I played the trumpet in middle school, and if there had been a guy like Farnell Newton in my hometown, maybe I'd still be playing today. I had the pleasure of catching one of Newton's rotating trio shows at the Blue Monk last month, and-aside from being an exciting player and talented bandleader-the man just seemed cool. That's part of the reason Newton is making a name for himself, both in the jazz world and with Portland's hip-hop and soul scenes (he's worked with the Stolen Sweets, Lifesavas and Liv Warfield, to name a few).  It's more that a happy coincidence that one of Portland's most visible musicians is also one of its most talented. Casey Jarman
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Regular working bands in jazz are a rarity. Tightly coiled,
muscular units that rev and handle with the momentum of a Galaxie
500—that's another thing altogether. Trumpeter Farnell Newton (a
veritable hitman for Afincando, Klezmocracy, Liv Warfield, et al.)
co-leads this excellent quintet with fleet-fingered pianist Marcus
Reynolds, and the result is a joyfully swinging update of the two-horn
front line. This group's live performances are off the chain.
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Trumpet player Farnell Newton and pianist Marcus Reynolds recently released Sense of Direction, an album of immaculate, classic-sounding jazz originals that turns the clock back decades.

In fact, listening to the album conjures up images of nightclubs populated with men in dapper suits, women dressed to the nines and a cocktail in every hand.

If you’re craving something sophisticated and refined but not stuffy, you’re in good hands with Newton, Reynold and the rest of their quintet.
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It puts a smile on my face when everyone else has a frown when I'm standing in a crowded airport terminal,the planes are late, and everyone else is grouchy.  Just a lot of fun listening to the contemporary interplay between trumpet and piano.
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