Any (other) Jazzers out there?
Yesterday I got an email from Don Snedecor expanding on a concept he introduced at the bar last week. Which is a very dry way of saying that Don is interested in starting a Jazz festival in the Village. Not necessarily one of those multi-day outdoor affairs involving lawn chairs with umbrellas and fans mounted on them, but sort of a round-robin club affair, and to do it in partnership with the Woodstock neighborhood for good measure. Well, let’s let Don’s own document explain this.
Click the image to download the PDF flyer (1.2MB)
So if you see some cat walking around the Village tonight in a zoot suit, it’s Don. I should point out that my introduction to the Zoot Suit came from watching Tom & Jerry back in the day, specifically, that one classic episode which also introduced me to the song “Is you is, or is you ain’t my baby?” Tom’s zoot suit was yellow, with a matching hat. He’ll be talking up this concept tonight at the “afterparty” following the MNA meeting. The “afterparty” is at O’Connor’s.
I’m a pretty big jazz fan, although I prefer “trad” jazz which means the old trio stuff and artists like Miles Davis (in the early years), Kenny Burrell, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, and Ella. Much to the horror of Mrs. V, I have a long-standing love of traditional New Orleans jazz and a weakness for dixieland. Don’t get me started about “smooth jazz” or music that’s actually R&B - which is usually fine music, but NOT jazz. For some reason I don’t like Jazz vocals as much as I used to, but when I do listen to vocalists, it’s artists from the rat-pack swing era like Frank, Louis Prima or the great female jazz artists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald or Nina Simone (who, granted, is more of a soul singer). Oops - off on a tangent. If you’re into this idea of Don’s, drop him a line @ don@multnomahpost.com. Now is the time to get involved.
May 8th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
A jazz festival, huh? Sounds kinda cool. I get the impression that they want to restrict it pretty narrowly to traditional jazz, particularly if the Jazz Society of Oregon will be involved (and/or it’ll benefit that group). If, however, there was any interest in broadening the focus to other genres, like, say the genre that brought us jazz, I know a pretty good blues band from right here in Hillsdale that would love to take part. Their guitarist actually happens to be the first person ever to earn a Jazz Guitar degree from the U of O; and jazz guitar luminary Dan Balmer has called him “The best Portland guitarist you’ve never heard.”
May 8th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Oops — guess you have HTML turned off in your comments. The URL for that band is:
http://www.tallstatic.com
May 9th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Jazz in MV would be great - yay, Don. My preferences: hard bop, no smooth jazz, more instrumental, less vocal. Blues (and R & B) would also fine with me. Even KMHD 89.1 fm is the Jazz and Blues station these days.
Another preference: non-smoking venues.
May 15th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
I have talked about this jazz-in-the-village concept with a couple of people, including some from way down in the valley. I’ve heard positive comments like, “I would go.” There is at least some demand. But is it enough to make it really work? I hope so. Personally, I don’t like the idea of driving after drinking (which goes with music and bar, right?) So I would likely walk to the venue in the Village and forego the drive to Woodstock. Unless we could get a good Trimet connection.
June 15th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
[...] I have posted previously here (Any Other Jazzers out there?), Don Snedecor of the Multnomah Village Post has been trying to get a monthly Jazz festival/music [...]