featuring Paula Byrne, vocals
Don McFarlane, piano
Tom Freedman, bass
Matthew Williams, drums
www.PaulaByrneMusic.com
Paula Byrne's voice is like chilled champagne on a hot summer day. She moves easily between songs that are lush and beautiful to highly rhythmic, wild rides. Her sense of humor, revival of obscure songs and new twists on old standards keeps the audience engaged and enraptured.
Paula is eclectic in her choice of musicians with whom to perform, including many of Portland's best: Randy Porter, Gordon Lee, George Mitchell, Craig Bidondo, Joe Millward, Ron Steen, Dennis Caiazza, Rich Turnoy, Glenn Holstrom, Andrea Niemiec, Kevin Dietz, Christopher Woitach and Darin Clendenin, Matt Tabor, Craig Snazelle, Dave Captein, Vince Frates, Dan Gaynor, John Gilmore, Mike Horsfall, Greg Goebel, Dan Presley, Carlton Jackson, Gordon Lee, Todd Marston.
Born to a jazz drummer (father) and figure skater (mother), she has been a lover of music and movement since birth. Paula teaches dance locally and internationally, and has been a moving force in the dance scene in Portland since 1996. She is the creator of the Wild Grace™ and DanceQuest™ movement meditations, and is Founder of SomaSpace ~ Studio of Movement Arts in NE PDX.
Paula was an Oracle software developer in the corporate high-tech field for 20 years. She left that career in 2005 to devote herself full-time to her soul-work in assisting people to remember and reconnect to the body as a source of wisdom, pleasure and joy in the present moment.
Paula's YouTube Channel : YouTube
Paula's Transformational Dance Website : www.WildGrace.us
Paula's TED Talk on Everyday Dancing :
Don McFarlane is a jazz musician playing primarily in Portland and in Central Oregon. Don has a music degree from the University of Oregon, and studied with Portland jazz luminaries Harry Gilgam, Mary Field and Alan Jones. Against all advice to the contrary, he finally "quit the day job" after a 40-year career in high-tech, and now plays piano with several small combos including Portland's The Originals and Bridge City Jazz; and Central Oregon's Single Malt Jazz.
Tommy "Leroy" Freedman has been a professional musician in Portland and Bend for 25 years, playing an eclectic mix of Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Klezmer, World Beat, and Latin Rock. He has performed at numerous festivals including Seattle's Bumpershoot and Folklife, Portland Bite, Bend's Fall and Summerfest mainstage, and the Sisters Folk Festival. His playing reflects his lifelong passion for music of diverse genres. He plays double bass, trumpet, and bass guitar.
Matthew began piano at age 4 (mom was a piano teacher). He found drums in 3rd grade, and from then on played in school bands, concert bands, orchestras, stage bands, jazz combos, big bands, marching Bands and other numerous ensembles. He drummed for the Cuesta College Big Band and Vocal Jass Ensemble in the 80s. Matthew went to Montreux Jazz Festival 1987, and recorded a couple albums with them. Currently he plays and records in Bend Oregon with Chiringa!, a Latin Rock Dance Band. He also plays with the Tommy Lee Trio performing a mix of jazz standards and other favorites. Matthew really enjoys the freedom of Jazz and Latin music.
