Eugene Weekly : Music : 08.05.04

Folk Divas

Laura Kemp, Janis Ian release new works.

BY VANESSA SALVIA

Laura Kemp celebrates the release of her fifth solo CD May Friday at Sam Bond's.

Eugene's beloved folkie Laura Kemp has recently released a new CD, May, which she will reveal at a CD release party at Sam Bond's on Aug. 6. The singer/songwriter and guitarist found time to speak with me after a busy day of teaching guitar camps to youth through the OFAM summer music camps program. Since Kemp produces her music independently, without financial backing from any label, she doesn't shy away from the stark reality that paying studio executives and session musicians for recording time can be cost-prohibitive, which initiated a move toward recording tracks in her home studio.

"I worked on May for a year and a half and recorded most of the tracks at home, which was kind of a new thing," says Kemp. She got production help from another Eugene musician, her partner Tony Kaltenberg, who entered the picture about halfway through the project. "Tony had recently finished up recording a project with his band, Jellymoon, and he just kind of got sucked into it!" she says with a laugh. "It was great to have someone to help with recording the tracks but also just to bounce ideas off of and listen to parts. It was great to have another person who was into the project instead of being completely alone with it."

Saving money on studio time allowed Kemp to splurge on guest musicians. Some fabulous guests that Kemp brought in from parts beyond are Steve Smith, a mandolinist, and Sally VanMeter, "a dobro player from Colorado who is just one of the best in the country."

Local bassist and a friend from Babes With Axes, T.R. Kelley, helped out on May, as did drummer Brian West and fiddler/violinist Roy Brewer.

May is Kemp's fifth solo record and, counting the two she recorded with Babes With Axes, that's seven records (plus one debut cassette) in a 12-year recording career.

Kemp's favorite song on May is the first track, "Hannah Branch," an autobiographical song about a small Quaker community called Celo where Kemp lived in North Carolina before traveling west to settle in Eugene. "It's not a relationship or a love song; it's about a love for a place, so it's one of those songs I can play over and over again and conjure up that emotion as opposed to a relationship song. Sometimes you get over it and you don't feel like playing that song anymore!" she explains.

Another favorite is "Snow Returns," a song based on a poem sent to her by Peter Straton. "I wrote the music to it and kind of twisted the lyrics around a little. I wrote the chorus part of it myself and then turned everything to rhyme because it didn't rhyme originally."

The song speaks emotively of loss and the turning wheel of the year: "When the snow returns without you I won't be waiting on the front porch in the slowly fading twilight, I won't be watching the wide sweeping of the headlights on the hill."

There's an ongoing conversation that Kemp may be one of the best unsigned folk singers around, thanks to her long career of self-produced CDs with no label backing her up. She says the idea of being signed to a label does cross her mind, but only rarely. "It did cross my mind with May, like should I shop it around to labels? And I haven't shopped it around. I kind of go back and forth on it. I love having complete ownership of what I do."

Kemp occasionally re-asseses what motivates her to continue making records, even though each time it's a big financial commitment. She says, "It's what I do. It's my art. There were times in my life when I thought, 'I'll do this or I'll do that,' and music will just be a side thing, and I'm not capable of doing that. It's just too much a part of who I am. I've come to that acceptance that I'm a musician and no matter what, I'm going to continue to create and put out albums and perform."

The McDonald Theater is branching out by initiating an outdoor concert series to take place at Broadway Plaza, located at Broadway and Willamette and sometimes called Kesey Plaza for the recently installed bronze statue of Ken Kesey. With a huge stage, food booths, a beer garden, and lighting, sound and a video monitor provided by the McDonald Theater, the concert series promises to be great fun. The concert will kick off with Pink Floyd cover band The Floydian Slips on Aug. 7 and will continue with The Neville Brothers on Aug. 14. Adam Bernstein, owner and operator of LUNA jazz club and Adam's Place bar and restaurant, located just steps away from the Plaza, fully supports the concert initiative and will not book any shows at LUNA on concert nights. He says, "By leaving LUNA dark during the [concerts], I remove any live music competition, raising the expectation that businesses can work together to remind everyone that downtown Eugene is still a destination point."

Janis Ian, an enduring folk artist, will appear at WOW Hall on Aug. 11 to support her latest release, Billie's Bones. For more than three decades Ian has been revered as a songwriter with poetic wordplay and a tender voice. A musician from an early age, Ian grew up on a farm in New Jersey playing piano at age 2, guitar at 10 and writing her first song at 12. Ian was 15 in 1966 when her controversial tale of interracial love, "Society's Child" exploded onto the scene. Ian continued making music in the '70s and '80s, earning nine Grammy nominations.

Billie's Bones is Ian's 18th studio album, "a resplendent mix of unadulterated folk, jazz and blues performed in Ian's unpretentious styling." The title is an allusion to singer Billie Holiday, and the CD also includes a duet with Dollie Parton, one of Ian's musical heroes, on "My Tennessee Hills."

