featuring Dan Gaynor on Piano
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 :
A native of Portland, pianist Dan Gaynor has performed with many artists including Nancy King, Esperanza Spalding, Chuck Israels, Glen Moore, Gino Vannelli, Martin Zarzar, Bob Mover, Bobby Torres, Emily Braden, Dan Faehnle, Marguerite Jeunemann, David Friesen, Kelly Joe Phelps, Alan Jones, Lawrence Williams, Rob Scheps, Robert Moore, John Stowell, Ingrid Jensen, Ron Steen, Mel Brown, "Sweet Baby" James Benton, Chris Conrade, Dick Berk, Marianne Solivan, Shirley Nanette and many others. He studied jazz and music theory at Mt. Hood Community College and Portland State University with teachers including Randy Porter, Dave Barduhn, Darrell Grant, Glen Moore and Tomas Svoboda. Dan is also a versatile vocal accompanist, with a wide repertoire and experience in many musical styles. He is recorded on on Good Morning Geek by the Portland Jazz Orchestra, En Route by Ed Bennett and on both Libre and Two Dollars to Ride the Train by Martin Zarzar.
