Portland Conservatory of Music

Titus Abbott Quartet @ SPACE Gallery
2025-10-26 19:30 (America/New_York) | SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101, Portland, ME, 04101, US
DATE AND TIME
Sunday, October 26 2025
7:30pm
doors at 7:00pm
TICKETS
$20 advance
$25 day of show
$2 off for SPACE members
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IRL Box Office | Cash only. No fees.
Fridays 12-6 pm at 534 Congress St.
Co-presented by
SPACE Gallery
BUY TICKETS HERESaxophonist and composer Titus Abbott brings a new quartet highlighting his decades-long collaboration with pianist and composer Mike Effenberger. The quartet is completed by Scott Kiefner on bass and Maine based but globally recognized drummer RJ Miller.
The evening will open with a series of short films by Peter Shellenberger (totaling 15 minutes), that are connected to singles from Titus Abbott upcoming trio release, Tangible Mystery.
As an improviser and composer, Titus has worked and recorded with a wide range of collaborators from his native Canada to Europe and the US including Graham Collier, Eddie Pévost, The Grand Union Orchestra, Ashley Maher, George Koller, Frank Carlberg, Pascal Niggenkemper, Michael Sarin, Marilyn Lerner, Curtis Clark, Nate McBride, Luther Gray, Jamie Saft, Sean Conly, Phillip Greenlief, Loren Stillman and many others performing at venues, concert halls and jazz festivals worldwide.

Not Not Jazz | WMPG's Jazz at the Movies
2025-10-18 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
JAM presents the film “Not Not Jazz”, Saturday, October 18th
WMPG’s Jazz At The Movies and the Portland Conservatory of Music are excited to present the documentary film “Not Not Jazz”, Jason Miller’s documentary on Medeski Martin & Wood.
The original architects of jam band music, keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Chris Woods, and drummer Billy Martin first got together in New York clubs back in the early 1990s. They have since gone on to become major stars on the national and international festival circuit. Some call their music “avant-groove”, some call it “avant- jazz”. John Medeski calls it “ wide open”. Whatever you call it, the music this powerful trio makes is remarkable and defies categorization. It is where the art of improvisation meets the irresistible groove. Medeski Martin & Wood can take an audience on an adventure that seamlessly navigates a path through improvised jazz, rock, hiphop and funk, and in a way that invariably gets them up and dancing.
“Not Not Jazz” offers us a real behind the scenes view of the band in the process of creating new music, at a recording studio in Woodstock, NY. With more than 25 years of performing together as a band, these 3 virtuosic players share a special kind of instinctual communication. And as this film shows us, through with copious footage of the band playing from then up to now, the chemistry between these 3 musicians remains electric to this day, and never stops. The groove they got just keeps going…
Just like the music, the movie Not Not Jazz flows with a momentum all its own. WMPG’s Jazz At The Movies invites you to join us on Saturday, October 18th, 7pm, at the Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St., Portland, for the film “Not Not Jazz”.
Tickets are free, and donations are gladly accepted.
And as a very special bonus, band drummer Billy Martin will be on hand to introduce the film in person. Together with Jamie Saft and Jesse Heasly will present a short performance.

June Recital Week: Adult Recital
2025-06-07 19:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
See PCM students as they perform for you in this free concert showcasing their hard work and dedication.
Featuring adult students from the following piano, voice, guitar, violin, and cello studios:
Amy Hunter
Luette Saul
Ben Noyes
Chiharu Naruse
Sylvia Schwartz
Paul Kneller
Miriam Schwanauer

June Recital Week: Student Recital #3
2025-06-07 17:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
See PCM students as they perform for you in this free concert showcasing their hard work and dedication.
Featuring students from the following piano and cello studios:
Miriam Schwanauer
Amy Hunter
Victoria Stubbs
Ben Noyes
Rachel Herzer

June Recital Week: Student Recital #2
2025-06-07 14:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
See PCM students as they perform for you in this free concert showcasing their hard work and dedication.
Featuring students from the following guitar, violin, and piano studios:
Robert Gans
Margaret Hopkins
Paul Kneller
Chiharu Naruse
Rachel Herzer

