Rich Hurdle Quartet - SOLD OUT!

Rich Hurdle - Guitar

Rich Hurdle began his music journey in the early 1960’s. Playing in a serf band, The West Coast Five, that evolved with the times throughout the 60s. The band played all the music of the 60’s and by 1966 began playing blues music. The band moved to L.A. and was managed for a brief time by Derek Taylor and Louis Adler. The band had changed its name to the B.F.D. Blues Band. They had the opportunity to open shows for many great bands of that era. They opened for The Doors, The Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Buddy miles Express, Caned Heat The Greatfull Dead, The Steve Miller Band, Paul Revere and the Raiders Etc.

After his time in the service and returning home from a year in Viet Nam Rich started studying Jazz in the early 1970’s. He had the opportunity to play some jazz concerts and open shows for Sarah Vaughan with a local group. Also he had the good fortune to play bass with Stanley Jorden at a few jazz sessions.

He attended De Anza College and met Casey Smiley. They began playing music together in various groups before going on tour with The Vintage Jazz Choir.

Rich continued playing but met his wife Maria and they have two daughters Terra and Erin. They moved to Bend in 1990 and have lived here for 33 years. Rich has been a music educator at Central Oregon Community College for the past 25 years. Rich Also had a private teaching studio in Bend for the past 27 years.

Although still teaching at C.O.C.C., Rich has recently closed his private teaching studio and is now concentrating on his private studies and working with the new founded group The Rich Hurdle Quartet playing original music based in Modern Jazz, Jazz Blues, and Latin genres.

Evan Brawn - Bass

Evan Brawn is an upright and electric bassist that recently moved from Portland to Bend in 2022. He has been playing mostly jazz over the last year with several groups in the area, including the COCC Jazz Big Band, the Andy Armer Trio, jazz trio "Somethin' Good" and more. Evan also loves the outdoors and is excited to be a part of the music scene in beautiful Bend, Oregon.

Casey Smiley - Drums

It was 1979 when Casey and Rich met through the De Anza College Jazz Program. They began performing extensively together and were later asked to tour with The Vintage Singers Jazz Choir. Casey went on to play with Ed Manning’s Little Night Music, which featured many top Bay Area musicians. He then joined fusion group Expresso, which recorded “First Cup”, and was honored to share the stage with a variety of acts such as Taj Mahal, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Dixie Dregs, Tom Scott, and War. After a sabbatical from the music scene, Casey returned to record and perform with Gary Gates Band, Hip Pocket Quintet, Robert Kennedy Trio, the Nancy Wright Trio, and Bundy Browne.

After relocating to Bend in 2018, Casey was reunited with Rich to form The Rich Hurdle Quartet, performing Rich’s original music.

Andrew Bell - Keys

Born and raised in Davis, California, Andrew has been playing jazz music from the age of 12. Andrew spent most of his youth playing drums in various jazz groups around the Sacramento area. After moving to Central Oregon in 2019, he shifted his focus onto playing jazz on the piano and keys. He currently plays the bass guitar in a local blues and rock band and keyboards in the Rich Hurdle Quartet.