 |
  |
|
 |
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||
One
Voice When the 75 members of Soromundi: Eugene's Lesbian Chorus take the stage Saturday in Soreng Theatre, they'll have a few more members than they did in the beginning.
In the fall of 1989, a small group of lesbians gathered in Karm Hagedorn's living room. They sang songs they knew from high school, songs like The Beatles' "Blackbird," and, Hagedorn remembers, "You'll Never Walk Alone." Since then, the chorus has grown and changed. "We've had people die, we've had people survive cancer, we've had marriages and babies," Hagedorn says. But one constant remains: at each performance, someone comes up to Hagedorn and explains how Soromundi has changed her life. Tenor Marty Spaeth moved to Eugene in the fall of 1993. "Being a lesbian who lived in southern Kentucky, I didn't have much community," Spaeth says. Now, she says, "a large part of the circle that I call family is women in the choir." That family is about to take a year off to give the directors — Hagedorn, self-described "people manager" and arranger of the music for women's voices in four parts, and Lisa Helmn, pianist and music educator — a break. Jill Leininger, a soprano who is part of the year-off planning team, explains that they are "figuring out how to create sustainability because the organization has grown, but the budget hasn't." This year, more than 100 women came to the first rehearsal, and 75 will be performing in the spring concert, One Voice. There are so many women in the chorus, says second alto Tara Hicks, that she doesn't get to know very many of the other singers during rehearsals. That's why she enjoys the annual June song selection weekend so much. "It's way more personal, a great opportunity to get to know people better," she says. During song selection, Leininger says, "you never know what's going to happen — there's spontaneous laughter and spontaneous song all the time, like while we're making dinner." For tenor Do Mi Stauber, that's the kind of "magic that happens when you get a bunch of lesbians in a room together — we make a community that helps each woman find her own power." Even in Eugene, Stauber notes, being an out lesbian isn't always easy. Hagedorn says the women in the chorus gain community and "a little respite every Tuesday night." But Soromundi doesn't remain in the relative safety of Eugene. One year, Soromundi performed in Bend, Klamath Falls, Ashland and Roseburg. Each April the chorus goes to Newport for a "Building Brides" workshop in which the chorus reaches out to "communities where lesbians don't have as much support," Stauber says. This year, 29 new women came to the daylong workshop and sang with Soromundi at the evening's performance. "We need to keep singing until everyone is safe to sing with us," says alto Amber Lunch. Members say they're looking forward to performing the concert's title song, which recreates the foundation of the chorus in its structure. Although they won't be reprising "You'll Never Walk Alone," the sentiment is still there. Hagedorn says, "If we all sing together, then we can all sing."
Pop
Goes the Culture Many of us have complained for years that classical music institutions are stuck in the past. Too many symphonies use an orchestra and elitist stage presentation (and costumes) straight out of the 19th century, snootily disdain developments in popular culture, refuse to play more than a few token contemporary pieces per year — and then wonder why their audiences are graying and diminishing. (Imagine a dance or theater company that devoted most of its concerts to plays or choreography 150 years old!)
