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Jazz
Goes to College Although it's been marginalized in pop culture, jazz is still alive and well at the UO. The school recently hired one-time homeboy Toby Koenigsberg to teach jazz after honing his piano and award-winning compositional chops at the Peabody Conservatory and New York's Eastman School of Music and the city's jazz scene.
On May 21, at Luna, he's celebrating the release of a CD recorded live in New York with a trio set featuring bassist Tyler Abbott and drummer Jason Palmer. The disk, which boasts some rising young East Coast jazz stars, reveals Toby K.'s close study of the masters (with covers of Coltrane and Wayne Shorter), his own rhythmically inventive originals, along with a deft touch on ballads. Fans of jazz from mainstream to modern should check out this show, Koenigsberg's last one in Eugene before a wide-ranging world tour this summer. On Wednesday, June 1, Mark Pender, who spends most evenings playing trumpet, crooning and clambering through the audience on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and freelancing the NYC jazz scene, will join the UO's Green Garter Band at Beall Concert Hall in jazz and funk by James Brown, Maynard Ferguson, Earth, Wind & Fire and more. On Friday, June 3, Room 178 of the UO Music School morphs into the Jazz Café, featuring student syncopators covering Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland and more, plus a guitar ensemble led by Mike Denny. And the UO Percussion Ensemble plays contemporary music on June 5 in Room 198 of the Music Building. The UO music season closes with some wide-ranging singing. On May 26 at Beall, the University Singers and Chamber Choir sing Benjamin Britten's fetching "Flower Songs," Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Mystical Songs," love songs by American composers and music from Russia and South Africa. The UO's Collegium Musicum performs a free show of early Renaissance songs by the great French composer-poet Guillaume de Machaut in the intimate Collier House on May 31. And on June 2, the UO Concert Choir and Repertoire Singers embark on another admirably varied vocal tour at Beall, from American folksongs to traditional Hawaiian and South African music to Renaissance masterpieces and excerpts from Robert Ray's "Gospel Mass." Finally, the ever-popular Gospel Ensemble and Choir will shake the Beall rafters in their traditional season-ender on June 5. Get there early. The UO also offers various flavors of percussion: on June 2, when the UO's Javanese gamelan class gives its end of term performance at DIVA; on June 5, when the UO Percussion Ensemble performs in room 198 of the Music Building; and on June 8, when Gamelan Sari Pandhawa plays melodic classical music of Java at the UO art museum. Jazz is part of what Austin's Asylum Street Spankers do, including covers of Duke Ellington, but their repertoire also incorporates vaudeville, novelty songs, swing, "reefer songs" from the 1920s to the present, jug band music, blues, rock, washboard, clarinet, guitar, banjo, fiddle and Wammo. The last is the poetry slammer/DJ/songwriter/vocalist who, with singer/guitarist Christina Marrs, intones songs about the War on Drugs (they're agin' it), beer, scrotums, antifreeze, and Wammo knows what else. The wild, all-acoustic septet plays Sam Bond's on May 29. On May 28 DIVA offers improvised percussion, guitar and electronics by Portland's Doug Theriault and Philadelphia's Toshi Makihara, who's played with such avant garde masters as John Zorn and Thurston Moore. World music fans should imbibe the gentle guitar weavings of the Palm Wine Boys at Luna on June 3. This California quartet plays calypso-inflected West African guitar music, mainly from Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria. Anyone who enjoys high life or even slack key guitar music (both the West Africans and Hawaiians got their guitars from Portuguese sailors) should give this a try.
