Oregon Music News

I wonder if you know that Lee Dorsey, the great New Orleans Soul and R&B singer, famous for songs like Ya Ya, Workin In a Coal Mine, and many others, was also known as the best body and fender man in New Orleans. We have an equivalent in Oregon. Kenny Goldstein has been a part of the music scene in Oregon for decades, a bass player in multiple genres and an ace auto mechanic. He has helped keep my last four beaters on the road, to be transparent. But do they have anything to do with each other? He’s in the Artichoke café with me right now.

In A Summer full of music festivals, one of the loveliest, happiest of them all is the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival. It happens Friday through Sunday, July 19-21. This is the 44th annual festival. It has gone through a lot of changes, some good and some not so good. These days it’s run by the Jazz Society of Oregon and one of the directors is Yvonne Lerch who is in Artichoke Music with me. She’s been on the Oregon music scene, in one form or another for a long time. The festial is free, so even though it’s this upcoming weekend, there’s no need to plan months in advance. Just come on out and sit under the magnificent St. John’s Bridge and have yourself the perfect summer’s day.

Hi. Tom D’Antoni back in The Artichoke for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. Next time our guest will be Yvonne Lerch, director of the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival which is coming up soon. Also upcoming right here will be bass player Kenny Goldstein, who is also an ace car mechanic. And you’ll be happy to hear that OMN National Editor Art Levine has completed his mammoth story, not for us…and it turns out his appearance on this podcast is a double- header, half on UFO’s and half on AI. Today, an old friend from our days and nights at the Waterfront Blues Festival. Amanda Gresham will introduce us to a new EP from United By Music and we’ll get the lowdown on it and the wonderful work that organization does. So right now, once again, let’s meet Amanda Gresham.

Hi. Tom D’Antoni back in The Artichoke for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. Next time our guest will be Yvonne Lerch, director of the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival which is coming up soon. Also upcoming right here will be bass player Kenny Goldstein, who is also an ace car mechanic. And you’ll be happy to hear that OMN National Editor Art Levine has completed his mammoth story, not for us…and it turns out his appearance on this podcast is a double- header, half on UFO’s and half on AI. Today, an old friend from our days and nights at the Waterfront Blues Festival. Amanda Gresham will introduce us to a new EP from United By Music and we’ll get the lowdown on it and the wonderful work that organization does. So right now, once again, let’s meet Amanda Gresham.

In the coming weeks, Amanda Gresham of United By Music will be here. Yvonne Lerch will stop by to talk about curating the Cathedral Park Festival. Art Levine, our National Editor hasn’t finished his 5 thousand word piece yet…and it isn’t even for us. And you’ll meet Kenny Goldstein a bass player and mobile car mechanic. Today Tim DuRoche pays us another visit. He’s a great hang and a terribly smart guy, a musician and former Jazz journalist. There’s a new Battle Hymns and Gardens album with the two sax players from the Blue Cranes. Let’s find out about it and listen to a track at the end.

Springtime at the Artichoke. Coming up soon on Coffeeshop Conversations…Yvonne Lerch will us about curating my favorite music festival of the summer…Cathedral Park. Also, an interesting person who combines the life of a Blues musician with a car mechanic. And I promise our National Editor, Art Levine will finish his five or six thousand word piece on UFO’s in time to make an appearance here. Today Amy Maxwell, founder of Ticket Tomato who is here to fill us in on the Live Nation situation, how we got here and what’s to come.

Hi, Tom D’Antoni, as always, with another Coffeeshop Conversation from Artichoke Music. Coming up soon we’ll have OMN’s National Editor Art Levine with a conversation on UFO’s and music, not that they have anything to do with each other. Also upcoming, Ticket Tomato’s Amy Maxwell on the Live Nation controversy, Yvonne Lerch on booking the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival. A new episode every week. Today, Adam East is in the building. He’s been at the Alberta Rose Theatre since it opened in 2010 and has helped build their reputation as one of Portland’s best loved venues He’s their talent buyer. You may also know him as a musician, which he still is.

Six years ago, the last time David Monette was our guest on Coffeeshop Conversations, we called him “Portland’s Stradivari” because the trumpets he designs and builds are the equivalent of a Stradivarius violin…and he makes them for some of the world’s greatest musicians at his shop out near the airport in Portland. He's back because he has a new book called “Calculus of Life: A Practical Guide to Transcendence.” What does that have to do with music? According to David, just about everything. He’ll be giving a talk at Portland’s New Renaissance bookstore on Saturday, May 25. On Tuesday, May 21st, he’s bringing musicians in from nearly everywhere to perform and to mark the publication of the book. The event is sold out but he’ll be streaming it. Watch it here. Let’s talk with David Monette.

