October 2025 Check-In's

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Portland Spirit Cruise
Portland to Astoria
Wednesday, October 1, 2025

This month started off with a full one day cruise from Portland to Astoria, Oregon.
CLICK HERE to view photos and the report from that cruise at CruiseRookies.com/photos/2025/10/2025j01a .

Fenix (Sax) Rising Blues Band
Every Thursday At
The Blue Diamond, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, October 2, 2025

I just noticed that The Blue Diamond still has their disco ball on the ceiling. I'm a little surprised as most places have taken them down. The only other place that I know that still has one up is the Alberta Street Pub which actually still runs it during their music performances. The Blue Diamond has undergone at least a couple of major renovations since the disco days so I thought they would have taken it down during one of those renovations. I don't remember ever having seen them use their disco ball since I've been going there.

PDX Jazz at The Hoxton, Circle Dance
Friday, October 3, 2025, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm




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Fridays this fall, unwind with live jazz and crafted cocktails at Lovely Rita inside The Hoxton, Portland. From October 3 through November 14, PDX Jazz brings an intimate lineup of performances to the heart of downtown every Friday from 5-7 PM. Sip, savor, and start your weekend with the perfect mix of music and atmosphere.

Artists: Matt Mayhall | Noah Berstein | Andrew Jones

Circle Dance is an Ornette Coleman tribute band led by drummer Matt Mayhall, featuring Noah Bernstein on alto saxophone and Andrew Jones on bass. The group also performs music by Coleman associates Don Cherry and Charlie Haden, as well as fellow travelers such as Paul Motian.

Says Mayhall, "In the mid-2000s, I was living in Los Angeles and decided to go back to school. I was accepted at CalArts, where the legendary bassist Charlie Haden had established a jazz program in the 1980s. The music Charlie created as a member of the Ornette Coleman Quartet in the 1950s and '60s, and later with Keith Jarrett and Alice Coltrane in the '70s, is some of the most revelatory music ever made, in my opinion. For two years, I had the great fortune of learning from Charlie, playing some of that music with him, and hearing his stories. In my own musical life, I feel a need to carry the torch for the music he cherished and to continue his mission of healing a broken world through what he called 'the spirituality of improvisation.' I formed the band with Noah and Andrew as a way to keep my compass calibrated toward that goal."

Old Chinatown, Portland, Oregon
Friday, October 3, 2025

The Hoxton Hotel in Portland is right at the entrance to Old Chinatown. Despite what you may have been seeing in the news, most of Downtown Portland is a pretty safe place to visit. The only area there is any violence recently is one block around the Portland ICE facility. From YouTube videos I've viewed, there are still parts of Portland where there are a lot of homeless, drug use, trash, and boarded up businesses. But evidently, these aren't in any of the areas of Portland where I have gone recently as I have not seen any areas of Portland that are like that. A lot of Downtown Portland had been vandalized and was boarded up during the Covid lockdowns, but the glass windows all seem to have been restored in those Downtown Portland areas and there has been no violence or vandalism in those areas for a few years now. For most of the areas that I visit in Downtown Portland I feel perfectly safe.

Pizza At Cliff's Tavern
Vancouver, Washington
Friday, October 3, 2025


Cliff's Tavern definitely has the best pizza of anywhere, though they recently shrunk their pizza from 12" to 8" while keeping the price the same. We used to come here all the time until they ended having live music and karaoke. Now we usually only come here once in a while when we feel like having a great pizza. However, they do give a great pour in their drinks and they do have the large bar ice cubes! They also have a Touch Tunes Juke Box so at least we can play the tunes that we like.

2025 Lake Oswego Wine Walk
Saturday, October 4, 2025, 1 PM - 5 PM

Explore Downtown Lake Oswego, one sip at a time. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, October 4th for the SOLD OUT 11th Annual LO Wine Walk! Shuttle service runs from 11:00 am until 5:15 pm. Stops are designated on the event map.

