Jimmie Herrod Sings Billie Holiday
Portland-based jazz singer and songwriter Jimmie Herrod performs with a sextet of members of the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble (PJCE). Herrod, who sings with Pink Martini and many others, will perform a song he has composed with inspiration from the words of Billie Holiday, as well as new arrangements of songs made famous or composed by Billie Holiday by some of Portland's most talented composers: Clay Giberson, Kerry Politzer and Alex Koehler.
Douglas Detrick, Executive Director of the PJCE and producer and host of its podcast Beyond Category, has selected and edited a collection of excerpts from interviews that Holiday did during her career, and will interview Jimmie and the arrangers about the process of reinterpreting Billie Holiday’s music for today’s audiences. You'll come away from the concert knowing more about this iconic artist, broadening your appreciation of Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill.
Join us for a happy hour in the Main Lobby at 6 p.m. before the performance begins at 7:00 p.m.
About Jimmie Herrod
 | Jimmie Herrod is a Portland/Seattle based musician and actor with degrees specializing in jazz, performance and composition. A freelancing vagabond by nature, Jimmie performs a wide array of styles. Working at theaters such as The 5th Ave Theatre in Seattle and The Portland Opera, the versatility displayed in his performance and musical writing style transcends expectation. Jimmie Currently serves as adjunct faculty at Portland State University as a member of the vocal jazz faculty. jimmiebeingjimmie.com |
About Portland Jazz Composer's Ensemble
 | The Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble is a 12-piece jazz chamber orchestra which commissions and performs original works by its members and by other jazz composers in the Portland music community and beyond. It is our mission to operate a large musical ensemble, to commission and perform original works by members of the ensemble and by other jazz composers in the Portland music community and elsewhere, to act as a forum for the development and presentation of works for large ensemble by established and emerging jazz composers, and to engage and enrich community awareness and appreciation of contemporary music. We also operate a grassroots label, PJCE Records, which releases albums of original music by local jazz artists. pjce.org |
Current & Upcoming
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Adult Class : TWELFTH NIGHT, Before & After
Join veteran actor Joe Costa for a unique opportunity to take a “deep dive” into both Shakespeare’s text of Twelfth Night, and the PCS Production. Participants will read the play out loud as a group, with “intermissions” provided for lively discussion of themes and content. Interested participants will have a chance to act in selected scenes, guided by the instructor.
Improv Comedy: Love, Shakespeare
Witness the Magic of unscripted Elizabethan comedy! Step into the offbeat world of Love, Shakespeare, where seasoned Portland comedians attempt something audacious: performing a fully improvised Elizabethan play based on your suggestions!
Albina Music Trust presents A Brown Branch Christmas
Celebrate this holiday season with A Brown Branch Christmas at Portland Center Stage. Now in its fourth season, this two-night big band celebration features directors Domo Branch and Charlie Brown III guiding a heavy 15-piece lineup of regional and national musicians.
BIPOC Affinity Night DJ Party with ALoSo
Join us for a double feature BIPOC Affinity Night, featuring a live DJ set by ALoSo, plus holiday craft market vendor tables, art exhibits by Albina Music Trust Wall to Wall Sound and Jason Hill's Favorite Things, with complimentary select drinks provided by Multnomah Whiskey Library and Deschutes Brewery while supplies last.
Winter Teen Academy: Scene Work
Calling all teens! Are you looking to expand your acting skills and be the best scene partner you can be for your fellow actors? In this class, we will dig deep into scene study, character motivation, and active listening, while learning the necessary questions to ask in every rehearsal situation. You'll develop fuller characters and deeper relationships on stage by partnering in scene work — and have lots of fun too!
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
Season Superstars
Season Supporting Sponsors
