November 2018 | view this story as a .pdf

Stroll through the night streets and you’ll hear the notes of Portland.

By Olivia Gunn Kotsishevskaya

You’re walking up Park Street as the lights glisten on the rain-slickened sidewalk. The lime, yellow, purple doors of the brick condos play to the feel of it all. Strangers pass, headed to their favorite snug for a warming brew and friendly faces. You’ve made no plans, but this night’s got you swooning. Whether you’re alone, in love, or struck by a sudden yearning—you’re in the mood for Jazz.

Blue Train

Reaching Congress Street, you hear smooth notes drift from a tiny club as one patron slips out for a smoke. Following the sounds inside, you find you fit right in. Candlelight plays along the red walls as couples and friends sit with their drinks, plunging into a shared moment—when conversation is no longer a necessity. You take your seat at the bar and order a martini, a bourbon, something with a little more than hops and suds.

Welcome to Blue, where the music says it all. While there’s no cover at the door, Blue is a donations-only venue, so make sure you have cash on hand to support the acts. Whether Renée Coolbrith and JanaeSound are on stage for Ladies in Blue (December 10), The Kelly Laurence Quintet shows up (December 21) playing Cole Porter, or the Evan King Group (December 7) hits the spot with soulful classics, there’s something for every kind of night.

Cool Yule

The Portland Jazz Orchestra keeps our city swaying on November 15 at One Longfellow Square ($15). Led by Dr. Chris Oberholtzer (a two-time Portland Monthly alum!), the 18-piece ensemble plays originals by members and big band classics from Count Basie, Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman. A PJO show is a classic ending to any night on the town, and at Longfellow Square you’re in the heart of it all.

If you’re looking to get in the spirit, OLS keeps the season tempo with The Heather Pierson Jazz Trio ($25). The neighborhood will be hot-stepping with their “Charlie Brown Christmas” performance on December 9, and the Vince Guaraldi favorites are sure to melt that cold, cold heart.

A Lily Pad Away

We’ve all been through the mid-week blues, but the wisest know there’s no use in wallowing in it. Take an evening drive to Westbrook, where one helluva juke joint keeps the sleepy town up at night.

The Frog and Turtle Pub hosts musicians throughout the week, but you’ve got to hear The Hello Josephines. This funky jazz act keeps the dinner crowd out for one more round with high-energy grooves. Members Bess Jacques, Per Hanson, Scott Morrison, and Kate Campbell Strauss have a chemistry that reverberates, bouncing off tables and down the bar. The foursome returns November 7 and December 5. If you’re not careful and catch the vibe, you might bump someone’s NY strip steak.

But don’t get too uptight. The Frog and Turtle serves up delicious entrées while keeping the laid-back vibe you Jazzophiles crave. Order 50-cent wings on Wednesday and get into the moment with a Dante’s Epitaph: a Bourbon cocktail spiced with Memphis BBQ bitters ($12).