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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 2002)
32 • January 4.2002 MUSIC % From Portland take Hwy. 30 west for about 20*30 minutes. To reach downtown and the historic riverfront area head east on Columbia Boulevard. Welcoming merchants invite you to stroll, shop, eat and browse. Helens *Afo5t businesses are open Bathing Bungalow Columbia River Antiques & Collectibles * Rhythm guitarist Ajao hoasts a solo album and a new band. Lucky for Portland, L she decided to do it all here. Tuesday through Saturday ^ JtQ i Udiag A quality selection of antiques and collectibles at country prices mSm BY H api i Y Sex ' I T Professional E state Liquidation Certified A ppraisals Cash paid for one piece or entire estates 52561 Columbia River Hwy Stappoose, OR 97056 503-543-4841 292 S 1st Street - St. Helens, OR 503-397-1678 - foundstuff@ ailos.com H e a d q u a rte rs fo r | B ra n d s You T ru st B ■ Flexsteel, Lane, G D r i e s c a o t u S n e t l e P c r t i i c o e n s ! - Simmons, Everything you choose is delivered and Sealy, Broyhill, set up in your home at no extra charge! Best, Richardson's Furniture and many, <0- St. Helens They're worth the trip! many more! — UPHOLSTERY, INC. 2015 Columbia Blvd 503-397-1329 I 800 - 803-1329 Mue M ood Qite 1813 Columbia “6M. it. ] {eleni OR 97051 £r There'i ZomsthlDgjTere for yO(. * ■ £? W frnturin(/ collectables, home and Harden accents, jeweli'H, and aonrmet treats to f it ccci'H bndf/ct! /if\o v E p ! e L aw n O rnaments H o l id a y D e c o r a t io n s F o u n ta in s G a lo r e D olls ...A np /Y\ uch / H o p e / ■ * • •>>'-• -• ■■ :-v V vl?; 4 m C oi TIE VISIT OUR lii W LOCATION NEXT TOTHE GIANT REP CANPLE in S cappoose ! F o u n t a in s on your feet shaking what your mama gave you. have always loved music,” exclaims Ajay compares her hand’s style to Lyle singer, songwriter and guitarist Ajay. “I Lovett and Tasmin Archer, noting Emhra uses was always lip-syncing to my favorite life experiences to connect with its audience. songs and pretending 1 was a rock star. From Arrival's “The River”: Those were the days!” Why cross the river as it flows Those are still the days for Ajay, who fronts Into a destination nobody knows the acoustic folk-pop group Emhra. Originally It’s a long way back to childhood from Arizona— where she played clubs, Pride It’s a road nobody knows. festivals and, she smiles, "a lot at lesbian I’ve seen the pictures in my mind bars”— she relegated to Portland in early 2000. Tasted love one too many times Driving through town on her way to Seattle Dabbled in the art of playing games a year earlier, the musician fell in love with the And mastered the art of causing pain. Rose City’s beauty and accepting atmosphere. “Being alive inspires me,” Ajay exclaims. “Here I am happier than I have ever been, per “There are so many things that happen...that sonally and musically,” she remarks. “I honestly we take for granted. Yet when someone sings don’t see myself living anywhere else.” about those things, people seem to get it a little Clearly, the artist was musically inspired. more. ‘The River’ is about that.” She quickly released her solo album, Arrival, Emhra is playing almost all of Ajay’s own which certainly did announce her arrival on music, hut she says they are beginning to write the music scene: GirlMedia.com named it the together. The longer they play, the more com Best Folk Album of 2000. fortable they get with each other, she notes. Arrival is a splendid mix of Ajay’s soulful “My vision for myself is to be successful voice and rhythm guitar. Her sound and style with music," Ajay maintains. “I don’t have to have been compared to Tracy Chapman and be a star. I just want to sing and play guitar and Joan Armatrading. make music that people relate to.” But rockin’ with a hand was a lure she This is a dream motivated by her own expe couldn’t resist. Emhra slowly grew out of her rience as a music fan. “I can’t count the num jam sessions with a few other musicians. ber of CD s that in some way or another have It all started when a friend intnxduced her affected my life or have helped me get through to drummer Rob Schnell. “We just connected a rough spot or rwo. 1 want people who hear instantly,” she exclaims. “We have the same my music to feel that way.... If a song makes thoughts and feelings about music." S<xin after, Schnell suggested a friend, them cry or laugh, I want to know that. Then I Franklin Gallwas, help them out with percus know 1 can say that 1 am successful.” J H sion. He was hired after just one session. G all You can catch AjAY fulfilling her dream with Emhra was begat bassist Sean Foxley, who “only got a from 9 p.m. to midnight Jan. 12 at the Mad Hatter few rehearsals in before we threw him out for his first gig,” Ajay laughs. Lounge , 203 S.E . Grand Ave. Arrival is available from Music Millennium or www.cdbaby.com/ajay. Joe Scroggins, who also sings with the Port Find Embra at www.embramusic.com. land Gay Men’s Chorus, lends backup vocals. Ajay met him on the Starbucks float in Port land’s Pride Parade. (Both of them sling coffee in H a d l e y SCXTTT is a Portland free'lance writer who loves grrrls. She can be reached at hscott@bestweb.net. the ’hurhs when they’re not entertaining the masses.) “We went out to karaoke, and by the end of the night he was in the hand,” Ajay says. Most recently, they man aged to steal lead guitarist Mike Schaadt from another Portland hand and— voila !—Emhra is complete. The hand often plays around the metro area, and Ajay continues to appear solo. Because Emhra is newly formed, the sound is a little grit ty, a little rough. But it has a cohesive mix of soulful style, catchy rhythms and edgy lyrics. The group never fails to get you Embra woos with edgy, soulful rhythms 11 £ W ore 503-543-Ô 7Ô 2 • '> Keep Strollin’! More Wonderful St. Helens Merchants \wait You on the Next Page w . •: . : ... -
