727 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214
LISA LIPTON
Clarinetist and arts leader Lisa Lipton is the Executive Director of both 45th Parallel Universe and Opera Theater Oregon, and is a Co-founder/Co-owner of Mendelssohn’s, Portland’s first classical music-themed bar (named one of Esquire Magazine’s “Best Bars in America” in 2023). Lisa previously was executive director of the Newport Symphony Orchestra. A versatile instrumentalist, her appearances include performances with the Decibel festival, TBA festival, PDX Pop Now!, MusicfestNW, Astoria Music Festival, Salem Orchestra, Oregon Ballet Theater, Portland Opera, and in jazz trio Fredson the Jeffy alongside pianist and composer George Colligan and drummer Micah Hummel. A prominently featured soloist on the soundtrack for Golden Globe-nominated Sony Pictures Film French Exit featuring Michelle Pfeiffer, her discography also includes albums by Luz Elena (Y La Bamba), Kelli Schaefer, Stealth Ulvang (The Lumineers) and Jim Brunberg. Lisa was host of the radio program Arts Talk on KNPT/KYTE-FM for 2 years. Arts Talk had been on air 17 years prior to Lisa assuming the host role and was a pillar for the local arts community in Newport and Lincoln County. Lisa is now an on air host and producer with All Classical Radio where she also really enjoys giving the pre concert talks at the Oregon Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, and other public engagements. You can find her Arts Blog posts and other fun things at her “Lisa Lipton Explores” page.
@lisaclaranet
PATRICK MCCULLEY
Patrick McCulley is a Portland based saxophonist, educator, composer, and creator that seeks to transform the saxophone from a purely melodic instrument into an undefinable and unstoppable force of nature. McCulley’s solo compositions sculpt the saxophone’s sound into transcendent metaphors for emotions not often expressed in music: the inescapable vagaries of change, the ecstatic joy of flight, and the yearning search for renewal amidst destruction. His music utilizes an array of extended techniques to defy conventional musical idioms in favor of raw, provocative, honest, and unusual sounds without abandoning the listener to the chaos of pure noise. While McCulley’s master’s degree focused on the performance of 20th century classical music, his heart focuses on the pushing of boundaries, the taking of risks, and openness to new musical experiences. In his 2016 EP Fierce, 2019 album Into the Day, 2023 album Kingdom of Rain, his albums with Negative Concord and newest compositions comprising Hymn to the New Sun, McCulley hopes to open his listener’s ears, enchant their souls, and make them ponder the nature of a wholly different world. Patrick is known for his performances as saxophonist in local bands Negative Concord, Cliffwalker, and Zebra.
JACOB HEINEMANN
Jakob Heinemann is a bassist, composer, and sound artist whose work explores the
intersections of improvisation, composition, and acoustic ecology. Currently based in Los
Angeles, Heinemann received a B.M. in Double Bass Performance with a Jazz Emphasis from
Lawrence University, earning the Phi Kappa Lambda Jazz Composition Award during his junior
year. Deeply rooted in the creative music communities of Chicago, Wisconsin, and Los
Angeles, his practice reflects a sustained engagement with place, listening, and sonic texture.
As a solo artist, Heinemann has released numerous critically acclaimed albums. 2023’s Opacity
was lauded as “an immersive sonic environment full of intrigue and wonder” (Foxy Digitalis),
and his 2024 follow up, Horizon Scanners, was released on legendary Portuguese label Clean
Feed Records, with All About Jazz noting that the record “invites listeners on an enthralling
journey through sound, emotion and exploration.” Heinemann has performed and recorded
with some of the most important creative musicians of our time, including NEA Jazz Master
Roscoe Mitchell, MacArthur Fellow Tomeka Reid, Angel Bat Dawid (2021 “Chicagoan of the
Year in Jazz”), and saxophonist Dave Rempis. His playing has been praised for its depth and
precision, described by jazz journalist Glenn Astarita as “providing a harmonic anchor and
melodic counterpoint.” Additional coverage in outlets like Downbeat Magazine, The Quietus, 15
Questions, and Free Jazz Blog recognizes Jakob as a vital and evolving voice in contemporary
experimental and improvised music.
Beyond performance, Heinemann is a committed composer, educator and curator. Described
by critic Bob Osborne as possessing “a distinctive compositional voice”, his pieces have been
premiered nationwide, and often incorporate field recordings, extended techniques, and
modular electronics. His compositional work has been supported by grants from the Swiss Arts
Council, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Madison Arts Commission, and Fred
Sturm Inspiration Fund at Lawrence University. He has held teaching positions at institutions
like Bakersfield College and California Institute of the Arts and has presented clinics at UW-
Madison and the Richard Davis Bass Camp. He currently serves as Vice President of the
Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology.
Instagram: @yaakov.music
