Donna Courtell and Dona Clarke sing "A Tribute to Peggy Lee" at the Jazz Station in Eugene
- Dona Clarke vocals
- Donna Courtell vocals
- Michael Anderson guitar, vocals
- Damien Masterson saxophone, harmonica
- Devin Perez piano
- Jon Brex bass
- GT Albright drums
From 2007 to 2010, Dona Clarke was a member of an 18-piece vocal swing era group The Springfield Jazz Singers and went on to develop a swing era trio - The Tune Travelers. In 2013 she founded the swing band Smokey Beau's Café, and in 2017 Smokin' Jukebox. She produces and performs in many concerts at The Jazz Station including the fabulous and quirky recuring April Fool's Day concerts at The Jazz Station: Let's Fool Around! (2015), Ladies Who Fool Around! (an all ladies band, 2016), and Let's Fool Around…Again! (2022), and last year's Let's Fool Around With Our Food! was a smash hit. As a natural redhead, in 2015 she had a great time producing and performing in a concert titled Jinger Jazz for National Love Your Red Hair Day (yes there is such a day - November 5th) - consisting of an all redheaded band, performing songs written or performed by redheads. In 2022 Dona produced Swingin' & Jivin' - a concert featuring tunes from Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan, and Fats Waller. Dona became a regular vocalist at The Jazz Station's original Sunday Jam in 2009 while at it's original location down the street. She fell in love with the people she met and the idea of being a big part of creating the new (current) jazz venue. She is proud to be a part of the growing Jazz Station community. Dona is a founding member of the current Jazz Station and was a long time volunteer (2009 - 2019). She was a member of the Jazz Station renovation team in 2010/2011 and volunteered in many positions over the years - including Bookkeeper, Volunteer Coordinator, Maintenance team leader, and was a member of the Jazz Station Management team until 2019. She was also a member of the Willamette Jazz Society Board of Directors and served as the Board Treasurer. In 2016 she was awarded the Volunteer of the Year in Arts and Culture by the United Way of Lane County. Dona continues to volunteer her time and efforts as producer and host of the fun and popular Jammin' with the Pros - a professional level jazz jam at The Jazz Station on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.
Vocalist Donna Courtell was initially trained in New York and Los Angeles, and began her professional singing career in 1971 playing intimate lounges with only piano accompaniment. Donna has toured Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. In 1975 she took her 4 piece show to the Elegant Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. She has led and sung with a wide variety of bands from show groups to jazz combos to country-rock bands. Donna was the "canary" with the 17 piece Starlighters a big band in Eugene for more than 20 years. She now performs with Blue Skies Big Band, and the fabulous Jewel Tones Trio. She sings and plays percussion with the all-female Steel Magnolias steel drum band. She has owned and operated the Courtell Talent Agency since 1984 and has worked with most of the venues and professional entertainers in the area for the past 30 years. She continues to perform and book entertainment for corporate galas, private parties, wedding receptions, anniversaries, and more.
Multi-instrumentalist Michael Anderson has been on the music scene in various guises since he moved to Eugene in1976. He’s traveled internationally backing artists, as well as playing stylistically diverse music, from Gypsy Swing to Rock to Jazz, Folk, and Rhythm and Blues. Michael spent some time working with jazz drummer Donny Osbourne (Mel Torme) & Paul Cotton (Poco), as well as video and radio production and as a session musician on numerous albums by local artists. His experience shows with soulful singing and his jazz-influenced guitar riffs. At present he works with Bossanaire, a Brazil 66 type of band as well as the band leader for Fred Craft's Radio Redux at The Hult Center, and Ballet Fantastique. He continues to explore new musical opportunities.
At the age of 14, inspired by Blues masters Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and Sonny Terry, Damien Masterson started playing diatonic harmonica. At 16, he received as a gift an alto saxophone, and applied the theory learned through sax lessons to another recent gift, the chromatic harmonica. Around that same time he was introduced to Altaneze Taylor, the founder of Bright Moments Music Lovers Club. Through her organization, he met and studied with professional musicians and learned about Jazz history and culture. As an adult he entered Laney College and studied with Elvo D'amante and Ed Kelly. He transferred directly for an exchange program (aka "Intercambio") to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he lived, studied, and played for the next two years. Upon returning from Brazil he was soon playing in the Bay Area's top clubs with the area’s best Brazilian and Jazz musicians, resulting in the 1996 debut CD release, Intercambio, inspired by his overseas adventures. In 1997, after nine consecutive visits to Havana, Damien produced Cubacambio, taking his passion for World Music, Jazz and Pop and melding them into one vision. "Cubacambio" is one of the first recordings featuring chromatic harmonica in an authentic Cuban setting. In following years, Damien expanded his performance and recording into many genres, mixing Jazz, Rock, Pop and World Music styles, searching for an elusive "sound" to express the music he heard growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 70's and 80's. That exploration can be heard in his various recordings on his own albums, and the recordings of other artists. During this time he was fortunate to tour and perform all over the globe, including Europe, Asia and North America. In 2009 Damien released All Over the Map, his first major release since Cubacambio. Considered one of his finest albums, it showcases his compositional and arranging talents, as well his trademark harmonica and saxophone chops. A collaborative effort with Bassist/Producer/Engineer Jon Evans of San Pablo Recorders, featuring Allison Miller on drums and Julie Wolf on keyboards, All Over the Map has been dubbed a "must have." In years since, Damien has been searching for lost rhythms and atypical ways to syncopate his compositions. That exploration transported him all over the world; but it was his discovery of certain styles of African music, especially Senegalese Mbalax, that captured his heart and soul. During 2009 - 2010 Damien traveled to Africa 4 times, studying, performing and recording in Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and South Africa, ultimately building a studio in Dakar, which allowed lower income artists to create recordings and demos. Damien lived in Dakar, Senegal for 4 years, performing and touring with a number of groups. Damien is also a polyglot and can speak several languages fluently, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Chinese and Wolof. He has a Bachelors in Music with a minor in Spanish from San Francisco State University.
