Jim Solberg grew up in a musical family. His Dad played the clarinet and the saxophone, Mom played the organ and his older brother played accordion and the piano. Jim started playing the cello and later switched to the double-bass in the grade school orchestra. His first payed gig was with his Dads band that played Lawrence Welk style music for the senior citizens at the community center in Richland, Washington. Hearing the Beatles play in 1963, inspired Jim to play the electric bass. Jim continued playing music in junior and senior highschool. On weekends, Jim played dance music at local Elks clubs with the Highschools music teachers group. Jim also played an active part in Highschool functions and played in local bands for proms and dances. After graduating from Highschool in 1972, he studied music at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington. In 1974 he moved from Richland, Washington to San Diego, California to play in a popular dance band called “Power Potion”. That band played in Alaska and traveled extensively throughout Canada and the Pacific Northwest.
In 1976, Jim re-located to Portland, Oregon. Since then he has played and recorded many styles of music from Jazz and Funk, to Rock, Country and Latin styles. Jim has also been a fixture on the Portland Blues scene; playing 6 years w/The Lloyd Jones Struggle and 6 years w/ The Jim Mesi Band. When on the road with Lloyd Jones in 1992, the band opened in concert for BB King, Bonnie Raitt and Robert Cray.
While playing with Jim Mesi in 1997 & 1998 the band was hired by the Department of Defense to perform for U.S. and NATO troops overseas. The Jim Mesi Band did two 8 week tours and performed in Iceland, England, Germany, Hungary, Bosnia, Macedonia, Belgium, Holland and Norway. The band was very well received while in Europe and it was truly an honor to entertain many soldiers there.
Jim played for 12 years with a very popular 8 piece show band called The Swingline Cubs. That band performed for corporate parties and wedding receptions. During the summer months, the band played concerts in local parks as well. In 2008, the Swingline Cubs was the only band from Oregon mentioned in Modern Bride Magazine as the best of the best.
Currently, Jim freelances musically and gets called to play locally with many bands in the Portland area. Lately he’s played at several nightclubs with The Fenix Rising Band, TheH!TS Band Ken Brewer, Marty and the Hornets, Jim and guitar player Ray Davis have also hooked up to form an acoustic Jazzy/Pop Duo that plays at local wineries in the Vancouver /Portland area.
In the summer of 2008, Jim took a bus driving job with the Evergreen School district in Vancouver, Washington. During the school year, Jim transported children of all ages with special needs and retired from that job in 2021.
Currently, Jim freelances musically and gets called to play locally with many bands in the Portland area. Lately he’s played at several nightclubs with The Fenix Rising Band, TheH!TS Band Ken Brewer, Marty and the Hornets, Jim and guitar player Ray Davis have also hooked up to form an acoustic Jazzy/Pop Duo that plays at local wineries in the Vancouver /Portland area.
Jim enjoys singing and playing every Sunday morning at The Portland Center for Spiritual Living. He plays an active part in the music program there with Lauri Jones and “The Friends Band.”
Every Sunday night, Jim hosts a jam session at the Trail End Saloon in Oregon City, Oregon featuring JT Thomas and Marty Henninger. Jim has most currently become the bassist with “The Fenix Rising Band” an exciting band that plays funky, soul music at a local club called the Blue Diamond.