0 WKHDWUH
& '21$/'
N Music is BETTER LIVE
:LOODPHWWH6WUHHWf'RZQWRZQ(XJHQHfPFGRQDOGWKHDWUHFRP
MU S IC
BY BR E TT CA MP B EL L
MUSICAL HOTSPOTS
From Québécois to Oceanic, November offers
a world tour of music
..........
DEC
S
24
31
N
8PM DRS
9PM SHW
TIX AVAIL. BY CALLING 1-800-992-TIXX.
also avail. at
TIX
the EMU or online at
November 8, 2012 • eugeneweekly.com
on sale
NOW
mcdonaldtheatre.com
music is better live
o many different kinds of music are going on around town this month that it’s
probably easier to organize your musical adventures by venues rather than
varieties. The Shedd’s November offerings kick off with Friday’s performance
by Quebec’s award-winning folk quartet, La Vent Du Nord (see music shorts).
The energetic North Wind, which has worked with jazz players and symphony
orchestras, celebrates its tenth anniversary with its signature up-tempo traditional
fiddle-, guitar- and hurdy-gurdy-fueled folk songs, traditional reels, waltzes and more, plus
vibrant original compositions addressing contemporary subjects (everything from
secessionist politics to hockey) including numbers by songwriter Michel Rivard.
On Saturday, Nov. 10, The Shedd brings back another major musical figure who both
embraces and extends musical traditions: its long time jazz adviser, the great New York
based pianist, composer, film score (especially in many of Woody Allen’s flicks) arranger,
festival concert director and historical jazz revivalist Dick Hyman , this time in a fascinating
combo featuring veteran Portland jazz bassist Dave Captein , young rising star violinist
Lindsay Deutsch (for whom he’s arranged many works including a violin version of
Rhapsody in Blue) and Eugene classical masters violinist Fritz Gearhart , cellist Steve
Pologe and violist Leslie Straka . The concert’s first half focuses on the jazz standards he
knows as well as anyone alive, while the second covers Hyman’s own breezy chamber
ensemble compositions, including an acoustic arrangement of his 1968 electronic music
work, The Minotaur. Next Saturday, Nov. 17, The Shedd welcomes back acclaimed veteran
singer-songwriter and guitarist Chris Smither , who likewise channels folk and blues
traditions into contemporary songs of deep insight and musical power.
Just a few steps away, on Friday, Nov. 16, the downtown Jazz Station brings Sharp
Three , an LA-based guitar-bass-drum jazz trio that stirs everything from prog-rock to
Japanese classical to flamenco and other world music influences into a highly accessible
musical stew. (They’re also playing in Corvallis on Thursday, Nov. 15) Composer Goh
Kurosawa plays “sitar guitar” and his brother Kai uses tap-style guitar techniques as well
as bass and a 24-string instrument he designed himself. It’s a must for jazz guitar
fans. There’s more world music influenced jazz at Creswell Coffee Company from Tom
Bergeron’s Brasil Band , which played the Station last weekend, and features a pair of Rio
musicians as well as bass, drums and Bergeron’s supple saxophone.
Eugene’s prime musical hot spot, the University of Oregon’s Beall Concert Hall, offers
a slew of recommended events, starting with this Thursday’s violin and piano concert by
Gearhart and David Riley in sonatas by Strauss, Grieg and Manuel de Falla’s gorgeous
Popular Spanish Songs. On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Beall hosts a splendid new music concert
featuring Riley, UO flute prof (and Beta Collide flutist) Molly Barth and percussion prof
Pius Cheung in music by one of today’s finest composers, David Lang (from New York’s
Bang on a Can), the great 20th-century Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, and more.
There’s more contemporary sound — all electronic this time — at the UO’s Thelma
Schnitzer Hall on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Future Music Oregon concert. On Thursday, Nov.
15, the ubiquitous Gearhart is at it again, this time in the latest installment of the Oregon
String Quartet ’s ongoing complete cycle of Beethoven’s quartets, this one featuring a
relatively early work and his amazing late Op. 127 quartet. Next weekend also features
Celebrate Africa! A Festival of the Arts , the UO’s festival of African dance and music, at
Gerlinger Annex and the month is stuffed with good, free concerts of jazz, symphonic and
chamber music by student ensembles. And on Monday, Nov. 17, the Eugene Symphonic
Band plays music by Holst, Wagner, Sousa and more.
The UO’s choirs get into the act over at First Methodist Church
(13th and Olive) this Saturday, Nov. 10, when Oregon Bach
Festival music director Matthew Halls leads UO choirs in
Baroque master Domenico Scarlatti’s stirring Stabat
Mater and Maurice Durufle’s soothing 20th-century
Requiem. And at another nearby church,
Central Lutheran, you can hear more Italian
Baroque sounds this Sunday, Nov. 11, on
beautiful ancient instruments like the
dulcian, cornetto, sackbut and early organ
and violin, plus voices when the Oregon
Bach Collegium performs music by rarely
heard composers like Castello and Cima, as
well as great masters Monteverdi, Frescobaldi
and more.
But the biggest classical concert — in
every respect — is next Thursday’s Eugene
Symphony show featuring Mahler’s
mammoth Symphony No. 2, with 101
CHRIS
instrumentalists, 120 singers, two vocal
SMITHER
soloists and 80 uninterrupted minutes of
Oceanic music. Romantic music doesn’t
get much more massive than this. ■