Joey Porter, frontman for acclaimed Portland jazz/funk juggernaut, Porterhouse, returns to the music scene with a handpicked collection of the NW’s finest to pay sonic tribute to soul and fusion-era artists of the 60’s and 70’s.
The maiden voyage of the tribute band was launched several years ago to perform the tunes of groundbreaking funk/jazz masters, Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters. After a string of sold-out shows, it became apparent that the band was not alone in their still-vibrant love of this era, so they formed several other all-star incarnations to deliver the music of the Meters, Sly Stone, and most recently, the great Stevie Wonder.
Joey’s collection of players boasts an array of musical affiliations. The fabric of the band is sewn by Porterhouse alumni, Joey Porter on keyboards (Porterhouse, Rubberneck, Five Fingers of Funk, the Motet), Joshua Cliburn on saxophones (Porterhouse, Rubberneck, Intervision), Reinhardt Melz on drums (Gino Vannelli, Randy Porter, Curtis Salgado, Bobby Torres Ensemble), and Dan Scollard on bass (Porterhouse, Thousand Pieces). In response to the conditional needs of the tribute orchestration, the group is accentuated by Jans Ingber on vocals and percussion (The Motet, Charlie Hunter), Chris Littlefield on trumpet (Karl Denson, Blusirkut, Phat Cidy Smokehouse), and Paul Creighton on vocals (Intervision).
The Willamette Week writes, “Tributes can be a scary thing, but Porter's eight-piece ensemble, featuring musicians harvested from the local scene, presents a seamless tribute full of improvisation and booty-shaking greatness… Judging by the reaction of the packed, sweaty audience and the near-perfect execution of the band, [another tribute show] couldn't happen soon enough.”
For more information, contact Joey Porter at 503-381-4417 or by email at porterhousemusic@hotmail.com. Also, for music samples, check out www.myspace.com/funktributes
