James Zeller & Katie Belknap perform at the Jazz Station in Eugene

• James Zeller trombone
• Katie Belknap clarinet
• David Morgenroth piano
• Zach Wallmark bass
• Casey Bedney drums

Eugene's Own Trombone Storyteller Comes Home

Eugene native James Zeller returns to the Jazz Station with a heartfelt tribute to the teachers, legends, and collaborators who shaped his musical life — a night steeped in New York jazz history, brought back home.

James Zeller's musical journey began in Eugene at age 11, studying under local legend Ron Bertucci before heading to New York in 2000, where he trained with former Count Basie trombonist Benny Powell, the great Curtis Fuller, and famed brass teacher Laurie Frink. His career reads like a who's-who of jazz history: he played in Billy Kaye's quintet, performed with Charli Persip's big band, subbed with the Jimmy Heath Orchestra alongside James Moody and Roy Hargrove, and performed with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra under Wynton Marsalis. He later spent five years leading the house band at Cafe Boulud's "Bar Pleiades," drawing vocal inspiration from Shirley Horn, Jimmy Scott, Chet Baker, and Jon Hendricks.

Joining him is longtime collaborator Katie Belknap, co-founder of the Sanctuary arts center in Arcata, CA, and Zeller's partner in the songwriting duo Ponies of Harmony, with two albums recorded and a third on the way. Rounding out the band is a sharp rhythm section in David Morgenroth, Zach Wallmark, and Casey Bedney.

This is a rare chance to hear firsthand stories and sounds from a musician who's shared the stage with jazz royalty — performed with warmth, history, and hometown pride.