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Boundary
Issues Of the world's greatest musical hot spots — Indonesia, Central Europe, Brazil, etc. — one of the hottest is Ghana, where for centuries drum ensembles have been weaving polyrhythmic webs of astonishing sophistication and pulsating power, often used in religious ceremonies and other celebrations. One of the prime inheritors of that tradition is Obo Addy, who's lived in Portland for some years now. Like other Afro-pop superstars such as Thomas Mapfumo, Addy actually started out playing Western pop music with big bands in nightclubs. And as with Mapfumo, the rise of African nationalism inspired him to look to his native land's great musical heritage for inspiration. Since then, he's become one of worldbeat's brightest ambassadors, joining Ghana's National Arts Council, founding the Homowo African music organization here in the Pacific Northwest, winning major awards and grants from the NEA and others, teaching Ghanaian music and creating two performing ensembles, one devoted to his original world fusion music and another, Okropong, to perform traditional music and dance of Ghana. That's the ensemble that opens the University of Oregon's world music series on Oct. 6 at Beall Concert Hall. It's a must-see for any fan of great music from beyond our borders.
Bill Frisell has boundary issues: He doesn't seem to have any. The Seattle-based guitarist legend has made his mark in various flavors of jazz, acoustic Americana instrumentals with a country accent, some far out avant garde/experimental aggregations (including a lovely all-strings combo that played the Shedd last year) and seemingly everything in between. His various explorations have common elements: none quite fit any category, always spilling over the sides of any pigeonholes; in spite of their variety, you always know it's a Frisell record; they're all brilliant. Frisell is a fretboard virtuoso who never lets his chops overshadow a piece's musical demands. He's a remarkable composer and improviser whose work embraces jazz, folk, pop, classical and lately even world music elements — sometimes in the same song. From his days in New York's downtown experimental music scene two decades ago to his award winning excursions into American folk and other vernacular forms, Frisell has won admirers and critical acclaim. We've been lucky here in Eugene that the Shedd (and before that the WOW Hall) has brought him here often, in many of his musical incarnations. The latest, a trio that includes Jack DeJohnette (one of jazz's greatest drummers, who won fame in groups with Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett) and bassist Jerome Harris, plays the Shedd Oct. 6. The trio's first CD reveals a quirky, playful, wide-ranging rove through various musical forms, including Asian and African influences. It has that soft-edged experimental quality that allows Frisell to explore the outer reaches while never leaving his audience behind, and it owes as much to DeJohnette's restless spirit as Frisell's. Jazz fans will certainly enjoy this electric music, which even Sun Ra might embrace, and it's spacy (though not spiky) enough to entice fans of more experimental sounds. For an edgier, noisier and maybe even farther out musical journey, check out DIVA on Oct. 9, where you'll find Minneapolis noise rockers Neglected Receptors, "art/poetry sound investigators" thee scarcity of tanks and free-punk Eugene saxist Shawn Banned. Eugene's own futuristic, turntable-enabled jazzers Eleven Eyes play the WOW Hall on Sept. 29 with Disco Organica and didjeridoodler Tyler Spencer. The violinist /composer Daniel Bernard Roumain has been winning acclaim in New York for some years now, and (thanks apparently to a Portland flame) he's been visiting the Northwest fairly often. His solo show at Portland's Time Based Art Festival last year alerted Oregonians to his considerable fiddle talents, and he's composed a raucous to restrained score for Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane dance company. DBR will join them for the Oct. 8 show at the Hult Center. Dance accompanied by live music always gains energy and spontaneity, and this performance puts the musicians onstage, alternating thrashy punk sounds with modern violin rhapsodies in a score that's worth hearing even without the dance. Couple Portland shows of interest to Eugene new music fans: The Seventh Species composers collective, which features several Eugeneans (e.g. the great pianist Art Maddox, Paul Safar), reconvenes for its fall concerts on Oct. 6 and Nov. 10 (at the Sherman Clay Recital Room), and on Oct. 29 at the Classical Pianos Recital Room. This edition features music by classical masters Debussy, Messiaen, Liszt and Schoenberg as well as Northwest composers Tomas Svoboda, Tom Bergeron, Jackie T. Gabel, Gary Noland, Guy Tyler and more. These shows always contain some intriguing music and are recommended for anyone interested in contemporary Oregon postclassical music. It
