Jazz

Grammy-award winning singer Lani Hall Alpert talks about her career, growing up as the daughter of famed musician Herb Alpert, and her new book Emotional Memoirs and Short Stories.

Ellen Whyte mostly hangs out in Portland, but recently toured Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley with Sue Orfield. She combines her beautiful voice & great musicians with a powerful personal understanding - of the blues, of rhythm, and of turning her life around. She's someone you want to know, both as a musician & as a person.

Phil Circle, now in Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley, spent most of 2 decades in Chicago. Trained in classical, influenced in jazz directions by a visit to New Orleans when he was 7, and walking in Eric Clapton's guitar-steps, Phil combines rich and diverse influences as a singer/songwriter.

Denise Jordan Finley performs in a duo with Daniel Pagdon as Finley and Pagdon. Denise has decades of experience with other duos and configuration, but the real suprise is that she's only really got her stride as a songwriter in the 12 years or so. With music rooted in folk or Americana, she ranges to bluegrass, jazz and much more. As a non-conforming believer, directing music in the Presbyterian Church, she's a deep soul and a musical voyageur.

Sue Orfield is a dynamo of music in the Chippewa Valley and far beyond, performing with a double-digit number of groups. Her musical tastes and skills are equally wide-ranging, although her instrument of choice is the sax and she's especially renowned for her swing & jazz music. Whether it's with the Sue Orfield Band, the Tiptons Saxophone Quartet or AcoustiHOO, the music has energy and creativity.

Peter Frey is 1/3rd of Kazyak, a new band that, like Peter, is rich in musical and creative diversity. Combine folk, jazz, rock and classical music with diverse ingredients like whimsy and political science, and you get an inkling of Peter Frey and Kazyak.