BEANERY

5TH ST. 344-0221

FR: Craig S.--7

SA: Ricardo Cardenas--7

JANET ROBIN PLAYS WEDNESDAY AT CAFE PARADISO.

CAFE PARADISO

115 W. BROADWAY 484-9933

TH: Bill Malone, North 19--8; Bluegrass, folk

FR: Late Tuesday, Kids These Days--9; Pop

SA: Ginger Hustlers--9; Rock, folk

MO: Jon 7--9

TU: Acoustic Open Mic--7:30

WE: Ned Evett, Janet Robin--8; Fretless guitar, songs

CLUB TSUNAMI

2222 CENTENIAL BLVD.

FR: DJ Rolo--10; Hip hop, R & B

SA: DJ Rolo, DJ Tekneek--10:30; Hip hop, R & B

COFFEE GROVE COOPERATIVE

510 E. MAIN ST., COTTAGE GR. 942-8847

FR: The Fossils--8; Native American, folk

SA: Blue Road--8; Folk rock

WE: Cinema for the Mind--7:30; Film

THE COOLER

20 CENTENIAL LP. 484-4355

TH: Christie & McCallum--8; Honky tonk

COUNTRY SIDE RESTAURANT

4740 MAIN ST. 744-1594

SA Bob Manning, Nashville West--9; Country

SU: Ralph & Pam--8; Karaoke

MO: Pam--8; Karaoke

TU: Larry Sievers--8; Karaoke

COZMIC PIZZA@THE STRAND All Ages

8TH AVE. AND CHARNELTON ST. 338-9333

TH: Element37--9; Groove rock

FR: Kenny Reed and Stone Cold Jazz, Carlos Washington--9

SA: Free Johnny Flash, Anne Gregory, The Ordinary Flies--8; Acoustic

TU: Jazz Tuesday--8:30

WE: Joe Manis Trio--8:30

DIABLO'S

959 PEARL ST. 683-3855

TH: DJ Jon Smith--10; '80s through today

FR: Big Beats with Supa J and gen.erik--10; Hip hop

SA: House Nights with Howie and Anmar--10

DOWNTOWN LOUNGE

959 PEARL ST. 343-2346

TH: Latin Ballroom--7; Dance, Devil Brothers--10; R & B, funk

FR: Anxieties, Rockweiler, Monkee Torture, Sawyer Family--10; Anxieties got their gear jacked fundraiser

SA: The HIV Wolves, SleepyHead, Shambles--9; Hip hop

SU: Kung Foo Karaoke w/DJ Jeremy--9

MO: The Joint is Jumpin'--6; Swing dance, Mix Down Monday DJs--10; Variety

TU: West Coast Swing--7; Dance, Kenny Reed and Stone Cold Jazz--10

WE: Zydeco--7, gen.eric and Big Balou--10; Hip hop

DUCK INN

1795 W. 6TH AVE.

TH: Ben Coleman's Karaoke--8

SA: Ben Coleman's Karaoke--8

EARLY RISE CAFE

485 COBURG RD. 868-1261

SA: Open mic--7

EMBERS SUPPER CLUB

1811 HWY. 99 N. 688-6564

TH: Billy McCoy--9; Country

FR: Michael Anderson Trio—9; Variety, country


SA: Michael Anderson Trio—9; Variety, country

WE: Billy McCoy—9; Country

EUGENE WINE CELLARS

255 MADISON ST. 342-2600

WE: Eric Muiderman--6

NICOLLETTE HELM BLUES BAND PLAYS SATURDAY AT JO FEDERIGO'S.

GOOD TIMES

375 E. 7TH AVE. 484-7181

TU: Rooster's Blues Jam--8

JO FEDERIGO'S

259 E. 5TH AVE. 343-8488

TH: Jo Fed's Jazz Jam Session--9, FR: Skip Jones--9

SA: Nicollette Helm Blues Band--9

SU: Mark Alan--9

MO: Skip Jones--8:30; Hammond Organ

TU: Barbara Dzuro Jazz Piano--8:30

WE: Christen Chandler Duo--9

JOHN HENRY'S

77 W. BROADWAY 342-3358

TH: The Cosmic Roughriders--7, '80s Night w/Chris, Jenn and John--10

FR: Organic Assault Weapon, Cleveland Steamers, Sapient, The Phormula--10

SA: Freaks in the House w/ Jon 7, DJ Sawada, The Audio Schizophrenic--9; Electro, house

SU: Broadway review--10; Burlesque

MO: DJ River--10; Eclectic

WE: DJ Kal El vs. DJ Tekneek--10; Dance hall reggae, hip hop

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) DJS SAWADA, AUDIO SCHIZOPHRENIC AND JON 7, SATURDAY AT JOHN HENRY'S.

