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The Band
In 1994, jazz guitarist Stuart Wylen, a New York native who was then working in Los Angeles as a studio multi-instrumentalist (guitar, flute, keyboards and bass), moved to Portland with the intent of returning to his original passion, playing live jazz.
At Portland club Jazz de Opus, Wylen met drummer John vanOeveren, who was then forming a rock band. They considered joining forces, but Wylen was lured back to Los Angeles by calls for more studio work. By 1999, Wylen's desire to play live music and exit the L.A. studio scene had reached
critical mass. He called vanOeveren, who had taken up jazz in the interim,
and headed back to Portland. With the addition of bassist Tom Miller (who,
together with vanOeveren, had worked with Portland jazz/lounge act Tony
Starlight), they formed the Stuart Wylen Trio.
The Trio decided to focus on the soul jazz of the 1950s and '60s, covering tunes by artists such as Horace Silver, Wes Montgomery and Lee Morgan. This was a period of raw, organic, pre-electric, funky jazz. The Trio discovered that the combination of this repertoire with the guitar trio format produced an exciting and original sound.
After two years of performing together, the Trio has a growing local following. Regular audience members cite the Trio's tight, conversation-like interplay, their high-energy performances, and their blend of consummate musicianship with a refreshingly loose and exuberant approach.
The Stuart Wylen Trio appears regularly at Portland venues including Jazz de Opus, Billy Reed's, Paragon, and Rivers American Grill. Their CD, Stuart Wylen Trio Live, was recorded live at Jazz de Opus and is available in CD stores in the Portland area and on their website.
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