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Blue Cranes
Experimental / Jazz / Progressive

"Homing Patterns available @ integersonly.com"

PORTLAND, Oregon
United States

Profile Views:  12480




Last Login:  7/21/2008
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   Contacting Blue Cranes

 MySpace URL: 
  http://www.myspace.com/bluecranes  

   Blue Cranes: General Info
Member Since5/15/2006
Band Websitebluecranesmusic.com
Band MembersReed Wallsmith (alto sax/composition)
Sly Pig (tenor sax/composition)
Keith Brush (acoustic bass)
Rebecca Sanborn (keyboard/piano)
Ji Tanzer (drums)
Sounds LikeBlue Cranes
Type of LabelNone





   Upcoming Shows ( view all )
Jul 19 2008 8:00P
Sounds Outside Festival Seattle, Washington
Aug 1 2008 8:00P
Gallery Homeland w/ Sound for the Organization of Society Portland, Oregon
Aug 30 2008 8:00P
Goodfoot Lounge w/ Jessica Lurie and the Tiptons Portland, Oregon

Blue Cranes's Latest Blog Entry  [Subscribe to this Blog]

CD Release Tonight  (view more)

Seattle / Ashland / SF / Davis / Oakland / Portland - April/May 2008  (view more)

Blue Cranes / Strangers Die Everyday @ Valentine’s Tues. Feb. 5  (view more)

[View All Blog Entries]

   About Blue Cranes
To be on our email list for shows and events, please go to www.bluecranesmusic.com

Our new album, Homing Patterns, was released on May 7, 2008 @ Holocene (Portland). We are proud to have a song from our latest release included on the 2008 PDX Pop Now! Compilation.

Thank you to everyone who helped made our April tour to the Bay Area a success. We'll be back soon.



ABOUT:

"In recent years, Portland has become a breeding ground for a number of exciting jazz combos, all of which aim to take the genre out of the cocktail lounge and into the indie rock club. One such group is an invigorating quartet known as Blue Cranes. Although it sticks to the typical lineup of a jazz quartet (sax, keys, bass and drums), the group avoids expository solos and renditions of traditional songs, instead sticking together throughout like a rock band and, on this album, even covering a song by the late Elliott Smith.

"Blue Cranes haven’t completely eschewed the notions of what jazz music is, writing straightforward works ... as well as proving they can ride a Latin groove with best of them... Yet what makes Blue Cranes so enticing is how closely they align themselves with other jazz artists like Ornette Coleman and Charles Mingus, who stretched the boundaries of what jazz can be."

- PERFORMER MAGAZINE, January 2008

THE STORY:

In 2003, high school friends and bandmates Reed Wallsmith and Ji Tanzer reconnected after several years apart, and began performing together as a free music duo. In 2004 they combined with Keith Brush to form Blue Cranes, performing music from a 4-track project that Reed had made. A year later, in search of a chording instrument, they connected with Rebecca Sanborn, who was performing her own music in a duo with Ji. As a quartet they recorded their first full length album, Lift Music! Flown Music!. In 2006, at a show in Portland, 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 Ila Cantor (nyc), recorded the second full length Blue Cranes album, Homing Patterns, which was released in May 2008.

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"Returning to Portland" live at PDX Pop Now! Festival, August 2007:



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Our first album, Lift Music! Flown Music! was released in January 2007.
To order a copy, please visit our website or click above.

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PRESS

"Built on simple melodies, often delivered slowly by Wallsmith's compelling alto saxophone over keyboard, bass and drums, these tunes are constructed with subtle sophistication. Never sleepy or static, and sporting an indie-rock edge that periodically disrupts the tranquillity, the Blue Cranes are what jazz is all about: applying advanced harmonies and improvisation to the sounds of the day. -THE OREGONIAN (portland)

"Local rock fans, don't be afraid of this young experimental jazz quintet, since they're one of you, having covered both The Kingdom and Elliott Smith on their 2007 debut, Lift Music! Flown Music!. Like The Bad Plus -- who've given them props -- the Blue Cranes swing with both jazz tradition and current pop sounds." -PDX POP NOW! PAMPHLET (portland)

"The greatest strength of Blue Cranes is their unity as a band." -ALL ABOUT JAZZ (nyc)

"Great melodies and a strong focus on ensemble playing over individual virtuosity." -DAVID KING (The Bad Plus, Happy Apple, 12 Rods)

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   Blue Cranes's Friend Space (Top 24)
Blue Cranes has 716 friends.
 Sly Pig 


 ji tanzer 


 Reed Wallsmith 


 Rebecca Sanborn 


 Keith 


 ::jpowers:: 


 Ila Cantor 


 Chris Mosley 


 Anna Fritz 


 EBU GOGO 


 Paxselin Quartet 


 AFTERNOON BROTHER 


 Gavin Castleton *STATELESS/GC EP OUT ON 7/21* 


 Strangers Die Every Day 


 Brian 


 ROLLERBALL 


 rob tyler 


 Todd Bishop 


 Erica con una C 


 31Knots 


 happy apple 


 The Bad Plus 


 daniel 


 Bill Athens 





Blue Cranes's Friends Comments
Displaying 50 of 96 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
The Criterion band