Back in the Artichoke today with singer/actor Lo Steele, daughter of Portland’s LaRhonda and Mark Steele. Coming up soon…trumpet genius David Monette with his new book on transcendence, our National Editor Art Levine on UFO’s and (maybe) music, plus Adam East the talent buyer from the Alberta Rose Theater. But right now Lo Steele is sitting across from me. We’re so lucky in Oregon to have musician families like this one. After you’ve listened to this one, Follow the link to a video episode with LaRhonda and Mark. Right now, meet Lo Steele.

I hardly know what to say. Eddie Martinez, one of the best known session guitarists in history just left the Café at Artichoke Music after nearly an hour of inspired conversation. Now look. I don’t mean to disparage the over four hundred other guests we’ve had on in ten years of OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations but this one is at or near the top. It’s the third time he’s been on the podcast. I asked him to join me because he has a gig at Jack London Revue on Friday May 3rd. He also has a new EP on the way. We find out about both but mostly we had a bracing conversation. I hope you enjoy It as much as I did. I think he did too.

Every year at this time, we get together with Peter Dammann, Artistic Director of the Waterfront Blues Festival and ace guitar slinger to find out who’s in the festival lineup. He's joining me in the Artichoke Music Café. Next week Lo Steele will be here and coming up guitarist Eddie Martinez and also OMN’s National Editor Art Levine will be talking to us from Washington D.C. But now lets turn our attention to the fourth of July and the shores of the Willamette where tens of thousands of fans gather at the Waterfront Blues Festival. Here’s Peter Dammann to let you in on who’s playing this time around.

As promised, with me in the Café at Artichoke Music is Jennifer Carrizo, Senior Talent Buyer for the Crystal Ballroom, the Mission Theater and the Spanish Ballroom in Tacoma, all part of McMenamin’s wonderfully funky empire. It’s hard to believe we haven’t had many from the venue management side of de bizz eh nezz. But here we are. What does a talent buyer do? Senior or not. I’ll tell you this, the reason you can go out and hear music is because the talent buyer has made a deal which brought that band to you. Let’s meet Jennifer Carrizo.

I’m happy we’re back here in the café at Artichoke Music.. Next week, Jennifer Carrizo from McMenamin’s will be here to talk about what’s going on at the Mission Theater…the answer is a lot! But this week a new conversation from a couple of months ago (and I apologize for the delay) with one of our best singers and songwriters, Anandi. She has a lot to say about Jazz singing, especially the Latin variety. At the time we talked she had just released a new album called A Better Way. We’ll hear a track from it at the end of our conversation Please meet Anandi.

We’ll be back at the Artichoke Music Café next time but this episode had to be recorded today, before a fund raiser to help complete a documentary on the life and death of one of Oregon’s favorite musicians, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist member of Pink Martini and Lions of Batucada among others; Derek Reith who committed suicide in August of 2014. Today Director Joanie Fox will talk to us about Derek, the film and the fund raiser which is being held at Pink Martini World Headquarters in downtown Portland on Thursday, April 4, 5-30 to 7pm. Let’s welcome for the first time, Joanie Fox.

We’re not at the Café at Artichoke Music this time. We’re in Seaside Oregon at the Seaside Jazz and Blues Festival on March 16rh for a very special occasion . We told composer/pianist Gordon Lee that we wanted to talk to him onstage about the set he was about to play and also his new album. In reality we were going to present to him the first annual award in the name of the late beloved drummer and teacher Carlton Jackson for Excellence in Musical Education and Musicianship. Gordon, a friend and long-time musical collaborator with Carlton did not know anything about it. We surprised him. It was quite a moment.

Well this is getting as regular as a rainy February in Oregon. Grammy time rolls around and Cheryl Pawelski gets handed one. She won one for It’s Such a Good Feeling: The Best of Mister Rogers. She’s also won for The Garden Spot Programs, 1950. She was the compilation producer on Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition), which won the Grammy for Best Historical Album. And just a couple of weeks ago she won for the massive collection Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos for Best Historical Album. She also won Best Coffeeshop Conversation episode for 2021. Mostly Cheryl and I like to geek out, talking about music and records. That’s why she’s back at Artichoke again today.

