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Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961.

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  Ninth Annual
Whale & Jazz Festival

Java & Jazz

Chris Doering Combo
with guest vocalist Jan Harris

Blue Canoe Coffee & Tea
35501 S. Highway 1, Anchor Bay
Sunday, April 3, 2011
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Whale and Jazz Festival logo

Blue Canoe The delightful coastal coffee house, Blue Canoe, has developed a loyal following. Located in the Anchor Bay village, owner Janine Johnson offers fine, fresh organic coffees and teas for you to relax and enjoy.

Blue Canoe Live music on this Whale & Jazz Festival's Sunday afternoon will be the Chris Doering Combo featuring Doering, guitar, Karl Young, shakuhachi flute and Keith Abrams, bass guitar, plus other excellent musicians. The music is melodic and intriguing and the richly dynamic and truly moving vocals of Jan Harris as special guest will punctuate the afternoon.

Come on over and enjoy excellent jazz music along with a full espresso bar, featuring northern Italian espresso, a wide variety of local and exotic teas, and a selection of Franny's famous pastries. Free admission with purchase of food or beverage. For more information, call (707) 884-1800.




Jazz Artists

Chris Doering Combo


Chris Doering, guitar

Chris Doering A recent migrant to the Mendonoma coast, Chris Doering, dropped his piano studies and picked up the guitar soon after the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan. He has been playing and practicing ever since, moving from blues, rock and funk into jazz via lessons with Pat Martino, Dave Friesen and Warne Marsh along with academic studies in music theory. Christian's versatility as a guitarist has allowed him to play also for Romance & Jazz, Brunch & Jazz, Poetry & Jazz. This year Doering will appear at:


Keith Abrams, acoustic bass guitar

Keith Abrams An instigator since junior high school days, Abrams was told by his principal that he had much "unrealized potential." Having the music of Monk, Miles, Brubeck, Django, etc. indelibly imprinted on his young mind, he has been working to fulfill that potential ever since. Providing relentless pulse and breathing precious life and vitality into the classic musical themes of our time, Abrams lives by the premise that whatever musical phenomenon comes his way must have been sent to him by the greatest creative force for him to apply tender loving care. He gives thanks every day for Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, John Coltrane, James Brown, Bob Marley and all the rest. Abrams will perform at four events in the 2011 Whale & Jazz Festival:


Karl Young, shakuhachi flute

Karl Young Karl Young, a physicist by day, has been playing the shakuhachi, the Japanese bamboo flute, for many years, having studied with a number of master players including Yoshio Kurahashi, Kaoru Kakizakai, and Riley Lee.

He divides his time between living here on the coast and in San Francisco, and is well known for his performances and lectures on the shakuhachi at Gualala Arts Center. Young participated in Poetry & Jazz in 2007 and 2009. His main interest is in the traditional Buddhist pieces, known as honkyoku, but as a jazz musician, Young has long sought the sweet spot for the shakuhachi as a vehicle in jazz.

Jan Harris, guest vocalist

Jan Harris After 4 years of piano lessons, Jan added voice lessons in her early teens. In high school, mentored by Robert Greenwood, a veritable "Mr. Holland," she excelled in Advanced Choir, performed in concerts, musicals and operas, and graduated with several scholarships in tow. Also a thespian, she followed graduation as an actress in the summer season at Marin Shakespeare Festival in Ross Art & Garden Center's outdoor amphitheater. At SF State, she began as a music major/drama minor, then drama major/music minor, ultimately to a Creative Arts Interdisciplinary degree adding dance to the mix.

Exposed to jazz in her teens by a jazz-loving boy friend who frequented SF's Black Hawk night club, she saw Dave Brubeck, Cal Tjader, Mose Allison, Bola Sete, Errol Garner, and many others. (Underage, Harris had to sit inside a wire mesh enclosure and drink expensive Shirley Temples!) Her jazz singer heroines were Billie, Ella, Sassy Sarah, Nina Simone, Lena Horne, Cleo Laine, Natalie Cole and Peggy Lee. After a career's worth of participating in numerous musical and theatrical productions, she landed in Gualala, CA with musician husband, Wayne Harris. Jan and Wayne became a duo performing at weddings and other local events. Harris admits to only rare public performances of late, but says that may change shortly and she is thrilled to join the Chris Doering Trio as guest vocalist. Harris claims to not have a particular style, but rather sings how she feels the story; the lyrics with the melody. She hopes you enjoy her take on a few classic jazz standards.