Oregon Music News

Paul Unger

“This will be the first time I have played for the Silverton Wine and Jazz Festival. In fact, I haven’t performed in Oregon in over 10 years,” says Paul Unger, Principal Bass for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. “Last summer when I was visiting Oregon, a few of my friends were telling me how great the Silverton Wine and Jazz Festival was and they were surprised that (since I was raised in Silverton) I hadn’t played for it. It’s hard to believe that the town of Silverton has grown from the sleepy little place I grew up in, and into this jewel of a community for the arts.”

Unger is somewhat unique among bassists, in that his bass is tuned in fifths, rather than the normal fourths.

“For Jazz, fifths tuning has been exciting. The range of the instrument is expanded  and the ability to play chords and large intervals becomes possible,” says Unger.  “With fifths tuning I can cover a two octave range in one position! I can play melodies and solos in a higher, more audible, range. It has opened up an entire range of  tone colors, chords and intervals to me that previously were only open to the guitar.”

Unger’s recorded work ranges from Jazz to movie soundtracks. The following video is of a Miles Davis tribute band.

…and following, a clip from a dark movie titled Seventy-8, a film scored by Unger. This is the main theme….

Amazingly, Steve Christofferson is bassist Paul Unger’s side man at the Silverton Wind and Jazz Festival. Paul lives in Texas, so it’s difficult to see him live. But if Steve is a side man, I can’t wait to see Paul.

Steve Christofferson should play an instrument he could stand up with. Sitting at his piano doesn’t mean sitting still. His feet dance, his upper body swings, his head beats out the time. From where I’m sitting at Arrivederci, it’s hard to see his hands–but I suspect they’re bouncing as well. That only leaves one part of his anatomy out of action, and gravity requires that it remain in contact with the piano bench, lest the laws of physics change his orientation to the keyboard.

Oregon Music News is happy to be a Media Sponsor of the Silverton Wine and Jazz Festival.