of
Montreal's pro-pop platform
It's been five years since my last hug from the members of of Montreal. After my estrangement, I'm not sure if I want a hug from Kevin Barnes and his cast of indie pop curiosities. I'll take this hesitance as a good sign, an omen that they have indeed made strides in musical style and lyrical feel. If of Montreal's earlier albums progressed from '60s psychedelic pop into '70s artistic pop, their newest release, The Sunlandic Twins, is the Athens-based group's entry to the '80s. The artifacts of light-hearted garage rock are still audible, but they're now just impressions on a new wave sound. Both in substance and in style, Barnes and company seem to be channeling David Byrne with yet another of Montreal concept album. The spirits of Duran Duran and The Cars poke in from time to time as well. The former of Montreal sang about Ira the spider, who followed a cake to a lake on his tongue. On The Gay Parade the band fed us rumors of a small town preparing for a town celebration. This time, rather than tell fantastical stories of places never known, the lyrics spin a yarn of resisted aging with no hope for a fountain of youth. None of this is to say of Montreal 2005 is less of an enjoyable band than of Montreal 1999. The wordplay invoked is still of a precocious prodigy's caliber ("kindness seemed a ploy to temper or alloy"). And if the electro-spaz video for "So Begins Our Alabee" is any clue, of Montreal's joyous live show is still intact. To recap, while The Sunlandic Twins isn't of the same Seussian universe as their previous albums, of Montreal are still musical pranksters. And while I might not embrace them, I'll still look up from my shoes and let my smile thank them for playing.
Still
Hustlin' After All These Years
Around the same time folks in Southern Cal were pouring out 40s for dead homies, E-40 was doing his own thug thing with his jug of Carlo Rossi. Reppin' the Bay Area (dubbed by E-40 as the Yay Area) in much of the same way Too Short did, with gritty rhymes and raw beats, E-40 rose from the other end of Cali to further promote the West Coast rap sound. But where some of his peers gained mainstream crossover success, 40 maintained his relatively underground reputation, achieving legendary cult status as one of the unsung pioneers of West Coast rap music. In true Too Short fashion, 40 fuelled the beginnings of his rap career by selling mix-tapes out of the trunk of his car. His group the Click, which comprised his brother D-Shot, sister Suga T and cousin B-Legit, served as the initial catalyst for 40's solo career. 40 went on to found his own record label, Sick Wid' It, self-releasing the group's debut album as well as a slew of solo albums. As word spread, Sick Wid' It eventually landed a distribution deal with Jive Records, and E-40 and the Click got album contracts on the label. Through nearly a decade's worth of albums, 40 stayed true to his stories of hustling, pimping and ghetto living, all the while keeping the Bay Area the focal point for his tales. His production as well as his delivery lent a griminess to his music that corresponded to the style of rap that was brooding in the deep South. This lead to alliances and collaborations with Master P's No Limit crew as well as the Cash Money family. 40 helped build a platform for "crunk" long before it became the darling buzzword for parachuting music writers worldwide. In fact, his forthcoming album is being co-released and co-produced by the king of "crunk" Lil Jon. Even with his penchant for shiny jewelry and hip fashion, there is something utterly campy yet completely "real" behind E-40 and his jug of wine. Word on the street is that he just purchased a string of Fat Burger franchises with former Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Chester McGlockton. You can catch 40's iconoclastic flavor at the Jungle, along with the Jus Family crew as they celebrate the release of Bosko's new album That Fire.
"The
Legend," Norma Fraser Blues artists of all stripes consider Eugene a haven, but many reggae artists call Eugene home too. Eugene has welcomed Jamaican-born Norma Fraser for four years.
