Polk County
Living
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • September 28, 2016 7A
Artistic expressions
The Smith Fine Arts Series
is back for its 40th season,
starting Friday with The Pa-
perboys, Mexican son Jaro-
cho mixed in with Irish Jigs
and Reels, and a good dose
of country and bluegrass.
The series includes six per-
formances this year, with
performances through June.
The Paperboys, Sept. 30
Mexican son Jarocho mixed in
with Irish jigs and reels, and a
good dose of country and blue-
grass. It has healthy servings of
ska, soca and African highlife and
with a little White Boy Reggae.
Of course it also has strains of
soul, pop and funk — although
they are by no means a funk
band. It is mostly acoustic, al-
though we also like electric gui-
tars. It is singer-songwriter based,
but not the coffee house variety.
It is definitely folk music, but not
in the Kumbaya style. It has a
deep respect and appreciation
for tradition, but it's by no means
traditional. It rocks incredibly
hard and is extremely danceable,
but that is not to say it can't be
mellow and slow and beautiful. It
can be heart breaking, but also
joyous.
It is never dark or angst ridden,
and always full of hope — but
not in the “Up With People” kind
of way. It's not jazz, although we
like jazz a lot. It's not heavy metal
or punk or grunge, although we
love Rush and AC/DC. It is World
Roots Music. It's pop music. It is
good music.
It has a tendency to connect
people and means a lot to many
folks the world over, and for that
we are very grateful.
It is the only multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic, multi-generational,
multi-lingual, multi-instrumental,
genre bending, co-ed band you
will hear today.
www.paperboys.com/.
Let us entertain you
What: Western Oregon University’s 40th annual Smith Fine
Arts Series.
Where: Rice Auditorium, unless noted.
When: Most shows start at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, starting Sept.
30.
Schedule: Sept. 30, The Paperboys; Oct. 7, Walter “Wolf-
man” Washington; Jan. 13, Rainbow Dance Theater; Feb. 20
and 21, Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project, 7:30 p.m., Smith Recital
Hall; April 15, Micky Dolenz with the American Metropole Or-
chestra; June 10, Danilo Perez with the Western Hemisphere
Orchestra.
Admission: Season tickets for six shows: general $119, stu-
dents $52. Season tickets for five shows: general $99, students
$42. Single tickets in advance: general $25, students $10. Sin-
gle tickets at the door: general $28, students $10.
For more information: 503-838-8333, or wou.edu/smith.
COURTESY PHOTO/ Itemizer-Observer
The Paperboys will open th Smith Fine Arts Series at Rice Auditorium on Friday night.
Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington, Oct. 7
Walter “Wolfman” Wash-
ington has been a mainstay
on the New Orleans music
scene. He cut his teeth back-
ing up some of the best
singers and performers in
New Orleans history before
putting together his long-
time band The Roadmasters,
who have been burning
down and burning up local
and national stages since
their first gigs in the 1980s.
His guitar style combines
both rhythm and blues,
blues, New Orleans funk, and
modern jazz into a way of
playing that is uniquely his.
His singing is emotional and
heartfelt. His guitar work is
intricate, intimate, and full.
There is a little Bobby Blue
Bland, a little Kenny Burrell, a
little George Benson, a little
church, and a lot of New Or-
leans charm and experience
in a Walter Wolfman Wash-
ington performance. They are
known for doing their own
soulful originals and then
tackling some great unsung
covers. And in this day and
age of musicians imitating
the past or trying to recreate
it, the Wolfman stands out as
a musician steeped in the his-
tory but completely contem-
porary. Few musical acts, if
any, do what he does. He is
real, authentic, and unique.
www.walterwolfmanwash-
ington.com/.
Rainbow Dance Theater, Jan. 13
COURTESY PHOTO/ Itemizer-Observer
Walter “Wolfman” Washington will perform during the Smith Fine Arts Series on Oct. 7
Rainbow Dance Theatre’s
(RDT) ensemble of eight vir-
tuoso dancers transforms the
concert stage into a world of
mystery, pathos and humor.
Delighting audiences of all
ages with its athletic “pull-
out-the-stops celebration of
… dancing that pays homage
to world-dance and –music
influences” (Sheryl Dare, Hon-
olulu Advertiser), RDT’s reper-
tory features modern works
with roots in the traditions of
many world cultures. Com-
bined with innovative aerial
choreography, visually stun-
ning interactive sets, and the
latest innovations in fiber
optic and electro-lumines-
cent technology, the distinc-
Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project, Feb. 20-21
Two-time Juno-winning banjoist,
composer and instigator Jayme Stone
makes music inspired by sounds from
around the world, bridging folk, jazz
and chamber music.
His award-winning albums both defy
and honor the banjo’s long role in the
world’s music, turning historical con-
nections into compelling music. The
repertoire includes a movement from
Bach’s French Suite, a Moorish sword-
fighting dance and Stone’s lush, edgy
originals. Africa to Appalachia (2008) is
a boundary-crossing musical collabora-
tion with griot singer Mansa Sissoko
that explores the banjo’s African roots
and Stone’s adventures in Mali. Focus-
ing on songs collected by folklorist and
field recording pioneer Alan Lomax, this
collaboratory brings together some of
North America’s most distinctive and
creative roots musicians to revive, recy-
cle and re-imagine traditional music.