The last time Lisa Lipton sat here in the Artichoke Music Cafe was in August of 2020. I noted at the time what a busy person she was with multiple artistic and executive directorships, plus teaching and a full schedule of her clarinet playing. She still does all that but recently she was brought on as Executive Director of 45th Parallel Universe in addition to retaining the same position with Opera Theater Oregon, as well as Co-founder/Co-owner of Mendelssohn’s, Portland's first classical music-themed bar. We recorded our conversation a few weeks ago on her first full day as the capo di tutti capi at 45th Parallel and to say she was psyched is putting it mildly. They have a concert on Tuesday March 5, Pulse and Pillars: an Evening with Andy Akiho and Gemini Percussion. But now let’s hear what Lisa Lipton has to say about her big day.

Returning for another episode of Coffeeshop Conversations is Lisa Marcicek, known to one and all as Miz Kitty that saucy character who has a major basis in real life as hostess of Miz Kitty’s Parlour, a vaudeville show that has been in our lives for twenty-two years at various locations in Portland. She was back this year at the Mission Theater, a favorite spot for her and the hand-picked troupe of fine performers and misfits, along with the thrift-store prizes she awards to lucky members of the audience. You will remember Lisa as a fiddler with the Flat Mountain Girls. One never knows what she’ll come up with, or as whom. Today, I’m guessing, we’ll be talking to both Miz Kitty and Lisa Marcicek, everything all in one. She’s always fun, no matter who she is at any one time.

Guitarist/composer/teacher Dan Balmer is in the Artichoke Café this time around. He always has a lot to say. I’ve been looking forward to sitting down with him again. Coming up soon on Coffeeshop Conversations, the new executive director of 45th Parallel Universe Lisa Lipton and a visit with Lisa Marcicek also known as Miz Kitty. Dan Balmer has a new album called When the Night. That name. What does it mean. I mean to find out. Listen to the title track at the end of our conversation. Here’s what happened. As soon as Dan got here, we started talking about…well, everything. That’s what happens with Dan. I stopped the conversation and turned on the recorder. The rest Is history.

The Biamp Portland Jazz Festival is rapidly approaching. It runs from February 16 to March 2. As we like to do when our major festivals come around, we ask the folks who are responsible for bringing them to us to fill us in. And as he has been for the past few years, actually since he got the gig, Executive Director Chris Doss is in the Artichoke Café with me to tell us all about every headliner in the festival. It’s an interesting festival this year, with some new faces. So let’s let the boss let us in on the details.

I hope you have been watching the development of OMN’s young Photographer Sydney Lewis. She started shooting for us at seven years of age, under the watchful eye of her father Mike, who also takes photos for us. Her specialty is Metal bands. Seriously. Her first shoot was at the 2019 Waterfront Blues Festival but she has shot almost exclusively Metal since then. After the covid break she continued to shoot with more confidence and authority. She’s eleven now and shows no signs of stopping. As a year-end treat, meet Sydney Lewis and her dad, Mike.

We’re going to wind up 2023 with a couple of Best Of’s but next time, that precocious 11 year old OMN photographer Sydney Lewis will be here with her dad to tell us about shooting Metal bands for the past 4 years. Today I’ve got one person who is in several of the most eclectic bands in Oregon, Galen Clark of Trio Subtonic, Outer Orbit…and others. He’s going to bring Outer Orbit and Greaterkind to McMenamin’s Kennedy School Ballroom on New Year’s Eve. There are at least a dozen or more great shows on New Year’s Eve, but this one would be my pick of where to go. How does he juggle so much talent and creativity in so many projects and do such a fabulous job at it? Welcome back Galen Clark.

Sometimes we have fresh new faces on the scene come to the Artichoke Music Café, and sometimes we welcome musicians who have been around the block a time or two. People who have long-time fans but who have never stopped evolving and discovering new music within them. Steve Wilkinson was in Gravelpit and Mission 5 and his current band Wilkinson Blades, but he’s releasing his first solo album Truth or Consequences, recorded over eight days with producer Rob Stroup in Truth or Consequences New Mexico. Want the truth? When we started rolling I got his name wrong. What a dope. I’m leaving it in.

I think this is the first time we’ve ever run two Coffeeshop Conversations in one week. It’s because of the concerts both Ben Darwish and Jeremy Wilson are doing this week and weekend. Jeremy Wilson is, of course, known for his music. He was a member of the Dharma Bums and others. But he is also known and loved for starting the Jeremy Wilson Foundation which helps fund medical bills for musicians. There are several fund-raising musical events during the course of the year. One happens this weekend at the Alberta Rose Theatre. It’s the Next Waltz during which a whole lot of our finest musicians sing and play all of the tunes from the movie, The Last Waltz which was the final concert by The Band. Let’s catch up on the concert preparations, the work of the foundation and what’s up with one of Oregon’s favorite dudes, Jeremy Wilson.

