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February 9, 2005
Focus
Jazz Student Featured Performer
Advertise with diversity in
Œl’vJJovt la nö (Ob6crucr
Call 5O3-28S-OO33 ads@portlandob s e n er.com
KMHD’S
VALENTINE’S DAY
FUNDRAISER
EXTRAVAGANZA
Featuring Valerie Day &
The knights of Swing
w/special guests...
M onday
F ebruary
14, 2005
7 PM— 11 PM
D oors open at
is
¿ i.
6 pm
T he M arriott H otel
1 4 0 1 SW N aito P kwy
v
\
Leroy Vinnegar
Jazz Institute
presents rising star
T w enty year-old bassist, vocalist and com ­
poser Esperanza Spalding is quickly becom ing
one o f Portland" s hottest jazz exports. T he Berklee
College o f M usic senior returns to Portland as the
featured artist in the first ever Leroy V innegar Jazz
Institute Y oung A rtist Jazz Concert on W ednes­
day Feb. I 6 a t 7:30p.m . at The O ld Church, 1422
S.W. 11th Ave.
Spalding will lead a group that includes form er
m entor T hara M em ory and several o f the new
vanguard o f Portland jazz players including saxo­
phonist M ary Sue Tobin, pianist Dan G aynor and
drum m er C harlie Doggett.
Spalding entered the professional m usic world
at the ripe young age o f 15, only a couple m onths
after picking up the acoustic bass “alm ost by
accident” in a school band room. Invited by
veteran Portland blues vocalist “Sw eet Baby”
Jam es Benton to perform with T he Original
Cats at Portland jazz venue Billy Reeds, Spalding
confesses to not know ing how she m ade it
through her first gig.
“I could play only the blues in F ,” she
remembers.
W hat began as an audition turned into a
w eekly gig that served as a training ground and
fostered a grow ing love for the bass. W ithin a
year, Spalding was perform ing as a bassist and
vocalist with a half dozen different groups
throughout the Portland area, including two
ja zz septets, a trio, and a fusion group called
N oise for Pretend that released tw o w ell-re­
ceived album s on the independent label Hush
Records.
The mission o f the Leroy V innegar Jazz Insti­
tute is to preserve and promote the art form,
cultural heritage and social history o f jazz music
in the Northwest through education, outreach,
and historical documentation.
Tickets are $ 10 in advance and $ 12 on the day
o f show and are available at the Portland State
University box office orby calling 503-725-3307.
Esperanza Spalding
*
Grammys to Honor Ray Charles
VA1ÜUF. DAY AND THE KNIGHTS OF SWING
D ance per couple : $50 ,
D inner B uffet & D ance per couple : $115
D inner , D ance & R oom per couple : $230
VIP
LEVEL ROOM INCLUDES ROSE BUDS AND
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES
T ickets A vailable at
M illennium E ast or W est
OR CALL
503.491.7271
Music legend Ray Charles performs in
Zurich, Switzerland on Nov. 19, 2001.
(AP photo)
BLACK HISTORY
(A P ) — R ay C h a rle s ,
p o s th u m o u s ly n o m in a te d
fo r se v e n G ra m m y s - in ­
c lu d in g a lb u m o f th e y e a r
fo r “ G e n iu s L o v e s C o m ­
p a n y ” - w ill b e h o n o re d in
a trib u te at S u n d a y ’s
a w a rd s sh o w .
B o n n ie R a itt an d B illy
P re sto n w ill p erfo rm in a
seg m en t h o n o rin g C h a rles,
T h e R e c o rd in g A cad em y
an n o u n c ed T h u rsd ay . T h e
fam e d sin g e r and m u sicia n
d ied Ju n e 10 at his B ev erly
H ills, C a lif., h o m e o f ac u te
liv e r d ise ase . H e w as 73.
