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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 2003)
M U S IC ...........T ............. Music therapy Portlander plays music for the brain by P C E N T E R STAGE THEATER LIVE March 25- Aprfl 13,2003 503 . 274.6588 w w w .pcs.org UH SW Broadway Z Main in the Newmark Theatre By George Bernard Shaw One of the wittiest plays In the English language This fast paced romantic comedy centers on an unmarried-by-principle philosopher who succumbs to the wiles of a very witty, very determined young woman. Written a year after Shaw finally married at age 42, it expresses the profound struggle between the desire to advance creatively and Intellectually, and the Inexorable attractions of love. Tuesday 2003 Gay and LesHan Audience Nxflit! Join us at intermission fo r a no host bar and raffia led by The Fabulous Poison W aters! Thanks to GALA sponsor. toy Bank MERRILL CORPORATION iustrrrn And thanks to_ Iragonian ME Ipmlng Mght S a in W lam ttiM M J a m ie B o ly a r d completely gave up on trying to teach her how ortland singer/songwriter Kanzeon sits in to ride a hike. There was a reason why she the comer at Touchstone Coffee House couldn’t seem to keep a job as an adult, why and holds her guitar close. She wears anger management was an ongoing problem faded jeans, hlack leather and an aura of and why she often felt misunderstood and con nervous energy. fused. "I finally knew what the monster was I She introduces a song she recently wrote was dealing with,” she says. called “Thank You" and belts out a gospel- influenced, feel-good number full of positivity. The singer moved to Portland in 1999 and Then she announces a Lyle Lovett song, plays renamed herself Kanzeon— literally translated a few chords and stalls. She shouts to her from Japanese, “she who hears the cries of the „ partner, “Hey, Cathy, do you remember the world.” According to Buddhist legend, words to this song?” Cathy doesn’t know the Kanzeon manifested 33 forms to save the peo lyrics. No one knows. ple from suffering. Kanz says she “liked the anonymity behind” the name. She ribs the audience: “At least 1 have an While attending Metropolitan Community excuse. I have a brain injury.” Church of Portland (as a “ Buddheo-Christ- It happened when she was 5 years old— “an embarrassing story for a hutch lesbian to tell,” ian,” she says), she met a volunteer for the Brain Injury Association of Oregon, a grass she laughs. It was a big decision— to pull up roots organization with the mission to her tights after going to the bathroom, or not to pull up her tights. Mom said leave them improve the quality of life of people with brain injury and their families and to prevent down since she was headed for bed anyway, so that’s what she did. such injuries. As mother and daughter walked hand in Thanks to the group, Kanz is finally get hand, Kanzeon tripped and fell hard, hitting ting some o f the rehab she should have her head on v received the base- I when she hoard. She 3 was 5. was taken to | T h a t’s why the emer H she donates 0 gency room, 1 20 percent where doc o f all the tors sewed money she up a massive makes from gash on her music to forehead. the organi The doctor zation. told her par N oting ents she that the would he help she * fine. has She was received not fine, and has it would he changed 19 years * her life, Musician on a mission: See Kanzeon on March 7 and 8 in Portland before she she hopes would he diagnosed otherwise. “to raise awareness and help prevent misdi agnoses from happening so other people anzeon joined the Navy at age 18. Having don ’t have to go their whole lives wonder grown up in a musical household where her ing why they can ’t keep jobs and why they parents listened to jazz and her brother can ’t relate well with people.” excelled in guitar, she decided it was time for a Back at Touchstone, Kanzeon covers six-string of her own. Creed’s "My Sacrifice” and is a dead ringer for As she walked on base with her purchase, the lead singer. Her voice is deep and clear and people excitedly asked her to play. “Sailors like refreshingly unique— it’s not every day do you free entertainment,” she smiles. hear a woman with a tenor vocal range. Too embarrassed to admit she didn’t know Her set continues with “Walking in Mem how, she plunked around and made up a song phis" and “Love Me Tender.” She even throws on the spot. Hurriedly, she taught herself the in a little Melissa Etheridge and Tracy Chap guitar and also started writing songs. In 1989 man (you know, for the crowd). she moved to Austin, Texas, and tried her “Music has always been my therapy. It’s my hand playing clubs. catharsis,” she says. Many of the songs on her A performance coach she was working with acoustic C D , This Road, were written about at the time began to notice Kanz’s thinking isolation and wanting to connect with others. didn’t seem sequenced or logical. Suspecting a “Now I write some happy songs too,” she learning disability, she suggested a visit to the smiles. j n Texas Rehabilitation Commission. After numerous tests, the musician was diagnosed KANZEON performs 7 p m. March 7 at the with frontal lobe brain damage, which affects Egyptian Club, 3701 S .E . Division St. Cover is things such as eye-hand coordination, impulse $5. You can also find her 7 p.m. March 8 at control, memory, ability to pick up on social Metropolitan Community Church of Portland, cues, judgment and reasoning. 2400 N .E . Broadway. Tickets are $7, and Finally her life started to make sense. There proceeds benefit Esther's Pantry and the Brain was a reason why she went hack to school after Injury Association of Oregon. the accident and could no longer find her kindergarten classroom. There was a reason JAMIE B olyard is a Portland free-lance writer. why her balance was so poor that her dad She can be reached at littlemac2@earthlink.net. K
