Oregon Music News

Well, we’ve got one for you this time. Returning to the spotlight is Andrew Paul Woodworth who is a talented singer and composer, and has been a movie actor and also did the funniest NSFW episode of this podcast last time he was here. We’re at Artichoke Café at Artichoke Music, 2007 Powell Boulevard in Portland where we’ll be shooting two new video episodes of OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations next week. Couples who are both working musicians…Shelly Rudolph and Chance Hayden and Lisa Mann an Allen Markel. The recorder got turned on early this time and when we join the conversation, we were already gabbing. Maybe next time we’ll just be rolling when he walks in the door.

We're back in the café at Artichoke Music which you can find at 2007 SE Powell Boulevard, for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. We’ve got two more video episodes coming up. We’re shooting them soon. But today, Ezra Weiss is here, he’s a Jazz pianist and composer who’s latest album. “We Limit Not the Truth of God” apparently blew everyone away when his big band performed it live at the Montavilla Jazz Festival. It’s an attempt to deal with the babies in cages life we lead every day, as many musicians are trying to deal with these days. But it didn’t start out that way. Let’s meet Ezra Weiss

We’re not hiding, we’re just back as audio-only this week. Coming soon, we’re going to be making (at least) one video episode per month. We had so much fun with Kate Power and Steve Einhorn last time that coming up are a series of couples who are also working musicians…Chance Hayden and Shelly Rudolph is one and Lisa Mann and Allen Markel is another…and more. Stay tuned. In Café Artichoke at 2007 SE Powell Boulevard this time is a protest singer. Bill Valenti has had a very diverse life and after several careers he has found himself singing about our current social and political situation. It’s subject rich in song topics. We’ll play a tune of his at the end of the conversation. Regretfully, we had audio problems again…for the last time, we’ve taken steps. But don’t worry, Bill Valenti shines through.

The motto coined years ago by the Art Ensemble of Chicago was "Great Black Music: Ancient to the Future." If a comparable vision and range applies to anyone in the blues field, it's doubtless Chris Thomas King, the restlessly inventive and eclectic bluesman who was a headliner a while ago at the Waterfront Blues Festival and is coming this Thursday with his full band for a four-night stand at the prestigious Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. He's perhaps best known for playing Delta blues icon Tommy Johnson in the prize-winning film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? -- and his haunting version of the Skip James song "Hard Times Killing Floor" that was featured in the film and the Grammy-winning "O Brother" soundtrack album that put roots music on the map in a way not seen since the folk revival of the 1960s.

This episode also exist on video but we know that some of you listen to this podcast audio-only and while we will be making a video episode every month, we didn't want to leave you out.

My intro sounds nice and clean. Well don’t get too used to it because we had some recording problems with this week’s Coffeeshop Conversations at Artichoke Music…which were all our fault. So the conversation with Marv Ross of Quarterflash and the Trail Band is, let’s say, a little fuzzy. We tried fixing it but it’s about as good as it’s going to get. Marv was so good that I didn’t want to do it over again. That’s life. Marv has a couple of new projects he’s going to tell us about. And you thought ending Quarterflash and the Trail band was going to be that’s all we’d hear from Marv? No way. Rindy either, one of the projects is a duo album. You can live with the audio problem. Here we go.

Welcome back to the Café at Artichoke Music, 2007 SE Powell Boulevard for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. It’s our new home for these things. I am not new. Our guest today, however is pretty new. She’s Nora Meier, a singer, composer, pianist who just a couple of weeks ago graduated from Cleveland High and is at a jumping off point in her musical career. She’s made some recordings and has had some great teachers here in Portland, and has been a part of Artichoke Music, but she’s off to college on the other side of the continent. Lucky her. Let’s find out what this experience is like for her since she’s right in the middle of it. Let’s meet Nora Meier.

