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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 2018)
6 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Jazz Fest returns to Seaside SEASIDE — After more than 30 years running the Seaside Jazz Festival, co-di- rectors Ruth Johnson and Judy Shook have decided it’s time to hand over those responsibilities. North Coast broadcaster Dennis Brodigan takes over the helm. Brodigan brings expe- rience with the prominent local fundraisers and has been active in the Seaside community. “It is a great event that brings hundreds of people to the downtown core area,” he said. “It is good for Sea- side and good for jazz.” The main festival runs Friday, Feb. 23, through Sunday, Feb. 25. A Thurs- day opening night per- formance featuring Dave Bennett and the Memphis Speed Kings at the Elks COURTESY SOU’WESTER LODGE The Cabin Project, aka Katie Sawicki (left) and Zanny Geffel COURTESY SEASIDE JAZZ FESTIVAL Dave Bennett and the Memphis Speed Kings open up the Seaside Jazz Festival. Lodge is sold out. Concerts continue Fri- day, Saturday and Sunday at the Seaside Civic & Con- vention Center, Best West- ern and the Elks Lodge. Each band or performer plays multiple sets through- out the festival, moving between venues. These sets typically average at least an hour. There are five featured venues, and all venues are located in the downtown Seaside. Groups include the Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band, Ivory and Gold, the All New High Street Party Band and Bob Draga and Friends. For more information, visit http://www.jazzsea- side.com/Schedule.htm. Oregon Trail Trio honors Beaver State’s history in song CANNON BEACH — The Ore- gon Trail Trio celebrates the Beaver State’s storied history in song 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Tolovana Hall in Cannon Beach. This free concert is designed for families with grade-school-aged children and learners of all ages. Besides bringing that wild, dusty history to life, the Trail Trio’s appeal is also rooted in the present. “An intimate, engaging live performance is where kids experience the wonder of music,” Trio member Mick Doherty said. While hearing music performed live in the days of the Oregon Trail was a given, today it’s not always the case. “In the digital age I think it’s very important for kids to hear what wind- and muscle-driven music sounds like,” Doherty said. Besides playing, singing COURTESY TOLOVANA ARTS COLONY The Oregon Trail Trio, from left: Phil Neuman, Gayle Neuman and Mick Doherty notforsale and telling stories, the Trail Trio demonstrate the work- ings of their instruments, in- cluding guitar, fiddle, hammer dulcimer and tuba. (Believe it or not, the tuba was a staple of music on the Trail.) The Trio, an offshoot of the Oregon Trail Band, perform traditional tunes one might have heard on the long journey west, as well as original songs recounting the settlement of Oregon. One of the traditional pieces in the Trio’s repertoire was discovered in a piano bench in a historic house in Oregon City by group mem- bers Gayle and Phil Neuman. The Neumans are musi- cologists and educators who specialize in ancient, me- dieval and Renaissance-era styles and perform with the Oregon Renaissance Band. Gayle primarily plays fiddle. Phil plays the wind and string instruments, and a relative of the tuba called the “serpent.” Showgoers may recognize Doherty from a number of groups performing regularly on the coast, including the Cascadia Folk Quartet and Oregon Shadow Theater, a live shadow puppetry com- pany. The event is produced by the Tolovana Arts Colony. Tolovana Hall is located at 3779 South Hemlock St. For more information, visit tolovanaartscolony.org, email tolovanaartscolony@ gmail.com or call 541-215- 4445. Sing your song for all to hear SEAVIEW, WASH. — Port- land-based orchestral rock band The Cabin Project combine free-writing, lyric exploration and song ar- rangement into a workshop at the Sou’wester Lodge (3728 J Place, Seaview) 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24. Learn how to compose your own musical story in collaboration or inde- pendently. Over seven years, The Cabin Project, musical duo Katie Sawicki and Zanny Geffel, has built a methodology for song- writing — specifically, the interplay of rhythm and lyric cadence to compose moving, dynamic melo- dies. Explore communicat- ing timeless themes such as love, justice, loss and other life journeys. In addition, Geffel will introduce hand drum- ming and rhythm circle techniques as a way to transcend one’s conscious practice through contem- plative improvisation. Sawicki provides individualized, strategic, support to organizations, coalitions and community groups seeking to advance racial justice work. Geffel has a B.A. in classical percussion from Biola University. She plays drum set, classical percus- sion, marimba, cajon and various Latin and African percussion instruments, specializing in classical, rock, jazz and musical theater. The workshop is for stu- dents 14 and up. The cost is $40. RSVP via souwest- erfrontdesk@gmail.com or 360-642-2542. Bring a pen, notebook, any lyrics or poem drafts you’d like to share, and a guitar and/or hand drum or percussion instrument if you have one (we will pro- vide instruments to those who don’t). Also bring a sack lunch and/or snack; hot tea and coffee will be provided. The class is part of the Sou’wester’s fall/winter 2017-18 workshop series. Visit souwesterlodge.com/ calendar to see the entire schedule of more than 28 artist-led workshops. Evening of music Everyone is invited to an evening of music with these instructors later in the day, 8 to 10 p.m. in the Sou’wester Lodge. This event is free and open to the public.
