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