In 1961, Producer Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd signed the then 19-year old Fraser to his roster at the legendary Studio One recording studio. Fraser recorded a hit song with Lord Creator of Trinidad called "We'll Be Lovers," which charted at number one in Jamaica for more than a year. In 1967 the talented singer released her second hit song, "First Cut is the Deepest." Fraser went on to record at Studio One with Bob Marley and the Wailers, Ken Booth, The Skatalites, Delroy Wilson and other legendary reggae performers. Dodd's death last year has renewed interest in the music released by his famous studio. As one of Dodd's earliest successes, Fraser charted before Dodd signed the young Bob Marley. Marley's future wife Rita hung around the studio, and Fraser and the Marleys became close. In fact, Fraser taught Rita how to sing. "Rita was not a singer but would show up at the studio grounds often," Fraser said. "She asked me to teach her how to sing and I did. She then latched on to Bob Marley and would do some backup oooh's behind them." She's still friends with Rita, who calls Fraser "The Legend," and has recently renewed her friendship with Bunny Wailer. "Bunny Wailer and I have been corresponding with each other almost daily and we have been catching up on news since we haven't seen each other for many years," Fraser said. Fraser remembers the young Bob Marley as a serious person not prone to showing off like so many of the other Studio One artists who achieved fame. "Bob would ponder deeply about the plight of the human condition in Jamaica and worldwide," remembered Fraser. "His worldview at that time was vast and he had not yet traveled out of Jamaica. He wanted to help change things." While Marley's career with the Wailers heated up, Fraser's zeal for the music business cooled. Though Fraser had chances to strengthen her career, she turned them down. "He (Marley) came to my parent's house in Jamaica in the '70s to persuade me to sing with his group," Fraser said. "At that time I became disillusioned with the 'business' and wanted out." Two decades passed before Fraser accepted the intrusions into her personal life that come with being a renowned singer. She has played more shows in recent years, including yearly gigs in Japan, and has a month-long European tour planned for summer. In July she'll perform in Ghana as part of their "Republic Day" festivities. Fraser released C'mon, Baby, her most recent record, in 2001. She wrote all of the material herself. This fact alone sets her apart from her male reggae peers, who traditionally limit women to the role of backup singers and strongly discourage women from songwriting. "I abhor and detest the overt chauvinism displayed in reggae in the past and even today," she said. "My views are not embraced. There seems to be this culture of acceptance, i.e. 'God made man to control the world and women' and they end with the phrase 'Jah Rastafari' as if that seals and explains it away." Fraser feels her educational background has helped her overcome some of this sexism. "I have a M.A. degree [in gerontology and psychotherapy] and no longer listen to the 'label' pundits who wanted women reggae singers to only sing 'sweet' songs." Fraser's melodies certainly are sweet. C'mon, Baby is 40 minutes of tropical beat pleasure. Most tracks groove at an easy reggae pace, with a couple of ballads for good measure. Though the beat slows down sometimes, you don't mind because Fraser's voice sounds so good. While Fraser doesn't stretch too far for rhymes and rhythms, the CD winds its way from ska to pop, rewarding the listener from the beginning with uplifting lyrics and a feel-good aura. Let C'mon, Baby be the soundtrack to your next summer BBQ and your guests will get the tropical mood instantly.
Music
Shorts Hip Hop's Underground Comes Together A long time ago, hip hop thrived exclusively on the streets, the underground, virtually invisible to anyone outside the Bronx. Public parks, Boys and Girls Clubs and all-ages dance halls embraced this outlaw culture, allowing an entire generation of kids to channel their creativity through this new style of music, dance and visual art.
