"Art Abrams began his music career as a teenager in the midst of the big band era. He fell in love with the sound of the trumpet, especially the trumpet stylings of Harry James and later in his career, Chet Baker. After graduating from the Los Angeles City College he became a professional musician playing with the Charlie Barnet and Les Elgart big bands in the 50's and early 60's. After moving to Portland, Art played and led several small combos, including Latin, jazz, and casual combos. He formed his Swing Machine Big Band in 1986, the year after he started his Jazz Summit radio program, and now hosts Jukebox Saturday Night on KMHD. The Swing Machine Big Band plays jazz and blues all around the Portland area and has released FOUR CDs: The First One, Children of the Night, Art Attack and Speak Low Swing Hard. He is a musical perfectionist looking for that perfect chord, that excellence of sound that has become the signature of his band." (edited for update)
The 15th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame (OMHOF) Induction and Concert will be held on Saturday October 8th at 7pm at the Aladdin Theater. The concert will feature Satan’s Pilgrims, who formed in Portland in 1992, donning familiar matching outfits complete with vampire capes. The Pilgrims are one of the most influential surf instrumental bands around, creating their own sub-genre of surf instrumentals with three distinct guitarists, a relentless rhythm section, while maintaining their patented Haunted Sound. This will also serve as a tribute to original guitarist Dave Busacker, who passed away unexpectedly in March of 2021. Minus 5, the band Scott McCaughey created originally with Peter Buck of R.E.M. , Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer of the Posies in 1993, will play the evening. The Minus 5 has had numerous personnel changes over the years including Steve Wynn, Colin Meloy and John Moen of the Decemberists, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie as well as others. One thing for sure, Scott McCaughey is always present and the band on stage will serve up a great evening of music.
The event will feature a live auction including autographed guitars from Willie Nelson, Hot Tuna, Tenacious D, The Indigo Girls and more. Proceeds from this event help support OMHOF’s music in the schools’ program as well as our scholarship programs. This year’s master of ceremonies with be the fabulous Tony Starlight.
Come celebrate the induction of:
ARTISTS: Art Abrams, Cool Nutz/Terrance Scott, Storm Large, Lewi Longmire, Steve Malkmus, Mayther Brothers, Scott McCaughey, PH Factor Jug Band, Kevin Rankin.
INDUSTRY: Clay Fuller, Mike Thrasher.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Portugal the Man.
ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Esperanza Spalding.
Art's acceptance speech at the OMHOF induction ceremony that played out on October 8, 2022 and below the video link is a photo of Art Abrams and Terry Currier.
