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Matt Kirk Jazz
By Kip Miller
Jazz in Wilsonville was enough to pique this writer’s interest
and a visit to Abella Italian Kitchen, sited on a poor piece of real
estate behind a Quizno’s in downtown Wilsonville. It was definitely
worth the trip!
Abella, a comfortably upscale restaurant serving Italian inspired
dishes, recently hosted Matt Kirk Jazz to celebrate their first year
of business…and what a celebration! Before the first note was played,
the capacity crowd broke into spontaneous applause as Kirk’s trio
approached the stage. The band went right to work with some powerful
renditions of jazz classics, highlighting the very talented Cam McMinn
on saxophone, passing leads to Ron Murvihill on piano.
Kirk, a Wilsonville native, bills his trio as “somewhat traditional
jazz for the less snooty.” That tells you something about the music,
but is more telling about Kirk. He’s no rookie. Kirk has played the
Portland music scene for years in everything from punk to funk and
has earned a national reputation as a versatile and capable musician;
he takes it all in stride. In his trio, Kirk is difficult to overlook.
Perhaps it’s his 6’4” stature, the upright bass and infectious grin,
but it’s more the attentiveness that Kirk has for his audience.
Catching a moment with Kirk during a break and asking about “jazz
for the less snooty,” obtained Kirk’s comment; “We play for our customers.
Sure, we can tease the jazz aficionados and musicians out there,
but like any band looking for success, we want to touch the audience
with music that is comfortable, melodic and familiar. That’s why
we focus on the 1960s club jazz. It’s cool, interestingly familiar
and challenging…and who can resist a sexy Billie Holliday tune?” About
his musicians, Kirk says, “John Garcia is the drummer to have. We
met by accident, or by synchronicity, but I couldn’t do any of this
without his support and I feel very fortunate for having this opportunity
to play together. Ron Murvihill was introduced to me by another bass
player and I’m absolutely flattered that he’s here with me tonight! …just
hear this guy play piano!”
There’s no question that Kirk’s trio sets a solid foundation,
but the night was highlighted with a feature appearance from Rebecca
Pershing (Global FM, Power of Ten) singing her personalized and sensuously
smooth versions of Peel Me a Grape, Just the Way You Look and
other great-era ballads. Matt Kirk Jazz is a stirring departure for
Pershing that highlights her skills as a talented vocalist. There
are few singers that can scream AC/DC tunes then follow the next
night with passionate vocal jazz ballads, but Pershing comfortably
shines with the same confidence and presence.
The bittersweet news is that Kirk’s successes don’t allow
him to play many local performances, but savvy followers can catch
him for a return visit to Abella’s on Jan. 20. Matt Kirk’s trio is
booked for the night, with the exceptional Cam McMinn on saxophone,
John Garcia on drums, pianist Ron Murvihill and a feature performance
from Lisamarie Harrison (Reefer Madness the Musical and acclaimed
performances in Sisters of Swing).
Reservations with Abella Italian Kitchen are strongly recommended
to assure a seat for this performance. Jazz in Wilsonville? Absolutely!
This is worth the drive!”
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