Ain't the Same No Mo
North Mississippi Allstars are a band that reveres the past without clinging to it. This trio of Southern rockers grew up marinating in the ecstasy and devastation of what has been dubbed "Hill Country" blues, a more intricate and atmospheric treatment of traditional blues chord progressions. Members Luther and Cody Dickinson were listening to and learning from modern blues legends such as Otha Turner and R.L. Burnside from a young age. Their father, visionary local producer and musician Jim Dickinson, raised his family on the collective genius of generations of the region's most inspiring performers. The brothers met bassist Chris Chew in high school, and the three formed the North Mississippi Allstars in 1996. "We really pounded the road in those days," Chew remembers about the early years. "I mean, we still do, but those first four years were incredible. We opened for a lot of different bands, The Wallflowers, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, all kinds of people." The variety of musicians with whom the Allstars share the stage hasn't dissipated in the last decade. The guest appearance credits on their albums are a who's who of the Southern music scene, and they continually collaborate as a means of expanding their repertoire as well as their sound. On their sixth and most recent album, Electric Blue Watermelon, about half the songs are totally original, and the other half are borrowed from the juke joint greats or traditional blues songs with lyrics bent, blended or added by the Allstars. According to Chew, each band member has room to weave his own passions into the albums they make together. "Luther wrote most the songs on that album [Electric Blue Watermelon] so it references a lot of his blues heroes and incorporates his blues influence. I grew up playing organ and teaching choir. Gospel music is my passion, so I bring to the table my gospel influence. It is amazing how easily it all fits together." It is also apparent these men are not afraid to stretch their stylistic wings and reach out to other genres touched by the legacy of the blues. Tracks like "No Mo" and "Stompin' My Foot" successfully borrow elements of hip hop supported by Memphis rapper Al Kapone. "Bang Bang Lulu" is reminiscent of the Rolling Stones' blues inspired rock 'n' roll. Such successful studio efforts are artistically rewarding for the trio, but Chew reflects that the stage is where they really feel at home. "We're not singer-songwriter guys sitting around the house writing songs. We write good songs, but we would rather be out playing them."
Music
from B to Z
This weekend the buzz is the blues. And zydeco. Thanks to local bluesman Jerry Zybach and his wife Kate, Eugene has a four-part music series dedicated to exploring the artists who have made lasting contributions in these uniquely American genres. Past Roots and Rhythms Festivals were held at Eugene's Hult Center, but this one, at Iris Hill Winery, promises to be much more scenic. Future series events are planned for October and December. Most of the concerts the Zybachs produce are food drives for FOOD for Lane County. Due to last-minute breakdowns, concertgoers won't be asked to bring food with them this time, but the Zybachs haven't lost their community focus. Kate Zybach said this concert could be considered a practice run for a much larger charitable event they are planning for next year. "We want to turn this into a big food drive like the one they do at the Waterfront Blues Festival [in Portland]," she said. "We try to stay community-minded." This concert promises a line-up of fantastic talent. Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas headline the Friday night show, with Zybach describing the band as "number two in the nation for zydeco music." Saturday's events kick off at 2 pm with Rollie Tussing III. Jerry Zybach and Tussing are friends who met because they both sometimes play homemade cigar box guitars at their shows. Zybach describes a Tussing show as "kind of a one-man thing," where he plays his cigar box guitar and a kick drum. David "Honeyboy" Edwards, who Zybach says is "fabulous," will also play. "He played with Robert Johnson way back," said Zybach. "He was there with Robert Johnson the night he died, and he's really good." Zybach will join Edwards on stage as second guitarist, along with a harmonica player. Zybach's band will perform after Edwards, as will other local performers. Headlining Saturday is the legendary group John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, whose first hit album included a young Eric Clapton. Zybach hopes to attract newer talent along with established artists to the Roots and Rhythms stage. "One of the things we're trying to do is get even younger groups in who are just starting up," said Zybach. "We want to get different generations to play together." Zybach believes fans of blues and other Americana genres will want to see legendary performers and up-and-coming talent in a beautiful outdoor setting. "It's going to be a rocking show!" IRIS HILL ROOTS & RHYTHMS FESTIVAL. 6:30 pm Fri., Sept. 29 & 2 pm Sat., Sept. 30. Iris Hill Winery. 82110 Territorial Rd., Lorane. $15/day • 2-day pass $25. www.rootsandrhythms.com
Completing The Circle
For having lived on this planet only 22 years, Halie Loren has made those years count. Growing up on an island in Southeast Alaska until the age of 14, her early musical tastes were influenced by NPR and her parents' eclectic collection. She first performed on stage at age ten, singing jazz at a fine arts camp in Sitka. Loren was a professional singer by 13, when she moved to Eugene with her family. "But I didn't start writing songs until I was 14 or 15 years old," Loren said in a recent phone interview, as if in her mind that's too long to have waited. She boldly moved to Nashville at age 17, just after high school graduation, to experience the music industry. "It was kind of scary, but it was life-changing and empowering and a huge growing experience, both from the move and what I was doing there," Loren says, "which was immersing myself in the music industry." Loren found the music she was creating in Nashville unsatisfying, so she returned to Eugene after a year and a half to attend art school at UO. Re-learning the piano opened up a whole new world for her and led to many of the songs that were chosen for her debut CD, Full Circle. Loren has a mature, rich voice that could easily be compared to Sarah McLachlan, diving to passionate depths and hovering over the tender notes. Coupling intriguing songwriting with a skilled musical ear, Loren is an exciting talent with songs that are fully formed and resonate as only songs based on experience can. Loren will be backed by a wealth of local musicians at her Luna CD release show, including saxophonist Paul Biondi and bassist Chris Ward. Loren plays every Wednesday evening at Luna/Adam's Place from 5 pm to 7 pm for Luna's newly re-instated Martini Club Night; her CD release show is at 8 pm Friday, Sept. 29 at Luna. 21+ show. $5. — Vanessa Salvia
As Nasty As He Wants to Be
I will be the first to lambaste a poser rapper. Whether the perp in question tries to masquerade as a hardcore thug or some emo-wuss, I will dedicate numerous lines of text and hours of drunken bar banter to debunking his/her fallacious MC persona. But there is a difference between a jester and a fraud. And just as I respect the oeuvre of Weird Al Yankovic, the work of MC Chris shall also receive my good graces. Born Christopher Brendan Ward, MC Chris is truly the antithesis of the archetypical rapper — he's corny, geeky and comes from a well-off family. Throw in the fact that he attended some of the country's most revered institutes for higher ed (he studied animation and screenwriting at The Art Institute of Chicago and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts) and you've basically just described a veritable Doogie Howser. Nothing about MC Chris really screams, "I'm a rapper." But just as the hip hop world has absorbed sub-genres such as grime and emo-rap, maybe it's about time that it made some serious room for the rap parody. As one of the original cornerstones of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim team (MC was influential in the development of "Sealab 2021," "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" and "The Brak Show"), cracking jokes and issuing witty disses was basically second nature for him. In 2001, while his career as an animator and writer took off, MC also diligently endeavored to build his rap career. Through the magic of file sharing and earnest, incessant touring, he built a monolithic cult following; with his nasally, bratty, rapid-fire delivery, MC now sells out venues across the country. His tongue in cheek approach to hip hop is exemplified in songs like "The 'Tussin," a hilarious, iconoclastic tribute to the brain damaging high experienced when one overdoses on Robitussin (aka the Robo-trip). While all subject matter is treated with a bit of humor, nothing, not even the sacred tenets of hip hop, is sacred. Lock up your kids; MC Chris is back. MC Chris plays at 9 pm Saturday, Sept. 30 at the WOW Hall. $12 adv., $14 door. — Steven Sawada
