Thursday, June 4

Rising Stars in Concert

From top: Debbie Poryes, Jason Bodlovich, Noam Lemish

• Debbie Poryes Trio

• Jason Bodlovich Quartet

• Noam Lemish Quintet

Raven Performing Arts Theater
115 North Street

Date: Thusday, June 4
Time: 7 pm
Tickets: $10

Few things are more exciting than catching fast rising artists who are coming into their own. We’ve got a bevy of highly talented players on this program who are forging highly personal approaches to jazz.

Debbie Poryes Trio

A gifted pianist and respected educator, Debbie Poryes has been an important figure in the Bay Area since her days studying and teaching with improvisation guru Art Lande in the 1970s. Poryes took a major step in 2008 with the release of her gorgeous trio CD, “A Song In Jazz” featuring ace bassist Bill Douglass and veteran drummer David Rokeach.

While only her second recording under her own name, the album captures a fully realized musician with a keen melodic imagination, supple sense of rhythm and crystalline touch.

» Visit Debbie Poryes’ website

Jason Bodlovich Quartet

Guitarist Jason Bodlovich is a North Bay resident who immersed himself in jazz at Sonoma State studying with Mel Graves, Randy Vincent and George Marsh. Playing steel string, 12-string and archtop guitars, he’s honed an eclectic group sound informed by Gypsy swing, bossa nova and post-bop harmonies.

An ambitious composer, Bodlovich is also a savvy bandleader who effectively combines four distinct voices in his band featuring bassist Miles Wick (a protégé of Mel Graves), drummer James Stafford and pianist Noam Lemish.

» Visit Jason Bodlovich’s website

Noam Lemish Quintet

Noam Lemish leads a fierce but lyrical ensemble that features a sterling cast of improvisers. Since settling in the North Bay, he’s studied with visionaries such as W.A. Mathieu, Mel Graves, Billy Hart, and James Newton, developing into a formidable composer and bandleader in his own right.  Last fall, he released an impressive debut CD, “Yes And,” a collaboration featuring George Marsh, focusing on Lemish’s original tunes.

The pianist’s current combo showcases some of the best young improvisers on the West Coast, with bassist Miles Wick and drummer Smith Dobson Jr. combining for a powerful rhythm section tandem, while altoist Kasey Knudsen and tenor saxophonist Matt Rothstein provide deft ensemble work and incisive solos.

» Visit Noam Lemish on the web

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