Wilfs Restaurant

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Please join us on May 8, 2010 from 10 AM to 4 PM for the third annual National Train Day! It’s a coast-to-coast celebration of the Rails, and your entire family’s invited to Portland’s Union Station to join in the fun! Come down and check out the displays, exhibits and information, including:

• Tours of the SP 4449 Steam Locomotive and Vintage Railroad Cars
• Rose Festival Clown Corps
• Scale Model Trains
• Food and beverages rail-side from Wilfs Restaurant
• Host, Roger Hart of Sunny 1150 AM spinning “oldies” music
• Tons of exhibitors and groups (click flyer for complete list)

Union Station is easy to find — look for the big “Go By Train” clock tower, or take the MAX Yellow line or Green line to the NW 5th & Glisan or NW 6th & Hoyt stops. If you drive, parking is only $3 at nearby Station Place Garage. Click here for a map.

Learn more about National Train Day

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Please Join us on Saturday, May 1st for an Evening of Music with Susannah Mars and Friends, a special concert to benefit the Arthritis Foundation’s Camp JAM (Juvenile Arthritis Matters!)

Performing live with Susannah Mars is an incredible roster of vocalists from the Portland music scene, including Valerie Day, Rebecca Kilgore, Darrell Grant, the Portland Gay Men’s Choir, Gary Cash, Gavin Gregory, Laurie Campbell-Leslie, and Pam Mahon.

Advanced Reserve Seats are available for a $35.00 donation, with General Seating available for a $20.00 donation. For more information or to reserve your seats, please contact Janet Lamb at 503-245-5695 or 1-888-845-5695, or email at jlamb@arthritis.org

Camp JAM (Juvenile Arthritis Matters)

Camp JAM is a free weekend camp for children of all ages with juvenile arthritis and their families. Children with juvenile arthritis face the daily challenges of their disease where one day they feel good and then achy the next day. This can be an isolating experience for children at school when they have to sit out of physical activities because of their arthritis.

Learn more at the Arthritis Foundation website.

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On Thursday, April 29th don’t miss the first installment of Jazz Railways: Last Thursdays at Wilf’s, featuring Black & Blue with Devin Phillips.

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Earth Day is April 22nd, but Wilfs is celebrating all month long with proceeds from special menu items being donated to SOLV.

SOLV brings Oregonians together to improve the environment and build a legacy of stewardship.  The money we raise helps plant trees, eradicate invasive plants, and teaches kids the importance of environmental volunteerism. In fact, for every $10 raised this month at Wilfs, SOLV can plant 5 trees! Find out more at www.solv.org.

Visit Wilfs in April and enjoy our special cocktails: The Navan Creamsicle (vanilla liqueur, Grand Marnier, OJ, and cream) or the new SOLV cocktail (Amaretto, Frangelico, Bailey’s, and coffee), and order the Smoked Salmon Pasta (with dill cream sauce, capers, and seasonal vegetables) and help SOLV with their great programs!

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Please join us at Wilfs on Friday, April 30th at 8PM for the jazz artistry of the Tony Pacini Trio

Born in Tokyo, Japan pianist Tony Pacini came to Portland, Oregon as an infant. A piano student since age 5, Tony led his first trio as a teenager, holding down weekends at a popular jazz spot. The piano made higher education possible for Tony, including study at Boston’s Berklee College Of Music, courtesy of a Leonard Feather scholarship. Once back in Portland, Tony immersed himself in the jazz scene performing with, most notably: Leroy Vinnegar, Bud Shank, Harry Allen, Ritchie Cole, Chuck Israels, Dan Faehnle, Mary Stallings, Hadley Calliman, Mel Brown, Ron Steen, Nancy King and Rebecca Kilgore. Tony’s playing won him the piano chair in guitarist Dan Faehnle’s Quartet, joining bassist Ed Bennett and drummer Mel Brown. After several years of working together, Tony and Ed enlisted drummer Tim Rap, and their shared musical vision was realized with the creation of the Tony Pacini Trio. 

Tim Rap credits Billy Higgins’ philosophy – to play what the music calls for, no more no less, with shaping his thoughtful approach to the role of the drums in jazz. Tim’s exceptional talent caught the ear of guitarist John Stowell, leading to performances with world class vocalists Nancy King, Shirley Nanette and jazz guitar icon Herb Ellis. 

Long considered one of the West coast’s first rate string bass players, Ed Bennet stepped onto the world stage in the 1970′s, touring with jazz great Carmen McRae. Three recordings were produced during Ed’s work with Carmen most notably the Grammy nominated “Live At The Great American Music Hall” on Blue Note Records, which also featured Joey Baron, Marshall Otwell and jazz giant Dizzy Gillespie.

Learn more at: www.tonypacini.com

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Join us Saturday, April 17th for a special CD Release Party for Bill Beach & Brasil Beat. The band is releasing their new recording, “Brasil Beat” on Axial Records. Featuring Bill Beach on piano and vocals, Dave Captein on bass, and Gary Hobbs on drums, Bill Beach & Brasil Beat play and sing (in portuguese) Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova, Samba and MPB. The music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Edu Lobo, Milton Nascimento, Baden Powell, Carlos Lyra and many more! Also some great American Jazz & Blues!

“Conveys a pure essence of piano jazz that is sweet, lovely and irresistable. His solos emerge in a crisp lyricism that is engaged, resonant and consistently brilliant.” –Rebecca Webb, KINK radio

In a performing career that spans more that 25 years Bill Beach has performed with many jazz legends including Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Eddie Harris, Howard Roberts, Mark Murphy, Charlie Rouse, Frank Morgan, Jimmy Cobb and Nat Adderley. He has studied withMarian McPartland, Jack DeJohnette and Warren Bernhardt. Bill has performed in Japan, Mexico, England, Holland and Belgium. His CD, Letting Go was releaseed in November of 2004.

Learn more at Bill’s website: www.billbeach.com

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