Nearly ten years ago we got the news that Ben Darwish, composer, producer and keyboardist was moving from his Portland birthplace to Los Angeles. He had been a part of a flowering of young Jazz musicians, coming out of college in the early two thousands. The other part of the news was that he was going to be playing with a Pop band. He is with me now at the Artichoke Café because he’s going to have his first Portland gig in eight years on Tuesday, November 21 at Mississippi Studios for an evening of what he calls “High energy Jazz.” Great news. We’ve got some story to fill in here.

There are various signposts by which we mark the beginning of the holiday season. My favorite is John Waters’ return to Portland for his annual “A John Waters Christmas” show at the Aladdin Theater. It always sells out, and has again this year. Nevertheless, it’s a chance to talk with John about the show and all of the exciting things he’s been up to over the past year. We know each other from my Baltimore days. I was born there and spent far too many decades there before I escaped to Portland. Mine was his final interview of the day about the show. Lucky us. Welcome back John Waters.

Arietta Ward: Looking forward to another 400 episodes of Coffeeshop Conversations @ Artichoke Music by Oregon Music News

This is the four hundredth episode of Coffeeshop Conversations. Next week will be four hundred and one. There are times in our lives that call for courage and inspiration. Our guest today, pianist Dave Fleschner is fresh out of rehab. His story is full of both. Our guest next week is Arietta Ward who is known and loved for bringing the light of inspiration even though deep down she’s a shy person. I just had back surgery which brought me over a hundred good wishes. So it’s a special time around the coffeeshop at the Café in Artichoke. Here’s episode number four hundred with Dave Fleschner.

One of my favorite Coffeeshop Conversations guests is here again. She’s Sarah Tiedemann, Third Angle New Music’s Artistic Director, and also a flutist. Third Angle’s exciting new season is already underway and Sarah will tell us all about it. Our next two episodes are special…this one is too, but we’re marking episodes 400 and 401 with a very personal story from Dave Fleschner about recovery...that’s 400 and an inspiring look to the future from MizEtta, Arietta Ward. But first, let’s welcome back Sarah Tiedemann.

It has been three years since composer/pianist/educator Darrell Grant visited the Café at Artichoke Music. He’s so busy and prolific it seems like we could have him on once a month. Of course he is still a tenured professor of Jazz Studies and Associate Director of the School of Music at Portland State University, but I also like to think of him in the true New Orleans use of the word “professor,” when it comes to pianists, one of great respect. He released a new album this week called Our Mr. Jackson, honoring not only the Modern Jazz Quartet and Milt Jackson but beloved Portland drummer, the late Carlton Jackson who plays on the album along with Marcus Shelby and Mike Horsfall. The album release concert takes place at Hallowed Halls on Thursday October 12. It’s a beautiful album. Let’s find out all about it. Listen to Versailles from the album at the end of our conversation.

We’re not in the Artichoke Café this time because although our guest Doug MacLeod will be performing there on Saturday, October 7, he’s not rolling into town until the day of the gig. Such is life on the road. So instead, when we talked, he was in Memphis and I was right here in Portland. Doug is a legendary Blues singer, guitar picker and storyteller. He’s been out there doing all three for several decades and he just seems to get better every year. He’s got great stories and not only about himself. Doug has seven Blues Music Awards and about a million nominations for others. Listen to “Unmarked Road” at the end of our conversation. You’re gonna like Doug MacLeod.

I was doing a bit of rummaging and in one of those boxes were audio cassettes of a show I used to do on the American Radio Network. In the past I have found one show with Max Roach and one with Leon Redbone. Today the tape that somewhat magically appeared in my hand was the time I spent on the air with composer/pianst Carla Bley. It aired live on March 31st 1990 as part of a series I was doing which I thought of as…”Who Haven’t I interviewed that I’ve always wanted to talk to. I’m pretty tenacious when it come to landing interviews especially with people who have never heard of me. Even in the days before podcasts, and this is really proto-podcast stuff, she had no idea who I was. Yet I persisted. Here it is, complete with station breaks and commercials.

Regular Coffeeshop Conversations followers know that every once in a while we like to bring in one of the folks who help bring you OMN. Today photographer Anthony Pidgeon is in the Artichoke Café with me. Performance photos are a major part of OMN’s coverage of Oregon’s music makers. We have several excellent photographers who brave photo pits to capture unforgettable moments in music. Not long ago, Anthony had EIGHT photo galleries from this month’s Pickathon. That’s a lot! Let’s meet Anthony Pidgeon.

