I
PDX Jazz, the presenting organization of the Portland Jazz Festival in partnership with the Mission Theater, along with The Crystal Hotel and our media sponsor KMHD Radio, is set to continue the PDX Jazz @ The Mission Theater series with the Devin Phillips Quartet on Thursday, July 28th at 8pm.
Portland's beloved saxophonist, Devin Phillips will celebrate the music of John Coltrane in a program titled "Impressions of Coltrane." Come see and hear Devin and his Portland based classic quartet play Trane's signature Love Supreme suite as well as time-honored Coltrane favorites: Chasin The Trane, Naima, Giant Steps, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, My Favorite Things and Impressions.
Phillips will be performing the music of Coltrane with his quartet featuring pianist Ramsey Embick, bassist Eric Gruber and drummer Alan Jones. The multifaceted composer, arranger, instrumentalist and band leader also leads two popular Portland based ensembles: the traditional jazz group Black and Blue which played to an enthusiastic audience at this past weekend's Waterfront Blues Festival, and also his Devin Phillips Band project which played a virtuosic set this past weekend at Goodfoot, performing a range of music from Professor Longhair to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock.
A strong buzz has developed around Portland for his illustrious Coltrane tribute performances. In regard to Coltrane, Phillips states, "He is a technical master of the saxophone but his quest for spiritual understanding and freedom have transcended him into the iconic figure that he is today."
Born and raised in New Orleans, Phillips was an evacuee during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and became a part of the Portland Jazz Festival's "NOLA 2 PDX Project." Phillips is now a permanent fixture on the local scene performing in a multitude of ensembles, including Portland Jazz Festival appearances with Branford Marsalis and Pharoah Sanders. He has performed, toured and recorded with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, The Headhunters, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Lenny Kravitz, and Los Hombres Calientes, among others. His reputation as a saxophonist with intricate and rhythmically innovative sounds made him a popular feature at jazz festivals: Jazz de Vien Festival; JVC Jazz Festival - Tokyo; Barcelona Jazz Festival; the North Sea Jazz Festival; and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.
The PDX Jazz @ the Mission Theater series will resume this Fall with two internationally acclaimed trumpeter stars - September 22, ECM recording artist Tomasz Stanko and October 28 the Vietnam native and Pat Metheny band-mate Cuong Vu.
Check out a performance from Devin below.
| Devin Phillips - My Favorite Things |
Comments