il?e JJortlanh ODhscrner
Page B2
March 29. 2006
Focus
Prince Greets
Fans for CD
Debut
Production Prowess Rewarded
(A P)— Fans waiting to buy
copies of Prince’s highly an­
ticipated new album. “3121,”
were greeted with something
even better - a surprise perfor­
mance by Prince himself.
Wearing a white top hat
and jacket, the pop-funk mae­
stro launched into a punchy
set of songs at midnight March
21 at the S u n set T ow er
Records in Hollywood. Calif.
Fans screamed, dancers
onstage shim m ied, Prince
broke out his frenzied guitar
playing, and longtime collabo­
rator Sheila Ejoined in on per­
cussion, according to a Tower Prince perform s Feb. 1 5 in London.
press release.
“It was an impromptu decision,
He lives in L.A .,” said Serena
G allagher, publicist for P rince’s
la b e l. U n iv e rsa l M o to w n
Records.
“ B ecau se I know
h o w to p la y ja z z
a n d t h a t ’s w h e r e
m y h e a r t is , I n e e d
to c o m e b a c k to
s o m e t h i n g s im p le
a g a in to s a tis fy
m y in te g r ity . T h e
a v erag e p e rso n
m ay not
u n d e r s ta n d .”
B ria n M c K n ig h t
K M H D is a n o n p ro fit arts o rg a n iz atio n
d e d ic a te d to p ro v id in g qu ality jazz, b lu e s, and
tra d itio n a l A m erican m u sic 24 h o u rs a day,
365 days a year.
8 9 .1 www.kmhd.fm
Black Eyed
Peas’ leader gets
recognition
(AP)— It took two multiplatinum
albums, several hits and a few
Grammy nominations for people to
realize that the Black Eyed Peas
weren't just a silly, poppy, hip-hop
gimmick.
So will.i.am - best known as the
group’s deadlocked lead lyricist,
but more importantly is its creative
director - isn’t surprised that it has
taken awhile for the world to take
note of his production prowess as
the Peas’ main writer and producer,
but a lso as a p ro d u c e r and
songwriter for others.
What surprises him is the song
that finally made people come
around.
"The thing that made people re­
alize me as a producer was My
Humps,’ ironically,” will shrugs
about last year’s wacky smash
“O rdinary People,” and he re­
cently produced Sergio M endes’
all-star com eback album as well
as a song for Mary J Blige on her
com eback sm ash album “The
Breakthrough.”
Some of his upcoming projects
include Diddy, Snoop Dogg, and
Justin Timberlake - a list that defi­
nitely places him on the hot list of
producers.
“He’s brillant- he’s one of my
favorite people to work with,” says
Legend. "H e’s bouncing off the
wall in the studio, and he’s so posi­
tive. It’sjust fun towork with people
will.i.am is the producer o f the m u sic group Black Eyed P eas. (AP like that.”
photo)
But will never craved to be that
about the lure of the female form. because o f ’My Humps.’”
producer with whom everyone
"People were like Yo, you do
If they come because o f “ My wanted to work.
that beat?’ It’s like, ’Boom, boom, H um ps,” they soon learn that his
“For a while I was anti-working
boom,’” he says, laughing at the repertoire is broader than that - or outside o f the Peas, because 1
simplistic beat. "That’s the nutty even the Black Eyed Peas. Will wanted to save all the good stuff for
part! I've worked with Earth, Wind (w ho’s given name is W illiam us,” says will, only semi-joking.
& Fire - crazy horn production, all A dam s) was nom inated for a
Clearly, that approach helped
this stuff, miking kalimbas. miking Grammy for song o f the year for the Peas, who began their first
drums - like PRODUCTION!... But c o - w r itin g Jo h n L e g e n d ’s headline tour in the United States
I got people coming crazy for me breakout acoustic piano ballad. on Thursday.
■■MBMHMNM
New Breed of Folk
Tim Eriksen, one of the new breed of folk
musicians who emerged from the sound
and fury of punk rock to
embrace the subtlety and
spirit of traditional acous­
tic music, will offer a solo
Portland appearance for
one night only at the inti­
mate Mississippi Studios,
3939 N. Mississippi Ave.
on Saturday, April I.
The concert will start at
9:30 p.m. and admission is
$ 15 for those 2 1 and over.
Probably the only performer to have
shared a stage with both Kurt Cobain and
Doc Watson, Eriksen’s musical vision en­
compasses musical polar extremes with an
enormous range of music styles from around
the world.
In addition, his powerful voice, heard
by many in the 2003 movie Cold Moun­
tain, will breathe life into the maxim that
“everything old is new
again” as he performs
both traditional American
music and his own original
tunes.
This solo show will also
feature Eriksen on the
guitar, banjo and fiddle.
GROW YOUR SMALL BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF PORTLAND
ARE YOU A SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER?
