Calendar of Events

Rich Swanger is an Oregon based songwriter with roots in folk, gospel, and country-blues music. Born amongst the Appalachian hills of Pennsylvania, he was surrounded by song from the very beginning. He discovered harmony in the church choir and found an attraction to twang hearing his father strum country classics around the house. This led to a wild love for timeless melodies and rock-solid songwriting. A move to the Pacific Northwest in 2004 proved to be the catalyst he needed to start releasing some of his own music, and further explore his love of the song. His humble solo project, Seahorse, started in the late 2000’s and grew organically over the next decade to include some of the areas most inspiring musicians. Sensing a need to address that change and growth, he stepped out from behind the moniker in 2018 with a self-titled release, ‘Rich Swanger & The Little Known Band.’ RS & TLKB transformed his quiet, folky originals into glistening country and blues songs, while also emboldening him as a performer. Lo and behold, he began to heed the deeper call of music.  Rich’s songs have been featured on the television show Shameless and his song “Didn’t Make a Sound” recently won Portland’s Folk Festival songwriting contest . He has also played TEDx Portland alongside Rebecca Jordan Smith (Prince, John Legend). Swanger has recorded 4 full length albums and performs regularly around the Pacific Northwest as a solo act and with his group, The Little Known Band. ...

Led by the duo of Salvatore Manalo and Matt Brewster, Hiroki is a band from Portland, OR focused solely on grooves, vibes, and good times. Every song they release has its own mood, and with differing musical backgrounds, each member of the band brings their own personal flavor to the sweet recipe of soul. The result is something smooth, something tasty, and something undeniably enjoyable. https://solo.to/hirokitheband ...

The El Kays are a harmony-fueled transatlantic folk-pop duo based in Portland, OR comprised of Londoner Thom Lyons and DC native Rose Kohn. They met by accident in the midst of the Covid pandemic when Thom, fairly certain that due to lockdown boredom he might have consumed all of the internet, clicked on a link to a music website he’d never heard of and stumbled upon a recording Rose had almost forgotten she’d posted. Thom reached out, they met over tea and then decided to try singing a couple songs. The chemistry was instant, but was it a fluke? They decided to jump in the deep end, booking a show and giving themselves a couple of rehearsals to learn an hour of material. Show day arrived, it was a rousing success, and The El Kays were officially born. ...

Aimee Joy is a local singer songwriter known for smooth vocals, a multi-generational sound and the contagious joy she brings to every performance! She is an Oregon native who first started singing at the age of 2 alongside her dad. Aimee’s acoustic blend of R&B, jazz and fan-favorite pop songs creates a sound that listeners of all ages will enjoy. As a former Music Teacher, Aimee finds that creating, sharing and teaching music is a true passion.  Even though she’s shared the stage with Grammy-award winning artists and local music icons, she still loves to incorporate her family into her band at local events. You can find and follow her music adventures on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram: @AimeeJoyMusic. ...

Wil Kinky is a Portland based singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. With vocals like Joe Cocker, and a guitar style reminiscent of Jimmy Hendrix, he blends blues, rock, soul, and other genres into an unexpected flavor of sound all his own. Wil has dedicated more than half of his life to playing music. Bringing passionate energy to every stage he sets foot on, he never compromises the integrity of the connection between his creation and his audience. He's played with countless musicians up, down, and across the western territory of America, to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. From grand stage venues to bars, lounges, weddings, festivals and recording studios... he is ready to lay it all on the line. ...

Jermaine’s charismatic energy and passion for music is a dynamic force to witness on stage.   He's been a professional and full-time entertainer for the majority of his life, in a variety of settings, studio to stage. From smooth and sultry R&B croonings to chill hip-hop flows, Jermaine’s main joy is bringing a smile to your face and a shake to your hips. You can regularly catch him performing all around Portland as a solo loop-artist, as well as a sought-after collaborator in group settings. ...

Guitarist Tracy Kim is best-known as one of Portland's foremost gypsy swing guitar enthusiasts and instructors. He currently performs as a soloist, but also with longstanding swing groups 12th Ave. Hot Club and The Kung Pao Chickens. Tracy is an active live player for the local swing dance community, and is also the owner of the Happy Valley School of Music. ...

Vocalist Courtney Freed and guitarist Hamody Hindi deliver smooth vintage jazz interpretations of great American classics including Cole Porter, Harold Arlen and the Beatles, as well as catchy originals and energetic covers. Strong, passionate, vivacious and daring, Courtney Freed is a dynamic vocalist in a class all her own. Her first album, "Happy Little Bluebird: The Music of Harold Arlen" is a tribute to one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Her delightful rendition of "If I Only Had A Brain" has captivated many a nostalgic heart and her soulful handling of timeless classics such as "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Anyplace I Hang My Hat is Home" are a delectable feast for the ears. She has performed in many prestigious venues in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, where she resides. Her sparkling and smooth tribute through the Great American Songbook is not to be missed live. She also sings lead with local swing band, The Courtney Freed Five. www.courtneyfreedmusic.com ...

The music of Son Cubano is a salsa fusion of different musical rhythms such as Afro-Cuban Rumbas, Latin Jazz, Traditional Yoruba Chants, Son Montuno, Chachachá, Spanish Flamenco, Boogaloo, Boleros, and other Afro-Cuban influenced music styles. This group is made up of key members of the revered group Melao de Cuba, one of Portland's most beloved salsa bands. ...

Wil Kinky is a Portland based singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. With vocals like Joe Cocker, and a guitar style reminiscent of Jimmy Hendrix, he blends blues, rock, soul, and other genres into an unexpected flavor of sound all his own. Wil has dedicated more than half of his life to playing music. Bringing passionate energy to every stage he sets foot on, he never compromises the integrity of the connection between his creation and his audience. He's played with countless musicians up, down, and across the western territory of America, to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. From grand stage venues to bars, lounges, weddings, festivals and recording studios... he is ready to lay it all on the line. ...