Michael Winkle's Conversation Quartet is at the Jazz Station in Eugene
- Michael Winkle vocals
- Jose Luis piano, keyboard
- Craig Snazelle bass
- Kurt Deutscher drums
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 60’s, vocalist Michael Winkle was surrounded by an incredible music scene that offered such a diversity of musical genres that inspired him to want to play music and attempt to emulate some of his early heroes. His voice has been favorably compared to a host of artists including, Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Caldwell, Sam Cooke and others. After over 40 years of performing, Michael has found his own voice and style that is really just a synthesis of everything that he has listened to, absorbed and loved!
Bassist Craig Snazelle is a native San Franciscan. His jazz education includes lessons/study with SF Bay Area bassist Chuck Sher, in Los Angeles at The Faunt School. Craig moved to Oregon in 1993, where he studied privately with bassist Glen Moore. Notable Portland players Craig has worked with include pianists Gordon Lee, Bill Beach, Mike Horsfall, and George Mitchell, vocalists Shirley Nannette, Karla Harris, and Marilyn Keller, and horn players Paul Mazzio, Lee Wuthenow, and Pete Peterson. He has performed locally at the Portland Jazz Festival, Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, Newport Coast Jazz Festival, and Cathedral Park Jazz Festival.
Pianist Jose Luis was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied classical piano at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario. As the Chief Engineer of Rosario's legendary Big Audio Studios, he recorded, produced and performed on countless projects: Pop, Rock, Jazz, Funk, Blues, Tango, Symphony Orchestra, Music for Theater, Documentaries, etc. In Portland, he studied jazz with Randy Porter ("if you are going to learn something, learn it from the best"). He's had the privilege of performing and recording with some of the top artists in the Portland area. Currently he is playing with Big Bad Beat, Soul Suspect, Michael Winkle's Conversation and his own Jazz trio recording.
Drummer, Kurt Deutscher, has been recording and performing music professionally for over 40 years. Best known for his four years of service with the United States Marine Corps Band and twelve years as a founder and drummer of Tall Jazz, Kurt now records and performs with a number of Northwest artists.
Based in Portland Oregon for nearly all of his music career, he's performed at thousands of venues, events, festivals, parties, weddings, mergers, celebrations, clubs, halls, boats, grand openings, shows, and even on a moving train. Kurt strongly believes that live music is one of a few art forms with the ability to span and permeate cultures, politics, religions, languages, and anything that may, at times, divide us. Music unites us, and Jazz is his music.