June Recital Week: Student Recital #1
2025-06-07 11:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
See PCM students as they perform for you in this free concert showcasing their hard work and dedication.
Featuring students from the following string, voice, and piano studios:
Margaret Hopkins
Julia Adams
Colin Whiteman
Victoria Stubbs
Rachel Herzer
Eleanor Lehmann

June Recital Week: Senior Recital - Heitor Mantovani-Ferreira
2025-06-06 19:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Heitor Mantovani-Ferreira, viola
student of Julia Adams
Chris Staknyo, piano
Celia Mantovani, piano
Johann Sebastian Bach – Suite No. 2 in D minor
Johannes Brahms – Sonata in F minor, Op. 120, No. 1
Niccolo Paganini – Cantabile

June Recital Week: Suzuki Recital
2025-06-05 17:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
See PCM students as they perform for you in this free concert showcasing their hard work and dedication.
Featuring Suzuki Violin and Cello Group students

"Bus" Recital
2025-05-22 14:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
PCM Student Recital
Mary Lunt, voice student of Luette Saul
Dale Ballou, piano student of Miriam Schwanauer
Amy Hunter, piano accompaniment, PCM Piano Faculty
Performing works by Amy Beach, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Harold Arlen, and more!
No Tickets or Reservations necessary.

Velvet Harmonies : an afternoon with Chausson | 240 Strings
2025-05-18 15:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Join the Portland Piano Trio for an unforgettable afternoon of artistry and emotion as they perform Chausson’s Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 3. This passionate and richly textured masterpiece captures the spirit of late Romanticism, weaving delicate melodies and powerful harmonies into a stirring musical journey.
Renowned for their dynamic chemistry and nuanced performances, the Portland Piano Trio brings this evocative work to life with elegance and intensity. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in an exquisite performance of a rarely heard gem in the chamber music repertoire.

Erica Forsythe
2025-05-17 14:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States

An Afternoon of Passion and Poetry | 240 Strings
2025-03-30 15:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Join the Portland Piano Trio for an unforgettable afternoon of chamber music that bridges the Romantic and contemporary eras. This dynamic ensemble will present a captivating program featuring Edvard Grieg’s richly expressive Andante con moto for Piano Trio, Jennifer Higdon’s evocative Wondrous White, William Matthews’ A Book of Hours, and Fritz Kreisler’s charming Londonderry Air.
With their signature blend of technical brilliance and heartfelt artistry, the Portland Piano Trio invites you to explore a world of soaring melodies, vibrant harmonies, and emotional depth. Whether you’re a seasoned classical music lover or new to the genre, this concert promises an inspiring journey through the beauty and power of chamber music.

Piano Masterclass with Diane Walsh
2025-03-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
What to Expect:
In-Depth Instruction: Diane will guide selected piano students through their chosen pieces, offering expert insights into technique, interpretation, and musical expression.
Interactive Learning: Witness the teaching process firsthand as Diane engages with each participant, addressing individual challenges and providing valuable feedback.
Inspiration for All: Even if you’re not performing, the masterclass is open to the public, allowing everyone to witness the transformative power of musical education.
How to Apply:
Piano students interested in participating are invited to apply for this exclusive masterclass. A completed application, including an uploaded video file are required to be considered to participate in the masterclass.
Apply by March 7!Admission:
Attendance to the masterclass is free of charge for both participants and the general public.
Join Us:
Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to witness the magic of piano education with Diane Walsh. Whether you’re a performer or an avid music lover, this masterclass promise to be a source of inspiration and enrichment.
For questions, please contact us at info@pcm.org.