There’s a new addition to Coffeeshop Conversations this time. I asked Saxophonist/Tap Dancer Shoehorn aka Michael Conley to sit in my chair and lead the conversation with someone he wanted to talk to. He’s an entertaining guy and I wanted to hear what he did with one of these things. He chose Blues singer/guitarist Tevis Hodge, Jr. who in the past few years has made quite a name for himself in the Blues World. They have played together many times and it’s interesting to hear them talk musician to musician without being too technical. That’s what I have liked about the stories Shoehorn has written for OMN. Let’s listen to him and Tevis Hodge. Jr.

It’s ironic that even though in order to make a living at playing music in Oregon, you have to be able to play in diverse styles, there are many loyal groups of people who are fans of strictly one particular genre or another. There are Metal heads, Blues fans and Tango lovers to name a few. One of those groups is the folks who love Swing Dancing. Therefore, there are musicians who provide them with something to dance to. With me in the Artichoke Café today is Eddie Montejo who’s Rhythm Wrecker Dance Band is a favorite of our Swing Dancers. He’s the leader and the drummer. He also helped organize the Portland Lindy Society. So here’s everything you always wanted to know about Swing Dancing and Eddie Montejo.

EXCLUSIVE! At the end of our conversation, listen to a new tune just recorded on July 19! It will release at The Cello Goodbye show on Sunday. Cellist Skip vonKuske is in the Artichoke Music Café, not his first time here but it’s a special occasion. Skip is moving out of Oregon after a long run as one of the founders of the Portland Cello Project, a solo performer and member of many other bands and ensembles playing all kinds of music over the past few decades. He’s staging a farewell show on Sunday, July 23 at the Star Theater with a vast array of musicians and bands Skip has played with. It’s called Cello Goodbye. Skip is one of the people responsible for cellos turning up in so many bands and ensembles over the past 30 years or so. Find out where he’s going and why and why the huge rise in the popularity cellos have found. We’ll miss him.

First of all, don’t miss the next Coffeeshop Conversation. It’s with Skip VonKuske Oregon’s beloved cellist who will be moving to Massachusetts in a couple of weeks. But this weekend is the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, under that magnificent bridge in St. Johns. It’s the forty-third annual and it’s presented by the Jazz Society of Oregon. From the Jazz Society is Rita Rega who has been in on the planning and execution. I love that festival. There are hardly any spots in Portland that are as beautiful and although the festival has had it’s ups and downs over the years. It sure has been extremely up in the past few years. Meet Rita Rega.

If you thought Soul singer Andy Stokes has been missing since the clubs and concerts returned, you’re right. We’re going to find out why. Andy, no stranger to Coffeeshop Conversations is back with us and in the midst of a flurry of concerts. He’ll be singing with Soul Vaccination at the Waterfront Blues Festival on Tuesday July 4 on the South Stage. He will be singing some Tower of Power and a few of his originals. It’s always a treat to hear Andy’s big voice but especially so since he has just come out the other side of some health problems. He has as new album on the way, too. Welcome back Andy Stokes!

It’s a special edition of OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations this time. At the other end of the Skype box is Jack Heyrman, an ex-label owner and producer and an old friend of mine. His label was called Clean Cuts and it is most famous for Dr. John’s first solo album called Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack, recorded in1981. Jack also produced the follow-up The Brightest Smile In Town which was also solo. The two remain the only studio-recorded solo albums of Dr. John’s career. The Sundazed label is re-releasing the first one In August. Jack is with me to tell the story of how it happened. Welcome Jack Heyrman.

It’s not every day that we have a new music venue open up. Especially one like SoundsTruck Northwest, a brand new mobile stage, complete with concerts, begins its inaugural season on Sunday, June 18 at Cathedral Park. Other offerings in their Summer Series include concerts at the Japanese Garden, Mt. Tabor and Lewis and Clark College. More details here. There are many other concerts already scheduled for the summer. With me today is Amelia Lukas who is also a flutist and is involved in curating the Summer Series as well as working comms for them. So let’s welcome her and a big Portland welcome to our newest and most unique venue…SoundsTruck NW.

A couple of weeks ago composer/guitarist Ryan Meagher was here to talk about his latest recording, AftEarth a collaboration with artist Tina Granzo. If you heard it you realize that it had a profound impact on me. It is such a close collaboration that I felt we had to hear from the other half of the creators. So with me in the Café at Artichoke Music is Tina Granzo who’s drawings along with Ryan’s music have made this such an evocative work. Whether you think it’s about climate change or a document evoking those years we were quarantined, it is a remarkable work. So closing the circle, meet Tina Granzo.

Ever wonder what a music publicist does all day? Or even what one is? With me in the Artichoke Music Café is Nicole Lane who has much experience doing that. I know publicists. I get a hundred emails a day from them. I chose Nicole because she’s so good at it, as you will see. She works for Chamber Music Northwest but she’s done work for multiple genres of music. The job stays the same no matter what. And what is the job? Meet Nicole Lane.

