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UpFront Band

Top Performer

Vancouver, WA

Two hrs: duo=$450 up to 6-piece=$1400 (varies)

Jazz Band

Travels up to 90 miles

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Promotional video thumbnail 1 for UpFront Band

UpFront Band - Trio Live Performance - Blue Bossa and Take The "A" Train

Promotional video thumbnail 2 for UpFront Band

UpFront Band - Trio Live Performance - Smooth Jazz "Coming Home Baby"

Promotional video thumbnail 3 for UpFront Band

UpFront Christmas Tapestry Sampler

Steve Burpee (sax) and Chris Bidleman (piano) provides a wide range of music styles and can perform as a duo in nearly any setting.

Photo of the UpFront quartet that features Steve on Sax, Chris on Keyboards and vocals, Robert on drums and Ed on bass

4-piece band performing at fund raiser

The 4-piece playing at a wedding reception in The Dalles, OR

Steve Burpee (sax) and Chris Bidleman (piano) provides a wide range of music styles and can perform as a duo in nearly any setting. Here they are performing for a wedding at Silcox Hut on Mt Hood Oregon.

The trio playing at a roaring 20's party at a senior living facility

UpFront playing at private party outdoors near their pond

UpFront quartet performing at Maryhill Winery in Goldendale, WA on the terrace.

UpFront quintet performing at company Christmas party in the Portland City Grill in downtown Portland, OR.

UpFront quartet performing at English Estates winery in Vancouver, WA in outdoor concert for their guests. Ed Couture is sitting in with us on bass. Robert Schultz is playing a cajon drum that provides a much smaller footprint and lower sound levels for i

Private event with singer Margaret Linn sitting in with the group

Steve and Chris play for theme events such as this Valentines Day gig

3 Videos 12 Photos

Overview

UpFront Band is a versatile musical group and solo performers that have provided live music for events and weddings throughout Oregon and Washington. Their focus is on Jazz (smooth, standards, swing), Latin, ballroom dance and their own twist on classic rock-n-roll, roaring 20s, oldies and pop songs for receptions and classical music for wedding ceremonies. We will tailor our performance to your needs at reasonable rates.
Chris Bidleman (keyboard & vocal) and Steve Burpee (sax & vocal) the founders of The UpFront have been playing music together since Jr High. In 2002 they formed the Portland/Vancouver based band "UpFront". They are joined by Robert Schultz on drums and Jason Hafer on bass.

Reviews

43 reviews

Elliott O.

April 20, 2026

Verified review

Last minute booking saves the day

Big thanks to UpFront Band for being able to accommodate our last minute request for a jazz band. The event was a great success and the band was great!

Hired as: Jazz Band

Jonathan K.

April 4, 2026

Wonderful

What a perfect choice for our corporate event. The guys are very talented, laid back, and friendly. Many compliments were received from our guests about band. And expense worth every single penny. Highly recommend.

Hired as: Easy Listening Band, Jazz Band, Oldies Music, Saxophone Player

Elizabeth M.

January 23, 2026

Verified review

Book Them!

We had a Speakeasy Event at our Senior Living Community, and they were an absolute hit! They are able to play so many different types on genres and got our residents out on the dance floor. We will definitely be booking them again for a future event.

Hired as: Jazz Band

Dana D.

December 19, 2025

Verified review

Wonderful

We recently hosted a party and we had the pleasure to listen to Upfront 2 band members and they were amazing.
We will definitely book them again and hopefully the whole band.
I definitely recommend them.

Hired as: Jazz Band

Khrystyna D.

August 4, 2025

Verified review

Absolute joy and pleasure to work with UpFront Band!

Absolute joy and pleasure to work with UpFront Band! Wonderful feedback from our guests. Will be inviting them again in the future!

Hired as: Latin Jazz Band

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Booking information

Price range: Two hrs: duo=$450 up to 6-piece=$1400 (varies)

Languages: English

Gig length: 120 - 300 minutes

Insurance: Yes

About

UpFront is a versatile musical group and solo performers that specializes in professional, live music and entertainment for any special occasion or holiday event. Whether your special day brings together family from many age groups or your company wants to impress with top-notch entertainment, UpFront can help to make it an event you’ll always remember. Our band brings over 70 years of combined professional performing experience together in a way that adds a touch of class to any event.
Chris Bidleman (piano, keyboards, vocals) and Steve Burpee (saxophones, vocals), the founders of the band, have been playing music together since junior high school and in 2002 formed UpFront. Chris and Steve are joined by Robert Schultz on drums and are often fused together with good friends Ed Couture on bass and Larry Pindar on guitar. UpFront can provide different configurations of musicians--a duo of piano and sax for small events or wedding ceremonies, a jazz trio for the company meetings or a larger band that can get people out of their chairs and dancing to swing, latin, R&B and classic rock & roll.
UpFront has been featured on Portland's (link hidden) local music spotlight radio show. While we often focus on Jazz, there are no single labels to describe the wide range of musical styles we can perform. We can play oldies and pop tunes from every decade. We love to play cultural favorites, seasonal standards, and even classical music. Our play list currently has well over 400 songs, but we can play many, many more and we love to take song requests from the audience.
Your satisfaction is our first commitment. We can perform as a solo, duo, trio or larger band to meet your needs and budget. We will travel within the States of Washington and Oregon but are based in the Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA area.
Please enjoy listening to our sample music online at our website. Your satisfaction is our first commitment. UpFront would love to be part of your special event and to personally tailor a performance to your specific needs at reasonable rates. Please feel free to call or email anytime.

