About Soul Porpoise

Starting on piano at age four, Friedman studied jazz and classical performance at the University of Southern Maine and William Patterson University. Soon after, he was drawn to the raw and powerful sounds of the Hammond Organ. "The organ is such a living instrument," Friedman explains. "It growls, it breathes, it cries. There's nothing like it." With influences such as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Jimmy Smith, Eddie Palmieri, and guitarist John Scofield, Friedman has created his own style and become an in demand A-list performer.

Since settling in Vermont, he has drawn accolades for his work both on his own (Ira Friedman Band, Organ Donor, Ira Friedman Trio), as well as with top Northeast names (Jennifer Hartzwick Band, Grippo Funk Band, Mal Maiz, The Dave Keller Band). Keller is quick to declare "Ira is one of the most soulful musicians anywhere." And Friedman has been an integral part of Keller's sound for decades, touring the U.S. and Europe resulting in three Blues Music Nominations and 4 star reviews from Downbeat. Bigger names such as Bernie Worrell, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Johnny Rawls, James Montgomery, Kenny Neal, Carly Harvey, and Joe Louis Walker have taken notice as well, glad to share the stage with Friedman for riveting live performances.

Soul Porpoise performs Friedman's life reflecting compositions that are drenched in soul, funk jazz, and world rhythms.

Collin Cope has been playing music since before he could talk. Influenced by Ray Charles, Randy Newman, and the Blind Boys of Alabama, Collin has been active on the Vermont music scene for over 20 years playing harmonica and singing lead vocals with The Tenderbellies, Rumblecat, The Sugarsnap Trio, Something with Strings, Funkwagon, and many other groups spanning the Americana song book and beyond. His bluesy voice and soulful tones invite the audience in with familiar melodies and original music.

Collin has won a New England Music Award (Best in VT 2016 with Rumblecat), shared bills with Mos Def, Fuel, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Bernie Worrell Orchestra, Zach Deputy and has played harmonica as a special guest with New York City blues legend Popa Chubby. He's proud to be a member of Vermont's vibrant community of musicians and music lovers.

"Cope's delivery is strained in all the right ways.... His bombastic blues howl has just the right balance of grit and tone. He's also a gifted harmonica player whose searing lines add depth and character." - Dan Bolles, Seven Days

In his 58 year professional career, Paul Asbell has played and recorded with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Paul Butterfield, Magic Sam, Earl Hooker, David Bromberg, Paul Siebel, Mary McCaslin, Sonny Stitt, Jon Hendricks, Bobby McFerrin, and many others. His jazz-fusion group Kilimanjaro has released several award-winning recordings, and performed at jazz festivals worldwide, including Montreux, Montreal, Atlanta, and Roskilde, in Copenhagen. Their "Homecoming" CD was picked by Jazziz magazine for their "Best of 2009" CD, along with tracks by Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Branford Marsalis, and other heavyweights. Paul's three solo acoustic CDs, "Steel-String Americana", "Roots and Branches", and "From Adamant To Atchafalaya", received numerous rave reviews for their fresh takes on blues and jazz standards, old-timey country tunes, and original pieces from the "american roots" tradition. Recent appearances include Healdsburg, Woodstock (NY) and Newport Guitar Festivals, MerleFest, Lunenburg Folk Festival, and many other venues. Acoustic Guitar Magazine recently did an article on him, featuring his composition "Chunky Monkey Gumbo". Paul has taught guitar for over 55 years, including workshops at the Healdsburg, Woodstock (NY) and Newport Guitar Festivals, and positions at Dartmouth, Skidmore, and other colleges. He presently teaches at Middlebury College and the University of Vermont.

David Grippo has been playing and teaching alto saxophone in the greater Burlington VT area for over twenty five years. Originally from Long Island, he earned his teaching degree from UVM in 1993. He now serves as director of Jazz Studies for the South Burlington VT school district.

Dave is also the leader of Phish's Giant Country Horns and has performed on seven Phish CD's as well as on four of Trey Anastasio's solo CD's.

His extensive experience and mastery of the saxophone brings a powerful dimension to Soul Porpoise's sound, complementing the band's funk and soul style with his jazz-influenced playing.

As a bassist, I thrive on the groove. With over 25 years of experience in many diverse musical projects: Funk, World, Afro-cuban, Reggae, Jazz are my best genres to get down in. I've had the privilage to perform with many great artists and projects that include Movement of the People, Afinque, Dave Grippo Band, Andric Severence X-Tet, The Ray Vega Latin Jazz Ensemble, Barika, Grupo Sabor, Jennifer Hartswick Band, The Frank Trio, Jeff Solon Big Band, Peter Erskine, Alex Acuna, Bala Koyate, Afri-VT, Nick Cassarino Trio and many more.