It doesn't have to be that way. I just returned from covering the Los Angeles Philharmonic's splendid Minimalist Jukebox festival, which dared to program music written in the last 40 years and was rewarded with strong attendance and much younger alternative audiences, not to mention performances that actually seemed relevant to today's listeners. The Eugene Symphony is doing a better job than most at trying to at least bring classical music into the 20th century, though it still has a ways to go to reach anything like contemporary relevance for the 21st. Commendably, in recent years, the ESO has brought a few contemporary composers to town and performed their music, usually drawing a strong and positive response from the audience. The latest is Michael Daugherty, who's cannily managed to infiltrate the old orchestral forms with references to pop culture: Superman (his Metropolis Symphony), Elvis, Jackie Onassis — nothing is sacred. Some dismiss Daugherty's pop culture references as mere gimmicks, and maybe he's played that card a bit too often, but he can be a fine composer. One of the most memorable concerts I ever saw featured silver-clad percussion virtuosa Evelyn Glennie dancing through the orchestra at California's Cabrillo Festival, making otherworldly sounds while conductor Marin Alsop and the orchestra provided a suitably unearthly accompaniment in Daugherty's delightful UFO. On May 18, the ESO will play Daugherty's "Route 66," "Desi" and "Red Cape Tango." Daugherty's tuneful, propulsive music is traditional enough not to frighten away the stuffy conservatives yet fun enough to appeal to music lovers who don't regularly genuflect in the temple of classical music. The program also includes Dmitri Shostakovich's first symphony, which shows the welcome influence of Stravinsky while foreshadowing the irony and tragedy that would dominate the composer's later orchestral works. I hope listeners of all kinds will support the ESO's admirable program this month, enjoy some good contemporary music — and encourage our local classical institutions to make contemporary music the rule rather than the exception. The ESO is bringing Daugherty to town to hear his music and connect with the community. One result is the performance of his work by UO music ensembles. On May 15, the always-fascinating Oregon Percussion Ensemble (which, to its credit, always plays contemporary music) will play his sassy, "retro-futurist" Bond homage, "Shaken Not Stirred," (with movements including a "Dr. No Allegro," "Casino Royale Rumba," etc.) along with music by 20th century master Iannis Xenakis and other recent pieces. Last time the OPE played this piece, they incorporated some clever staging, and I wouldn't put it past them this time, either. On May 19, the Oregon Wind Ensemble will perform "Bounce," "Niagara Falls" (another Daugherty work I saw at Cabrillo) and "Bells for Stokowski," a percussion-fueled tribute to the lush orchestral sound produced by Daugherty's hometown Philadelphia Orchestra. Daugherty describes the bluesy "Niagara Falls" as a "ten-minute musical ride over the Niagara River with an occasional stop at a haunted house or wax museum along the way ... a meditation on the American sublime." A few years ago, the Eugene Symphony brought another important contemporary composer, Aaron Kernis, to town to hear his ethereal "Music Celestis." At Beall Hall on May 25, the Yale Symphony Orchestra will perform that work along with Charles Ives's "Decoration Day," Tchaikovsky's fifth symphony and our own Robert Kyr's "Fanfare for a New Dawn." It's been a busy month for Kyr; along with a concert of his music at Beall Hall last month, his work was performed last week by Portland's David York Ensemble and on May 21-22, Portland's Oregon Repertory Singers will perform his "The Divine Image" for piano, cello and chorus. Kyr's works are also often sung by Portland's splendid Capella Romana vocal ensemble. On May 18, after returning from an Italian tour and being featured on OPB's "Oregon Art Beat," they'll perform their acclaimed "The Fall of Constantinople," which incorporates Byzantine chant and Western European Renaissance music including Dufay's "Ecclesiae Militantis." This is a wonderful opportunity to hear powerful music too rarely performed around here, by singers who specialize in it.
There
and Back Again Alas, I'm afraid it's the same old story. Chris Berry, a young white spirit caller from small town America, is playing his mbira for a Zimbabwean religious ceremony. Well, you know how it goes — the audience is in a trance and ancestral spirits begin taking them over. The spirits approach in their host bodies and tell Berry that it is time for him to take his musical message back to his native land where the message is really needed.