The
4 7 th
A nnual
G ram m y Aw ards, to b e p re ­
se n ted at th e S ta p le s C e n ­
ter in L o s A n g eles, also w ill
in c lu d e a trib u te to S o u th ­
e rn r o c k f e a tu r in g T im
M c G r a w , K e ith U rb a n ,
G re tc h e n W ils o n , so m e
m e m b e rs
of
L y n y rd
S k y n y r d , D ic k e y B e tts
(A llm a n B ro th e rs B an d )
an d E lv in B ishop.
Q u e e n L a tifa h w ill h o st
th e sh o w , w h ic h w ill a ir
o n C B S K O IN C h a n n e l 6.
K a n y e W e st, w h o le a d s
all a r tis ts w ith 10 n o m in a ­
tio n s , w ill a p p e a r w ith
J o h n L e g e n d , M a v is
S t a p l e s a n d th e B lin d
B o y s o f A la b a m a .
P re v io u s ly a n n o u n c e d
p e r f o rm e r s in c lu d e M c ­
G ra w , G re e n D a y , A lic ia
K ey s a n d U 2.
Black Panther Photo
Exhibit
Reed C ollege w ill be show ing photos by
R uth-M arion B aruch and Pirkle Jones through Feb. 20
at the D ouglas F. C ooley M em orial Art G allery. Pirkle
Jones w ill speak at 6 :30 p.m . on W ednesday, Feb. 9 in
room 19 o f the B iology building, w ith an 8 p.m. recep ­
tion follow ing.
Laugh Factory
C om edy returns every second W ednesday o f the
m onth at the upscale B acchus R estaurant, thanks to
EEI International. For m ore inform ation, call 503-223-
5236 or visit w w w .eei-intem ational.com .
Reel Music and Cinema
T he Reel M usic Festival, featuring m usic cinem a, is
show ing through Feb. 13 at G uild T heatre, 829 S.W . 9
Ave, and W hitsell A uditorium , 1219 S.W . Park. For
details, visit w w w .nw film .org.
Trippin’ through Town
Take a trip through tim e to find the hottest poetry, hip
hop and soul influencing Portland on W ednesdays at
the O hm . $7 cover. 31 N.W . First Ave.
THE FAIRFIELD FOUR
CONCERT
8 p.m . T onigh t - February 2, h au l A uditorium
G r a m m y A w a rd w in n e r s th e F a irfie ld Four, o n e o f th e c o u n t r y 's m o s t a c c la im e d g o sp e l
g r o u p s fo r o v e r 50 y e a r s , a r e m a s te r s o f a n a c a p p e lla s ty le th a t r e p r e s e n ts A fric a n
A m e r ic a n h e r ita g e lik e fe w o th e rs .
CORNEL WEST
LECTURE £ / BOOK SIGNING
7:30 p.m . February 18
h a u l A uditorium
A u th o r o t R ace M a tters a n d th e n e w
D em o cra cy M a tte rs
TIM SEIBLES
BLACK PANTHERS 1968:
Photographs by Ruth-Marion
Baruch & Pirkle Jones
EXHIBITION
T hrough February 20
D ou glas F. C ooley
M em orial Art G allery
All events are free & open to the
public; seating is lim ited. Visit
web.reed.cdn/black history,m onth/
or call the Reed events lin e at
503/777-7795.
POETRY READING
8 p.m . February 24
Vollum Lounge
JAMES GIBSON
LECTURE
7 p.m . February 28
Vollum L ecture H all
reed
Reed College
3203 SE Woodstock Blvd.
Portland, Oregon
On the Radio
Spike
Lee
Power Behind
the Camera
(A P ) — F ilm m aker Spike Lee
says black representation is stron­
ger than ever on screens, big and
sm all, but the true pow er in en ter­
tainm ent lies behind the cam era.
“ W e have to get in gatekeeper
positions,” he said. “W e have to
get those dual law and M BA d e­
grees and w ork up the corporate
ladder because everybody c a n ’t
be an actor, everybody ca n ’t make
a record.”
Glacier Run
T he O regon Z oo presents G lacier
n, a sim ulator ride w orth bundling up
for. For m ore inform ation, visit w w w .orgonzoo.org.
Time to Jam
Jam Night, P ortland’s ever-popular com edy/variety
show , is at Christian P erform ing A rts C enter, 8131 N.
