June 2023 Check-In's
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Our New Silver Rails Wine Tasting Room Friday, June 2, 2023
Above Left: Highway Signs; Above Right: Newspaper Ads
Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Friday, June 2, 2023
Lakecia Benjamin (Saxophone), Zaccai Curtis (Piano), Ivan Taylor (Bass), EJ Strickland (Drums).
One of the most sought-after and revered saxophonists in the world, Lakecia was voted 2020 Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Alto Saxophonist and Up and Coming Artist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. Known for her charisma and dynamism as a player, as a composer she has an inimitable skill of fusing traditional conceptions of jazz, hiphop and soul. She's performed alongside Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, The Roots, Macy Gray and many more.
Rose Festival, Portland, Oregon
Saturday, June 3, 2023
We totally forgot it was time for the Rose Festival in Portland, Oregon. Almost all the streets were closed and we were diverted around in circles through massively heavy traffic. Finally we discovered a parking garage directly across from the Jack London Revue venue we were going to. We could not find a parking space until we got to the 8th floor of the parking garage. The below photos were taken from the 8th level of that garage. After we took the elevator down to the ground floor, we had to sneek across the street between marching bands to get to the other side of the street where our venue was located.
Futurenot At
Jack London Revue, Portland, Oregon
Saturday, June 3, 2023
FUTURENOT is the culmination of work that Jason Cressey (True Loves, Monophonics) and Peter Daniel (45th St Brass) began 10 years ago. The two met performing together in Seattle and quickly started collaborating on original music.
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On The Way Home,
Following A Trailer From The Rose Parade Festival
Saturday, June 3, 2023
On the way home, following a trailer from the Rose Parade Festival
Our Flight From PDX To PWM
Portland-Oregon To Portland-Maine
Sunday-Monday, June 4-5, 2023
Shelli, Barbara & Stephen
Above Left: Departing Portland, Oregon; Above Right: Changing Planes In Washington,DC (IAD)
I guess we are in Maine now. Portland Airport (PWM)
Family Gathering Of My Dad's Side Of The Family
With A Few From My Mom's Side Of The Family
Gipper's Sports Grill, Auburn, Maine
Monday, June 5, 2023
Staying At The Quality Inn Econolodge
Auburn, Maine
Monday, June 5, 2023
Stopping For A Byte At Applebee's
After Picking Up Margie At The Airport
Auburn, Maine
Monday, June 5, 2023
My Sister Milli & Her Husband Fred
Purchased This Old Saw Mill Next To Their Home
In Maine To Keep Industry And Noise Away
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Celebration Of The Life Of Vikki Boutros
My Younger Sisters Who Passed Away On May 12, 2023
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Ma's Children Oldest To Youngest: Margi, Carl, Milli, Stephen, Karen, Shelli
Click Here to view all my photos of Vikki.
"Soul What PDX" Band At
The Blue Diamond, Portland, Oregon
Friday, June 9, 2023
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Portland Spirit Lunch Cruise
During Naval Week & Dragon Boat Races
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Devin Phillips Quartet
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
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- Devin Phillips, Saxophones
- Kiran Raphael, Piano
- Eric Gruber, Bass
- Tyson Stubelek, Drums
Born and reared in New Orleans, Devin Phillips' intense affair with the saxophone began at the age of eight. At 14, he was accepted into the prestigious New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, whose alumni include Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr. and Nicholas Payton. There, trained in music theory and multi-styles composition, he graduated in 2000 with top honors. He has also tutored under clarinetist and educator Alvin Batiste. Like many budding young horn players form the Big Easy, he put his time in playing with the local brass bands in a traditional process of initiation in the musical process.
Devin Phillips has paid his dues performing, touring and recording with top jazz artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, The Headhunters, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, musician Lenny Kravitz, and Los Hombres Caliente, with whom he recorded two award-winning albums. His reputation as a sax man with intricate and rhythmically innovative sounds made him a popular feature at jazz festivals: France's Jazz de Vien Festival; Tokyo's JVC Jazz Festival; Itanbul's The Ruins; Spain's Barcelona Jazz Festival; the Netherlands' North Sea Jazz and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.
In 2005, Phillips formed New Orleans Straight Ahead. But in August, Hurricane Katrina muted the music. With all gone, save his sax, and his family scattered throughout the U.S., Phillips evacuated to Portland and reformed New Orleans Straight Ahead with other musician evacuees.
Phillips and took advantage of a program created by the PDXJazz Festival in partnership with Azumano Travel, which invited jazz musicians affected by the hurricane to come to Portland with their families, either for temporary shelter or for good. The invitation included free transportation to Portland, temporary housing, and access to an active jazz network with performance and workshop opportunities. Over the course of six months, more than 50 New Orleans musicians traveled to Oregon, a dozen musicians, including Phillips, have decided to remain in Portland.
Since arriving, Phillips has performed at a number of local clubs and appreciated the opportunity to be part of the Portland Jazz Festival. Phillips says that opening the festival with "Amazing Grace," talking with McCoy Tyner and being asked to stand in for one of Eddie Palmieri's frontline players were high points for him.
Rabbit In Our Vancouver Backyard
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
First time we've seen a rabit in our Vancouver backyard since we moved in 2 years ago.
Melanie Owen Band At
The Blue Diamond, Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
A quite night at The Blue Diamond. We were the only ones there after 9 PM and just stayed for 2 more songs.
Whiskey Social at Westward Whiskey
Portland, Oregon
Friday, June 16, 2023
BNSF along with Amtrak Coast Starlight and Amtrak Cascades trains pass by here every day.