Whatever state you think hip hop's in these days, you can't deny the continued strength of the underground movement. And thanks to coalitions between community arts centers such as the WOW Hall and local MCs, DJs and B-Boys, the underground, especially here in the Northwest, rages stronger than ever. This Friday, the WOW Hall welcomes Sandpeople, Genus Pro, The Phormula, Soundproof, Big Balou, Undermind and DJ D-Phi for a night of local hip hop culture. With members that hail from Olympia, Eugene and points in between, the regional conglomeration of MCs and DJs known as Sandpeople hits the WOW Hall fresh off the release of their 2004 album Points of View. The group features Eugene MCs Ethic and Sapient. Also present will be local MCs Metric, Marv~Ellis, Elea'Zar and DJ C4 from Genus Pro, who are in the process of recording a new Genus Pro CD to follow-up their hugely successful debut album Grow. The Phormula, another Eugene hip hop group composed of MCs Philosophy, Examine and DJ Phonics, who recently released their debut album Sound Proof, will also perform. And we can't forget legendary, veteran MC Big Balou as well as conscious MCs Hanif, Fury and DJ Gen.Erik of SoundProof. This is an all-ages show and all local B-Boys and B-Girls are encouraged to attend. Sandpeople, Genus Pro, The Phormula, Soundproof, Big Balou, Undermind and DJ D-Phi perform at 9:30 pm at the WOW Hall, Friday, May 27. $5. —Steven Sawada
Raise Your Guinness Even though Amadan is frequently compared to the Pogues, their pint-pounding, fists-in-the-air, slam-jigging energy of a St. Patty's Day crowd on the verge of explosion is closer to the Dropkick Murphys or Flogging Molly. They're also the best band to "Oi" and pennywhistle their way out of Corvallis in a long, long time. With the release of Hellbent 4 Victory, their second album, they bust out song after song of catchy, thrashy, high-energy madness. Wear your steel-toed Docs to this show because live, they're gonna be rowdy. How can you not love a bunch of guys from Oregon who recently opened a set pirouetting around one of their band members lying on the floor dressed up like a lion? Or who named their band the Gaelic word for fool or idiot? They've also got a penchant for throwing pirate phrases into their songs and on-stage banter, which wins them a lot of love — "Johnny Cope/Green Groves of Erin" is an amped-up perversion of a traditional sailing tune. And they love Irish music. In addition to some of the more traditional instruments you'd expect to find in an Irish band like pennywhistle (Jeremy Bauer) and fiddle (Naoyuki Ochiai), they also include didgeridoo and sheep sounds (Andy Gross), accordion (Ochiai again), spoons and monkey sounds. Eric Tonsfeldt on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Morrow on drums and Kevin Pardew on bass round out the crew. Of all the shows happening this week, expect Amadan's gig at McShane's to be the one with the wildest crowd, the most insane dancing and ear-to-ear grins all around. Pints up. Amadan plays at 9 pm at McShane's on Friday, 5/27. $4. —Melissa Bearns
Not Just a College Band They've only been together for a year, but Ahimsa Theory has already made its mark on the Northwest music scene. After a year of playing shows in Eugene, Ahimsa Theory released a self-titled debut album in January. Vocalist and guitarist Gabe Bledsoe, bassist Warren Baumann and drummer Spencer Emch describe their music as alternative rock, a style the album consistently reflects. But don't get too used to it, because Ahimsa Theory is already working on new material. "We have new stuff that we've been writing that is completely different and upbeat," Bledsoe said. The name Ahimsa Theory was Bledsoe's idea. The term "ahimsa" is a Buddhist and Hindu doctrine of non-violence that prohibits harming any living being. Bledsoe spent a month in India when he was 14 and he used the word "ahimsa" in the names of the "bad" high school bands he's been in. He chose to continue the theme with Ahimsa Theory — the name, not the music quality. And he makes it clear that Ahimsa Theory isn't just a college band. The members are going on their first tour this summer in hopes of attracting the attention of record labels. But it's going to be low-budget — they don't plan on spending more than $3 a day on food. Before they leave, Ahimsa Theory will play with Elic Morin, Strays and the Strenuus at 7 pm at South Salem High School on Friday, May 27 for $3, and on Saturday, May 28 at 6 pm at the WOW Hall for $5 with Cap Gun Suicide and the Rhythm Pimps. — Sara Brickner
Genreless It's easy to slap a label on a lot of bands out there, but Demimonde Slumber Party isn't one of them. The band originated in San Francisco, but the members currently live in Eugene and recorded their latest album, Green, at drummer Kim Lindquist's father's home. Nine tracks later, Demimonde Slumber Party has proven that it's easy to pack upward of four genres into a nine-track album. It's difficult to guess what DSP might sound like before listening to their record, and even then there isn't a predominant genre more narrow than "rock." Green contains songs that range from '60s psychedelic rock to fast, angsty pop punk, with a folk ballad or two thrown in for good measure. And while their retro-style album cover deceptively features three skirted silhouettes with '50s hairdos playing instruments, DSP is not actually an all-girl band. Bassist Tim Romain, drummer Kim Lindquist and lead vocalist and guitarist Melissa Lubofsky make up the female-dominated trio. Demimonde Slumber Party play a cd release show for Green 10pm Friday, May 27 at Luckey's ($3-$5) and a free in-store at CD World at 3pm Saturday, May 28. —Sara Brickner
From Pianos to Power Tools There's something bordering on schizophrenic about Architecture in Helsinki's In Case We Die. Epic, creepy strings open the album, but within seconds they've given way to a quirky march that sounds something like an elementary school band with too many instruments and a madcap metronome. That part doesn't last long, either — another twist, and what sounds like all of the band's eight members are shouting incomprehensible lyrics, a co-ed Le Tigre without matching outfits or dance routines.