We're back at the Café in Artichoke Music, 2007 SE Powell Boulevard for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation…and they actually give us coffee, too. We’ve got some exciting stuff planned for you over the next few months, but it’s still very hush hush sweet Charlotte. With me today is Ryan Meagher, for those of you reading this, it’s pronounced “Marr.” You know him as a guitarist and composer and also as Artistic Director of the Montavilla Jazz Festival, coming up on Saturday and Sunday, August 17 and 18 at Portland Metro Arts. It’s a special festival. No other like it. It’s a part of Portland Jazz Composers ensemble and that means new music, some of which is composed expressly for the festival. Ryan is going to tell us about all of the performers. Really.

Michelle Bean of Catfish Lou's joins us this week for a great discussion about their first two years on the PDX music scene and their upcoming move to the west side.

OMN’S Coffeeshop Conversations at Artichoke Music is back…Artichoke is at 2007 SE Powell, a magical place full of musical instruments and musicians. It was around this time in 2016 that drummer/composer Tyrone Hendrix was on the podcast to talk about his album Rhythm On Life Vol. 1 and now he’s back to talk about Rhythm On Life Vol. 2…what’s different about this one and what’s the same. One thing different is that Portland Cello Project is on a track. Tyrone if one of the busiest drummers in town and with good reason! Let’s catch up with Tyrone Hendrix (of the Seattle Hendrix’ if you know what I mean).

We’re starting to settle in to Artichoke Music, our new home for OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations. They’re very nice to us. Look for expanded podcast production, even including video. We’re working on it. Returning to the podcast today is Ron Blessinger. Last time he visited he was leading Third Angle Music. These days he has a similar role at 45th Parallel, a similar music organization with some key differences. I met Ron when I did a TV story on Third Angle’s legendary collaboration with Steve Reich. It was momentous. Really. So let’s find out what 45th Parallel is all about and catch up with this guy who also has a day job…a violinist with the Oregon Symphony.

This is a special edition of Coffeeshop Conversations. First of all because it’s our first one at our new location, Artichoke Music at 2007 SE Powell Boulevard. I’d like to thank everyone at Catfish Lou’s for their kind hospitality and we wish them the best in their new location next month. Look for more info on OMN when they make the move. This is also special because Reggie Houston has returned. Last time he was here it was to talk about the life of Fats Domino. Reggie played bari sax in Fat’s band for 20 years. A couple of weeks ago the man who might be called the father of Rock N Roll died, Dave Bartholomew, who wrote and arranged nearly all the music that came out of New Orleans at the dawn of the Rock n Roll era of the 1950’s, including all of Fats Domino and Little Richard’s work. That was Dave’s band on all those tunes. Reggie was very close to Dave, who passed at age 100. When we sat down Reggie pulled out pictures of tours they had made together. He was looking through them when I turned on the reco

Happy birthday to us. This is the 200th episode of OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations. I’d like to thank all of our guests who have come in and talked to us. On December 4, 2014 we premiered with saxophonist Mary-Sue Tobin. We had her back on too. Sometimes it’s been funny, sometimes we’ve learned something new about musicians we love, sometimes discovered folks we hadn’t heard of and sometimes we’ve cried over people we’ve lost. This time OMN’s National Editor Art Levine is back. He’s an author and investigative reporter when he’s not writing about music and being funny. He and I have been doing these things since the 1980’s and we’ve been friends since 1970. With that in mind. Happy Birthday us.

We're back at Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24th for the one hundred and ninety ninth OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. Next time our national editor Art Levine will be here for number 200. Back in Portland for some gigs is Naomi Sparrow who with Rob Stroup make up Moody Little Sister. They were fixtures on the Portland scene until a couple of years ago when they moved their recording studio and their lives to New Mexico. It figures in their new album Great Big Mama Sunshine. We’ll hear the title track when we get finished talking. This week they’re appearing at Al’s Den for a residency. Let’s find out how New Mexico is agreeing with her. Meet Naomi Sparrow.

