NEWBERG, Ore. — Award-winning New York jazz pianist and accordionist Ben Rosenblum is performing in Newberg on Friday, Sept. 26, for a performance that blends improvised music and live painting at the Chehalem Cultural Center.

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The concert, set for 7:30 p.m. at 415 E. Sheridan St., features Rosenblum alongside Japanese painter and pastel artist Yoko Sano. Each show is built from scratch: Rosenblum composes music in real time in response to Sano’s brushstrokes, while Sano’s art evolves from the flow of his music.

Tickets range from $15–$35 and are available online at arts-people.com.

“This project is special because every performance is created exclusively for the venue and the setting,” Rosenblum said. “The music is improvised in response to Yoko’s artistic expression, just as the art is influenced by the music being performed.”

The duo has toured the collaboration across the United States and Japan, but the Newberg performance marks its Oregon debut. Rosenblum said he is especially looking forward to returning to the Chehalem Cultural Center.

“It’s a beautiful space with an audience that really listens and engages,” Rosenblum said. “I’m excited to share this project with the Newberg community.”

Rosenblum, based in New York City, has toured more than 25 countries and performed across genres from jazz to Brazilian forró. His career has included tours with Grammy-winning artists Rickie Lee Jones and Catherine Russell, guest performances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and appearances at Carnegie Hall and the Library of Congress. He leads multiple ensembles, including the six-piece Nebula Project, and has released four critically acclaimed albums.

Pianist Ben Rosenblum watches Yoko Sano as she blends colors in a YouTube performance teaser, changing the music tempo and key to reflect Sano's work.
Pianist Ben Rosenblum watches Yoko Sano as she blends colors in a YouTube performance teaser, changing the music tempo and key to reflect Sano’s work.

Sano, who specializes in pastel, acrylic and multimedia art, has exhibited and taught widely in Japan. Since relocating to New York in 2022, she has expanded her work to include album cover design, commissions and collaborative performances with Rosenblum.

For a preview of the collaboration, a 30-minute teaser video is available on YouTube.