David Valdez – Saxophone, Leader
Relocated to Portland from NYC in 2000 after living in Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Arcata, Oakland and Boston. Studied arranging and harmony with Ray Brown at Cabrillo College '84-'86, Jazz performance major at Berklee College of Music '86-'89. Studied saxophone with Joseph Viola, Jimmy Mosher, George Garzone, Bob Mover and Paul Contos.

“Since moving to town from New York City, David Valdez has shown himself to be a rigorously adaptable player and a jazz gent who can make things happen. With his broad shouldered alto tone he builds his solos architecturally like very few players in town. His Latin Quartet explores some rhythmically challenging turf and may be one of the tightest new additions on our jazz bulletin board.” Bill Smith, Willamette Week

“Saxophonist David "Carlos" Valdez is a full-throttle player with a rich knowledge of both bebop and latin jazz. Lately he's served as the quiet linchpin in a scene that has encompassed local and not-so-local greats as Nancy King, Robert Moore, Bob Mover, Lawrence Williams, Dred Scott, and many more. You can hear in the warmth of his tone and the urgency of his wail, time-well spent in the jazz salt mines of NYC, the Bay Area, and beyond.” Tim DuRoce- Strong Week

“Alto saxophonist David Valdez is one of the blazing lights of PDX's vastly underrated Latin music scene (alongside Al Criado, Ramsey Embick, and Reinhardt Melz, among others). Having worked with players both young (Danilo Perez, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Charlie Hunter, John Medeski) and older (Clark Terry, Dave Holland, Slide Hampton, Pharoah Saunders, Mal Waldron, Bob Moses), he's equally at home in bop, blues, and utter free blowing and muscles subtly into tunes with a Sonny Criss energy.”- Willamette Week

Christopher Woitach – Guitar, co-Leader
Christopher Woitach is a jazz guitarist and composer living in Portland, Oregon. He performs a wide range of jazz styles, from Dixieland to Free jazz, Ragtime to Bebop. His compositions reflect his diverse musical tastes and abilities, and combine the intricicies of Baroque counterpoint with the freedom of modern jazz. Christopher Woitach has played with many nationally and internationally known artists, including Bernadette Peters, Rich Little, Hank Roberts, Bob Mover, Tony Monaco, Mel Brown, and John Stowell. He regularly performs throughout the Pacific Northwest, and at jazz festivals in the U.S. and Canada. Woitach’s recordings have been played on broadcast and internet radio stations across the globe. They have received excellent reviews from such respected jazz publications as Jazz Improv and Cadence, and internet sites including Jazzguitar.de and Jazzreview.com. Christopher Woitach studied jazz guitar with Chad MacLoughlin and Steve Brown in Ithaca, NY, and Jim Hall in New York, NY. He studied counterpoint with David Borden and composition with Robert Keefe in Ithaca, NY. Woitach’s current projects include writing music for a new recording with his group, the Cathexis Orchestra, recording a new duo CD with guitarist John Stowell, and working on a compositional collaboration with electronic music composer Joseph Harchanko. He is an adjunct professor of jazz guitar at Western Oregon University. His latest recording is "Dead men (are heavier than broken hearts)", a tribute to the great Raymond Chandler.

www.affmusic.com

“Woitach plays Cindy Lauper’s "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" with a billowing resonance reminiscent of Joe Pass” - Cadence Magazine

“Jazz Guitarist Extraordinaire” - Pacific Arts Association

“Woitach’s new album Family takes the listener to unexpected places. What is clear, however, is Woitach’s honed skills as a composer, his command of the guitar, and all bolstered by his imaginative ideas as a soloist.” - Jazz Improv Magazine

“Christopher Woitach - making the implausible seem possible” - The Jazz Project

“Woitach is always searching for new forms of expression. With a clean and well rounded sound, Woitach’s search is both compelling and rewarding. He manages to control every aspect of his playing, balancing ideas with a keen sense of melodic righteousness” - Jazz Review

“This is a fine effort from Woitach. A performer who is comfortable playing and writing material that allows the listener to ponder what might be next. Always pushing the envelope, Family is an excellent session and is full of surprises.” - Jazz Review

“This is yet again another example of how great Woitach's compositions and playing are. This time, Mr Woitach delivers a very original and interesting work in the field of modern jazz. Do not be afraid to buy this Cd, you will not regret it.” - Pascal Dorban, Radio Luxembourg

The Sextet includes the following fine Portland area musicians: