Michelle Medler, Saxophones & Flute;
Marcus Reynolds, Piano & Organ;
Ben Medler, Bass;
E3 Edwin Coleman III, Drums.
Influences
The four of us are influenced by the greats of Jazz, Funk, Blues, R'n'B, Hip Hop, and beyond.
Michelles Influences:
Jazz, lots of Jazz. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Quincy Jones-Q, Miles Davis, Bird, Diz, Monk, Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins (& Stitt), Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, Roy Eldridge, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Illinois Jaquet, Cannonball Adderley, Jackie McLean, Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy,Woody Shaw, Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams, Keith Jarrett, Les McCann, Eddie Harris, Leroy Vinegar, Bud Shank, Kim Richmond, Bob Mintzer, Pete Christlieb, Count Basie band, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Horace Silver, Jiggs Wigham, Rob Scheps, Darrell Grant, Dave Holland, George Cables, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Chris Potter, Josh Redman...to sample the ones that came to mind at the moment...ask me tomorrow, who knows?
The Pocket: James Brown, Maceo Parker, Bob Marley, Rebirth Brass Band, Medeski Martin Wood, Steely Dan, Groove Collective, Earth Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, The Meters, Jamiroquai, Aretha Franklin, Lauren Hill, The Coup, Arrested Development, Mos Def, Kanye West, The Roots, Mary J Blige, Parliament, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles,...
Music of the Pygmies in Central African Forests, Ghanan drumming (Obo Addy).
Cuban music, Calle 54 (the movie of amazing Latin Jazz)
Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, Hindemith, Handel, Berlioz, Stravinsky, Creston.
Growing up, Michelle was surrounded by 50's-60's Motown, rock, and Rhythm 'n blues. "I didn't always know who was playing, as most of it was on the radio or by played live by local cover bands, but this music was a huge influence on me." Turns out it was Ottis Redding, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye, The four tops, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, The Greatful Dead and more.
Michelle Medler, a multi-instrumentalist who displays a diverse range of musical styles, fronts this modern jazz ensemble on soprano, alto, and tenor saxes and flute. Her regular band includes Ben Medler on electric bass, Marcus Reynolds on Piano and keyboards, and Edwin Coleman III on drums.
Michelle is influenced by all kinds of Jazz from big band to straight-ahead to experimental. Along with everything from dirty-blues, funk, hip hop, r’n’b, rock ‘n’ roll from the 50‘s on, and classical music. Michelle tells a story with her lyrical sound. Whether a saxophone or a flute, she makes a fierce statement and says it with a graceful integrity.
In addition to leading her Quartet, Michelle performs with ensembles such as:
The Quadraphonnes, Lily Wilde and her Jumpin’ Jubilee Orchestra, The Medler Quintet & Sextet, Alex’s Body and Soul, Afincando, & Cubaneo. Shell has also played with the Mambo Queens, Melao, Porkpie, Bill Hagen, and others. She has shared the stage with The Rebirth Brass Band from New Orleans, and performed with Ingrid Jensen, Don Braden, Leroy Vinnegar, Mel Brown, and Terell Stafford with Portland State’s Jazz Ensemble. Michelle is also the co-director of the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra (PYJO).
From the Pacific Northwest USA, Shell grew up in the Jazz and Blues Communities of Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. As a teen, she played at Portland’s Ron Steen jam sessions, hit Seattle’s Blues scene with Sweet Talkin’ Jones and the Muscletones, and attended years of Mel Brown/Mt Hood Festival of Jazz and Bud Shank Jazz Workshops. She also took classical music very seriously, playing in the Chamber orchestras and solo contests. Michelle also played in the excellent school band programs in her areas.
Michelle graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelors of Music, Jazz Emphasis. While in college she was an artist in residence at Portland’s Wilson High school where she and husband, Ben Medler, lead an innovative and award winning Jazz band program.
She has studied with: Bob Mover, Kim Richmond, Jeff Clayton, Don Lanphere, Scott Hall, Rob Scheps, Darrell Grant, Charley Gray, Jeff Homan, Gary Harris, Dan Schauffler, and others.
After college, the Medlers founded the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra (PYJO), giving area middle and high school music students a place to grow and study Jazz. PYJO has performed at the Portland Jazz Festival, Jazz Society of Oregon’s First Jazz, opened for John Medeski at the Crystal Ballroom, and performed at various McMenamins.
I created my own profile using nUCLEArcENTURy.COM and you should too!
The new True Margrit CD - The Juggler's Progress - is now available for pre-order, along with t-shirts and artwork, photo and drumheads, check it out here: http://bit.ly/7Cu8J
Next shows: October 30, Mississippi Pizza in Portland, OR October 31, Nana's Irish Grill and Pub in Newport, OR November 1, Muddy's Hot Cup in Arcata, CA November 5, Molly Malone's in West Hollywood, CA November 12, Fox and Goose in Sacramento, CA
Our tour wraps up with the big show at San Francisco's best rock club, Bottom of the Hill! For the complete show schedule, check here: http://bit.ly/1UgGqQ
Thanks so much for the Add. We enjoyed your music very much. We hope you and your friends enjoy our music, too. It's a pleasure having you among our friends! We wish you all the very best in your careers.
Onward and Upward with Music! Thom & Lorry Gambino New York, New York
Hello Michelle, nice to be conected to you. If you feel like traveloling to Europe, April's a good time! Please check the festival programme on our page, and feel free to add a comment.
Peter & SaxOnly, International Saxophone Festival Antwerp.
We're not on Myspace as a band, but I wanted to let you know that the Vaporizers are playing our first public gig since last December - this Saturday, the 22nd, at the Sellwood Public House. We'd dig it if you can swing by - of course Ben's invited too! Muddy's even coming up from Cottage Grove to play with us, and he's a new dad!
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