May I0. 2006
CI'r3Jl0rtlanil © h a m ie r C \KI I <S& D l l U.
Special Edition
P age B 3
Fats Domino Shares Stage, New Home
Coming back from K atrina disaster
(AP) — Fats Domino tipped his wife and daughter Adonica Domino,
Noticeably thinner since being
hat to thousands of cheering fans, one of his eight children - Domino evacuated from the house, Domino
briefly appearing on stage during pointed out the few pieces of sal­ said the past few months haven't
the final day of New Orleans Jazz vaged furniture among the new. been easy. H e's still trying to gel
and Heritage Fest Sunday. But the
headliner did not perform.
Hall o f Fame performer Fats
“He wasn’t feeling well, so we
Domino poses for a photo­
took him to the doctor. He’s OK,
graph at his new post-Katrina
but he doesn’t feel up to perform­
home in Harvey, La.
ing,” longtime friend Haydee Ellis
said.
Just a few days earlier, sitting at
a keyboard in the bedroom of his
post Katrina home in the New O r­
leans suburb of Harvey, La., a smil­
ing Domino joked, laughed and ten­
derly sang to a handful of close
friends.
"Never thought my heart could
be so yearny ... Gotta take that
sentimental journey, sentimental
journey home,” he sang Thursday
afternoon, swaying gently as long­
time friend Herbert Hardesty, who’s
shared the stage with Domino for
50-plus years, chimed in.
In his spacious new home in a
gated community, Domino seemed
most comfortable in his bedroom.
Though large with high ceilings
and filled mostly with new furni­
ture, the room had personal touches
and a cozy feel. Friends plopped on
his king-size, four-poster bed, the
sheets and blankets unmade.
“Herb’s making me a book,”
Domino said, noting that Hardesty
has photos of Domino with Nat
“ King" Cole and other celebrities -
treasures to a man who’s experi­
enced so much loss.
The Mississippi River now di­
vides Domino’s newfound home
from the one he was forced to flee
when Katrina flooded 80 percent of
the city. He lived fora time in a New
Orleans hotel. Harvey isn’t home, including chairs that surrounded situated in his new home, still mov­
D om ino says, but “ it’s close an upstairs bar in the Ninth Ward ing furniture around.
enough.”
home he shared with his wife of
In one room sits a black baby
As he chatted with friends - almost 60 years, Rosemary. They’d grand donated by the Baldwin pi­
among them Hardesty, Hardesty’s lived in the house since I960.
ano company. The walls are empty
except for two framed gold records
- one for "Rosemary," the other for
"Blue Monday." The records were
refurbished by the Louisiana State
Museum. Another 23 gold albums
and eight platinum albums are be­
ing reissued to replace the ones
destroyed in the flood.
Domino's classic New Orleans
R&B sound and relaxed piano style
led him to sell more records than
any other black musician of the
1950s. His long list of national hits,
mostly spanning from the mid ’50s
to the early ’60s, includes “Ain't
That a Shame,” "Blueberry Hill,"
“Whole Lotta Loving" and "Blue
M onday."
Grounded in his hometown, hits
like “Walking to New Orleans" and
"Jambalaya" resonate with New
Orleans natives. Jazz Fest producer
Quint Davis has said he can’t think
of a better way to close this year's
festival than with a performance by
Fats.
Sitting at the new piano on a
black leather bench, tapping the
keys, Domino said it’s good to have
a piano in the house again. Since
being evacuated, he’d been play­
ing on a keyboard he bought while
on hiatus in Texas.
"1 always had a piano," he said.
“All of them sound good to me.”
Back in March, a recovery crew
with the Louisiana State Museum
pulled an electric Wurlitzer key­
board and what was left of his black
Steinway baby grand and white
Steinway grand from Domino’s
flooded home. They’ll be refur­
bished and returned to the family,
though they may not be playable.
For now, Domino is loaning the
baby grand to the museum for in­
clusion in its travelingexhibitabout
hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Sipping fromabottle of Heineken
between songs, Domino lulled take me where I belong, where
friends w ith emotional verses of hearts have been broken w ith a kiss
"Valley of Tears": "I want you to and a song...”
2006
in W ORTH
I
—
1
United Church of Christ
2 94 1 NE Ainsworth St.