Ryan Meagher is in the Artichoke Café with me today. He is a very busy man. Besides his career as guitarist and composer, he is also the Artistic Director of the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble where he also runs their PJCE label. He also programs the Montavilla Jazz Festival, does a lot of teaching and I will run out of intro time if I continued to list what else he does. He’s here to talk about his latest project, a combination of his music and Tina Granzo’s art called AftEarth. It was written and recorded during the Covid lockdown. It’s one of the most unusual, compelling documents of that time. And something you should hear. Let’s talk with Ryan Meagher.

This is the three hundred and eighty-fifth episode of Coffeeshop Conversations. That’s a lot of talking and not all of it by me. Next week KMHD’s head honcho Matt Fleeger will be here and the following week Nicole Lane, ace publicist will visit the Café. Today writer Larry Colton is sitting across from me. He has authored six books, was the founder of Wordstock, now known as the Portland Book Festival. He was also a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies and the beloved Portland Mavericks. What? No music? What me worry? By the time we’re finished that will not be an issue. Welcome back Larry Colton.

This is going to be fun. I’ve been looking forward to this one. Next time writer Larry Colton will be here and the following week Matt Fleeger, the head honcho and my boss at KMHD. But today across from me is ace bassist, all around smart guy, fellow Orioles fan and East-coast compare Dennis Caiazza. He’s generally not the headliner in the band but he is indispensable in any band he plays with. He’s musically versatile, specializing in Jazz and braciole. We’ll get to that. I just love saying the word “braciole.” We’ll also get to the Chicken Dance. Meet Dennis Caiazza

From the Artichoke Music Café….next week bassist Dennis Caiazza will be here, the following week, writer Larry Colton and the week after that, KMHD’s Matt Fleeger, my boss over there. Today, however one of my favorite people, saxophonist, teacher and bee person Mieke Bruggeman. She is one of the founding members of the Quadraphonnes, playing baritone sax in that wonderful saxophone quartet. Also, she is the Education Coordinator for and plays in the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble. And she teaches in multiple schools and/or organizations. And then there are the bees. You heard me. She is queen of all the queen and other bees in her yard. That’s a first for Coffeeshop Conversations. Let’s meet Mieke Bruggeman.

It isn’t quite time for the 2023 Waterfront Blues Festival but it is time for OMN’s annual preview from the lips of festival Artistic Director and ace guitarist Peter Dammann. The festival is back at full strength after weathering covid. The same old beautiful grass-covered park alongside the Willamette July firsr to fourth. There will be some old favorites, others returning from long absences, newcomers we’ve heard about and some we will discover, that’s one of the delights of the festival. The cruises, the food, the sun and the breezes all await as does the headliner, Buddy Guy who is advertising this appearance as his “Damn Right Farewell Tour.” Welcome back Peter Dammann.

In the Artichoke Café again. Coming up in the next couple of weeks, Peter Dammann to tell us all about the lineup for the Waterfront Blues Fesival, Terry Robb, famed guitar slinger, and Jazz bassist Dennis Caizza. Today I’m very happy to welcome China Forbes of Pink Martini but not only Pink Martini, she has a new album of her own in the works and will be singing with the Oregon Symphony on Saturday, May 6. That’s a lot to talk about. As I’m sure you know China has been with Pink Martini since circa 1995. It’s something that’s taken her all over the world. One thing I will ask is has she ever gotten tired of singing Brazil. Let’s welcome China Forbes.

Next week on the pod, China Forbes pays a visit to Café Artichoke. Can’t wait for that one. Also coming up are Coffeeshop Conversations with Terry Robb and also Peter Dammann is coming in to tell us about the Waterfront Blues Festival lineup. Today Jazz pianist/composer Gordon Lee is here. He’s just as busy as ever. He’s a part of a memorial tribute to David Ornette Cherry on Thursday, April 13 at Alberta House. We’ll hear all about that and also about his upcoming album. Both something to look forward to. You know him, of course for his years with Mel Brown’s Septet. He’s as comfortable playing hard bop as he is on the outer edges of Jazz. Welcome Gordon Lee back to the podcast.

While we await the upcoming Coffeeshop Conversations arrivals of China Forbes, Gordon Lee and Peter Dammann it is my pleasure to introduce you to Shelley Garrett, the new Executive Director of Artichoke Music. She’s no stranger here, having booked the live music for the last couple of years, and also having been a fixture on the Blues scene in Oregon for a long time with her work with the Cascade Blues Association. She has a hand in several major events here, a spring clearance sale in the store March 31st – April second. Their first ever fundraiser Telethon on April 15 and A week of events from June 4th through June 10th in the Cafe’ to celebrate their 50th anniversary, culminating in a concert on June 11th with Artichoke favorites from years past. Let’s meet Shelley Garrett.

