Paula Byrne Quartet

Paula Byrne brings in her fantastic quartet featuring Brandon Nelson on keys, Tim Gilson on bass and Brent Follis on drums. Paula Byrne's voice is like chilled champagne on a hot summer day. She moves easily between songs that are lush and beautiful to highly rhythmic, wild rides. Her sense of humor, revival of obscure songs and new twists on old standards keeps the audience engaged and enraptured.

Brandon Nelson began his piano studies at the age of 12 in Mount Vernon, WA. He graduated from Washington State University in 2016 with a degree in Piano Performance with a Jazz Emphasis. During his studies, Brandon studied directly from renowned musicians Brian Ward, Gerald Berthiaume, and Greg Yasinitsky. Brandon is a prizewinner in multiple competitions, including the Washington State Music Teachers Association's District One Recital (2011), Phase I Scholarship Competition (2012-2016), and The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival (2015 and 2016). In 2016, Brandon was also selected as the pianist to play at Hamp's Club. Currently a working musician, Brandon is playing with jazz and rock groups around Vancouver and Portland.

Tim Gilson has been a mainstay in the Northwest for many years. In 1985 he joined the Mel Brown Quintet with which he recorded the award winning 'Gordon Bleu' CD. During this time Tim had the opportunity to play with many nationally acclaimed artists including Mose Allison, Ritchie Cole, Bud Shank, Herb Ellis, Julian Priester, John Handy, Ernestine Anderson and many others. In 1988 Tim won 2nd place in an international bass competition in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter substituted for John Clayton with 'Slide Hampton and the New Jazz Masters' in a concert in Sacramento. He toured Japan in 1993 with the Mel Brown Quintet with special guest artist Chuck Findley on trumpet; then in 1994 he moved to Madison Wisconsin where he served as Principal Bassist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and substituted on a regular basis with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Since returning to Portland in 2002 Tim plays regularly with the Oregon Symphony backing guest artist such as Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling and Herbie Hancock. Tim has also accompanied several guest artists including Wycliff Gordon, Antonio Hart, Matt Wilson, Ingrid Jensen and Wynton Marsalis during their tours of the Pacific Northwest.

Raised on a farm in Southern Illinois, the first thing Brent Follis can remember is picking up a pair of wooden spoons, and tapping out rhythms on some old popcorn tins. Since then, his journey has led him cross country and around the globe, performing music for thousands of people, while in search of inspiration and culture. After receiving his degree in Advertising and music performance from Southern Illinois University, he transplanted himself in the fertile soil of the Pacific Northwest. After receiving a call from a friend and musical writing partner on the East Coast, and needing to fulfill his yearning for diversity, culture, and thin crust pizza, he moved to New York City. After a decade of performing, traveling, and immersing himself deep within the trenches of NYC, he made the sojourn back to the Rose City, where he maintains a busy recording and performance schedule, and can be found backing up many talented singer-songwriters, jazz and pop artists.