The repertoire includes Bahamian sea
chanties, African-American acappella
singing from the Georgia Sea Islands,
ancient Appalachian ballads, fiddle
tunes and work songs collected from
both well-known musicians and every-
day folk: sea captains, cowhands, fisher-
men, prisoners and homemakers. Col-
laborators include Grammy-winning
singer Tim O’Brien, Bruce Molsky, Mar-
garet Glaspy, Moira Smiley, Brittany
Haas, Julian Lage, Eli West, and more.
The new album is out now on Borealis
Records.
www.jaymestone.com/projects/lo-
maxproject/ .
Micky Dolenz with the American Metropole Orchestra, April 15
Micky Dolenz first established him-
self as a performer at age 10 when,
under the stage name of “Mickey Brad-
dock,” he starred in his own first TV se-
ries, Circus Boy, which aired on NBC
and then ABC from 1956 to 1958.
In his early teens, Micky guest-
starred on a number of television
shows. As he graduated high school
and began attending college in the
mid-’60s, Dolenz also learned to play
guitar.
He soon began to perform with a
number of rock ’n roll bands, including
one called The Missing Links.
In the fall of 1965, Micky was one of
400 applicants who responded to a
trade ad that announced auditions for
a new TV show about a rock band.
He auditioned for The Monkees’ TV
show by playing and singing Chuck
Berry’s legendary rocker “Johnny B.
Goode,” and wound up chosen for the
show along with three other actors:
Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and
Peter Tork.
In Feb. 2016, news was officially re-
leased via Rhino Records that The Mon-
kees (Micky with Peter Tork) would
begin a tour in May in conjunction with
their 50th anniversary.
Also, a new album to be titled Good
Times would be released, which would
include participation from fellow origi-
nal-Monkees member Michael Ne-
smith.
Actor, singer, director, producer,
writer, radio DJ, inventor, and all-
around performer extraordinaire,
Micky Dolenz stands tall as a paragon
of taste and accomplishment in the
rough-and-tumble world of show busi-
ness and entertainment.
And oh, by the way — he remains a
believer.
http://www.Mickydolenz.com.
COURTESY PHOTO/ Itemizer-Observer
Micky Dolenz will hit the stage on
April 15 of next year.
tive choreography of artistic
directors Darryl Thomas and
Valerie Bergman creates “an
exotic feast for the senses”.
(Isamu Jordan, Spokane
Spokesman Review) Rainbow
Dance Theatre is directed by
internationally renowned
dancer-choreographers Va-
lerie Bergman and Darryl
Thomas. Its name highlights
its roots in Hawaii, the “land
of rainbows”, as well as the
ethnic diversity of its compa-
ny members and the diverse
cultural influences in the cho-
reography performed by the
Company. The Company cel-
ebrates this diversity as well
with its virtuosic style that
fuses West African Dance,
Haitian Dance, Hip Hop, Mar-
tial Arts with American Mod-
ern Dance. This high-impact,
rapid-fire performance style
features a rugged athleticism
and gravity-defying partner-
ing. 3-D backdrops, inter-ac-
tive full-stage sets and lavish
costuming add a unique visu-
al element that transforms
the dance performance into
an entertaining and provoca-
tive theatrical event.
Founded in Honolulu,
Hawaii in 1991, Rainbow
Dance Theatre (RDT) has
been based in Monmouth,
Oregon since 2000.
http://rainbowdancethe-
atre.org/.
Danilo Perez with the
Western Hemisphere
Orchestra, June 10
Pianist, composer, educa-
tor and social activist, Danilo
Pérez is among the most in-
fluential and dynamic musi-
cians of our time.
Born in Panama in 1965,
Pérez started his musical
studies when he was 3 years
old with his father, a band-
leader and singer. By age 10,
he was studying the Euro-
pean classical piano reper-
toire at the National Conser-
vatory in Panama. After re-
ceiving his bachelor’s degree
in electronics in Panama, he
studied jazz composition at
the prestigious Berklee Col-
lege of Music. While still a
student, he performed with
Jon Hendricks, Terence Blan-
chard, Slide Hampton, Clau-
dio Roditi and Paquito
D’Rivera. Quickly established
as a young master, he soon
toured and/or recorded with
artists such as Dizzy Gillespie
United Nations Orchestra
from 1989-1992, Jack De-
Johnette, Steve Lacy , Lee
Konitz, Charlie Haden,
Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano,
Tito Puente, Wynton
Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Gary
Burton, and Roy Haynes. In
2000, Danilo joined Wayne
Shorter, to form Shorter's
great quartet with John Pati-
tucci and Brian Blade. Since
2003 he has been touring
with regular trio featuring
Ben Street and Adam Cruz.
In 1993, Pérez turned his
focus to his own ensembles
and recording projects, releas-
ing eight albums as a leader,
earning Grammy and Latin
Grammy nominations. Pérez,
who served as Goodwill Am-
bassador to UNICEF, has re-
ceived a variety of awards for
his musical achievements, ac-
tivism and social work efforts.
He currently serves as UNESCO
Artist for Peace, Cultural Am-
bassador to the Republic of
Panama, Founder and Artistic
Director of the Panama Jazz
Festival, and Artistic Director of
the Berklee Global Jazz Insti-
tute in Boston’s Berklee Col-
lege of Music. His latest album,
Children Of The Light, a collab-
oration with fellow Wayne
Shorter Quartet members
John Patitucci and Brian Blade
was released on Mack Avenue
in September of 2015.
In 2015, Danilo premiered
two brand new commissions.
In July, he premiered “Expe-
ditions- Panamania 2015” at
the Panamerican games in
Toronto. At the Detroit Jazz
Festival in September he pre-
miered his “Detroit World
Suite- La leyenda de Bayano.”
www.daniloperez.com/.