Artist description The music of N'Touch is contemporary jazz with a creative blend of R&B and other urban styles, skillfully woven into an instrumental up-tempo genre. The N-Touch repertoire has few limitations, leaving listeners satisfied after each performance. The band members are Generation-X musicians who feel the pulse of the listening community. Each band member embodies enough individual talent to stand alone. But as a team they deliver a knock-out performance, which the group is becoming known for. Primarily playing all original material the band puts on a dynamite performance.

Music Style Smooth Jazz with a flavor of R&B, Latin and Gospel

Similar Artists We have our own sound.

Artist History N'Touch was formed several years ago by Eldon "T" Jones and his good friend Patrick Cooper. Eldon later brought his younger brother into the band Anthony Jones, who is the band's drummer. The band has recently had the pleasure of opening for the Portland, Oregon concert's of Earth, Wind & Fire (August 2000), Tower of Power (July 2001), Angelique Kidjo (October 2001) and Boney James (April 2002).

Group Members * Eldon "T" Jones is the band leader and plays sax. Eldon has been influenced by such artists as Grover Washington, Jr., Wilton Felder of the Crusaders and Kirk Whalum. A product of the Northwest's education Mecca for jazz, Mt. Hood Community College. Eldon plays with soulful conviction, never forgetting his gospel roots. * Matthew Minnieweather, the son of a minister, is an exceptional keyboard and piano player. Matthew was raised in Portland, Oregon playing in his father's church on a regular basis since early childhood. * David Allen the band's guitar player hails from Pittsburgh, PA. He is one of the finest guitarist around. David's melodic style is influenced by a variety of artists such as Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Pat Metheny and Carlos Santana. David graduated from Brown University with a Degree in Engineering, where he sharpened his music talents as a solo performer and local bandleader and music director for university events. * Anthony Jones is the band's drummer. He is the younger brother of bandleader Eldon "T" Jones. They come from a very talented musical family. Anthony is considered one of the best young drummers on the West Coast. In high school he also won numerous awards playing the trumpet. Anthony recently completed getting his Architectural degree from Portland State University. * Terry Taylor is a fine young percussionist who was raised in Los Angeles, California. He has been playing with the band for over a year now. Terry has been inspired by the like's of Grover Washington, Jr.'s old friend Dr. Gibbs, Bruce Smith formerly of the '70s funk band known as Pleasure and Sheila E..

Instruments Sax, Guitar, Keyboards, Drums, Bass & Percussions

Albums N' TOUCH

Press Reviews NW CD N'TOUCH HAS SOLID TOUCH WITH SMOOTH JAZZ TUNES Smooth jazz isn't all bad. But as the name of the oft-maligned genre suggests, it tends to have a preoccupation with surfaces, and that's frequently what gets it into trouble. Those artists who've made the most credible artistic stamp within the format are those (such as Grover Washington and David Sanborn) who've found a way to keep the feel-good flow going while also providing the kind of cycles of tension and release that can make music really come alive. N'Touch is a Portland band that shows some musical muscle beneath the smooth skin. The argument that acts in this genre play instrumental R&B, not jazz, probably wouldn't faze this bunch. Its R&B chops are its main calling card, and both the passion of gospel and the lustfulness of funk are traceable elements in the group's playing and writing. Yet at its best N'Touch also shows the kind of harmonic acumen and ensemble elasticity that a jazz snob would demand. In fact, the group is anchored by the fabulous young drummer Anthony Jones, who played with Darrell Grant's People Music Project, and Grant lends his unassailable jazz credentials here on three cuts. It wouldn't be surprising if Jones and his cohorts (saxophonist Eldon "T." Jones and guitarist David Allen are the band's other core members) share a primary influence with Grant -- former Portlander Jeff Lorber. Of course, the band does work within a genre that proffers the agreeability of the familiar. So though some of the songs on its self-titled debut move stylishly, they don't quite avoid being pedestrian. But there are enough flashes of a more emotionally poignant or musically interesting voice to nourish expectations for the future: the straightforward saxophone intro to "Old Soul," the smoldering, samba-like feel of "Hasta Luego," the stairstep melody and propulsive rhythms of "Rush Hour," and the reflective ballad "Passages." Even as it stands on this disc, N'Touch knows how to make the music not just smooth, but solid. N'Touch plays Friday night at Billy Reed's (2808 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; 503-493-8127) and at 5 p.m. Saturday in Music Millennium Northwest (801 N.W. 23rd Ave.; 503-248-0163). Marty Hughley The Oregonian A&E November 2, 2001

Location Portland, Oregon - USA

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