Billie | WMPG's Jazz at the Movies
2025-03-22 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
JAM presents the film “Billie”, Saturday, March 22nd
WMPG’s Jazz At The Movies and the Portland Conservatory of Music are pleased to present “Billie” a documentary film about Billie Holiday, the great Lady Day, who was one of the most influential jazz singers of all time. Billie Holiday’s unforgettable voice, her famous phrasing, and sensual singing have often been imitated but never been equaled to this day.
Director James Eckstine’s movie “Billie” does not try to glorify Lady Day like some other films do. It is the unvarnished story of a exceptionally talented singer and hard living woman who lived her life to the fullest and then some.
Watching Billie Holiday perform songs like “Don’t Explain” and “Fine And Mellow” is like hearing her sing her own life story. Billie possessed a sultry, sensuous voice that was steeped in a lifetime of pain, and there was truth in every note she sang. Her classic song “God Bless The Child” told of her childhood struggle against poverty and standing on her own two feet. Holiday’s haunting “Strange Fruit “ was about the brutal lynching of blacks in the south and a stunning public rebuke of racism. It became an anthem of the civil rights movement and one of the most famous protest songs of all time. It also made this outspoken black woman the target of a campaign of fierce harassment from J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI, and high-ranking government officials who wanted her silenced. Even though Billie’s singing had won her international celebrity and fame, her personal life remained dogged by racial discrimination, abusive relationships, police harassment and exploitation.
This film contains wonderful footage of the dazzling Lady Day in performance along with interviews with close friends like Count Basie and Charles Mingus, who knew her well and really cared for her. Sadly, she died before her time. Despite her high flying career, there were the personal demons of drugs and abuse she could never escape .
The movie “Billie” pulls no punches. It’s an honest portrait of a bold and brave woman who despite her faults still remains one of the most loved and admired singers of all time.
WMPG’s Jazz At The Movies invites you to be our guest for “Billie”, a portrait of the legendary Lady Day, on Saturday, March 22cd, 7PM, at Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St., Portland. Admission is FREE.

Free Jazz Workshop: Dr. Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
2025-02-03 17:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Dr. Kahil El’Zabar with the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble uses rhythm and sound to conjure the essence of spiritual transformation. They have successfully engaged their workshop participants globally, to experience music with a deeper connection for both performers and listeners. The Infinity Music Workshop inspires each participant to fully immerse him/herself in their creative core.
Through this workshop, every student at any level of competency will gain a greater understanding into the power of music to alter consciousness in a positive way. El’Zabar’s EHE Infinity Music Workshop takes students through a very innovative system of breathing techniques and exercises, advanced ensemble-based improvisational concepts and practices, extended solo development tutoring sessions and an internal focus on one’s personal expression. The Infinity Music Workshop empowers all participants with a deep desire to strive for their own creative epiphany, while simultaneously learning new and exciting methods for small and large group ensemble performance.
Students and audiences alike who have the rare opportunity of exposure to the soul healing music of the legendary Ethnic Heritage Ensemble are transformed in a most positive and fulfilling manner! Along with all of the unique and advanced learning systems of the Infinity Music Workshop, El’Zabar and his academically qualified colleagues tutor each and every student in basic music education, such as ear training, note reading, theory, history, appreciation, and composition. The mentorship that comes from an Infinity Music Workshop has been reported to be priceless.
Students are privileged to share in an intimate learning environment with these internationally acclaimed music masters; after such an encounter, students are seen to play their instrument with more confidence and expressiveness. The students tend to translate the unique lessons they learn from the EHE to other aspects of their lives, therefore utilizing the Infinity Music Workshop as an inspired holistic learning experience!

Inside Scofield | WMPG's Jazz at the Movies
2025-02-01 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
WMPG’s Jazz At The Movies and the Portland Conservatory of Music are pleased to kick off the 2025 season with a presentation of the film Inside Scofield, a movie about legendary jazz guitarist John Scofield, a man who for over 5 decades has played with an A-list of jazz greats including Miles, Mingus, McCoy Tyner, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Herbie Hancock, and many more.
Told in his very own words, Inside Scofield, is a behind the scenes view of what it means to be a touring jazz musician in the world today. Beautifully photographed by cinematographer Joerg Steineck, with live performances and conversations with longtime collaborators like Steve Swallow, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny, and Bill Frisell, Inside Scofield is a wonderful window on one of the most original and hardest swinging guitarists in modern jazz.
WMPG’s Jazz At The Movies is pleased to present Inside Scofield on Saturday, Feb 1st, 7PM, at Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St., Portland.
Admission is FREE.