In the Artichoke Music Café with Portland Radio Project Executive Director Veronica Bisesti today. Coming up, pianist/composer Gordon Lee, new Artichoke Executive Director Shelley Garrett, Peter Dammann who curates the Waterfront Blues Festival and just confirmed, China Forbes of Pink Martini. But today….Veronica Bisesti has been with Portland Radio Project since it began in 2013. She does the Subculture show on Wednesdays from 7 to 8pm How is PRP doing? What does the future look like? They recently moved to a new location and are settling in just fine. We’re both radio station rats so let’s have some fun. Meet Veronica Bisesti.

There are some folks who just radiate light. I like to have them here on the pod. Today’s guest has been here before and when I heard she was involved in Siren Nation’s 16th annual tribute to Billie Holiday, I said, “Well ok! It’s time to have her back and catch up.” You know Marcia Hocker from her radio days at KMHD and now at KBOO. She’s curating the Siren Nation tribute to Billie Holiday where she will also MC and sing. That’s at the Alberta Rose Theater on Saturday April 8. Find out all about it, who else is on the bill, what she’s going to sing. She’s one of the nicest people in Oregon’s music scene. Welcome back Marcia Hocker.

Portland music's Joey Scruggs got hit by a car and now some in Portland's music industry are having a benefit for him on Saturday, March 18 at the Mission Theater. Listen to Steve Wilkinson, who put it together.

Wayne Shorter - SO IT GOES - Christopher Woitach And Friends 3 7 23, 6.27 PM by Oregon Music News

It’s a beautiful day in the coffeeshop, otherwise known as The Artichoke Music Café. Next week, you know her as one of the great radio voices but do you know Marcia Hocker as a singer? She’ll be here. Sitting across from me today is trombonist/composer/teacher Adriana Wagner. What I’m wondering is how to I not ask her what it’s like to be a female trombonist without asking her what it’s like to be a female trombonist, a question I am as sick of asking as I am guessing she is of answering. We’ll see how that goes. She has a bunch of exciting gigs upcoming, mostly Jazz which is her first love. One is right here in this room on Sunday March 12 at Artichoke as part of the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble’s Young Jazz Composers Alumni Concert. Meet Adriana Wagner.

I’ve got good news today. After a few years of bad news in the music industry, there have been many musicians who have lately told me that they’re gigging more than ever. Now here comes Terry Currier who runs Music Millennium with similar good news. He’ll tell us all about it. It’s always good to sit down and talk with Terry. He’s been an immensely valuable member of the Oregon music industry for decades. Coming up on Thursday, March 16 Music Millennium will celebrate it’s fifty-fourth anniversary. There’s nothing quite like browsing in a record store. Welcome back Terry Currier.

I never thank enough, the folks who made our theme music and allow us to use it. They are Derek Sims and Keith Schreiner for Ghost Jazz. Coming up in the next couple of weeks we’ll have trombonist Adriana Wagner and Mr. Music Millennium Terry Currier. I’ve been looking forward to today’s Coffeeshop Conversation. Beth Harrington is making her third appearance here, but her first since 2017. You know her from her many music documentaries including The Winding Stream: The Carters, the Cashes & the course of Country music. She has a new project that she is immersed in. It’s called Our Mr. Matsura and we’ll find out all about it. Welcome back Beth Harrington.

This is a special edition of OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations @ Artichoke Music. At the last moment three separate guests had to cancel. A bad thing, perhaps. But perhaps not because I turned to an old box of audio cassettes, the remnants of some of my earlier years in radio, and I ran across a tape of a conversation I had with the great drummer, percussionist, composer and icon…Max Roach. I had forgotten that he was a guest on a show I did on what was then called the American Radio Network one Saturday night, March 1, 1990. Max was on the phone and I was in the studio in Baltimore Maryland. That is this week’s podcast. Max Roach! I am leaving the commercials, beeps boops, interruptions and everything else in. Just as it originally aired. Enjoy.

You may have heard that in January, The 1905, Portland’s premier Jazz club was named by Down Beat Magazine as one of the best Jazz venues in the world. In the world. Not since the demise of Jimmy Mak’s have we had anything even close to what The 1905 has going for it. The top world-class musicians in an atmosphere equal to the music. With me in the Artichoke Café today is Aaron Barnes, one of the people who made all that happen. Was that his aim when he started? How did he manage to survive the pandemic not only intact, but flourishing. He’s a born and bred Portlander and that makes it even sweeter. It’s a great story. Let’s meet Aaron Barnes.

