Bridge Jumper And Its Successors

I lived in Portland, OR from the fall of 2012 through the summer of 2013.  During that time I fronted a blues-rock band called Bridge Jumper.  Brian Tatman and Trevor Degler were the dual guitarists who founded the band, soon followed by Tracy Johnston on bass and Rod Coleman on drums.  And then there was me, on vocals.  It was a fun group to play with, and I never felt more comfortable on stage than while sharing it with them.  Here's a taste of what we did:

Since I left, the band has split up and gone a few different directions, all worth checking out.

Brian, Tracy and Rod formed their own power trio, Navigate North.    You can check out their music here, or a video of them performing here.  When I was playing with these guys, Rod just played drums and didn't sing (at least, not very loudly), so it's cool to hear him cut loose with such a great voice.  Tracy brings her pet bass guitar, "Slink", and a huge amount of charisma to any show-- I'm glad she doesn't have to stand behind my sorry ass anymore.  And, of course, Brian brings an amazing amount of power and fluidity to his guitar work-- if you're ever cornered in an alleyway and the only way out is a rockin' guitar solo, call Brian every time.

When I left Bridge Jumper, Rick Sohler took over the singing duties.  He's got the kind of growly vocals that I never felt comfortable with, and it's drenched in the blues.  He joined up with Trevor and his precision guitar technique to form their own Blues combo called Rain or Shine.  They don't have much music posted online, but click here for a video of them performing.

Rod and Tracy also went on to form their own group, The Groove Birds, which focuses on their original tunes,-- they tend to be more tuneful rock than blues.  They've also been the rock solid rhythm section for a few other groups around Portland.

But of the group, Rod's probably been the most prolific.  In addition to being a kick-ass drummer and soulful singer, he's been writing some great original songs for a long time now.  And in addition to working with all of the above, he plays drums for a variety of other groups around town.  

These people were a pleasure to work with.  I was invigorated by their talent and dedication to their craft, and I'm overjoyed to see how they're carrying on.  If you're in the Portland area, check out one of their shows.  If you're not, take a listen to some of their music online; maybe even buy some of their recordings.  You won't regret it.