Open Jazz Jam
2025-01-27 18:30 - 20:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
A free open Jazz Jam session. Bring your Real Book and jam with us!
No Registration Necessary

Pandora's Box | Kinonik
2025-01-19 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Based on two Frank Wedekind plays, GW Pabst’s Pandora’s Box remains one of European silent cinema’s crowning achievements, nearly 100 years after its initial release. A tragic portrait of sexual obsession, the American actress Louise Brooks provided a genuinely iconic performance as the prostitute Lulu, a femme fatale who unleashes uncontrollable desires in the men and women she encounters. She was just 22, and beat Marlene Dietrich to the role.
Pandora’s Box is a richly atmospheric work, and Pabst is equally at home in Berlin high society or in London’s impoverished East End, where Lulu encounters Jack the Ripper. It remains a strikingly bleak vision of human relationships: religion here, in the form of the Salvation Army, provides scant spiritual consolation, and Lulu herself, despite an act of touching generosity, is brutally punished for daring to challenge the patriarchal order.
Tickets

Chamber Music Masterclass with Diane Walsh
2024-12-15 17:00 - 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States

New Sphere plays Thelonious Monk | DIJ at SPACE
2024-11-09 20:00 | Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street, Portland, ME, 04101
New Sphere is a new quartet dedicated to the music of legendary African American jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk. The band is led by soprano saxophonist and composer Titus Abbott in collaboration with pianist, composer and longtime Monk specialist Frank Carlberg and features a rhythm section of Kim Cass and Michael Sarin. Music will range from familiar to obscure pieces in Monk’s catalog of 70 compositions. Although widely known as one of the pillars of jazz history, Thelonious Monk’s music is still under recognized.
Titus Abbott
Titus Abbott is a Maine based saxophonist and composer. He is dedicated to finding contemporary expression in jazz while honoring its rich tradition. His compositions are characterized by intricate melodies, harmonies and rhythms that are an invitation to close listening. Specializing in soprano saxophone, Titus balances his repertoire as a multi-instrumentalist on alto and tenor saxophones and bass clarinet.
As an improviser and composer Titus has worked and recorded with a wide range of collaborators from his native Canada to Europe and the US. These include Graham Collier, Eddie Pévost, The Grand Union Orchestra, Ashley Maher, George Koller, Frank Carlberg, Pascal Niggenkemper, Michael Sarin, Marilyn Lerner, Curtis Clark, Nate McBride, Luther Gray, Sean Conly and many others performing at venues, concert halls and jazz festivals worldwide.
Frank Carlberg
Originally a native of Helsinki, pianist–composer Frank Carlberg has carved himself quite a niche in the New York jazz community.
As a leader, Carlberg’s groups include the Frank Carlberg Quintet, Tivoli Trio and Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble. Carlberg has also been involved in many crossover projects throughout the years. Some of his most notable collaborators have included the likes of saxophonist Steve Lacy, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler.
Carlberg has been commissioned to write music for big bands, small ensembles, symphony orchestras as well as modern dance companies. In addition to his playing and composing activities Carlberg also serves on the faculty at New England Conservatory.
Carlberg was also a founding member of the Douglass Street Music Collective and runs Red Piano Records, an independent record label with a current catalogue of over 50 releases.
Kim Cass
Bassist Kim Cass is from an island off the coast of Maine, where he was introduced to bass playing at age 10. He quickly developed a unique style on the electric bass and began playing the upright bass at age 13. Developing this instrument in a jazz context became Kim’s passion, as well as composing music featuring his upright playing.
When studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, Cass received personalized instruction from several virtuoso musicians including George Garzone, Ran Blake, Joe Morris and Joe Maneri. Cass currently resides in New York City. He has been featured in a wide variety of ensembles, executing music that is ever challenging and beautifully mysterious. Cass has performed with the likes of Matt Mitchell, Tyshawn Sorey, John Zorn, and Bill McHenry. The solo album KIM CASS, released on Table and Chairs, is a showcase of Kim’s upright bass playing and compositions.
Michael Sarin
Drummer Michael Sarin has been at the center of New York City’s genre bending jazz and improvisation community. His versatility and musical wit helped forge long associations with forward-looking artists Thomas Chapin, Dave Douglas, Myra Melford, Ben Allison, and David Krakauer. Since moving to New York in 1989, Michael’s unique style and approach to the drum set has been highly sought after by NYC and European musicians looking to expand the definitions of jazz and improvised music. He has contributed to recordings by the aforementioned artists as well as those of Frank Carlberg, Anthony Coleman, Mark Dresser, Marty Ehrlich, Mark Helias, Denman Maroney, Simon Nabatov, Mario Pavone, Ned Rothenberg, and Fred Wesley–recordings found on numerous music critics’ Top Ten CD year-end lists.

