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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1996)
• •• • •« • > » Ä A - .,r . * • .i ••.♦...‘„ . . . v , ' G j >*• ?.. '. t ; y .*••* s’ . P age B2 Ç • • • « •.*' . • . M ay 1, 1996 • T he P ori land O bserver V r f <LI tc ÿlortlanb 0¡)h semer ENTERTAINMENT Gina Thompson What do you get when you cross one o f the most striking voices in contemporary R&B with the writing and production talents o f an 18- year- old musical wunderkind who has al ready helped produce tunes for the likes for SW V, Total and Madonna? Nobody Does It Better - the explo sive debut album from Gina Thomp son, that’s what. It's hardly surprising to discover that Gina Thompson was bom into an all singing family (with seven siblings) in Vineland, New Jersey, where she went on to receive thor ough musical upbringing through both the church and school. “ Everyone in my fam ily sings,” Gina explains. “ M y grandmother and grandfather on both sides sing. My mother and father brought all seven o f us into the church. Even in school I was in choirs. I remember when I was nine our school was put ting on a production o f The Wizard O f Oz and I took a chance and tried ou, for a part o f Dorothy and got it, which o f course, meant I had to sing, “ Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” but in a very operatic kind o f way.” The dye was cast. The ensuing school years, aside from seeing Gina busy with any and every activity go ing-cheerleading, track, basketball - also saw her honing her vocal chops to the point where at the time o f graduation she was already being ushered into local recording studios w ith fledgling neighborhood produc ers. However, it was a session where her older sister was singing back ground on a gospel album, produced by teenage musical sensation and protegee o f new jack swing king, Teddy Riley - Rodney Jerkins, that Gina made the all important contact that would eventually lead to her landingarecordingdeal with Mercu ry Records An intense period o f w riting and p roduction fo llo w ed in studios around Manhattan, laying to tape a dynamic onslaught o f ground break ing hip-hop soul and darkchild funk. “ I remember at one point we cut five Rick Bartow Lectures At IFCC songs in one week and that was a lot o f singing, believe! At times it got tough and tiring on my voice but when that happened I ’d just take a step back and realize that I was doing something I love to do, which is sing, so I'd drink hot tea and lemon and just keep going.” Although Gina harbors a particu lar fondness for the songs she helped write, most notably “ Freak On,” a surprise favorite for her is the smooth and funky rendition o f Anita Baker’s classic “ A n g e l,” produced by Rodney’s older brother Freddie Jer kins. “ When it was suggested the would be a good song for me to cover, my initial response was ‘ No w ay!’ "G ina laughs. “ M y singing style is just so different from her style, but in the end it was probably the easiest and most comfortable song for me to do.” The whole recording process turned out to be a huge learning curve for Gina. “ People sometimes compare me to Coco from SW V and Shirley Mudock but Rodney really brought out the Gina in me. Don’t get me wrong, I love those singers but now when I listen to my album I don’t think I sound like anyone but me.” Indeed, once. Nobody Does It Better, drops, the challenge for sing ing hopefuls w ill surely be to sound like the next Gina Thompson. And believe me, that w ill be a challenge. The Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center will present “Cambodia: From Pol Pot to Free Elections," an exhibition of photographs, poetry and ceramic sculpture by Willa Schneberg. The Interstate Firehouse C ultur al Center's three-part cultural arts and lecture series, ORIGINS, pre sents Yurok Indian artist R ick Bartow who w ill speak about his life and the creative process that drives his work on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the IFCC Theatre, 5340 N.Interstate Avenue. A re ception and catalogue signing w ill follow his discussion. A painter and sculptor who lives and works in his native Newport, Oregon, Bartow has developed an international reputation with solo exhibitions in New York, Tokyo and Frankfurt, and recognition from the Smithsonian Institution, San Francisco’s American Contempo rary Arts Gallery, and the Oregon Arts Commission. Bartow has been a teacher, sol dier, bartender, and maintenance man. A rt was a sideline until about 10 years ago when art became cen tral to his life "I was always doo dling here and there friends kept pes tering me to do more.” Art became therapy for a troubled life that he only hints at. Bartow’s art is essentially vision ary, marked by luminous, highly sat urated colors and dreamlike imag ery. His works on paper, executed in charcoal, acrylic or pastel, burn with an extraordinary passion and intensi ty. He empathetically portrays hu man figures that have been psycho- Local Jazz Artist Renaissance, 3 r-. Patrick Lamb T o logically wounded, often merging them with animals. A nother recu rring image in Bartow’s work is the mask, which symbolizes, he say ’s, "the manifold