At this point Berry's cellphone went dead, so I didn't have a chance to ask him his thoughts on whether ancestral spirits were really speaking to him, but does it really matter? The fact is, he did return home, and his music does have a sorely needed message. Besides, ancestral spirits are no more outlandish than the story that put Berry at the ceremony in the first place. Growing up in Sebastopol, Calif., Berry was an average bored suburban white kid until a stolen Fela Kuti tape turned him on to a world of music he'd never imagined. At 13 he began studying with a local musician, and at 18 he boarded a plane to the Congo, took a 10-day boat trip upriver and continued his studies. "I suppose it was pretty reckless. I didn't even know the language then," Berry said. "I suppose I got in some situations that were pretty dangerous, but I was so passionate about the music that I didn't even think about it much." Berry studied in Africa for 10 years, eventually becoming a spirit caller and putting together his band, Panjea. "Luckily, the economy was such that I could live on 50 bucks a month. We were out playing live, playing a lot of ceremonies. I was living in a ghetto in a cardboard box," Berry said. Since his return to America, Berry, now 34, has created a musical mix combining elements of hip hop, reggae, traditional African rhythms and a dash of Sting's old band The Police. If you go to the concert, know this: You will dance. His songs are positive, politically charged and unavoidable. The sounds of revolution never grooved quite like this. In one of his catchier songs, "Why Do We," from his Dancemakers CD, he asks, "Why do we kill people who kill people to show people that killing people is wrong?" It's a clear and danceable indictment of the death penalty and war in general. Berry and Panjea will be joined for the night by Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident.
Keep the Album Looping There's a special love in indie rock for male/female harmonies. Intertwined voices in different registers supercharge a song's emotional resonance, adding layers of romance or regret; the result often plays equally well as the soundtrack to a new love or a breakup. Or, in the case of San Francisco's 20 Minute Loop and their 2005 album Yawn + House = Explosion, it plays like a strange collection of fables or short stories. "Tell me a story that ends with a gunshot," pleads Greg Giles on "Miriam Hopkins." The meandering "Book of J" evokes a hot, sticky summer scene but ends with Giles and singer Kelly Atkins ferociously repeating, "You're not so heavy or tortured or comfortable or distinct."
20ML's songs are snapshots, tiny reflections on a second or a scene laced with images that stick as well as the band's catchiest hooks. Atkins, whose expressive voice can shift instantly from a deceptive sweetness to a hearty cry, takes the lead on some tracks and appears sparingly and to great effect on others. She and chief songwriter Giles are clearly the heart of the group, but that's not to undercut the talents of drummer Mike Romano, guitarist Joe Ostrowski and Nils Erickson, who plays bass and, apparently, everything else. Yawn + House balances giddy pop melodies with delicate, contemplative tracks that occasionally go on a little long, but it's understandable: when making music this smart and fun, who would want to stop? The album's many glowing reviews offer comparisons to The Pixies, Throwing Muses, and, perhaps more accurately, The Posies: Atkins and Giles have a meant-to-be pop chemistry reminiscent of the Seattle group. 20 Minute Loop plays with the Fast Computers at 9 pm Thursday, May 18 at Sam Bond's. 21+ show. $5. — Molly Templeton
Out, Proud and Loud When you're out and proud, there's no benefit to silence, especially if you're a musician. For years the UO Women's Center has organized special springtime events to celebrate queer women's music. This year, they added a weekend-long queer women's film festival and made the music festival bigger than ever. Once a one-night-only concert event, OUT/LOUD has been extended to a full day musical extravaganza, giving queer women and the general public the opportunity to step out into the sunshine and lift their voices with others in a celebration of unity and diversity. Bring a blanket, grab some yummy food and take in the array of free (!) music, from hip hop to pop, folk to rock and all points in between. The festivities kick off at noon on Saturday and don't end until 10 pm, so there's no excuse not to catch at least one of the acts. Portland-based folk-rocker Annie Vergnetti starts things off at noon. With a clear, strong voice, she delivers insightful tunes you'll love if you're into the likes of Melissa Ferrick. It's too soon for sleeping, but you won't regret heading over for the 2:20 performance of Demimonde Slumber Party. Based in Eugene, this female-fronted trio delivers a high-energy mix of