Ben Rice & The Portland Hussle, Portland, Oregon
Friday, June 16, 2023
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Ben Rice & The Portland Hussle is our favorite band in this area, though maybe not exactly jazz. The sax and trumpett players are great in addition to Ben Rice himself on lead guitar and vocals. They play ever Tuesday evening at Billy Blues Bar & Grill in Vancouver, Washington, very close to our home. They also play several times per week at many other venues around the area. Play each of the above video clips to see for yourself.
Adriana Wagner Quartet At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Friday, June 16, 2023, 11:30 PM
- Adriana Wagner, Trombone
- Matt Sazima, Piano
- Andrew Jones, Bass
- Matt Mayhall, Drums
Trombonist and composer Adriana Wagner draws inspiration from a wide array of influences, combining traditional and modern jazz sounds. Her original compositions weave styles together under a decided jazz banner, submerging the listener in visionary storytelling. As a performer, Wagner uses lyrical elements to create melodies combined with a soft, rich tone that can resonate above or become immersed within the composition's harmonic structures. Based in Portland, Oregon, she graduated from the Jazz Program at Portland State University in 2022. She was selected for the Young Jazz Composers program, highlighted by an in-depth article from Oregon Arts Watch (https://www.orartswatch.org/young-jazz-composers-jazz-to-the-future/). Wagner was recently named one of the inaugural recipients of the Music Oregon Echo Fund grant to help create her debut album, which she is anticipating the release of in June 2023. She performs with Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, The 1905 Orchestra, The PDX Jazz American Refrain, Pura Vida Orchestra, Brown Branch Big Band, and Lily Sheers.
Dinner At Namaste Indian Restaurant
8303 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97220
Saturday, June 17, 2023
This may be our favorite Indian Restaurant anywhere. They have a buffet all day with more items than anywhere we've ever had Indian food except for in the Silicon Valley area. The items range from mild to well spiced. The ambiance leaves something to be desired, but we usually eat here during less popular eating hours when it is pretty empty.
Father's Day Dinner At McGrath's Fish House
Vancouver, Washington
Shelli, Lanita, Barbara & Stephen
Sunday, June 18, 2023
Charles McPherson Quartet At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Sunday, June 18, 2023
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- Charles McPherson, Alto Saxophone
- Randy Porter, Piano
- Patrick Golichnik, Bass
- Todd Strait, Drums
"Mr. McPherson has performed at concerts and festivals around the world with his own variety of groups, consisting of quartets, quintets and full orchestras. Charles has toured the U.S., Europe, Japan, Africa and South America with his own group, as well as with jazz greats Barry Harris, Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, Nat Adderly, Jay McShann, Phil Woods, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. 16 years ago, Charles was featured at Lincoln Center showcasing his original compositions, and once again joined Wynton Marsalis and the J@LC Orchestra in April, 2019 in celebrating the altoist's 80th birthday. The evening's performance included new arrangements of 7 of Charles's iconic, original compositions. Finally, Charles performed in April, 2019 at the NEA Jazz Master's performance during Stanley Crouch's tribute."
Ben Rice & The Portland Hustle At
Billy Blues Bar & Grill, Vancouver, Washington
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
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They have one of the best thickest pea soups, but only available when "Soup Of The Day."
Fenix Rising Blues Band At
The Blue Diamond, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Dinner At McGrath's Fish House
Vancouver, Washington
Saturday, June 24, 2023
Ice Cream Renaissance
Vancouver, Washington
Saturday, June 24, 2023
Dinner At Uptown Barrel Room In
Vancouver, Washington
Sunday, June 25, 2023
47th Anniversary Eve Dinner At
Buena Vista Italian, The New Restaurant On The 15th Fllor Of
The New Illani Casino Hotel, Ridgefield, Washington
Monday, June 26, 2023
Above Right: Mt St Helens, A Bit Flat Volcano Ever Since It Blew Its Top Off In 1980
The view was very nice but the food was the most bland Italian food we've ever had. The food prices were OK. If you look at their menu online or in the restaurant you will find two prices for each item that are not explained anywhere. It turns out the first price is for an individual meal and the second price is for a family style meal that can serve 2 to 4 people. The family meal price was only a little more than the individual meal price, but even the individual meal was quite large and would have been enough for both of us. A meal consists of just the stated item plus bread, no soup, salad, or sides. You can not bring your own wine as they do not allow corkage. We probably won't be returning to the restaurant unless they get a new chef that doesn't make the food so bland. The reviews also said the food was bland but the views are nice. We found that to be true.
47th Anniversary Dinner At
Amaro's Table, Hazel Dell, Vancouver, Washington
Shelli, Barbara & Stephen
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Food and prices were excellent here compared to last night,
and this restaurant is very near our Vancouver home.
Flight From Portland, Oregon, To Orange County, California
Lunch At The Country Cat, Portland Airport (PDX)
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
The restaurants at the Portland Airport are not allowed to charge more than their establishments outside the airport. No overpriced food just because they have a captive audience at the airport. The Country Cat does not appear to have any other restaurants outside the airport, but their prices were very reasonable anyway. Probably because they have to compete with many other restaurants at the airport that have reasonable prices. We had a Smoked Turkey Sandwich and a Bloody Mary. The food and the drink were very good for airport food. The Country Cat has won a number of awards and has been written up in a number of food publications. See: http://thecountrycat.net/. They probably once had a great view of the airport and the planes taking off and landing, but it appears obstructions have been built blocking that view. It could be temporary, but it looks like it is going to be in place for years if not forever. This is not the first airport I've frequented where the lounges and restaurants had a great view only to be obstructed by the expansion of airport facilities. Above is a photo of the obstructed view from this restaurant. The last photo above is from our plane before taking off from the Portland Airport.
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