D enver Ave. Show s continue every Friday Night
starting at 9 p.m. w ith d inner by M ondem aj C atering
next d o o r to the show at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m . D inner is
$ 13 and tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children
under 12. For dinner reservations, call 503-286-2590.
For inform ation about the show , call 503-735-4184 or
visit w w w .jam -night.com .
Madame Butterfly
Portland O pera presents P u ccin i’s “M adam e B utter­
fly,” on stage Feb. 5 through 12. T ickets range from
$35 to $ 127. T ickets can be purchased by calling 503-
241-1802 or visiting w w w .ticketm aster.com .
The Middle Passage
Floyd R. C ruse presents N abeeh M ustafah’s “The
M iddle P assage,” a pow erful play about issues af­
fecting all com m unities regardless o f background.
Perform ance is on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. at M iracles
Club. T ickets are $ 12 general. $7 m em bers, students
and seniors. For more inform ation, call 503-284-0985.
G roove to soul and hip hop w ith K evin Berry from 7 to
9 p.m. M ondays at 90.7 FM /K B O O . C heck out the
C om m unity Potpourri talk show from 7 to 8 a.m. M o n ­
days, W ednesday and Fridays at 1480 A M /K BM S.
C ount your blessings w ith M elodies from Heaven from
6 to 10 p.m. M ondays through Fridays at 1290 A M /
KKSL. T une in to A frican A m erican H ealth R adio
W ednesday nights on 1290 A M /K K SL.
Blues m usicians W alter T rout and the R adicals will
perform on Feb. 14 at 8 p.m . at the Roseland Theatre.
T ickets are $ 13 advance, $ 15 door. For m ore inform a­
tion, call 503-221-0288.
Local Artists Featured at Abbey Café
Wine and Cheese
The A bbey C afé, 441 N. K illingsw orth St., invites
m usicians to sell their C D s and perform on Friday s and
Saturdays. For m ore inform ation, call 503-286-4847.
The 2nd A nnual Portland S how case o f W ine and
C heese will be held at the O regon C onvention C enter
on Friday, Feb. 18 at 6 :30 p.m. O ver 250 varieties o f
w ines and gourm et cheeses, live entertainm ent and
auction item s will be show cased. T ickets are $35. For
more information, call 503-232-0077.
Gypsy Classes
C aravan Studios offers classes in belly dance, A frican
dance and more. V isit w w w .gypsyearavan.us.
Make Art on Alberta
Walter Trout and the Radicals
Jewish Film Festival
M ake art and enjoy art on A lberta through Portland
C om m unity C ollege. A variety o f classes from art
m aking to art appreciation are available. For m ore
information, call 503-731 -6622.
The N orthw est Film Festival presents the 13,h Jew ish
Film Festival through Feb. 29 at the G uild Theatre and
W hitsell A uditorium . A dm ission is $7 general, $6
m em bers, students and seniors. For m ore inform a­
tion, visit w w w .nw film .org.
Have a Ball
Write Around Portland
Kids wi 11 have a ball at O M S I' s new Innovation Station
by exploring the hum an side o f technology. For m ore
i nform ation, visit w w w .omsi .edu.
W rite A round P o rtlan d ’s free creative w riting begins
on Feb. 21, at various locations around the city. For
m ore inform ation and locations, visit w w w .w rite
around.org orcall 503-796-9224.
Amusement At Oaks Park
C elebrating 99 years o f fun. O aks Park in southeast
Portland offers rides, picnic grounds, roller-skating
and family gam es in the shade o f 100-year-old oak trees
on the banks o f the W illam ette River. R ides and roller­
skating are open daily. F or m ore inform ation, call 503-
233-5777.
Little Shop of Horrors
Mt. H ood C om m unity C ollege in G resham presents
“Little Shop o f H orrors” from Feb. 25 to 27 and M arch
4 to 6, w ith Sunday m atinees at 2 p.m . on Feb. 27 and
M arch 6. All other show s are at 8 p.m . T ickets are $ 15
general, $10 students, seniors and staff.