Scanlon & Son play at the Jazz Station in Eugene

Father and son duo meet up for an evening of original compositions and favorite tunes with a top-tier local rhythm section.

• Brian Scanlon saxophones
• Avery Scanlon guitar
• Keith Brown piano
• Robert Lassila bass
• Ken Mastrogiovanni drums

 Los Angeles-based saxophonist and woodwind doubler Brian Scanlon has made his mark in studios, concert venues, and clubs all over the globe. As an in-demand studio musician, Brian has appeared on a multitude of film soundtracks, such as La La Land, The Secret Life of Pets, Sideways, Monsters, Inc., and Analyze This. He has also played on the scores of several television shows, including The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, Mad Men, and Two and a Half Men and on records with notable artists such as Bob Dylan, Seth McFarlane, Randy Newman, Bette Midler, Patti Austin, and Rosemary Clooney. Brian is best known is for his work as the first tenor saxophonist for the Grammy award-winning Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. He can be heard on the title track of their critically acclaimed album Life in the Bubble, which won a Grammy in 2014 for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and on the band’s jazz-rock hit “The Jazz Police” from their album XXL, both as a featured soloist. As a live performer, Brian has played with a number of musical artists, such as Alicia Keys, Tony Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie, Brad Mehldau, Michael Bublé, Neil Diamond, Take 6, Barry Manilow, Dianne Reeves, John Williams, Josh Groban, Adina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, and others. Additionally, Brian has appeared as a soloist and extra musician with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and Long Beach Symphony. From 1988 to 1992, Brian performed with the Tonight Show Band. After host Johnny Carson retired from the show, Brian continued to tour with the Tonight Show Band leader, trumpeter Doc Severinsen. Brian has also toured with singers Ben Vereen, Natalie Cole, Maureen McGovern, and Suzanne Somers, as well as with the Buddy Rich Big Band and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. In 2002, Brian began teaching saxophone and directing the jazz ensemble at Pepperdine University, before stepping down from the position in 2016.Brian is a Vandoren Artist and an alum of the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, where he received a BM in Music Education (’81) and an MM in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media (’83).

Born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California, a suburban city approximately fourty miles north of Los Angeles, Avery Scanlon is a guitarist, composer, and arranger. Son of reputable Los Angeles woodwind player Brian Scanlon, Avery found his way to the guitar at the early age of five and began studying seriously at the age of ten. At the age of twelve, Avery began studying privately with legendary Los Angeles session guitarist Mitch Holder. Avery prides himself as an exceptionally versatile guitarist, being able to sound comfortable and expressive in a number of different music genres and styles. Avery has played with or performed in masterclasses with noteworthy musicians such as Bennie Maupin, Myka Nyne, Dave Liebman, Steve Lehman, Gordon Goodwin, Alan Ferber, Tim Hagans, Katisse Buckingham and many others. Additionally, he has had the opportunity to study with notable guitarists such as Gilad Hekselman, Julian Lage, Peter Bernstein, and Andrew Synowiec. In conjunction with his work as a performer, Avery is also an avid composer/arranger who often puts groups together to play his music. His compositional work spans from personal projects to commissioned pieces. In 2016, Avery began his collegiate studies at Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, where he studied with guitarist Bob Sneider. In 2018, upon completion of his sophomore year, Avery transferred to California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, where he studied with guitarist Larry Koonse and graduated with a BFA in Jazz Guitar (2020). Avery also attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, where he concurrently pursued a MM in Jazz Studies (2022) and taught as a graduate teaching assistant in the Jazz Studies and Popular Music areas. Avery is now a Pro-Tempore Instructor of Music at the University of Oregon and splits his time between the Eugene, OR and Los Angeles, CA areas.