My current musical families are The Ray Vega Band, Barika, Soul Porpoise, Dorado Collective

Jay has been playing professionally since 1986, when a touring rock band picked him up after seeing him play with his high school jazz band. Thankfully, his parents were supportive, and he played all over New England and Canada. Highlights of that period were backing the Drifters, backing the Classics Four, and warming up for Squeeze for a crowd of 10,000.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Jay started teaching drums and continued to play several times a week. He recorded Dave Keller's first album and was hired to play on several other albums. Jay was a fixture on the Vermont music scene, playing with Dave Keller, Left Eye Jump, Dwight (of Dwight and Nicole), Jay Ekis, Jusagroove, and many others.

After a few years of hiatus from drumming, Jay started playing again with Dave Keller and can be heard on the Blues Music Award-nominated album "You Get What You Give." He also plays with Vermont bands, including McMaple, The Nailers, Bad Luck Bliss, and Soul Porpoise! He's lucky enough to tour around the country and, last year, played in Europe. He recently recorded albums for soul legend Johnny Rawls' and Cleveland-based Blue Lunch.

Of Soul Porpoise, Jay says, "Ira's songwriting lights up the happy parts of my brain. He surrounds himself with the best Vermont musicians, and I'm always amazed at how much crowds dance to his original funk and soul. Truly magical!"

Chris Page is from Hinesburg, Vermont. He began playing the guitar when his grandmother bought him a ¾-size acoustic guitar and some lessons when he was 9 years old. The lessons didn't go well, and the guitar languished until Chris was thirteen and began meeting and playing with other musicians. By his sophomore year in high school, he could be found spending every free period playing guitar in the hallways, and occasionally in the middle of class. Later, he would begin playing in small bands, and later at venues around Burlington, VT. For Chris, playing guitar has always brought a sense of connection and safety; it also gives him a way to share thoughts and ideas which might be difficult to put to words. Stylistically, Chris is a blues and gypsy jazz player, modifying these styles as needed to fit a wide range of genres, including hip-hop and heavy metal. Nowadays, Chris sings and plays acoustic guitar in the Vermont-based Americana group The Tenderbellies, and also plays the electric guitar at select Soul Porpoise performances.

Timothy Quigley is a drummer/percussionist/multi-instrumentalist living in Montpelier, VT. Known for his versatility and quick ear. Timothy is adept in playing a wide variety of musical genres on the drum set, as well as congas, bongos, doumbek, def, tapan and frame drums. His distinct sound has led to collaborations with some famous people and some who should be famous, but are not.

Here is what people whose occupation it is to write about the creative endeavors of others say:

"Romashka owes its irresistible rhythmic drive to drummer Timothy Quigley and tubist Ron Caswell, who slyly funkify even the most traditional of the group's arrangements." —The Forward (07/29/2005)

"Timothy Quigley's drumming did indeed make the music rock, but there was also plenty of the traditional heartstring touching groaning and laughing." —Seth Rogovoy CurtainUp

"…percussionist Timothy Quigley provided a fluidly swinging, hypnotic beat…" —Lucid Culture

Connor Young is a Vermont-born trumpeter, composer, songwriter, and educator. Music became a central part of his life at a young age, leading him to study Jazz Performance at McGill University in Montréal. Since graduating in 2018, he has been an active performer and collaborator, playing across Vermont in a variety of genres.

Connor has recorded two albums: Flight of the Starlings, a contemporary jazz record, and From Me to You, a self-recorded, folk-inspired album that reflects his growth as a songwriter and producer. Seven Days described From Me to You as "a masterful mélange of late-night musings and early-morning affirmations," blending folk, early blues, and hot club-style jazz. Meanwhile, Flight of the Starlings was praised for its "thoughtful and ambitious arrangements," capturing both modern and classic jazz influences.

In addition to performing, Connor is a dedicated educator, sharing his passion for music with the next generation. He is also a core part of Burlington's jazz scene, playing in the house band every Wednesday at The 126, where he helps run the club's weekly jam sessions. He was recently awarded a Creation Grant from the Vermont Arts Council to record another contemporary jazz album with his octet.

One of Vermont's most versatile and in-demand saxophonists and jazz musicians, Jake Whitesell resides in the Burlington-Montpelier area and performs with The Jake Whitesell Trio / Quartet, The Saturn People's Sound Collective, Guagua, Kerubo, Chicken Fat Injection, Chad Hollister Band, The Grift, Soul Porpoise, Alma Picante, The Vermont Jazz Ensemble, and The Brian McCarthy Jazz Orchestra. Jake is available for private music lessons, performances, weddings, recording sessions, musical theater productions, touring, and transcribing / arranging / music copying work. Jake plays soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, and doubles on flute, clarinet and bass clarinet.

Jake's jazz projects, including Jake Whitesell's Cannonball Quintet and The Whitesell Brothers Quartet have been featured at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival annually from 2013 to 2021, at the Stowe Jazz Festival in 2019, 2022, and 2023, at the Newport Vermont Jazz Festival in 2015, and at the Flynn Space for First Night Burlington in 2017. They have also performed numerous times at Burlington, VT venues including The 126, Radio Bean, Foam Brewers, Red Square, Juniper, American Flatbread, The Farmhouse Tap & Grille, Bleu Seafood, Leunig's, and The Skinny Pancake.