THE JUNGLE

23 W. 6TH AVE. 338-9000

TH: Steel Pulse--7; Reggae

LAVELLE'S WINE BAR & BISTRO

5TH ST. PUBLIC MARKET 338-9875

TH: Skip Jones, Gus Russell--6

FR: Gus Russell--5

SA: Gus Russell--5

LONE STAR BAR AND GRILL

I-5 AT COBURG 686-8686

TH: Girls get wild--9; DJ dancing

FR: Guys get wild--9; DJ dancing

SA: Karaoke--9

WE: Coyote Ugly--8

LUCKEY'S CLUB CIGAR

933 OLIVE ST. 687-4643

TH: Kids These Days, The Latleys--10; Indie, funk

FR: Jettison--10; Contraband pop

SA: Southerly, Dan Jones and The Squids--10

TU: C-4 Sound Compex--10; Hip hop open mic

WE: Savitri--10

LUNA

30 E. BROADWAY 434-5862

TH: Gordon Kaswell--8

FR: Justin King & Friends--7; Acoustic guitar 

MAC'S AT THE VET'S

1626 WILLAMETTE ST. 344-8600

TH: Thursday Night Blues Jam--9

FR: Forest T. Black--9:30; Blues

SA: Peter Giri Project--9:30; Rock

WE: Christie & McCallum--7; Honky tonk

MORNING GLORY

450 WILLAMETTE ST. 687-0709

FR: Ariana Storm--7; Acoustic, art opening

THE O BAR

155 COMMONS WAY 349-0707

TH: Thirsty Thursdays: DJ Johnny--9; Hip hop

OREGON ELECTRIC STATION

27 E. 5TH 485-4444

FR: Don Latarski Trio—8; Jazz

SA: Don Latarski Trio—8; Jazz

OUR PLACE TAVERN

HWY. 99 & ROYALE AVE.

FR & SA: Clyde Baxter--8; Karaoke

PEABODY'S

444 E. 3RD AVE. 484-2927

TH: Ali Losik, Straight No Chaser--9; Jazz vocals

FR: Sounds & Fiori--9; Vocals, piano

SA: Lydia Beckett--9; Karaoke

MO: Barbara Dzuro--8; Jazz piano

TU: Acoustic Open Mic w/Tim Patrick, Peter Giri--8

WE: John Crider Jazz Singers Showcase--8

PERUGINO

767 WILLAMETTE ST. 687-9102

WE: Irish Jam--7; Celtic

QUACKER'S

2105 W. 7TH 485-5925

MO: Karaoke--9; Variety

WE: Blues Jam--8:30

SAM BOND'S GARAGE

407 BLAIR 431-6603

TH: Arse, The International Puppet Theater--9; Variety

FR: Laura Kemp CD Release Party--9; Americana

SA: Meoksha, Champagne Syndicate, Peter Sallet--8; Rock

SU: Good For Cows, 7 Year Rabbit Cycle--9; Rock

MO: The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, I can Lick Any S.O.B. in the House--9; Rock

TU: Bluegrass Jam--9

WE: Fred Van Vactor, Dennis Smith--9; Americana

SAMURAI DUCK

980 OAK ST. 345-6577

TH: National Product--9

FR: Crimes of Ambition--9

SA: Dirt Cold Fight, Epoxy Morons, OTFDK--9

MO: Synchro--9

TU: Spelunk--9

WE: Northwest Royale, The Domeshots, Thought Crime--9

STACY'S COVERED BRIDGE

401 E. MAIN ST., COTTAGE GROVE 767-0320

WE: Open Mic Night w/Ron O'Keefe--8:30

TAP 'N' KEG

1704 MAIN ST., COTTAGE GROVE 942-8713

WE & TH: DJ Rick--9

FR & SA: DJ Rick--9:30

TAYLOR'S BAR AND GRILL

894 E. 13TH AVE. 554-5320

FR: DJ Tekneek--10; Hip hop, R & B

PEDRO THE LION LAYS IT DOWN, TUESDAY AT THE WOW HALL.

WOW HALL All Ages

291 W. 8TH AVE. 687-2746

FR: Floater Acoustic CD Release Party--9; Rock

MO: Charlie Hunter Trio--9; Jazz

TU: Pedro the Lion, Tilly and the Wall, The Western States--9:30; Singer/songwriter, rock

WE: Janis Ian--8:30; Folk

CORVALLIS

BEANERY

2ND AVE.

FR: Acoustic Jones--8

SA: Jill Cohn--8

FOX 'N' FIRKIN

202 SW. 1ST ST. 753-8533

WE: TenPas' Tricky Trivia--8:30

MURPHY'S

3740 SE 3RD ST. 758-9000

SU: Nairobi Boys--6; Jazz covers

PLATINUM NIGHT CLUB

126 SW 4TH ST.

FR: DJs Ivan, Lupe--10; Salsa, Merengue

SA: Tim Ryan and the Pitbosses--9; Rockabilly, swing, surf