Keith L. Brown is an accomplished composer, educator, and pianist, who has established himself as one of the most sought-after pianists in contemporary jazz. He was born in Memphis, TN, and raised in Knoxville, TN, where he began playing piano and bass at a young age. Keith grew up in a musically inclined family, where both his parents were musicians, and many of his aunts and uncles possessed exceptional musical talent. His father, Donald Brown, is a world-renowned jazz pianist, composer, and educator who was a part of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and has performed with many greats. His mother Dorothy is also a pianist who plays various woodwind instruments. Keith is currently the Assistant Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Piano at the University of Oregon. Keith's musical journey began by learning to play the songs of R&B artists like Stevie Wonder by ear. He then started taking classical piano lessons at the age of eight. His father played a pivotal role in nurturing Keith's musical ambitions by teaching him how to play his original compositions and jazz standards. Keith and his brothers, Kenneth and Donald Jr., were deeply into hip-hop music during their formative years. However, Keith began to study jazz seriously after graduating from high school. It was during this time that he was significantly influenced by other great Memphis pianists such as Phineas Newborn Jr., James Williams, and Mulgrew Miller. Since he began seriously playing at the age of 18, Brown has performed and recorded with a who’s-who of jazz luminaries. He currently tours as the pianist for Kenny Garrett. His tours and performances with artists such as Stefon Harris, Russell Gunn, Jazzmeia Horn, George Coleman, Greg Tardy, Camille Thurman, Terreon Gully, Willie Jones III, Endea Owens, Charles Tolliver, Buster Williams, Lenny White, Steve Turre, John Clayton, and more have captivated audiences worldwide. Drawing on his roots in R&B, Funk, Classical, Jazz, and Hip-Hop, Brown's unique composition and piano style seamlessly integrates these influences. He possesses an exceptional understanding of the language of jazz piano masters and can effortlessly transition between hard swing, funk, and free styles, while also showcasing his own distinct voice. With his innovative approach to jazz piano and his ability to seamlessly blend different musical styles, Keith L. Brown is a true standout in the world of contemporary jazz.

Robert Lassila is a composer, acoustic and electric bassist, and educator. Raised in Bend, Oregon, Robert found a love for music at a very young age starting with the guitar. Experimenting with many instruments in the early years of his life, a real passion was found when he started playing electric bass in high school. Through high school, he tenaciously studied both electric bass and bass clarinet, taking every opportunity he could to play with school and community bands. Upon arriving at the University of Oregon, Robert began studying acoustic bass in both classical and jazz settings. Developing ability on the instrument very quickly, he soon became an in demand bassist in the Eugene area. It was also during this time that he started to develop strong composition practices, writing pieces for both small and large ensembles. Before finishing his undergraduate degree, Robert had arrangements and compositions performed by the Oregon Jazz Ensemble and JazzArts Oregon, as well as performing a recital of all original compositions and arrangements. Recently, Robert has had experience performing in a diverse array of ensembles. As an electric bassist, he has performed with finalist from The Voice, Thunderstorm Artis, and Grammy nominated artist from the Freestyle Fellowship, Myka 9. As a classical bassist, he has performed with the Eugene Ballet, and is a substitute player for the Eugene Symphony. Additionally, he maintains a full schedule playing jazz as a sideman for many different groups in the area, and has performed with guest artists at the University such as Adam Larson, Roxy Coss, and Ulysses Owens Jr. As a recording artist, he recently played on multiple albums, including The Nutcracker with OrchestraNEXT, and We Three Kings with the Willamette Valley Jazz Trio, which also featured his own arrangements.

Oregon-based drummer, Ken Mastrogiovanni, brings a unique sensibility and modern voice to the drums and music, making him a rising musician of his generation in his scene. The very early years of his music environment was shaped by his older brother’s j-pop, ska, and electronic bands, as well as listening to the latest jazz and avant-garde music his father played at home. This would subconsciously influence his musical interests and vocabulary going forward. Starting drum set at the age of eleven, his musical adventure was fueled by many important mentors, eventually leading him to recent performance opportunities as a sideman with such artists as Jaleel Shaw, George Colligan, Dick Oatts, Roxy Coss, Clay Jenkins, Bruce Williams, Geoffrey Keezer, John Raymond, and the Redshift Trio. He completed his M.M. in Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon, and is now the drum set instructor at his alma mater in addition to maintaining his own private lesson studio. Producing under the title, “kenthemaestro”, he creates beats that transcend genre, often collaborating with MCs and other creative musicians.