lee is active in many styles of music. He has had commissions to compose chamber music and music for large ensembles from Oregon Symphony members, the Amadei String Quartet, big bands, and vocalists including a collaboration with Ghanaian singer Obo Addy on an orchestral suite in 2004. He taught improvisation, theory and jazz history at Western Oregon University from 1999 to 2019 and was Executive Director of the award winning W.O.U.

Superjazzers At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Friday, September 18, 2026, 8:30 PM

Tim Wilcox - sax, David Goldblatt - piano, Charlie Doggett - drums, Bill Athens - bass

SuperJazzers is a group of four like-minded musicians from Portland, Oregon, blending diverse influences from artists like Ornette Coleman, Elliott Smith, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, The Beatles, Ravel and John Coltrane. Saxophonist Tim Willcox, pianist David Goldblatt, bassist Bill Athens, and drummer Charlie Doggett create a rich, dynamic sound that fuses classic jazz traditions with modern improvisation. Their decade-long collaboration has resulted in a compelling mix of emotional depth and a large arsenal of original compositions, appealing to fans of both modern jazz, classical and popular music.

The Ben Fowler Quintet infuses modern jazz with a heavy dose of soul, blues, and gospel roots. Get ready for an incredible night of music at The 1905! The band has new music, special guests, and surprises a plenty for this evening. Besides the standard repertoire from The Pilgrimage album era, Fowler will be sizzling up some new and modern tunes as well, from some of Ben's biggest influences, including Kenny Garrett, Mike Stern, Donald Harrison, Vincent Herring, The Crusaders, and more.

An Evening with NW Legacy Law
Wine, small plates & the story of the Old Apple Tree
Willful Wine at The Grant House, Vancouver, Washington
Thursday, September 24, 2026, 5:30 - 7:30 PM

An Idiot's Guide To Wine At
Alberta Abbey, Portland, Oregon
Saturday, September 26, 2026, 8:30 PM

The smash-hit stand-up comedy show, An Idiot's Guide to Wine, has now arrived in Portland, OR! Experience an evening that pairs hilarious stand-up comedy with a curated tasting of six different wines. It's an extraordinary blend of two pleasures that rarely come together, offering a unique opportunity to explore diverse flavors while enjoying a night of laughter.

Highlights: A hilarious comedy show paired with a curated tasting of six different wine varietals. Written by Merrick Watts, the only comedian in the world to possess a WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) level 3 qualification. Embark on a wine adventure with six unique wines, each offering its own distinct flavor. For couples, friends, or solo attendees, An Idiot's Guide to Wine offers the perfect blend of laughter, learning, and liquid courage.

Location: Alberta Abbey, 126 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211. Alcohol consumption is voluntary. Non-alcoholic drinks are available for an additional fee, not included in the ticket price. Guests are not allowed to record the experience. If this rule is not followed, or if any videos taken are not deleted when requested, guests may be asked to leave.

Description: Great wines, great jokes, perfect pairing. The Australian sensation, An Idiot's Guide to Wine, is making its way to Portland, OR to deliver an evening of comedy and wine tasting. Guests will have the opportunity to sample six different wine varietals from around the world while enjoying a hilarious stand-up show written by Merrick Watts. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or a total beginner, you'll giggle and gulp your way through a night where the hardest part will be not to spill your wine while laughing. An Idiot's Guide to Wine is produced by Fever under license from Grapes of Mirth Pty Ltd.

Mel Brown B3 Organ Group At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Sunday, September 27, 2026, 7:30 PM

"If this band appeared in New York City, they'd be a sensation!" That was guitar great--and one-time Mel Brown bandmate--George Benson's reaction after hearing the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group open for him back in September, 2003 at Oregon's prestigious Britt Festival.

In fact, this true all-star band--each member is widely viewed as tops in the Northwest on his instrument--has been a sensation for a long while now. With a collective resume that reads like a "Who's Who" of jazz, blues, and soul (all four members are Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductees), this group has the talent and confidence to be completely spontaneous--from their blistering solos to their improvised arrangements and segues. No wonder they've thrilled audiences wherever they've played.

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