Jazz at it’s boiling point!
Dynamic horns mixed with lively percussion, soulful grooves, and rich harmony. The Medler
Septet takes listeners on a journey with alluring Latin rhythms and original compositions.

Some of the Northwest’s finest musicians are regular members of this Portland, OR based ensemble.
Brian Ward, Dennis Caiazza, Charlie Doggett, and Caton Lyles comprise the rhythm section.
With Farnell Newton, Ben Medler, and Michelle Medler fronting horn section.

This ensemble has performed at Jazz festivals, wine tasting events, schools,
parties, and clubs across the region.

Their debut CD, “Of This Time” was released in the summer of 2009.
While late drummer, Jeff Cumpston, was visiting from Zimbabwe, Africa.
It was recorded in the summer of 2008, just before he left for his
first year in a teacher exchange program in Harare.

The Medler Sextet began in 2002 after a jam session where the Medlers met Dennis
Caiazza. “He swung so hard...” and was the bass player they wanted for their group.
Ben and Michelle went to Portland State University with Brian Ward, a great conversationalist
who intently listens, creating wonderful textures. Jeff Cumpston, “our brilliant drummer,"
was a prominent educator / high school band director in the Portland-area for years.
To get a charged-up horn section sound, they needed a trumpet player.
The lyrical trumpeter, Bryant Allard joined. Also an educator and band-leader he
had to bow out of the group in 2007. Around that time, Ben and Michelle had gotten back
into the Portland salsa scene, meeting trumpet player, Farnell Newton, who tells his story
through his passionate playing. Newton teaches Jazz trumpet at Portland State and runs a youth
Jazz program. The Medlers were also reacquainted with the energetic percussionist,
Caton Lyles, who had been a teacher at the Jazz workshop where Ben and Michelle originally met.

Adding percussion was essential for the Latin and funk influences engrained
in their Jazz compositions. It became the Medler Septet!

Jeff Cumpston lost his life in August of 2009 just as he had returned for a second year of teaching in Zimbabwe.
Powerful and responsive drummer, Charlie Doggett, had performed with the band while Jeff
was away. He was a natural choice to become a regular member of the group.