EACH GUEST RECEIVES:
Your 21+ wristband
Your event wine glass, thanks to Title Sponsor Harnish Company Realtors
A lanyard to hold your glass, thanks to Gold Sponsor Oswego Wealth Management
A reusable tote bag, thanks to Gold Sponsor Aldrich Advisors
An event program that includes a map showing the 41 pouring locations, the 82 wines, and the stops for our 2 shuttles courtesy of The Stafford and Good Vibes Tour (shuttles begin at 11 am, end at 5:15 pm)
Your 12 tasting tickets, each redeemable at ANY of the 41 pouring locations for a one-ounce pour of either a standard or premium wine (premium wines do not require additional tickets)
AND MORE! Make your way around to see all the surprises our Pouring Locations have in store for you.
If you share on social, we'd love if you'd TAG US and use #lowinewalk. Email your favorites to info@lake-oswego.com and we might use them in future promos!





A few venues had live music of different genres


Many venues had amazing offerings of free food!

10PM Late set featuring Ciao Felicia At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Saturday, October 4, 2025, 10:15 PM



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Ciao Felicia is a Portland, Oregon-based tango band that blends jazz and classical influences with classic tango tradition. The band's name playfully merges the pop culture phrase "Bye, Felicia" with the title of the traditional tango song "Felicia," reflecting their unique approach to the genre.

The band has been a vibrant part of Portland's tango scene for many years and has recently exploded their activity in the post-pandemic era, performing at milongas and concert stages. In 2025 Ciao Felicia is on tour around the West Coast of the United States.

The band has been instrumental in creating the recurring Andina Milonga at the local restaurant Andina-a highly successful event that has revitalized live tango music for dancers in the Portland metro area. They have also performed at outdoor milongas at Director Park, engaging directly with the Portland public through free events in a central location, and are frequently invited to perform at Tango Berreti'n, further solidifying their presence in the local tango community. Committed to community outreach, Ciao Felicia performed at Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington, and at Alice Ott Middle School, collaborating with dancers Bassel Hamieh and Remanda Xiang to inspire and educate the next generation.

Performing at milongas, private, and public events, Ciao Felicia continues to support and enrich the local tango community, ensuring that live tango music remains an accessible and integral part of Portland's cultural landscape.

The Jazz Room: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans At
The Alberta Abbey, Portland, Oregon
Sunday, October 5, 2025, 5-6pm

Come on down to We call it Jazz in Portland! With a mix of carefully chosen classics and spontaneous improvisation, this feel-good live music performance takes you on a journey to the roots of this revolutionary genre. Get your tickets now for We call it Jazz: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans in Portland!

Program:
St. James Infirmary - Irving Mills
When The Saints Go Marching In - Jazz Standard
On the Sunny Side of the Street - Jimmy McHugh
Basin St. Blues - Spencer Williams
Hello Dolly - Louis Armstrong
...and many more

Description:
The Jazz Room is a journey back in time to the birthplace of this iconic genre! Located in a street-style bar that recreates 1920s New Orleans, this live jazz show promises a night of soul, passion, and rhythm. Grab yourself a cocktail from the bar, and watch talented musicians light up the stage. Enjoy a selection of the finest 'hot jazz' tunes, a unique blend of ragtime, brass, and blues, plus moments of spontaneous improvisation - a hallmark of true jazz. Be part of jazz's living legacy, where every note tells a story of freedom, creativity, and camaraderie. Get your tickets now for The Jazz Room: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans in Portland!

Suberban Slim's Blues Band At
Slims PDX (Est. 1911), Portland, Oregon
Sunday, October 5, 2025, The FIRST SUNDAY Of Every Month



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Any of the musicians look familiar? The sax player, keyboard player and drummer are the same as those in the Big Easy Jazz Band that play at Conway's House Of Jazz every Tuesday evening! This place still has a Disco Ball and they actually turn it on and have it spinning!