Services offered

Jazz Band Wedding Band 1930s Era Entertainment Swing Band Jazz Pianist Pianist Easy Listening Band Dixieland Band Oldies Music Saxophone Player 1920s Era Entertainment Bossa Nova Band New Orleans Style Entertainment Latin Jazz Band Funeral Music

Upcoming booked events

December 2024

19

Thursday

Cocktail Party

6:00pm - 8:00pm

•

Vancouver, WA

13

Convention/Trade Show

6:30pm - 9:00pm

•

Portland, OR

13

Tuesday

23

Saturday

Wedding Reception

4:30pm - 5:30pm

•

Brush Prairie, WA

June 2022

04

Saturday

Private Party

8:00pm - 11:00pm

•

Portland, OR

Team

Chris Bidleman Keyboards, piano, vocals - leader

Steve Burpee Steve Burpee — Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Alto Sax, vocals - leader

Robert Schultz Drums, percussion, cajon

Larry Pindar Guitar, flute, sax, vocals

Jason Hafer Electric Bass, Guitar vocals

Set list

Sample songlist of styles. Well over 400 songs in our book:
JAZZ STANDARD
All of Me - Simons & Marks
Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin
Fly Me To The Moon - Frank Sinatra
Misty - Erroll Garner
New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
Over The Rainbow - Harburg and Arlen
Satin Doll - Duke Ellington
Star Dust - Hoagy Carmichael
Summertime - Gershwin / Heyward
Take Five - Paul Desmond / Dave Brubeck

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ
Affirmation - Jose Feliciano
Feels So Good - Chuck Mangione
Harlem Nocturne - Hagen & Rogers
Mister Magic - Grover Washington
Morning Dance - Spyro Gyra
Revelation - Perry & Ferrante
Shaker Song - Spyro Gyra
Spooky - David Sanborn
The In Crowd - Ramsey Lewis
Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock

CLASSICAL & MUSICALS
Ave Maria - JS Bach
Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin - Wagner
Canon in D - Pachelbel
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - JS Bach
Themes from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Mozart
Trumpet Tune - Purcell
Wedding March - Mendelssohn
I Dreamed A Dream - Les Miserables
Music Of The Night - Phantom of the Opera
Tonight - West Side Story

CULTURAL FAVORITES
Beer Barrel Polka - Brown, Timm, Zeman - Polka
Danny Boy - Traditional - Irish
Hawaiian Wedding Song - Traditional - Hawaiian
Irish Washerwoman - Traditional - Irish
La Vien Rose - Traditional - French
Lovely Hula Hands - Traditional - Hawaiian
MacNamar's Band - Traditional - Irish
O Sole Mio (My Sun) - De Capua - Italian
Tarantella - Traditional - Italian
Volare - Domenicio Modulas - Italian

POP, R&B
Another Star - Stevie Wonder
Classical Gas - Mason Williams
Copacobana - Barry Manilow
Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
Fields of Gold - Sting
I Feel Good - James Brown
Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett
Mercy, Mercy Me - Marvin Gaye
Pick Up The Pieces - AWB
Saturday In The Park - Chicago
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

CLASSIC ROCK
Bennie and the Jets - Elton John
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones
Desperado - Eagles
Feelin' Alright - Joe Cocker
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
In The Midnight - Wilson Pickett
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry
Let It Be - The Beatles
Peg - Steely Dan
Sea Of Love - Phil Phillips

SWING
Chattanooga Choo Choo - Gordon / Warren
Come Fly With Me - Van Heusen / Cahn
In The Mood - Glenn Miller
Kansas City - Various
Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller
Orange Colored Sky - Nat King Cole
Pennies From Heaven - Burke / Johnston
Puttin' On The Ritz - Irving Berlin
Stompin At The Savoy - Chick Webb
Take The "A" Train - Duke Ellington

LATIN
Besame Mucho - Velazquez
Black Orpheus - Louis Bonfi
Blue Bossa - Dorham
Corcovado (Quiet Nights) - Jobim
Girl From Ipanema - Jobim
Night and Day - Cole Porter
One Note Samba - Jobim
Spain - Chick Coreaa
Sway - Luis Demetrio
Summer Samba - Sergio

Setup requirements

Cover for outdoor event is preferred

Electrical Power within 100 feet of performance area

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