BendTel is a locally owned and operated telecommunications company with a mission to provide Central Oregon customers with the highest quality communication services at affordable prices. They are a full service, facilities based, Competitive Local Exchange Company (CLEC), that has been focused on providing voice, long distance, data, Gigabit Internet and hosting services to businesses in the Central Oregon area since 2003.

BendTel is constantly working on expanding their Gigabit Fiber Internet footprint throughout downtown and adjacent areas. Their use of Gigabit Bandwidth Internet and the latest cutting-edge technology recently earned them an award at the 2019 Oregon Connections Telecommunications conference. They were awarded for their “Excellence in Telecommunications Projects and Regional/Local Strategies” for developing and implanting innovative projects that provide better access, reliability and affordability to telecommunication services. 

BendTel is also the official sponsor of the annual Downtown Bend Celebration Night that happens every May and the WiFi sponsor of Bend Oktoberfest. Both of these events are fundraisers for the local nonprofit, The Downtown Bend Business Association. BendTel is a key asset to the health and vitality of Downtown Bend – and it’s not just about the direct services they provide. Because of BendTel’s support for Downtown Bend, we are able to have things like flower baskets and Holiday decorations!

Right now, BendTel is offering an exclusive deal for DBBA Members! This offer includes a Sangoma IP Phone –featuring Voicemail to Email & Find Me/Follow Me, gFiber Internet (50x10Mbps) with reliable service and guaranteed speeds on their multi-gigabit capable gFiber network and bHosted Managed Voice – backed by their local support team. Plus, when you sign up, you’ll get the first month for free!

Call BendTel today, and join the DBBA/BendTel Team! You’ll be glad that you did.

BendBroadband’s Jazz at the Oxford launches their 10th season with two-time Grammy Award winner Diane Schuur, a profound pianist and vocalist.
 
“Diane’s performances exemplify excellence, and the local Bend community highly anticipates her return,” said Samuel Johnson, General Manager of the Oxford Hotel Bend. “I can’t think of a better performance to kick-off the series. As we enter 10 years of Jazz at the Oxford, we're thrilled to welcome back the esteemed Ms. Schuur after eight years. We’d like to thank all of our sponsors, their generosity continues to make this a truly exceptional world-class event.”
 
Schuur has long been regarded as one of Contemporary Jazz’s leading vocalists. Nicknamed “Deedles” for her impressive scatting ability, she is as eclectic as she is brilliant. Schuur naturally composes an exquisite composition of jazz that incorporates various elements of sub, and undeniably superb vocalism.
 
Resulting from a loss of vision due to birth complications, Schuur read Braille-transcribed lyrics during performances and recording sessions. Nonetheless, she found the use of Braille impractical as it required one of her hands while playing the piano. Schuur's instinctive understanding of music translates into compositions that are free-spirited and without boundaries.
 
Schuur has gone on to perform with other highly-regarded artists such as Frank Sinatra and Dizzy Gillespie, in addition to specialized engagements such as an appearance on Sesame Street, and an astonishing eleven appearances on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show.
 
Arguably Schuur’s most notable achievements are her Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Female Vocal Performance in 1986 and 1987. Schuur was later nominated for the same award in 1989, in addition to Best Traditional Female Pop Performance in 1991 and 1993.

​Schuur will perform three shows, all of which are sold out.
·         Friday, October 18, at 7:00 pm
·         Saturday, October 19, at 5:00 pm
·         Saturday, October 19, at 8:00 pm
 
Show tickets are sold out, but the public is invited to a FREE Music Education Workshop on Saturday, October 19th, at 11:15 am at Oxford Hotel Bend. Hosted by Georges Bouhey, all ages and skill levels are welcome to gain insight and musical life lessons from Schuur. Seating is limited, so arrive early.
 
BendBroadband’s Jazz at the Oxford is made possible by the support of several local companies that are dedicated to the cultural enrichment of Central Oregon. In addition to BendBroadband, the series is supported by returning sponsors Central Oregon Daily, The Bulletin, Mockingbird Gallery, Central Oregon Radiology Associates, First Interstate Bank, Subaru of Bend and 10below Restaurant. The series is produced by Patrick Lamb Productions of Portland, Oregon.

​About BendBroadband’s Jazz at the Oxford: Now in its 10th year, BendBroadband’s Jazz at the Oxford brings talented musicians to the intimate ballroom of Oxford Hotel Bend, located in the heart of downtown Bend. Patrick Lamb Productions produces the series, which features an array of world-class performers. Local community sponsors are BendBroadband, Mockingbird Gallery, Central Oregon Radiology Associates, The Bulletin, Central Oregon Daily, Subaru of Bend, First Interstate Bank and 10below Restaurant. For more information, visit jazzattheoxford.com.
 
About Oxford Hotel Bend: Oxford Hotel Bend is Bend’s first and only luxury boutique hotel. Located in the heart of downtown, the seven-story Oxford Hotel features 59 spacious and luxurious executive suites, many with views of the Cascade Mountains. Designed with the leisure and business traveler in mind, Oxford Hotel Bend features a variety of amenities and services intended to up the ante on the traditional boutique hotel experience. For the last seven years, Oxford Hotel Bend has been recognized as a Top 25 US Hotel in TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards. For more information, visit oxfordhotelbend.com.

One of the artists that you can experience at the upcoming COMAG show is Miguel Edwards. Miguel is a public artist, sculptor, photographer, and culture-maker in Bend, OR. 

In Seattle where he moved from, he was President of Center on Contemporary Art, a historic and growing art non-profit. He also built dynamic large-scale public art installations, as-well-as, photographing for local and regional magazines. Art in Seattle's Public Spaces,  a book for art and architecture lovers that Miguel co-created with Jim Rupp recently won a Silver Design Award. 

​Miguel and his wife Cori, are thrilled to be living in Bend now where Miguel was able to build his dream shop and spend more time sculpting. He loves investing in the local community and culture, working with Downtown Bend, Bend Design, Tedx Bend, COMAG (Central Oregon Metal Arts Guild), Old Mill and so much more.

Earlier this year at WinterFest you may have seen Hope Rising, the giant stainless cauldron that he made for the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics.

​This summer, Miguel began collaborating with Mark Meulebroeck of Red Miter Furniture building heirloom quality furniture. Miguel has been invited to show at Art Basel in Miami this December and has an opening in Palm Desert California with Coda Gallery, his new rep. (Click here for more info)

His work can be seen at:  
http://www.migueledwards.com/ 
http://migueledwardsphotography.com/

​If you are interested in discussing any projects with Miguel, please reach out, he always loves meeting new people!

It's First Friday Art Walk in Downtown Bend!  Here's what we've got going on:

Come by the Pub during the Downtown Bend, Oregon First Friday Art Walk and welcome our artist of the month: Nicole Fontana-Campbell.

Nicole Fontana-Campbell has always loved the arts, especially painting. She pursued her dream by attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY
on a President's Scholarship, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. After graduating in 2005, she launched Fontana Painting and has been painting ever since. She now lives in Bend, OR with her rambunctious family. Her murals and artwork can be found
all around town as she enjoys making contributing to her community. ​

Born and raised in rural Idaho, Jenn spent countless hours outside. Her family road-tripped all around the west camping and exploring. Jenn’s parents both studied biology/botany and are avid birders. They taught her a lot about the natural world, and have always inspired her love of ecology and living creatures.
Living in this current moment/ our environment in a precarious state, humankind learning how to cope with the impact we make...her paintings have evolved into a sort of meditation, a therapy for dealing with emotional conflict concerning our environment. Grateful for the ecological systems and all the elements that compose life. ​