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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 18, 2025)
June 18, 2025 Page 7 Arts & ENTERTAINMENT Don’t Miss This on October 29, at The Old Church Brandee Younger, harpist, composer and bandleader. Mike Bennett cutting the ribbon to the Portland Aquarium. (Photo credit Portland Aquarium) Mike Bennett’s Portland Aquarium! No Live Animals - But Vibrant Cartoon Sea Creatures The Portland Aquarium is home to 100% cartoon marine life characters—handcrafted by artist Mike Bennett and his team. While everything you’ll see is made of art, light, sound, and storytelling, there’s a strong educational current running through the experience. We worked closely with Chanel Ha- son, our local marine biologist, to curate accurate and inspir- ing ocean facts throughout the space. You’ll even get an Explor- er Compendium—a field guide packed with info about all 100 species you’ll encounter on your journey through Bennett Bay. It’s where creativity and curiosity collide! The Portland Aquarium is fully ADA accessible. Our entire experience is designed to be navigable for guests using wheelchairs, mobility devices, or strollers. We want everyone to feel welcome exploring the won- ders of Bennett Bay! At this time, tickets to the Portland Aquarium are only available for purchase in per- son at the Cascadia Marine Lab a.k.a. our front lobby. If there’s a wait when you arrive, no wor- ries—we’ve got a digital waitlist system! You can check out the Mike Bennett Studios museum and gift shop while you wait, or explore other parts of downtown Portland. We’ll send you a text when it’s your turn to dive into the depths of Bennett Bay. Start- ing in July we will start hosting birthday parties and other private events in the mornings before we open at 11am. If you are inter- ested in renting our space for a private event or tour, let us know and send an email to pdxaquari- um@mikebennettstudios.com. PDX Jazz Presents The Brandee Younger Trio! BRANDEE YOUNGER is revolutionizing the harps’ role in modern music. Over the past fif- teen years, she has worked relent- lessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nom- inated for a Grammy® Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and later, the winner of the 2024 NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Jazz Album for her latest album Brand New Life. Ever-expanding as an artist, she has worked with cultur- al icons including Common, Lau- ryn Hill, John Legend, Pharoah Sanders and Christian McBride. Her original composition “Hortense” was featured in the Netflix Concert-Documentary, Beyoncé: Homecoming and in 2019, Brandee was selected to perform her original music as a featured performer for Quin- cy Jones and Steve McQueen’s’ “Soundtrack of America”. Bran- dee is often noted for standing on the shoulders of the very wom- en who ushered in the harp as a clear and distinct voice in jazz & popular styles – particularly Detroit natives Dorothy Ashby & Alice Coltrane. Her latest al- bum, Brand New Life, builds on her already rich oeuvre, and ce- ments the harp’s place in popular culture. As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new paths–artistic, personal, political, and spiritual. Younger’s music is imbued with a sense of purpose and respect of legacy, creating a larger platform for the harp to reach newer and wider audiences than ever be- fore. In addition to performing and recording, Brandee Young- er is on the faculty at New York University, Steinhardt School and The New School College of Performing Arts.
