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M ay 1, 1996 • T he P ori land O bserver
V r f
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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
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&
M A IN
PORTLAND
CENTER
HALL
FOR
THE P E R F O R M I N 8
ARTS