FOCUS
October 12, 2005
page C3
in Il!' - P o r t l a n d ( J f t b s e r u e r
Oance Series Opens
Whitebird
celebrates
8th year
raphy and Freelon’s original songs
and m usical interpretations o f Billie
Holiday classics, subtly explore the
layers o f Billie H oliday as an artist,
social activist and self-proclaim ed
“L ady,” dispelling the victim -only
portrayal o f this legendary woman.
H oliday, bom Eleonora Fagan in
Philadelphia in 1915, died a short 45
years later, leaving a legacy that
continues to shape the generations
o f sin g ers and artists to com e.
M usicians and dancers are vibrant
partners in a collaboration that fo­
c u s e s o n H o lid a y ’s triu m p h s,
strength and beauty.
T ickets are $ 19 to $43 plus ser­
vice charge and available at all
T icketm aster outlets and from the
Portland C enter for the Perform ing
A rts box office.
A cclaim ed ja z z vocalist N nenna
F reelonjoins m em bers o f Ronald K.
B ro w n ’s o u tsta n d in g E v id en ce
dance com pany to open the eighth
season o f P ortland’s W hite Bird
dance series on W ednesday, Oct.
19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer
C oncert Hall.
T he perform ance titled “B lue­
print o f a Lady: T he O nce and Fu­
ture L ifeof Billie Holiday,’’ will mark
th e 9 0 th a n n iv e rs a ry o f B illie
H oliday’s birth.
H ailed for her captivating live
perform ances, Freelon has been
praised by the Los A ngeles Tim es
as being “ in the very top echelon o f
ja z z vocalists.”
T he N ew Y ork T im es has de­
clared that Brow n is “one o f the
leading contem porary dance m ak­
ers to em erge in the last 10 years.
B row n’s outstanding choreog-
Jazz singer Nnenna
Freelon and members of
Ronald K. Brown's dance
company perform "Blueprint
of a Lady: The Once and
Future Life of Billie Holiday. ’
Ronald K. Brown/Evidence
dancers bring an acclaimed
‘fireball Intensity’ to stage.
J *.
JJU
JU
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
T B Î1 E
T
M
ï o
r o
x
s
s
JOE MISHKIN “ THE BALLOON GUY.“
food and beverage specials & more!
5736 N.E. 3 3 rd Ave. • Portland • (5 03) 2 4 9 -3 9 0 3 • mcmenamins.com
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