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