Finger Symbols and Martinis
Americanistan has become a staple of the Eugene music scene, known for delicate, haunting melodies as well as spicy, sultry grooves, perfect for belly rolls. This acoustic ensemble has been collecting and perfecting world music for fifteen years, focusing on traditions originating from the Middle East and Mediterranean and collaborating with some of the region's most talented dancers. Their latest CD, Live at Luna, is an opportunity for listeners to sample several of Americanistan's performances at the club over the past year. They celebrate the release of their fifth CD with a concert and belly dance performance at Luna on Sept. 30. None of the members of Americanistan are Middle Eastern by birth, but their mission to bring the beauty of acoustic world music to Eugene fuels their ability to respectfully and skillfully create a hybrid library of songs that educate, inspire and entrance. Those who have been to an Americanistan show know that their music is designed to move bodies and evoke the whimsical atmosphere of far away places and exotic climates. The five member group (sadly, they lost member Ishaq Judd in July) includes two former belly dancers and has a reputation in the Northwest as one of the most skilled ensembles available to support belly dance performances. They work with several local troupes as well as touring performers, and their CD release party will feature Razia, Elena Villa and Samar. Their live show is a lush audiovisual feast of glittering costumes as well as layers of original and traditional compositions performed by experienced and passionate musicians. Come be moved at the Americanistan CD release party, 9 pm Saturday, Sept. 30 at Luna. $7. — Adrienne van der Valk Kitten Rock
I seem to have a made a slight error in judgment in last week's EW. I called Ben Kweller's songs "obscenely catchy," but that wasn't quite accurate. Perhaps "suggestively catchy" or "catchy like a flash of thigh" would have been better; "obscenely catchy" should have been reserved for New York's We Are Scientists. Imagine The Killers, The Strokes and Hot Hot Heat have a dirty weekend in Vegas; they get drunk, scrap all fears of being not taken seriously and start writing shiny pop songs that are just begging to play over hot scenes on "The O.C." and in previews for movies about sultry 19-year-olds trying something new that's edgy and possibly dangerous. Got it? Now you have WAS's major label debut (and fourth release), With Love and Squalor. The cheerily bashing cymbals, indie rock disco beat (you know it from "Float On"), alternately impassioned or too-cool-for-school vocals, herky-jerky rhythms ("Can't Lose" has an uncanny ability to induce a nod or sway), promo shots of the band members holding kittens, the incongruously funny video for "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt," in which the skinny WAS boys run from somebody in a bear suit for three solid minutes — it all works almost too well. It might make people suspicious: What's the deal with this preternatural ability to write an infectious hook? Is it something they learned at the Claremont Colleges together? Can we take a class? "This Scene is Dead" sounds like a complaint, but when one of the singers says, "I'm not goin' home 'til I'm done," he sounds like he might be talking about '80s night. Maybe a really awesome Duran Duran song is keeping him on the dance floor. The angular guitar and swallowed consonants that kickstart "Worth the Wait" might actually make you think you put on a Hot Hot Heat record instead. This is slick, exhilarating dance rock music, the kind you put on when you're home alone, sliding around wood floors in your socks, doing sweet dance moves you don't mean anyone else to see. Get your dancin' feet — shoes probably required — down to the WOW Hall at 8 pm Wednesday, Oct. 4, and catch We Are Scientists sandwiched between The Spinto Band and headliners Art Brut. $13 adv., $15 door. — Molly Templeton
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