Back at Catfish Lou’s…that’s 2460 NW. 24th in Portland…and another Oregon Music News Coffeshop Conversation @ Catfish Lou’s. Today it’s a gentleman who has made huge breakthroughs in music since he got his masters from Portland State. He’s touring the world and singing with Pink Martini. He’s Jimmie Herrod and he’s got one of the most beautiful voices on earth. He seems to be everywhere, a concert of original music with a few Jazz Standards included with George Colligan here, appearances on Jimmy Kimmel with ODESZA…it’s a very exciting time in Jimmie’s life. We’re happy he stopped by to tell us about it. He’s always writing, although it’s hard to know when he finds the time. Meet Jimmie Herrod.

Leon Redbone, troubadour from a distant time, died this week. He was unique. He sang Ragtime, Vaudeville, Blues and Jazz tunes. He was the foremost interpreter of the last of the blackface minstrels, Emmett Miller. Nobody seems to be mentioning that in the coverage of his death, but to leave that out would to be eliminating a giant portion of Leon's repertoire. Deadpan, funny, a living ghost who put a smile on everyone's face, even if they didn't know why. Circa 1989, I was doing a network radio talk show on the American Radio Network, based in Baltimore, MD. He agreed to do a phoner from his home near Philadelphia, PA one Saturday night, although that's not where he claimed to be when I called. Naturally, there were no cell phones so when I dialed area code 215, i knew where I was calling. He told me I was mistaken and he was in Spain. It was the kind of thing he was known for. A god-natured shadowy figure of uncertain lineage singing now-obscure music. He always sounded like an old man, even though, when we

Welcome back to Catfish Lou’s at 2460 NW 24th for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. As you may have noticed we talk to more than music industry people. Like today, for instance. I re-watched the documentary, “The Battling Bastards of Baseball” the other night. Larry Colton popped up in it. He was a member of the Portland Mavericks. I thought, “Oh yeah, he would make a great guest.” Larry is also a Pulitzer Prize nominated author for his book “Counting Coup.” He’s written a lot of great books and is working on more. I did a TV story on him in the past and we had a lot of fun. That’s why he’s here. He also founded Wordstock and a lot of other things. We could have gone on a lot longer but he’s always welcome back. Meet Larry Colton.

It's another one of these OMN’s Coffeehop Conversations at Catfish Lou’s! Catfish Lou’s at 2460 NW 24th has been a home to our guest today, Karen Lovely. As you may know, she had a hip replacement not long ago but is back at it and better than ever. The saga of what she went through is inspiring but her recovery is even more inspiring. She’s here to tell us about it but also to talk about her work in the field of domestic violence counselling. She’s more than an activist. As always, she’s a ball of fire riding on this ball of confusion…that’s what the world is today as they say. Boy are we glad Karen Lovely is back!

Back at Catfish Lou’s, a Blues and Soul club at 2460 NW 24th, winner of the last two Muddy Awards for Best Venue. Today Sarah Tiedemann is here. She’s the Artistic Director of Third Angle New Music which has been astounding Portland audiences for decades with what we used to call the avant-garde. I’m not sure what we call it now, but I’m sure she found out. She’s going to let us in on what next season is all about…that will be her second full season as Artistic Director. She’s a native Oregonian and flutist who also plays with Oregon Ballet Theater Orchestra. Let’s Meet Sarah Tiedemann.

Not everyone knows what Chateau Marmont is. Points for you if you do. But if you say, “Remember the hotel where John Belushi died?” “Oh yeah!” The hotel happens to have a long history of celebrity hanky-panky. Portland’s Shawn Levy returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, “Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art and Scandal at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont.” It was published this week and we snagged Shawn in the middle of non-stop interviews to come to Catfish Lou’s at 2460 NW 24th and tell us about it. You know Shawn from his other books and of course for his time as movie reviewer at the Oregonian when there was an Oregonian. Let’s talk to Shawn.