Live Swing w/The Stealin’ Apples

No pre-registration necessary; just show up and pay cover!

The Stealin’ Apples is pianist and dancer Shane Allen’s love letter to classic, rowdy four-on-the-floor swing dance music. Though the repertoire and arrangements are shaped by Shane’s instincts as a seasoned Lindy Hopper, the success of the group is driven by its combination of personalities.

This is a true *band*: a specific, personal sound cultivated over years of playing for dancers, motivated by enthusiasm and love for this art form and community. The group’s approach is founded on and fueled by inspiration from the classic swing era bandleaders, but The Apples incorporate decades of experience in the contemporary music community, resulting in a sound that isn’t recreationist but fresh and responsive to the modern dancing community. Since their debut in 2019, The Apples have quickly become Oregon’s staple Lindy Hop dance band, their reputation fueled by stunning performances at Track Town Throwdown and Portland Lindy Exchange.

The Stealin’ Apples are: Idit Shner (alto sax & clarinet), Glenn Griffith (trombone), Devin Perez (trumpet), Shane Allen (piano), Alexandre Pabst (bass), and Alex Van Rysselberghe (drums).

———

Idit Shner is an internationally acclaimed saxophone artist. She has performed in venues as renowned as The Kennedy Center (D.C.) and the Lincoln Center (NYC) and currently teaches at the University of Oregon as Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies. Her latest project, Mhondoro, is a collaboration that blends Zimbabwean folk music and American jazz. Additional releases on OA2 Records include Live at The Jazz Station, 9 Short Stories (which garnered a 4-start review in Downbeat Magazine) and Tuesday’s Blues. Jazz festival performances include the Women in Jazz Festival (NY), Bellayre Festival (NY), and New-Trier Jazz Festival (IL).

Glenn Griffith holds a Master’s from North Texas State University in Jazz Arranging and for many years was lead trombonist in the S/S Norway in-house big band, backing up acts such as Lou Rawls, the 5th Dimension, Pearl Bailey and Natalie Cole; and performing in the bands of Clark Terry, Erskine Hawkins, and Lionel Hampton alongside such jazz greats as Jon Faddis, Al Grey and Keeter Betts. In 1992 Glenn made Eugene his home, teaching widely and performing in dance bands, the Eugene Symphony, the Eugene Opera, the Oregon Bach Festival, and many other ensembles.

Shane Allen attended the acclaimed High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX, where he was blessed with the opportunity to learn from modern giants and classic masters. He continued his studies on scholarship at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, where he recorded a piano feature that won the 2011 Downbeat Magazine Award for Best Large Ensemble. After 8 years of living and performing in Minnesota, he moved to Eugene in 2019, where he performs and teaches music and dance. He serves as the Music Coordinator for Track Town Swing (a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to Lindy Hop and Vernacular Jazz), as an accompanist at the University of Oregon Dance Department, and as pianist/organist at First Presbyterian Corvallis.

Devin Perez attended the University of Oregon on trumpet scholarship, performs regularly as part of the Oregon Festival of American Music, at the Shedd Institute. A supremely talented improviser with an instantly recognizable sound, Devin has developed a voice that one dancer described as “a pure, clear stream.”

Alexandre Pabst is Eugene, OR’s workingest bass player. After graduating from the University of Oregon on bass scholarship, he has continued to play over 200 performances a year and is prized among bandleaders for his powerful rhythm and passion.

Alex Van Rhysselberghe attended St. Olaf College for percussion performance, where he played in all ensembles (orchestra, symphonic band, jazz band). After graduating, he held the Lead Accompanist role in the St. Olaf Dance Department for two years and has performed all over the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.