Student Honors Piano Recital | PianoPalooza
2024-10-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Featuring many of PCM’s incredible student pianists during PianoPalooza 2024. Enjoy a pizza party following the concert, thanks to Flatbread Co.
This is a free concert. All other PianoPalooza concerts are ticketed. Tickets may be purchased at PortTIX.com

The Kid Brother (1927) | Kinonik
2024-10-13 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Harold Lloyd, these days, is the least known of the “Big Three” silent comedians, overshadowed by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. But in the 1920s he was the most successful, achieving the highest pay among silent film stars. He was known for his “Glasses Character” which embodied a resourceful and optimistic persona fitting the 1920s spirit, much like Jimmy Stewart in the 1940s or Tom Hanks in the 1990s.
In The Kid Brother, the most important family in Hickoryville is (naturally enough) the Hickorys, including Sheriff Jim and his tough, manly sons Leo and Olin. The timid youngest son Harold doesn’t have the muscles to match up to them, so he must use his wits to win the respect of his strong father–and also the love of beautiful Mary. The Kid Brother is a male version of the Cinderella story; Harold, the drudge of his family, lacks the size and strength of his father and brothers and is ordered about by all of them – only to prove the hero and win Mary’s love.
Harold Lloyd always claimed this to be his favorite among all his films, and, in later years, he proudly screened the film in selected theaters and at film schools.
Live musical accompaniment will be performed by Carolyn Swartz playing the fabulous grand piano at the Portland Conservatory of Music. As always, projected from a 16mm film print.

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Tickets

Elevator to the Gallows | WMPG Jazz at the Movies
2024-10-12 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
WMPG’s Jazz at The Movies and the Portland Conservatory of Music are proud to present Louis Malle’s classic film noir film Elevator to the Gallows with the incredible improvised score by Miles Davis on Saturday, Oct. 12th.
Director Louis Malle’s first feature film Ascenseur pour L’Echafaud is a1958 crime thriller shot at night in Paris in B&W. With its innovative cinematography techniques, it heralded the arrival of the French New Wave. Film critic Roger Ebert called Malle’s Elevator “a noir masterpiece.”
Elevator to the Gallows was Miles Davis’ first film score, and was recorded by the trumpeter in an entirely unrehearsed and improvised session while he was in Paris. His haunting and lyrical playing on Elevator mark Miles Davis’s first foray into modal jazz, and a hint of what was to come, his brilliant jazz masterpiece Kind of Blue one year later.
Elevator To The Gallows is a treat for both the eyes and the ears. Come join us for this fabulous French flick and its stunning jazz score Saturday, October 12th, 7 PM, at The Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St., in Portland. Admission is FREE.

Free Jazz Workshop with Marguerite Juenemann, Gary Wittner, and Tony Gaboury
2024-10-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Bring your instrument and a fake book, or just come to watch the magic happen!
No tickets necessary.
Following the workshop, grab some dinner then come back to see Marguerite, Gary, and Tony perform live at PCM (tickets required)

Early Music Workshop: Plucked Strings and the History of Arrangement
2024-10-05 10:00 - 15:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Early Music Workshop: Plucked Strings and the History of Arrangement
A word often heard from proponents of the early music movement was authenticity (especially in the early years). Music should be played, they insisted, on the instrument(s) for which it was composed–ideally surviving original instruments of the period, or, at a minimum, faithful copies of those instruments. Even pitch, stringing materials, and much more, were often prescribed. “Arrangements? But why, with so much wonderful repertoire in its original form?”

But from the earliest surviving prints and manuscripts, we see that transcriptions formed a significant body of music–with composers going so far as to transcribe opera overtures for solo theorbo (or a 19th-century guitar)!

