Hailing from the fertile scene of Portland, Oregon, the Blue Cranes create music that is as invigorating as it is disarming. The quintet, composed of Reed Wallsmith (alto saxophone), Sly Pig (tenor saxophone), Rebecca Sanborn (keyboards), Keith Brush (acoustic bass), and Ji Tanzer (drums), gracefully merges nostalgic homages to old jazz with completely fresh innovations on the genre.
“Consider the band a brainier kinfolk to the indie rock scene, and with influences from rock and other areas, but with a solid foundation in the vocabulary of jazz.” – JOSEF WOODARD (Santa Barbara News-Press)
In 1994 at a high school in Portland, Reed Wallsmith and Ji Tanzer met to form a musical project and creative outlet for their varied musical sensibilities. Nine years later, in 2003, they joined with bassist and fellow jazz enthusiast Keith Brush to form Blue Cranes. A year later marked the addition of keyboardist Rebecca Sanborn, and their first full length album as a quartet, Lift Music! Flown Music!. In 2006, Sly Pig approached the band about writing a piece for the group. When the musical chemistry became immediately evident, Blue Cranes became a quintet. This group, along with guest guitarist Ila Cantor, recorded the second full length Blue Cranes album, Homing Patterns, which was released in May 2008.
Blue Cranes’ newest album, Observatories, will be released nationally on September 14, 2010, with a California sneak preview tour August 18-26, and a Portland album release show on August 28. It features seven original compositions and a cover of Wayne Horvitz’s ‘Love, Love, Love.’ The band is joined on this album by the dynamic Los Angeles-based guitarist Timothy Young (Wayne Horvitz, Thruster), Kyleen King on viola, Anna Fritz on cello (Portland Cello Project), Marilee Hord on violin and the Paxselin horns (Mary Sue Tobin – alto sax, Chad Hensel – bass clarinet). Stay tuned!
THE BAND
Reed Wallsmith, alto sax
Sly Pig, tenor sax
Rebecca Sanborn, keyboards
Keith Brush, bass
Ji Tanzer, drums