PJO presents “A Tribute to John Foss” 6-8PM, June 29th Congress Square

PJO presents “A Tribute to John Foss,” 6-8PM, June 29th, Congress Square Park, Portland, ME

Your Portland Jazz Orchestra will be appearing in Congress Square Park for a special outdoor concert on June 29th from 6-8PM. Admission is free!

Our usual shows are inside One Longfellow Square, however this night we will be swinging under the stars, or at least the twilight!

On June 29th, we’ll take a moment to honor and remember our dear friend and lead trumpeter, John Foss.  John passed away in January, 2023, leaving a hole in the band musically and emotionally. As lead trumpeter for PJO, his presence helped guide our sound and style for many years. As the band continues to move forward, we will always remember that John’s impact on PJO, his musical legacy and his everlasting friendship to us all, lives on.

At this special show, PJO will be featuring guest trumpeter, Bijon Watson. While Bijon’s home base is in Boston, he has performed around the world and with many highly celebrated musicians. You can read more about Bijon at his website linked here.

Bijon began playing the trumpet at the age of 8. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music Preparatory School, and the University of Southern California, and was a member of the 1994 Disney All-American College Band and 1995 Disney/Grammy All-American College Jazz Band.

Bijon’s recording and/or live performance and touring credits are vast andthe short list includes iconic artists such as Natalie Cole, Michael Bublé, Justin Timberlake, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, Michael Jackson, Arturo Sandoval, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Joe Williams, Queen Latifah, Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Nicholas Payton, Rosemary Clooney, Steve Tyrell, Eric Benét, Jamiroquai, Prince, Barbara Morrison, Dianne Reeves, Nancy Wilson, Alicia Keys, Chaka Khan, Luis Miguel, The Temptations, and Gladys Knight.

On television, Bijon has performed on episodes of American Idol, The Tonight Show, Grammy Awards shows, the BET Music Awards, and Dancing with the Stars. Bijon’s film appearances include appearing in the award-winning film La La Land and recording on several soundtracks with studios such as Paramount, Fox, and Disney, including most recently Despicable Me 2 and The Secret Life of Pets.

In John’s honor, PJO feature Bijon’s lead trumpet playing as well as his soloing skills. We’re sure John will be smiling and swinging with us on the 29th. Please join the band and John’s family and friends for this special night of music honoring our dear friend, John Foss.

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