This workshop will explore historical examples of arrangements for plucked strings and invite participants to try playing surviving transcriptions as well as investigating how to make their own.

Schedule :

10 – 11am: Lecture on surviving plucked-string arrangements from the 1500’s to the 19th century.
11am to noon: Masterclass. Registered participants will be sent sample arrangements at least two weeks in advance, but are free to bring arrangements that they have found or made.
Break for lunch
1 – 2:30pm: Hands-on class on making arrangements. Sample works will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring works of their own choosing. We will explore:

Finding works suitable for arrangement for your instrument
Selecting suitable keys
Tips on where ‘trimming the fat’ from a ‘candidate piece’ doesn’t hurt the finished product.

2:30 to 3pm: Question and answer session

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This workshop is available for students ages 14+

Registration is required
Register Now

Portland Piano Trio & 240 Strings
2024-09-28 15:00 - 16:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Portland Piano Trio Concert Information

Cesária Évora | WMPG Jazz at the Movies
2024-09-21 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
The film CESÁRIA ÉVORA follows the struggles and success of this legendary Grammy winning singer who was born into abject poverty in colonial Cape Verde. Join WMPG’s Jazz at the Movies for the Portland premiere of this film about Cesária Évora, world famous morna singer and Queen of World Music in the 1990’s and early 2000’s who became a feminist hero and an African icon at the height of her fame.
WMPG’s Jazz at The Movies and the Portland Conservatory of Music are proud to present the premiere showing of the film “Cesária Évora” on Saturday, Sept. 21st at 7PM. The Grammy award winning and legendary performer Cesária Évora, nicknamed “the Barefoot Diva”, was raised in abject poverty in the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa, and rose to become the Queen of World Music in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s without ever losing her connection to her humble beginnings. Join us on Saturday, September 21st to celebrate the music and inspiring life of this African icon, feminist hero and world famous morna singer, Cesária Évora. Admission is FREE. And, as a special bonus, the movie will be introduced by her former bandmate Kalu Monteiro.

Air Space and Jane Ira Bloom
2024-07-25 19:00 - 23:00 | SPACE, 538 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101, Portland, ME, 04101, US
Grammy-winning saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom joins forces with keyboard-percussion duo Air Space (Mike Effenberger and Brian Shankar Adler).

Air Space (Mike Effenberger and Brian Shankar Adler) teams up with award winning saxophonist, composer and improviser, Jane Ira Bloom to create an unforgettable performance embracing the conversational possibilities between each other, the audience and the space-time continuum.
Inspired by the minimalist structures and analogue textures of artists like Brian Eno, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and Nils Frahm, Air Space transcends boundaries, creating an atmospheric soundtrack to the somnambulist’s night in the deep woods.
At times sublime and at times combative, the group explores site specific, interactive, new music. Their expansive sound comes from Effenberger’s clever use of analog keyboards, tape delays and geological specimens pitted against Adler’s genre-defying use of percussion from South America, South Asia and the sewers of Brooklyn. Blending Indian raga, post-Cageian minimalism, and lo-fi nostalgia with an occasional field recording of crickets, tiny sparks fly while the music retains a deceptively serene appearance.
Air Space made its debut in 2022, performing in a casemate at Fort Gorges (Casco Bay, Maine). In 2024, the group released Cricket Cipher (Adhyaropa Records) and toured the Northeast, US. The group’s performances often invite audience members to interact with the music through the use of collective drones and polyrhythms.

