Clatsop Community College
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Lenore Morrisson, 503-338-2473

Jon Belcher

Don’t miss the third concert in this summer’s lineup of Clatsop Community College Arts and Ideas Sunday afternoon performance series! Featured on Sunday, August 6 is JB and the Funkyard Gang, led by Jon Belcher, the soundtrack drummer from TV’s “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.”

The gang plays a sophisticated yet funky blend of Jazz, Latin and R&B. For Sunday’s two-hour concert, they will perform music from John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie to Antonio Carlos Jobim and Hoagy Carmichael, from the Meters and James Brown to their own original works.

The group’s leader and drummer, Jon Belcher, is a veteran of the Los Angeles recording studios and played fatback drums with the Junkyard Gang every Saturday morning. He has performed and toured with Al Wilson, Phoebe Snow, Crystal Gayle and Latin percussionist Jack Costanzo. Jon has also recorded with Ollie Mitchell, Larry Groce (the gold record “Junk Food Junkie”), TV jingles with Doc Severinson and TV soundtracks for the “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids” show. He now resides on the Long Beach, WA peninsula.

Special guest saxophonist Gary Herbig is a “Billboard Top Ten” Jazz artist who has toured with the Tower of Power, Lee Ritenour, Seawind, David Benoit and Elvis Presley. He has also recorded with Herbie Hancock, Toto, George Benson, Larry Carlton, the Yellowjackets and he has played on soundtracks for literally hundreds of movies and TV shows and more that 1,000 records. Herbig resides in the Los Angeles area.
Also joining the Gang is Seattle area bassist Steve Kim, who has performed with Larry Coryell, Alphonse Mouzon, Carter Jefferson, Dave Valentine, Scott Cossu, Lee Oscar and Diane Shurr. He has recorded with Van Manakas, Phil Sheeran, the Jazz Police, Jovino Santos Neto and Don Mock.

Completing the Gang is Portland area guitarist Frank Tribble, who has opened for Ronnie Laws, Kenny Loggins and Phoebe Snow, and has performed with Bobby Shew and Richie Cole. He leads his own trio and performs regularly as a soloist at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland.

Each concert in the summer series begins at 3 p.m. at the CCC Performing Arts Center at 16th and Franklin in Astoria. Tickets are $10 and are available at Bach & Rock, 339 12th Street, located downtown next to the Hotel Elliot.

Tickets are also on sale at the Performing Arts Center Box Office one hour before the performance.

For further information regarding the summer season, please contact Lenore Morrisson, Community Cultural Education Coordinator, at lmorrisson@clatsopcc.edu or call (503) 338-2473.

Jon Belcher