(503) 284-8767
Ainsworth
Portland. OR 9 72 U
A three-day celebration
hosted by the congregation o f
Ainsworth L nited Church o f Christ (AUCC), whose activities in­
clude social response and action in the greater Portland area,
support fo r community issues, and promotion ofinlerfaith under­
standing. Proceeds will support the mission and ministry o f A UCC,
as well as our community partner fo r 20116, Elders in Action. AUCC
is also offering a special raffle fo r a three-night stay fo r two at the
Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Friday, June 2 — Silent Auction, Hors O'Oeuvres and Dancing
When the sun goes down in Stump Town, we will gather at
McMenamin's Edgefield, 2126 S.W. Halsey in Troutdale. From 6:30
to 10:30 p.m„ we will enjoy a plethora of hors d'oeuvres, have
great fun with our silent auction. Live music -featuring Janice
Scrogginsl-dancing. There will be something for everyone's taste.
Tickets are available now: $35 per person ($10.50 of which is
tax-deductible donation). Call the church as soon as possible at
(503) 284-8767.
Saturday. June 3 — Family Festival
Saturday marks the Fourth Annual Family Festival, featuring food,
beverages, an inflatable "Bounce House," a clown, face painting,
a Portland Fire Truck: and a jewelry, plant and book sale. Festivities
run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. right next to the church on a closed N.E.
30'" Ave.
Sunday, June 4 -
Celebration Worship Service and Birthday Party
When you are as welcoming as AUCC, the worship service offers
inspiration, jubilation and the Word of God brought to you by people
pf profound faith, witness and service. This morning, Ainsworth’s
Pastor Lynne Smouse Lopez's sermon topic will be "Rejoicing in
the Gift of God's Spirit." Rooted in AUCC's traditional Four Seasons
Birthday Celebration, the after-church activity will honor and
celebrate everybody's birthday with scrumptious food, cakes, punch
and beverages. The drawing for the Las Vegas trip will be done at
the Four Seasons Birthday Celebration. The winner of the drawing
will receive a three night stay at the Bellagio Hotel for two adults
airfare included.............. ........................
A M u lti-R acial, M ulti-Cultural, Open and A ffirm ing Ch urch
Reaching for Stardom
Radiant Theater presents the rock
opera "Tommy" at 8 p.m. on Thurs­
days, Fridays and Saturdays begin­
Tiger Fifer is the
ning Thursday, May 11 at Liberty
gypsy
in the rock
Hall, 3 1 1 N. Ivy. The production is
opera
‘Tommy’
scheduled through June 10, with
coming
to Liberty
the exception of Friday, May 19.
Hall,
311
N. Ivy.
The W ho’s “Tom m y” opened
on Broadway in 1993 and is a whirl­
wind story o f a young boy who
reaches stardom from a place of
pain and discovers that what he
really wants is to be ju st like ev­
eryone else. Songs include Pin­
ball W izard, the vivacious Acid
Q ueen, L istening to You, the
A mazing Journey, the sexy Sen­
sation and o f course. "I'm free." land the powerhouse experience
Radiant Theater is the local pro­ of “Hair,” the controversial "Jesus
duction company that brought Port- Christ Superstar," the innovative
“W aiting for G odot" and the
Drammy-award winning masked
comedy “Scapin.”
CAJUN THEATER for Kids
families that is affordable enough
to attend regularly.
The play is scheduled each Sat-
Melanya Helene and Anet Ris-
Kelman star in the Cajun folk
tale Buzzard & Chicken
Hawk."
A multicultural play “Buzzard
and Chicken Hawk,” is presented
this month by Play After Play Inter­
active Theater for Kids at the Bnxrk-
lyn Bay, 1825 S.E. Franklin, Bay K.
The comical story isaCajun folk
tale, filled with lively music and
physical performances that will
captivate children and adults alike.
After the play, children are invited
to interact with the actors one-on-
one.
C o m p an y a rtistic d ire c to r
Melanya Helene has been perform­
ing and teaching theater to children
for over IO years. She is dedicated
to providing quality live theater for
urday this month at 10a.m. Doors
open at 9:30 a.m. For reservations.
call503-772-4005.
"As far as I'm
concerned,
blues and jazz
are the great
American
contributions
to music"
Edgar Winter
89.1 www.kmhd.fm
When you pledge your financial
support you show us that jazz
and blues are important to you
and to your community
WED. MAY 17
ALADDIN THEATER
SE MILWAUKIE @ POWELL • PHONE 5 0 3 -2 3 3 -1 9 9 4 www.oloddin-theater.com
TICKETS AT THE ALAODIN BOX OFFICE & ALL TICKETMASTER OUTLETS OR CHARGE BY PHONE 503 224 4400
SPYRO CYRA
W EDNESDAY JU N E 14