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Soaring, poetic, quick silver, spontaneous and instantly identifiable are words used to describe the soprano sound of saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. She has been developing her singular voice on the soprano saxophone for over 45 years. She is a pioneer in the use of live electronics and movement in jazz. Winner of the Guggenheim Fellowship for music composition, the Downbeat International Critics Poll & Jazz Journalists Association Award for soprano saxophone, the Mary Lou Williams Award for lifetime service to jazz and the Charlie Parker Fellowship for jazz innovation. She is the first musician ever commissioned by the NASA Art Program and has an asteroid named in her honor by the International Astronomical Union (asteroid: 6083janeirabloom). Her critically acclaimed Cd “Early Americans” received a Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album and made numerous year end best lists. Her duo release with bassist Mark Helias “Some Kind of Tomorrow” was featured on NPR’s Fresh Air and received 4 stars from Downbeat Magazine. Her recent critically acclaimed duo projects “Tues Days” with drummer Allison Miller and “See Our Way” with Helias and trio project with Helias and Bobby Previte “2.3.23” all appear on Bandcamp. JIB finds inspiration in creating exploratory music with improvising musicians around the world and has participated in several international ‘remote’ events including a performance at the United Nations that linked improvising musicians in Korea, China, New York, and San Diego. She has recorded and produced 20 albums of her music dating from 1977 to the present. Bloom is a professor at New School University’s College of the Performing Arts in NYC. Nat Hentoff called Bloom an artist “beyond category.” Bill Milkowski has described Bloom as “a true jazz original…a restlessly creative spirit, and a modern day role model for any aspiring musician who dares to follow his or her own vision.”

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Described as “a polyrhythmic force” (JazzTimes), multidisciplinary percussionist and composer Brian Shankar Adler transcends the terrain between genre and geographic region, asking: how can we find connection through rhythm? He has performed internationally in caves, forests and adjacent glacial ice fields as well as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and The Stone. He has been recorded on over fifty albums including his recent works, For a Gallery on the Moon (Chant Records, 2020) and Fourth Dimension (Chant Records, 2019). His music video, “Mantra” won best music video at Transcinema International Film Festival in Peru and an official selection at Quiet City Film Festival in New York City. Adler has worked with Kinan Azmeh, Ballet Hispanico, Jay Clayton, Guillermo Klein, La Bomba De Tiempo, Frank London, Kate McGarry, Palaver Strings, Kamala Sankaram, Elizabeth Swados, among others and has been featured in Modern Drummer Magazine, DownBeat, and NPR. He is currently on faculties at Bates and Bowdoin College.

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Keyboardist Mike Effenberger has curated an unmistakably individual voice drawing on gospel, minimalism, jazz, and 20th century music. He leads Weird Turned Pro and plays with fiveighthirteen, Jazzputin and the Jug Skunks, the secular roots and gospel choir Rock My Soul, OURBIGBAND, Sad Bastards / Loose Standards, Showmen’s Rest and Dan Blakeslee. When not in the northeast, Effenberger performs internationally with Bing and Ruth, and plays throughout the east coast with Soggy Po’ Boys. He appears on countless recordings from independent releases to larger labels, including 4AD and RVNG Intl, and is also active as a producer. His work has been reviewed in international publications including the Paris Review, The Guardian, and Pitchfork, as well as appearing on nationally syndicated media including NPR’s All Things Considered and PRX’s Echoes.

ELLIS: The Life and Complicated Times of Ellis Marsalis, Jr. | WMPG Jazz at the Movies
2024-05-18 19:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
WMPG’s Jazz At The Movies and the Portland Conservatory of Music are pleased to present the documentary
ELLIS: The Life and Complicated Times of Ellis Marsalis Jr.
Ellis Marsalis was the Patriarch of the First family of Jazz .To his talented kids, Winton, Branford, Delfeayo, Ellis & Jason, he was Dad. To generations of New Orleans musicians, he was a keyboard genius and composer, a teacher and the keeper of the flame.
ELLIS: The Life and Complicated Times of Ellis Marsalis Jr. is the story of one of American music’s heroes: a jazz musician who grew up in New Orleans, survived the racial injustices of Jim Crow segregation, flirted with bebop, and went back to his hometown roots to establish school and university programs to awaken in black students a sense of pride in their New Orleans’ heritage.
“In other places, culture comes down from on high”, Ellis taught them. “ In New Orleans it bubbles up from the streets.”
This movie ELLIS: The Life and Complicated Times of Ellis Marsalis Jr. tells the story of the pianist in his own words and music, ofter superimposed over early archival film footage of the Crescent City, and the vast floods like Katrina that would change its history forever.
Please join us Saturday, May 18th, for the movie about this great man Ellis Marsalis, the heart and soul of the New Orlean’s jazz community, who kept the flame burning and single handedly changed the entire world of jazz.
Tickets are FREE and no reservations are required. Saturday, May 18th, 7 PM, , at The Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St., Portland.
