Entertainment Division

~ produced and recorded by Cornelius Swart RUN TIME 33 MINUTES

On April 25th the Farnell Newton Project, a jazz trio fronted by St Johns resident played ‘Round Midnight a new late night jazz venue on NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Set within the deep burgundy curtains and red walls of the Curious Comedy Club, ‘Round Midnight now in its third week, is the creation of David Ornette Cherry, a recent transplant from Los Angeles.

Cherry has come from distinguished jazz lineage but has created ‘Round Midnight to promote local jazz performers.

“My uncle and his dad [Don Cherry] use to play,” said Newton.  Netwon, who works at the University Park Community Center is a graduate of Oberlin College, and is currently getting his masters in music at Portland State University. He grew up in Miami and is the nephew of avant guard jazz drummer Sunny Murray.  “My uncle played with all those guys, Cecil Taylor, Albert Fowler, Ornette Coleman.”

Netwon met David Cherry at the 2008 Portland Jazz Festival.  

On the 25th the Farnell Newton Project played with Patrick Harry on base, Chance Hayden on guitar, and David Muldoon on drums.  They were joined later by saxophonist Devin Phillips [last song on this recording].

When asked before the show what they would be playing that night, Newton shrugged, “Its Jazz, we’ll play anything we want.”

Round Midnights, 11:30pm at the Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.