Western Rebellion (See review:
www.jazzreview.com)
is a collaboration by six of the Pacific Northwest's most exciting jazz artists.
Together since 2002, they entrance audiences with their intricate compositions
and brilliant performances -- from rambunctious to sublime, and all flavors
in between.
Featuring all original compositions, this CD offers a delightful mix of genres,
including Coker's Art Blakey-inspired
Don Juayne; Schulte's lyrical and
soulful
Room 6104; Woitach's quircky, good-humored
Twa Sisters;
Lee's straight-ahead
Insomnia; and Bergeron's
Rich's Tango.
WESTERN REBELLION PERSONNEL:
Tom Bergeron -
alto & soprano saxes
With a doctoral degree in saxophone, Tom Bergeron has played in just about every
situation one might reasonably expect of a saxophonist. He has performed throughout
the United States, and in Europe and Central America; and has appeared with
internationally-renowned artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Anthony Braxton,
Robert Cray, Natalie Cole, Glen Moore, Bobby Shew, Mason Williams, Guy Lombardo's
Royal Canadiens, The Temptations, and Marin Alsop's String Fever. Bergeron performs
and records with Western Rebellion, Clovis People, Hagberg/Bergeron Quartet,
the chamber trio, SoundMoves, the European quartet, Labirynt, and his own Whirled Jazz.
Keller Coker -
trombone
Native Oregonian Keller Coker is an accomplished performer, producer and musical
scholar, as well as a commissioned composer for stage, television, and film. He began
playing trombone at the age of fourteen, and immediately took to performing as a jazz
and classical trombone player. He has performed with such notable musicians and ensembles
as Bobby Bradford, The Clayton/Hamilton Big Band, The Jack Sheldon Big Band, The Fabulous
Dorsey Orchestra, Freddie Hubbard, Milcho Leviev, Vince Mendoza, Bette Midler, Bernadette
Peters, The Coasters, The Four Tops, Glenn Moore, Bill Watrous, Mel Brown, and Snooky Young.
He is currently active in the Art Abrams Swing Machine, Whirled Jazz, Soundmoves, and has
played recently with The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Frankie Avalon, Fabian, and Little Anthony
and the Imperials.
Christopher Woitach -
guitar
Christopher Woitach is a jazz guitarist and composer, currently residing in Portland, OR.
Mr. Woitach studied composition with David Borden and Bob Keefe in Ithaca, NY, and jazz
guitar with Jim Hall in New York, NY. He has had a twenty four year career of composition,
performance and teaching, working with many innovative players, including guitarist John
Stowell and cellist Hank Roberts. He has received two "Meet the composer" grants from the
New York State Council for the Arts, one artist grant from the Arts Partnership of Tompkins
County, and a grant from the Washington Arts Commission for his pieces celebrating Bellingham,
WA. His works include a commissioned elegy on the death of composer John Huggler numerous
compositions for jazz ensemble, and "The Big Sleep," a vocal piece based on the words of
Raymond Chandler.
Gordon Lee -
piano
Gordon Lee is a composer, jazz pianist, arranger, conductor, and music educator well known
throughout the Pacific Northwest for work in many musical styles. Currently a member of the
Mel Brown Sextet, he has also played with Jim Pepper, an originator of jazz-rock fusion, as
well as such jazz and pop stars as Don Cherry, Bill Frizzell, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, and
the Temptations. More recently Lee has worked with Bobby Hutcherson, Dewey Redman, Houston
Person, Frank Foster, and Javon Jackson. Lee's compositions and arrangements won the 1989
international Hennessy Jazz Search. His 1990 recording,
Gordon Bleu, won "Best Jazz Recording"
from the Northwest Music Association. Currently headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Lee has
performed all over the world, including Paris, Vienna, Germany, Tokyo, Lima, and Istanbul.
Lee continues his intention of presenting the highest quality original music while educating
the public about the many potentials that music can be.
Dan Schulte -
bass
Bassist Dan Schulte, residing in Portland, Oregon, has appeared on recordings with the likes
of
Blue Note pianist Andrew Hill, guitarists Jerry Hahn and John Stowell, vocalist Nancy King,
Bert Wilson, Gordon Lee, Alan Jones Sextet, and Christopher Woitach. He has appeared at the
Monterey, Earshot and Mount Hood Jazz festivals. He has also appeared with the Oregon Symphony
and the Portland Opera. His first project as a leader, "Strange Pilgrims", features legendary
vocalist Nancy King, New Orleans pianist Matt Lemmler, and saxophonists Dave Evans and Dave
Valdez.
Mel Brown -
drums
Mel Brown, an Oregon icon in jazz, has been labeled the "Gentleman of Jazz" with a career
that has spanned over 40 years. Born in Oregon, Brown began his career as a drummer for
Earl Grant, recording with Capitol Records. He went on to become the staff drummer for
the Motown Music Corporation, working with The Temptations and The Supremes, among others.
He spent ten years as the drummer for Diana Ross, Suzanne Somers, Hal Linden, Connie Francis,
Pat Boone and many more. His band,
The Mel Brown Sextet, have received numerous Skanner
Northwest Music Awards, and The City of Portland proclaimed June 22, 1989 Mel Brown Day
in recognition of his accomplishments. He also serves as Artistic Director of the WOU/Mel
Brown Jazz Workshop.