Most of In Case We Die, the band's second album, continues in a similarly unpredictable fashion. No single genre defines these Aussies, no pat term exists for a group that uses more than three dozen instruments (including hand and power tools) to create songs that cross the map from surprisingly spare to intricately detailed. (A graph in the liner notes cleverly shows which instruments were used on which tracks.) Strings sweep through "Maybe You'll Owe Me," as one of the many vocalists sings "There's no way that I'll sleep when you're near me." Whether he's charmed or frightened is left up to the listener. The following song begins with the female singers chanting, "She said you'd given up/ Your folks told me you should be left alone/ On a mountaintop/ Knocking the aeroplanes down with stones." The melody is handed off to the male voices, then bounced back to the women, the pattern slightly changed, smoothed into a lullaby as the song fades out, only to transform at the last minute into a layered horn piece. One of the oddest (and most endearing) things about Architecture in Helsinki's sound is the impression that no single member of the band is the leader. Each song sounds like the product of eight different minds and talents, and while certain voices appear, here and there, to take the lead, the reins are handed off before you can really get a fix on what exactly that member's distinct contribution to the whole might be. The natural question, then, is how does this egalitarian approach translate in performance? How many instruments can one band take on tour? It's got to be interesting — at the very least, just to see the band pull off "The Cemetery," with its dreamy way-oh-way-ohs lined up next to a bit that calls to mind "Ballroom Blitz," of all things. Architecture in Helsinki plays with Mahjongg, StopSignGo and Hot Sack O' Nuts at 8:30 pm, Thursday, May 26 at the WOW Hall. $6.
4 CORNERS HOP HOUSE
535 CLUB ROCK BLACK FOREST CAFÉ PARADISO CLUB TSUNAMI CORNUCOPIA All Ages COUNTRYSIDE COZMIC PIZZA@THE STRAND All Ages DA HOUZE DIABLO'S DOWNTOWN LOUNGE EMBERS SUPPER CLUB GOOD TIMES JAXX LOUNGE@PREMIUM POUR JO FEDERIGO'S JOE'S BAR & GRILLE JOGGER'S BAR & GRILL
JOHN HENRY'S LATITUDE 10 CAFE All
Ages LAVELLE'S WINE BAR & BISTRO
LUCKEY'S CLUB CIGAR LUNA MAC'S AT THE VET'S MAX'S TAVERN MCDONALD THEATRE All Ages MCSHANE'S BAR & GRILLE MONROE STREET CAFE All Ages MULLIGAN'S PUB O'DONNELL'S IRISH PUB OVERTIME GRILL PEABODY'S PERUGINO QUACKER'S RED LION INN SAM BOND'S GARAGE SAM'S PLACE SHER'S TAVERN STACY'S COVERED BRIDGE THE STAGE@HOSANNA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP SWEETWATER'S TAYLOR'S BAR AND GRILL TINY TAVERN WETLANDS
WOW HALL All Ages YUKON JACK'S
CORVALLIS AJ'S IOVINO'S RISTORANTE MURPHY'S NEW MORNING BAKERY All
Ages PLATINUM NIGHT CLUB TOMMY'S PEACOCK karaoke TH: The Cooler, Da Houze, Duck Inn, Lone Star
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