Late Lunch, Live Music and Free Member Wine Flights At
Maryhill Winery, Vancouver Waterfront, Washington
Monday, October 6, 2025

The Big Easy Band At
Conway's House of Jazz, Clackamas, Oregon
Shelli, Barbara and Me
Tuesday, October 7, 2025



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Fenix (Sax) Rising Blues Band
Every Thursday At
The Blue Diamond, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, October 10, 2025



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Banana Hammond featuring Joe Bagg
Hard Music Album Release Party
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Friday, October 10, 2025, 8 - 11 PM




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Featured in DownBeat's Critics Poll for over 15 years and praised by the Los Angeles Times as "a masterful organist," Joe Bagg is a jazz organist and pianist whose soulful touch and inventive harmonies have made him a fixture on the national scene. A longtime Los Angeles standout and now based in Portland, Joe has performed with icons like Bobby Hutcherson, Charles McPherson, and Madeleine Peyroux, and appeared on recordings with artists ranging from pop stars Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and Scarlett Johansson to jazz great Gregory Porter. A member of Jeff Goldblum's Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, he's performed on The Jimmy Kimmel Show, The Today Show, and The Late Late Show with James Corden, with their Decca Records debut hitting #1 on the Billboard jazz charts. Joe has also performed for the Queen of England at Royal Albert Hall. Joe continues to tour, record, and teach jazz piano at Lewis & Clark College, the University of Portland, and the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles.

With its soulful groove and dynamic improvisation, Banana Hammond showcases a quartet of highly respected jazz musicians. The band features the expressive B-3 organ of veteran Joe Bagg, the masterful guitar work of Ryan Meagher, the lyrical saxophone of Tim Willcox, and the versatile rhythm of drummer Charlie Doggett. Rooted in the classic jazz organ tradition, Banana Hammond takes the sound in a fresh direction. The blend of Bagg's deep, bebop and blues-infused organ, Meagher's modern guitar, Willcox's polished saxophone, and Doggett's intricate drumming creates a captivating mix of old-school soul-jazz and contemporary exploration.

Jennifer Moriarty Scheller is with
Eric Rabe and 20 others at
Cascade Bar & Grill, Vancouver, Washington
Friday, October 10, 2025, 9 PM - 1 AM




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Mystic Mama Band is back @ Cascade Bar & Grill. Hoppin R&B Live hoppin R&B music with the Mystic Mama Band powerhouse singer Jenny Moriarty, the Award winning Josh Makosky on guitar, the talented Danny Barnett on piano, incredible sax player Eric Rabe, groovy bass player Greg Damico & funk man on drums Stephen Weinstein. $5 cover, yummy food, great dance floor & drinks.

Special Event: Ellen Whyte, Sonny Hess & Garry Meziere At
The Blue Diamond, Shelli, Barbara & Me
Saturday, October 11, 2025, 8 PM


Ellen celebrates her musical collaborations with Garry and Sonny. Marking a 30-year collaboration for these partnerships! Come celebrate the fun, love and great music of these three notable musicians on the northwest music scene! P.S. It's Ellen's birthday too! Join us!


Take a look how different The Blue Diamond looked ten years ago in 2015.
They underwent a couple of major renovations since we first went to The Blue Diamond in 2011.

Bridgetown Sextet At
The 1905, Portland, Oregon
Sunday, October 12, 2025



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Performing music by icons of early jazz such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Clarence Williams, and Bix Beiderbecke, as well as lesser known musical stylists, territory bands, and innovators such as Bennie Moten, Alex Hill, and Jabbo Smith, the Bridgetown Sextet has cemented its reputation as a favorite among both listening audiences and dancers in the Pacific Northwest.

The band was founded in 2008 by Andrew Oliver and Scott Kennedy and has seen various personnel changes over the years as band members have come and gone from the Portland area. Now a seven-piece band with the recent additions of Sam Dechenne on trumpet and Tyson Stubelek on drums, as well as Andrew's return from London in 2020, the Sextet continues to refine its visceral, joyful, and authentic approach to traditional jazz, stomp, and swing.

The band has performed at the Portland Jazz Festival, Portland Lindy Exchange, Camp Jitterbug in Seattle, the Seaside Jazz Festival, traditional jazz socities around the Northwest, and all the major Portland area clubs past and present including the Jack London Revue, the 1905, Jimmy Mak's, the Blue Monk, Secret Society and Duff's Garage.

Eric Rabe (Sax) & Sunday Night Fun Jam
Every Sunday 8pm - 11pm At
M&M Restaurant & Lounge, Gresham, Oregon
Sunday, October 12, 2025



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