Bluegrass for Jazz Heads

On Jan. 9, explore the intersection of jazz and bluegrass music in the American Songbook — and maybe a Bruce Springsteen song or two — with Shane Allen Presents! at The Jazz Station. Based in Eugene, Allen is a pianist, music educator and vernacular jazz dance instructor — think styles like the lindy hop. He also leads the Swing Shift Jazz Orchestra and serves as music coordinator for Track Town Swing, a local jazz dance nonprofit. Shane Allen Presents! happens twice a year, and the first 2026 installment features a traditional jazz combo of Allen on piano, Devin Perez on trumpet and Jay Veach on percussion. But this time, musicians more well-versed than Allen in bluegrass and traditional string music styles also join him on stage. Jessilyn Brinkerhof sits in on fiddle and vocals, and Gabe Schliffer provides cello, fiddle and electronics. “I try to stay connected to many different pockets of musicianship,” Allen says. “I love what Gabe does. And I love what Jess does.” As a self-described “‘jazz head,’ it was interesting to get into the bluegrass string band scene in Eugene and notice the symmetries and the asymmetries between the jazz social culture and the bluegrass social culture. There’s so much in common and also so much not in common,” Allen says.

Shane Allen Presents! is 7:30 pm Friday, Jan. 9, at The Jazz Station, 124 West Broadway. Tickets are $25 and are available at TheJazzStation.org. The show is all ages.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!