Jazztronica was a weekly event held at Pi-rem, a hybrid gallery and wine bar at the edge of Portland's trendy Pearl District from June until December of 2007.
Each week Derek Sims and a revolving cast of Portland's finest electronic, experimental, and jazz musicians improvised a set that blended elements of Miles Davis and Bill Laswell. At the end of the run, a series of live records were made at Pi-Rem.
The album features a number of exciting musicians: Derek Sims, Keith Schreiner (Auditory Sculpture), Clay Giberson, Luis Tataje (Acroyear) and Skip vonKuske (Cellotronik). Jazztronica has been a series designed to create a musical community between electronic musicians and jazz musicians interested in expanding their creative palettes. The album itself is a product of synthesizing improvised jazz with live electronic music that was recorded live during the Jazztronica sessions at Pi-rem.
Derek Sims is an in-demand trumpeter in the local jazz and classical music scene, as well as a coveted player with more experimental projects (Dahlia, Auditory Sculpture). Sims has traveled the world and played in over 40 countries with numerous projects. He still finds the time to teach privately and directs the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Jazz and Combo Programs, as well as being a member of the Mel Brown Septet, clinician and faculty member of the Mel Brown Summer Jazz Camps.
I've got new tracks! I miss the jazztronika and golf and hanging with you yo. I hope its been going well. I'm back at god knows when Saturday and Portugal was awesome. Madrid is relaxing so far and I'm here til Friday.
I gave my dad the Jazztronica CD for Christmas, and when I talked to him last night he kept bugging me for details about the project. He totally loves it! I'm trying to convince him to head out to Jimmy Mak's and check it out :)
Thanks for finding me and sharing your incredible music with me. You guys groove well together. Love the tunes, especially the crazy drummin on Midnight Man!! It's very hot! Annalee
What's up man!? I've been listening to Tiger Bar Down Band CD you gave me a lot and I had an awesome summer working at the Stanford Tennis Camps! How you been?