guitar-fuzzed garage pop and punk with a '60s influence. You may have heard of this group in the '90s as a San Francisco band; it's the same band, now calling Eugene home. They've just released their new CD, Green. Also a Portlander, Nicole Sangsuree plays solo and resembles Ani DiFranco's emotional and personal but funky style. If you're gonna be out, loud and proud, why not name your band Homo^2? The two "qweerdo" gals who hail from San Francisco via Gainesville, Fla., Alex and Maren, sound like a party goin' on! With a dash of Ladytron, a smidgeon of Lunachicks and a lot of fun, Homo^2 will get you moving, fer sure, fer sure. Katastrophe's beats and rap flow into slam poetry-style rhymes. He's got two releases out, Fault Lies and Faultlines and his debut, Let's Fuck, Then Talk About My Problems, which earned him Out Music's Producer of the Year award. A native Nigerian woman will close out the night's events. Androgene, pronounced like "androgyny," has been singing since age 6. Educated in London, now living in Los Angeles, her multi-cultural dance music may be just what the world needs. Some of her songs are so smooth and soulful, they sound a little like Sade. Most are so hot they'll have the dance floor, uh, dance lawn, filled with bodies. Hear the music of OUT/LOUD noon to 10 pm Saturday, May 13 on the EMU East Lawn. FREE. — Vanessa Salvia
Listen To This, Then Punch Someone I think Reel Big Fish said it best in 2001 when they wrote, "When I'm in the pit / I'm gonna punch and kick / When I'm in the pit, don't you know / I'm gonna fuck up shit!" The whole idea of the mosh pit has expanded over the years, splintering into subcultures. Skinny boys sporting dark hair and eyeliner practice their kung fu at hardcore shows, while musclehead guys with shaved heads and wifebeaters work "circle pits," which are basically like giant spinning conga lines, except you get your ass kicked. And then there's Northwest Royale, who on the seventh day screamed "ENOUGH!" and dropped their juggernaut, Home Is Where the Hate Is, which strips the pit down to its basics and pays tribute to those who still know its true meaning. "This album is for the pit," says keyboardist/percussionist Blake Owens. "It's unique in that all the songs in it are meant to be played live. It's also our first nationally distributed album, so we worked hard to make sure it gave an accurate picture of what we're about." Home kicks off with the brutal "Kill All the Haters," which, as you can imagine, is a piece someone will inevitably get their face smashed to. Lead singer Colton D. Williams bellows, "Listen, you've got to get in the pit with me / There's no way out," over and over. The album also blends in some melodic moments, giving listeners and moshers a break as keyboards and Williams' singing voice take over before the next wave. And when the cymbals crash down and the guitars lurch forth again with a grinding assault, you can't help but get swept into Northwest Royale's pit yourself. Northwest Royale drops Home Is Where the Hate Is at their CD release party supported by Domeshots, Inflikt and Forrestal's Fall at 9 pm Friday, May 12 at the WOW Hall. $5. — Dan Hoyt
Willing and Able
Maybe drummer, composer and writer Bobby Previte doesn't give the best interviews in the world. He didn't want to talk about his past, even though he's been in books, in movies, played on "Saturday Night Live" (with William Shatner!) and released dozens of his own recordings. He was reluctant to talk about his future. About the music here and now, he simply said, "It's rocking. I think if you know my other music you'll know what to expect, which is probably not to expect anything, and if you don't know my other music I have no clue how to help you!" Here's what I can tell you: Previte has assembled Coalition of the Willing, a supergroup of jazz musicians he'll bring to town, and even though you may not have heard of him — although if you're a jazz fiend you probably have — you'll definitely want to witness the other guys in action: Marco Benevento on organ, Charlie Hunter on guitar and Skerik on saxophonia. Hunter plies the 6-string axe here, rather than his trademark 8-string guitar invention, and Skerik y'all know from Critters Buggin. "They're all heavy musicians," Previte said. "I've been in a different scene from all of these guys for years, and we're just now colliding with this band. You won't see a band like this for a long time" The CD features eight instro tunes penned by Previte that, while jazzy, are surprisingly versatile, pulling in moods from surf rock to guitar-driven blues to prog. Don't let that scare you. Just go with the flow and find the beauty in unexpected places and forms. Bobby Previte's Coalition of the Willing with Charlie Hunter, Marco Benevento, Skerik plays at 7:30 pm Monday, May 15 at the WOW Hall. $18 adv./$20 dos. —Vanessa Salvia
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
