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show-must-go-on circumstances.
“I saw her walking out in the rain with
an umbrella — singing,” she recalled.
Thompson was a natural choice when the
committee planned its latest event.
Whyte, who was nominated for Grammy
Awards in 1999 and 2009, is equally
excited. “I’m thrilled to be coming back to
this wonderful annual event,” she said. “I
have great memories of performing at the
Jazz & Oyster(s) festival years ago. The
band was so well received by the commu-
nity and the hospitality was incredible.”
She noted that her band sold more
albums at the event than any other in its
history.
Years ago, watching Whyte helped
prompt Thompson to become involved.
Now she’s recruiting others to join her.
“We have got some new people who have
stepped up to be on the committee. The
meetings are great fun. There’s some-
thing about this group. We are loud and we
just pick on each other. Everybody talks
at once, but we get a lot done,” Thompson
said.
Zeal
All members of the group savor jazz
and embrace support for local schools. The
group donated funds to help send student
musicians from Ilwaco High School to per-
form in Florida this spring, having sup-
ported a similar trip in 2018.
“I love music and I love helping the
schools,” Thompson said. She especially
admires an Ilwaco music teacher’s zeal for
encouraging student musicians. “Rachel
Lake takes these kids and gets them
involved. There’s cases where it helps keep
them in school,” she added.
Other donations have provided ukule-
les for Naselle schools and paid for appear-
ances by visiting troupes, including for the
Obo Abby drummers, who entertained at
Long Beach and Ocean Park elementary
schools in 2018.
At the festival, Thompson believes jazz
fans will like what they hear. The Mel
Brown B3 Quartet will conclude the after-
noon. “People like them and they draw a
crowd,” she said.
Ranger and the Re-Arrangers, based in
Washington, is the only group that hasn’t
previously appeared. “I love brass, and they
do music from the ’20s and ’30s,” Thomp-
son said.
Whyte, whose styles cover blues, jazz
and ballads, is similarly enthused. “The
peninsula is one of the best-kept secrets in
the Pacifi c Northwest,” she said. “It has the
feel of an art colony. We love the people of
this community and are looking forward to
having another great musical experience.”
Water Music Society
Attendees and cooks do the oyster dance at a previous Jazz & Oysters.
10K RUN/WALK
SUNDAY, OCT. 9
Sign up now at
GREATCOLUMBIACROSSING.COM
Portland-based musician Ellen Whyte is an enthusiastic returning artist to the annual Jazz &
Oysters event.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2022 // 7