Portland musicians will join together to celebrate the life of bassist André St. James on Saturday, July 21 at Corkscrew Wine Bar, 1665 SE Bybee Blvd. at 7:30 pm.
The Adlai Alexander Trio will perform with violinist Eddie Parente, drummer Tim DuRoche and others.
This will be a fundraiser in support of André’s son Dreydan who is currently living with his basketball coach through his senior year in high school.
André St. James (1949-2018) passed away May 26. An indespensible cornerstone of Portland music and an energetic earthquake of a musician, he was an essential member of our community and a respected figure in the jazz scene. He was also a loving father and a teacher with a huge giving heart.
Over the last three decades, André worked with jazz giants Sonny Rollins, Pharoah Sanders, Nancy King, Joe Pass James Moody, and Sun Ra. He worked regularly with his own ensemble, with Mel Brown, The Kin Trio, Gordon Lee, Renato Caranto, Tim DuRoche, Reed Wallsmith and many many others
His pronounced lyricism, buoyancy and momentum, his deep respect for tradition and innovation, have taken him from torch songs and two-beat to bop and beyond. He enjoyed freewheeling, open-ended avant-garde combustion with keepers of the improvisational flame.
His most recent recording is Live in Our Time with drummer Tim DuRoche and pianist Thollem McDonas available at espdisk.com/5020.html
A celebration of the life and music of André St James will be held Sunday July 15, 2 pm at The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave. The public is invited to join friends and family, and the wider community gathering to honor his spirit.