Jul 17 2008 9:09 PM

City Feigning Sleep
Quiet Countries





Jul 3 2008 8:39 PM

Photobucket
Sam Howard


Is Online


Jul 1 2008 2:18 AM

hope you guys are livin' large. stop by the boat tonight if you're around!
tugboat
Sam Cooper





Jun 11 2008 10:15 PM

june12onlinefliersmall
KNOWVELLA





Jun 10 2008 7:35 PM

Thanx for Your Friendship,,,Hope you like the Art & Music it wouldn't fit on the fridge so we appreciate your space like your space should be appreciated,,,You RocK!!!
Beep!





Jun 10 2008 9:20 AM

Hi guys.
Looking forward to Saturday!!!
PDX POP NOW!





Jun 6 2008 5:12 PM

Thanks for being a part of the PDX Pop Now! comp this year.
All-ages release party @ Holocene on Thursday, June 12!Photobucket
Captain Raab





May 31 2008 4:29 PM

You guys rule!!!
paper/ upper/cuts


Is Online


May 24 2008 5:24 PM

AFTERNOON BROTHER





May 20 2008 11:18 AM

TOWNE LOUNGE
may 26th 8:30pm
21 and over 3 to 5 dollar cover


Afternoon Brother (skronky progressive techno jazz)

Blue Cranes (real jazz and abstract sax pops)

Alas, Alak, Alaska! (psych pop)

Please inform your community, and come support us for our last gig of the 2008 Alas, Alak, Alaska! and Afternoon Brother TOUR!
Mosquitanica





May 18 2008 5:41 PM

Hola!!!!!!!!!!
Jason America


Is Online


May 15 2008 6:39 PM

Rick Rossovich look alike contest Monday night at the Goodfoot Open Mic!
paper/ upper/cuts


Is Online


May 12 2008 10:41 PM

fantastic show the other night at ethos guys/gal!
Akila





May 10 2008 5:41 PM

incredible show at holoscene guys, the cd is nice too

ji rule(z)
Fractal Quintet





May 7 2008 12:57 AM

I love the sound of the new cuts! You guys rule!
:)
Libby
AFTERNOON BROTHER





Apr 29 2008 2:37 PM

so we're listening to the new recordings now, and you dudes aren't fooling around. you're all so good!!! how you do that? see you in portland, we can't wait.
AFTERNOON BROTHER





Apr 29 2008 11:12 AM

You blew my mind at Delta of Venus in Davis. Thanks for making the trip. It was a trip.
Dan Duval





Apr 26 2008 3:14 PM

the new record sounds great!
Michael Quinn and the Bourbon Kings





Apr 13 2008 7:42 PM

Have a shot o Bourbon...
Das Vibenbass





Apr 13 2008 3:05 PM

DVB will be in Portland this upcoming Tue April 15 performing live at the Doug Fir Lounge opening up for our good friends Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. The night promises to be an excellent one as we are excited to debut new material and JFJO has the release of a new record.
Hope to see you out!

Doug Fir Lounge
Tue April 15 9pm
$12
Fractal Quintet





Feb 20 2008 9:37 AM

"Still" is an awesome cut! Everything sounds really nice. :) Libby
daniel





Jan 30 2008 1:39 AM

Reed!
hey, i pulled out a buncha Fred cds for you to check out. a long time ago. did you send this blurb to Brino? he might be around here then. did you know i'm gonna "perform" (a reading) w/Paxselin and Dusty YOrk Trio at the Design Council on Feb. 22nd? Part of the PDXjazz fest! Now i can get in to see Ornette (i couldn't afford it)
Light Coorporation





Jan 19 2008 12:30 PM

Thanks for the friendship!

Greetings!


LIGHT
COORPORATION

www.myspace.com/lightcoorporation
Failing Records





Jan 17 2008 11:13 AM

Photobucket
Arc O





Jan 15 2008 8:00 PM

Just got Lift Music! Flown Music! from the Integers Only folks. Awesome stuff.
Ground Level





Jan 1 2008 3:19 PM

I'm way late but still wanted to say thanks for the friendship.

Life, strength & abundance in '08
Peace...
planets





Dec 29 2007 3:34 PM

we love it!
Mac's





Dec 12 2007 10:14 AM

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Boogie Boom - worlds most important piece of music





Nov 28 2007 6:29 AM


"Thank you for friending again! No chance to phishers, hackers...

Danke für die freundliche Unterstützung...keine chance den Hackern, Phischern usw...



LET THERE BE BOOGIE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!"
Sam Piper Productions





Nov 21 2007 9:39 AM




Thanks so much for the add!

- Tara and Maggie
Sam Piper Productions
Unimother 27





Nov 13 2007 12:28 AM

Beautiful atmospheres, I like it...U27
Gavin Castleton *STATELESS/GC EP OUT ON 7/21*