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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 2003)
19.2003 MUSIC Sip D’ V in e Playing after hours ...not t^our stuffy wine shop... with frie n d s while enjoying |\JW wines by the taste, t^lass, and bottle N o vices welcome. coffeehouse + cafe (^Jniquc p icn ic ¿v t^ift item s -O pen - 2327 east burnside 503.234.8610 } u e s - J u n l2 -5 p m - f'ri ¿v 1<~}at ‘til 9pm L o o k fo r u s n e xt to the bridt^e stumptown coffee, pastries, vegan treats sandwiches on grand central bread in M 's t o r ic M u ltn o m a h 7&&7 3 W 0 » p 't“ l f I wij, Portland, O K 971'9 ? o >/?77-WINL(?^>) Mr. Gay Poder latino rde Oregon P O D E R LATINO \ Ut O R E G O N / Contest 2003 “Latino C\[igft " 8 pm Oct. 4 hr Octets 3106 NE 64th • cadi 503-407-6034 $10 Md! Portland, OR 97213 •Polish M all 3832 ^ In te r s ta te •Portland, (>J(_ 97227 Noche de baile ‘Rememßer wfieti music was fun? ...it sti(l is F IN E A U D IO E Q U IP M E N T A N D H O M E T H E A T R E S Y S T E M S STEREOTYPES AUDIO 2627 N.E. B R O A D W A Y 503-280-0910 by A n d y S im o n now offering free wireless internet ■ C o r n e r o f S o n c fy B fv d . & N B & 4 th Portland gay pianist meets your standards— and then some P O R T L A N D O R E G O N 97232 w w w .stereo typ esau d io .co m t would be tcx) much to say that a hush falls over Hobo’s when Matthew Kern starts to play the restaurant’s white bahy grand piano. But the applause that grows as he moves through the set shows that people are paying attention. Títere is no applause ar Nordstrom, where Kent plays a black baby grand, hut even there listeners respond: A seasoned shopper takes a break, sits on one of the nearby cushioned benches, closes her eyes and basks in the music; a big, burly guy ascends the adjacent escalator, waving his hand gracefully in time to the heat. For the past four years people have been listening to Kern all over town: at Nord strom, at Hobo’s, on hoard the Portland Spirit, at other hotels and restaurants, at fund-raising events and private parties. Now, thanks to his newly released CD, after - tthew Kem plays H obo’s every Tuesday evening hours, they can hear his music at home, too. listening to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald Kern admits he’d like to play more often in and Oscar Peterson.” The music from that era, settings where people have come— and even which Kem calls standards, “has always felt like paid good money— specifically to hear his home to me.” And it is the backbone of his music. But he has no regrets about playing in repertoire. venues where his music is a backdrop for other But he draws on many influences and many activities. eras, as evidenced by the selection on afterhours. For one thing, playing in public places is He describes his style of music as gentle, sensual anything hut invisible and anonymous. He has jazz, mentioning Shirley Horn and Bill Evans as lots of fans who come to hear him regularly. major piano influences. But he is also drawn to They often encourage him, offer advice, give the music of Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder and him feedback. The C D is a direct result of Elton John. ongoing urging by his fans. Kem is pleased with how afterhours turned For another thing, Kern can think of worse things to do than to make a living by beautify out, although his original goal was to make a disk of “makeout” music. “OK, romantic dinner ing the environment in which people live. He music,” he revises. “ It wound up mtxxJier— a strives to set a tn<xxJ that serves as an antidote little darker. It moved from the romantic to the to the harshness and frenzy so prevalent in tixlay’s world. “If you have a gift that brings intimate.” The C D has been getting airplay on people pleasure, that’s its own reward,” he says KMHD-FM and K1NK-FM and is available in simply. record stores. (Nordstrom, naturally, has been And, finally, doing the sort of regular work selling quite a few copies.) he does enables him to make a living solely When Kem thinks about his future as a through music. Kern’s day job is house pianist at musician, it includes more recording and per Nordstrom. He recognizes how fortunate he is. forming with others, maybe putting together a Though Kem enjoys that day job and is trio, doing more concert performances. He’d grateful for the opportunity the store provides also like to work some on incorporating his him, his favorite place is Hobo’s. Partly, he just singing into more of his appearances. likes the place itself. He finds it welcoming and For now, though, he’s satisfied. physically beautiful. Kern especially likes playing at private par And playing there is rewarding as well. Peo ties celebrating 50th or 60th wedding ple appreciate the style, the era he draws from, anniversaries, enjoying the response he gets the tone he tries to set. “Sometimes sitting at from people who heard the songs he’s playing that wonderful white piano,” he says, “1 feel like now— his standards— for the first time when I'm in a 1940s movie or in an old-fashioned they were new, when they were first being supper club.” played on the radio. That’s probably a major factor in Kern’s suc em started playing piano at 3 years old cess as a musician: He respects his audience. when his parents enrolled him in a group He reaches out to them. He wants to please course for young children. Neither Mom nor Dad are musicians themselves, so he is them. He usually succeeds. J H especially grateful they noticed his talent and Contact M atthew K ern at tnatthewkem@att net started him on private lessons when he was 6. or visit www.matthewkem.net. “My parents were a big influence; they always encouraged me, hut they also listened to * A ndy S imon is a teacher and theater lover who a lot of music.” He describes their taste as retro: “When I was growing up |the 1980s], they were lives in Southeast Portbnd. I K