Are you interested in doing business
with the City of Portland? The City
of Portland is expanding contracting
opportunities for small businesses in
the Professional, Technical, and Expert
Services Fields. These include areas
such as architecture and engineer­
ing, information technology, training
and meeting facilitation, marketing,
outreach and graphic design, finance
and insurance. Minority, women and
emerging small business owners are
encouraged to contact us, as well as
to certify their businesses with the
State of Oregon.
Tim Eriksen perform s Saturday
a t M ississippi Studios.
cirquedusoleil.com.
Three
and Brothers o f the
Baladi - A concert
M cM ena m i n ’ s
Kennedy School, 5736
N.E. 33rd Ave., brings
whirling tangos and
belly dances to the
stage on March 3 1 at 7
p.m. Admission for the
all ages show is $ 10 for
adults and $5 for chil­
dren under 13.
“Guns, Germ s and
B ugsy M alone Jr.
Steel” - The Jefferson
Highs School Multicultural Film Festival
will screen the documentary "Guns, Germs
and Steel” covering the history of human­
ity, from 6 p.m. to 8:30p.m. Monday, April
3, at Jefferson. 5210 N. Kerby, room D I2.
Admission is free.
Jazz Ensem ble - A free concert at Univer­
sity of Portland's Buckley Center Audito­
rium in north Portland will feature tradi­
tional, contemporary, formal and improvi­
satory music on Wednesday, April 5 at 7:30
p.m. For more information call 503-943-7228.
Gladys Knight — Music
legend Gladys Knight
will perform two shows
at 8 p.m., April 7 and 8, at
Chinook Winds Casino
Resort in Lincoln City.
Tickets are $30 to $50
and are available by call­
ing 1-888-MAIN-ACTor
541-996-5775.
Hip Chicks Benefit- A
Gladys Knight
Friday, April 7 benefit for In Other Words
and Rock Power for Girls features three
bands —Cocks in the Henhouse. Excuse Me
Sir and Little Sue. plus fire dancing and
puppets. The festivities take place at Hip
Chicks. 4510 S.F 23"' Ave All ages wel­
come; tickets are $5 to $50 sliding scale.
Ice Cube Com ing - Notorious gangsta rap­
per Ice Cube comes to the Roseland Theater
on Friday, April 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the
all ages show are $30advance and $35 at the
door, plus service fees, available at
Tickets West.com o r503-224-8499.
TO LEARN ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES, CONTACT:
Gregory J. Wolley, Program Coordinator, Professional Services Marketing and Outreach
City of Portland Bureau of Purchases (503) 823-6860
gwolley®ci.Portland.or.us www.portlandline/omf/purchasing
I
f
C irque l)u Soleil - Nine additional perfor­
mances from Apri I 19 through 23 have been
added to the Portland engagem ent of
Varekai. Performances are Tuesdays and
Thursday s at 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays
at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at I p.m. and
5 p.m. General pubiic tickets are $24.50to $70
and are available by calling the Admission
N etw ork
at
1-8 0 0 -6 7 8 -5 4 4 0
or
I
Bugsy Malone Jr. — A
mob of prohibition-era
gangsters recreate the 1920
film classic at the North­
west Children's Theater.
Performances are Saturday
and Sunday matinees at 2
p.m. through April 18 at the
NW Neighborhood C ul­
tural C enter, 1819 NW
Everett St. Special Spring
Break matinees March 28-
31 at 2 p.m. For tickets
call 503-222-4480 or visit
www.nwcts.org.
Ardiente Paciencia (Burning Patience) -
T he a ll-S p a n ish
language B ellas
Artes Production
com es to the
M ilagro Theatre,
525 SE Stark St.
Opening night is
Friday, April 7, and
continues through
April 29,on Fridays
and S a tu r­
day s at 8
Ardiente Paciencia
p.m ., S u n ­
days at 2 p.m. and Thursdays at 7:30
p.m. English supertitles at Thursday
and Sunday performances. Tickets are
$ 13 to $ 18 and can be purchased at the
box o ffic e . 5 0 3 -2 3 6 -7 2 5 3 or
www.milagro.org.
“Crowns” — A play exploring the rela­
tionship between black women and the
hats they wear. Continues through
April 9 at Port land Center for the Performing
Arts Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway.
Tickets are $ 15 to $56, and can be purchased
at the box office or by calling 503-274-6588.
Murder In Showbiz - "Musical Comedy
Murders of 1940" pokes fun at Hollywood
thrillers during the genre’s heyday in the
1930sand 1940s. The mix upof murder, mad­
ness and mayhem is now playing through
April 9, on Thursdays through Saturdays at
8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. at the
Lakewood Center for the Arts. 368 State St. in
Lake Oswego. Tickets are $24 for adults and
$22 for students and seniors, available at the
I .akcwixxl Theatre box office at 503-635-3901
o r www.lakewood-eenter.org.
Time Io Jam — Jam Night, Portland’s ever-
popular comedy and variety show is at Chris­
tian Performing Arts Center. 8131 N. Denver
Ave. Shows continue every Friday night start­
ing at9p.m. with dinner by Mondemaj Catering
next door to the show at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.