Wednesday, January 13, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
David Jacobs-Strain to play
HarmonyHouse will
host David Jacobs-Strain on
Saturday, January 16. Doors
open at 7 p.m., music starts
at 8 p.m.
David Jacobs-Strain is a
fierce slide guitar player who
channels the musical spirit
of the Mississippi Delta,
and hand-hewn stories of his
home in Oregon.
At 10 years old he was
busking on the streets of
Eugene and Seattle; by 19 he
was playing at the Newport
Folk Festival and opening
for Etta James, and at 21 he
dropped out of Stanford to
play music full-time.
“As I go further into
music, the path seems to
change,” he said. “When I
first started playing I wanted
to capture the feeling of the
Delta blues. Now I want to
tell stories; the sound and
rhythm of the slide guitar are
a vehicle for the characters in
my head.”
In “Hurricane Railroad,”
Jacobs-Strain sets a scene
on the fringes of Oregon:
“There’s a tar-paper shack
at the edge of the clear-cut/
blackberry vines for a front
yard/ living out on power
line road/ drinking rainforest
water out of mason jars.”
The mood is rugged but
playful, the 12-string-gui-
tar groove sits somewhere
between Leo Kotke and
Little Feat, and the blues is a
way of feeling, as much as a
scale or a style.
O n J a c o b s - S t r a i n ’s
upcoming release, “Live with
Bob Beach,” the songs have
become more personal and
intimate.
“The best songs seem to
arrive as little discoveries —
the less intention I have for
Circle of Friends
seeks mentors
photo by ray kEnnEdy
david Jacobs-Strain returns to Sisters for an acoustic performance.
them the better,” he said. “If I
already know what I want to
say, what’s the point?”
Although “Strong
Believer” and “Thank You
Nice Lady” deliver signature
slide guitar and harmonica
jams, the heart the of album
is “Already Gone,” where
Jacobs-Strain wrestles with
the death of his long-time
girlfriend:
“People ask me if you suf-
fered/ I tell them one thing or
another/ Don’t they know I
can’t protect them/ It’s only
fear that misdirects them.”
“The song came as a com-
plete thought — the sound
of the words came before the
meaning. It was everything
I had struggled to say for a
year that I couldn’t put into
words.”
“Live with Bob Beach”
will be out within a few
months; you can pick up
The best songs
seem to arrive as little
discoveries — the less
intention I have for
them the better.
— david Jacobs-Strain
a pre-release copy at the
HarmonyHouse concert on
January 16.
HarmonyHouse is located
at 17505 Kent Rd. (off
Cloverdale Road). Suggested
donation $20. Call 541-548-
2209 for information and
directions.
Sisters’ youth mentorship
program Circle of Friends is
seeking volunteers to mentor
Sisters youth.
Circle of Friends uplifts
young folks in need of a hand
by providing mentors with
a long-term commitment
to provide positive experi-
ences for youth in the Sisters
community. Mentors meet
with their child on a weekly
basis, spending quality time
and creating a bond to sup-
port the child moving toward
success.
“We have a great group of
people,” said Beth Hanson,
program director for Circle
of Friends. “We’re just look-
ing for great adults to meet
with a child on a regular
basis.”
Hanson noted that some
prospective volunteers have
a misconception that they are
being asked to commit to 12
years of service. That is not
the case. Once involved in
the program, Sisters kids can
participate as long as they
live in the Sisters School
District, through 12th grade.
But they may have sev-
eral mentors through that
period.
“We ask that (mentors)
volunteer a year at a time,”
Hanson said.
Hanson also noted that
some mentors are obliged
to travel to meet with
their friend. The organi-
zation does not want that
to be a stumbling block
and will work with a men-
tor to make that travel
viable.
The push for additional
mentors coincides with
the 15th annual National
Mentoring Month. Hanson
notes that “mentoring is
linked to improved aca-
demic, social and economic
prospects for your people,
and that ultimately strength-
ens our community.
“Research has shown
that when matched through
a quality mentoring pro-
gram, mentors can play a
powerful role in provid-
ing young people with the
tools to make responsible
decisions, stay focused
and engaged in school, and
reduce or avoid risky behav-
ior like skipping school,
drug use and other negative
activities.”
For more information on
Circle of Friends and men-
torship opportunities, con-
tact Hanson at 541-588-6445
or 541-639-2761; or visit
www.acircleoffriendsoregon.
com.
Gather ’Round
The Campfire…
…at Sisters Art Works
204 W. Adams Ave. (Corner of Ash & Adams)
Friday, January 22 • 4 to 7 p.m.
(During the 4th Friday Art Stroll)
FINE
FURNITURE
By Commission
Dining Tables, Desks,
Beds, Chests, Etc.
Adam Bronstein, Craftsman
541-410-1309
SpringCreekWoodworking.com
WE’RE NOT JUST TIRES! We do...
Alignments, Brakes, Shocks, Struts, CV Joints,
U Joints, Axle Shafts, Drivelines, & Tire Siping
...not only cars, but trailers, too!
DAVIS TIRE
The hand-forged fi repit was created by
Jeff Wester. All are invited to join us for
Moonstruck Mexican Hot Chocolate, a cup of
hot chili,meet the artist, listen to music and
enjoy the warmth of the fi re with friends.
541-549-1026
Serving Sisters Since 1962
188 W. Sisters Park Dr. In Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage
Fires are roaring
at Ponderosa Forge
Come In…
Relax…Enjoy!
Tim Westcott
Ronnica Westcott
Jenny Duey
Mary Morgan
541-588-6611
220 W. Cascade Ave.
Come in, Relax, Enjoy!
7
Stop by the showroom
to see what’s cooking!
Artist Reception for
Kim Kimerling’s Show
One-of-a-kind custom ironwork
rk k
e
ers
hand-forged right here in Sisters
541-549-9280 | 207 W. Sisters Park Dr. | PonderosaForge.com | CCB# 87640
“Exploring Mixed Media Collage”
on display in the Sisters Art Works
Gallery through March 20.