Jazz hits a high note

The Jazz in Sisters summer series at Sisters Depot kicks into high gear this month with a concert on Friday evening, July 21.

An area native and now-Bend resident, Andrew Lion, brings his Telegraph Trio PLUS, a jazz quintet to Sisters for a night of straight-ahead jazz and high-level improvisation —“the heart and soul of the jazz experience,” according to promoter Robert Sposato.

Lion relocated to Bend during the pandemic, and now makes connections between his past in the big city with the talent he finds here in Oregon. Each performer in his band brings a unique background and approach to the music, and each can turn in a tasteful phrase off the jazz standards they will play.

Pianist Eric Vanderbilt-Matthews splits time between Seattle and New York City, and has toured internationally with various artists. Drummer Kelsey Bleck travels to Sisters from Salem, having earned his music degree in Corvallis.

He won a Downbeat Magazine award for his drumming.

In addition to the trio, Lion adds saxophonist Tom Bergeron, a longtime college professor and jazz bandleader, and Seth Burrows, a Colorado-based guitarist now living in Bend.

Music starts at 6 p.m. Reservations for the evening are strongly recommended. Contact Sisters Depot at 541-904-4660.