aspects o f our personalities and the masks we wear as people.” Bartow calls these "transforma tional images" because o f the trans formative, therapeutic role they have played in his own healing process. "Transitions are a part o f my life that I now actively seek. I welcomechange now; before, I was afraid o f i t " A l though American Indian spirituality imbues his work, Bartow emphasizes that his vision is uniquely his own. "I am not an Indian artist,” he says. I ant an artist who happens to be Indian.” He accents his mixed blood. Bartow’s work has continues to change growing from an emotional intensity private core. To reserve tickets call the IFCC at 503/823-2000. A murder, a rape... Inc. ‘AU \jiOdd’ Perform At Interstate Firehouse Andronico’s Cultural Center 5340 N. Interstate Ave. R esta u ra n t A n d Rar On Grand Opening Might May 2, 1996. Portland's own progressive/ fusion jazzm aster Patrick Lamb will assemble a quartet to per form at the public “Grand Open in g ” o f Andronico 's Restaurant And Rar on Thursday May 2, 1996 fro m 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Portland, OR M ay 9 ,1 0 ,1 1 ,1 2 M ay 17,18,19 M ay 24,25,26,1996 Thurs., Fri,, Sat. @ 7:00 p.m. Sundays 2:00 p.m. m atinees Admission: $15 Seniors/Students: $10 New & used hooks on Business, Music, & African-American Studies 14«. A N N U A L Special G roup Rates! Reservations 8c Information: 503/221-2451 a play by Mario DePri; Black Women's C/athering Ou S ïmnï POWELL'S CITY OF BOOKS Miwir for t James DePreisl, Munir Dirertor A Conilurtor Saturday, May 11, 1996 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Guest Speaker 9 AM - 11 PM Monday through Saturday 9 AM - 9 PM Sundays Used books bought every day till 8:30 PM On the #20 Bus line • One hour free parking 1005 West Burnside Street Mona Lake Jones, Ph.D Seattle s Poet Laureate and Author o f “The Color o f Culture ” .'4219 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Lutheran Inner City Ministries Oregon Alliance Of Black School Educators The Oregon Alliance O f Black School Educators proudly presents the F ifte e n th A n n u a l Student Achievement Awards Banquet on T hursday M ay 2nd, 6 :3 0 pm, Westminster Presbyterian Church (1624 N. E. Hancock). t his is an excellent opportunity to showcase and highlight the achieve ment o f African American Students who are productive and contributing citizens in our community. Student selections are made by school administrators, counselors, teachers and sta ff members. Selec tion criteria is based on academic achievement, school and community involvement. This year’ s keynote motivation speaker w ill be Art Alexander, Assis tant to Commissioner Mike Lindberg. For more information, call (280- 5666) or (280-6167). with Jimmy and Friends Thursday, May 9 7:00pm - 10:45pm 228-4651 Toshiko Akiyoshi, conductor James DePreist, conductor First Lady Entertainment Presents Trio of Events Andrei Kitaev Sunday, A p ril 2 8 , 1996: Jazz Pianist Andrei Kitaev debut his new CD “ Vartan Jazz” Jazz with a Latin flavor or romantic classical side Andrei delivers it all, truly a world class artist... Journeys End. $ 15.00 in advance $18.00 day o f the show Two shows 8:00 and 10:00 PM This all-jazz marathon concert surely will be THE jazz event of the season! James DePreist has invited some of his favorite artists, including Max Roach and Leroy Vinnegar, to join him in an event not to be missed. Max Roach, drums Lew Tabackm, saxophone Leroy Vinnegar, bass Mel Brown, drums Geoff Lee, piano Dan Faehnle, guitar Gary Harris, tenor saxophone TICKETS $10 - $35 Dennis Springer Friday M ay 3rd 8:00 P M : Former member o f the popular group ‘ Pleasure’, Dennis Springer is “ On The Path” the title ot Dennis s new CD he w ill be previewing. Dennis has played with musical greats such as Tom Grant, Jeff Lorberand is recognized by gicals like Winton Marsalis and Giuvei Washington Jr. Dennis is Musician ofthe Month through the Oregon Jazz Society and is definitely do, to become one. Don’t miss this great opportunity to be the first to listen to Dennis in full effect on Friday May 3rd Accompanying Dennis w ill be local greats Ron Steen and Andre St James. Saturday June 22nd 8:00 P M : Dorothy Moore kicksoff Juneteenth Celebration. $15 00 advance $ 18.00 day o f the show. You may remember Dorothy's great single M isty Blue, With Pen In Hand, Funny How Time Slips Away. The sweetheart o f Rhythm and Blues has maintained a consistent and well deserved place on the charts with eleven ( 11) LP releases to her credit that has spun nearly twice that number in hit singles Don ’t miss the opportunity to be a part o f these great events coming soon at Annie Pearl’s Restaurant & Lounge 320 SE 2nd Street Entrance. Media support by: KMHD, Tht J a u Station, Willamette Week, KOIN Channel i Charge Tickets 228-1353 or 1-800-228-7343 weekdays 9am - 5pm Ticketmaster: 790-ARTS Mon.-Fri. 9am-9pm; Sat., 9am-8pm; Sun. 10am - 6pm Dorothy Moore I ickets are on sale at G.l Joes Ticketmaster or charge by phone (503) 224-4400. For more information call (503) 460-9030 Dee Baker A R L E N E S C H N IT Z E R C O N C E R T SW 5 BROADW AY & M A IN PORTLAND CENTER HALL FOR THE P E R F O R M I N 8 ARTS