Guess what happens on March Fourth? It’s the twentieth anniversary of March Fourth. Actually every March Fourth is an anniversary of every other March Fourth but this March Fourth is the twentieth anniversary of March Fourth the band. That’s a Saturday and there will be a lot of fun at the Crystal Ballroom that day and night. One of the founders who is also one of two remaining members of the original band John Averill is here in the Artichoke Café with me. We’ll find out how they’ve managed to keep on going despite the rigors of the road and band busses that tend to break down. He’s on his way to the recording studio where March Fourth is making an EP. At the end? The classic Space Hole from their fifth anniversary album. Welcome back John Averill.

It’s Biamp Portland Jazz Festival time of year again, and as we always love to do, we asked PDX Jazz Executive Director Chris Doss to come here to the Café at Artichoke Music and tell us who’s playing this year, from beginning to end (that’s Thursday February 16 through Saturday, February25. It’s a big musically diverse concert series in several venues. Kind of like we say at KMHD…Jazz Without Boudaries. Chris Doss has as big hand in curating the festival which features everything from the newest Jazz on the planet, to straight-ahead Jazz, ECM -type Jazz, international Jazz, Soul, Funk and Hip-hop Jazz…just about anything you can think of and some that you’ve never heard of. That’s what I like, discovery. So let’s find out right now from Chris Doss.

This time with me here is pianist/composer Greg Goebel, known for his virtuosity as well as his versatility. We’ll get into that and at the end of our conversation we’ll here one of his compositions. He’ll also talk to us about that and his work with Chris Brown and how some Jazz takes on some popular tunes fits into what he does. That synthesis is part of the history of Jazz, and it hasn’t stopped. Nor has Mr. Geobel. Nor have we. Upcoming Coffeeshop Conversations will feature John Averill, founder of March Fourth. Also coming up is Chris Doss the Executive Director of PDX Jazz to fill us in on this year’s Portland Jazz Festival. Right now, meet Greg Goebel.

We’ll be back at The Café in Artichoke Music next week. Mean ole Mr. Covid laid me up for a few weeks but things are much better now. Nevertheless, I am using an ancient arcane device known as the telephone to talk with this week’s guest Steve Swatkins, he of the keyboards and voice box, a composer and bandleader as well as a member of Allen Stone’s band. His new album Friends and Other Necessities is just out and it is both very funky and tremendously inspiring. Not religious, but just exactly what we need right now. I realize I said that about Jim Brunberg’s new album a couple of weeks ago but that just means we’re lucky to have both of them in our world. Steve lives in L.A. now with his fiancé Moorea Masa, who appears on the album. Mr. Swatkins, come here, I want you. That’s what Mr. Bell said.

Hi there. We’re not in Café Artichoke today because I have the covid. I am not in any danger but I don’t want to give it to anyone and so I am at my desk, and at her home in Portland is violist Kyleen King. She is having the time of her life, having played the Moda Center on New Year’s Eve and an appearance on Saturday Night LIve both as a member of Brandi Carlisle’s band. Matter of fact, she’s played all over the world as Brandi’s violist. How did this happen? How did she become a member of Brandi’s band? And what’s up with Swansea, another band she’s in, with Portlanders Rebecca Sanborn and Ji Tanzer. It’s a happy episode of Coffeeshop Conversations.

Thanks to Artichoke Music’s Chairman of the Board and Artistic Director Paul Ward, we have two guests in the Artichoke Café today…and Paul is at the controls, along with a mic for himself. Our guests today are singers and songwriters Bre Greg and Colin Hogan who have a double album release coming up on Saturday, January 14 at the Alberta Rose Theatre. Bre’s band Red Bird will be playing and The Colin Trio will also. Separately and together? That remains to be seen. They’re both here in the Café and have come to talk about their new releases and their musical friendship. They both live in multiple genres which, in Oregon, is a necessity as well as a love. So for the first time on OMM’s Coffeeshop Conversations…let’s meet Bre and Colin.

Jim Brunberg is back. He’s been here a lot during the pandemic because he was one of the folks who were responsible for getting federal and state money to our venues to keep them open. We’re not going to talk about that today. We’re going to talk about his new album Songs of Stupid Hope. We need this album now and you can quote me. We’ll find out why during our conversation which, if you know either one of us, goes off in fifty different directions. The great Jack Casady appears on a couple of tracks. We’ll find out about that. There’s also a story about Jim’s opening for Bruce Springsteen which may or may not have been a dream. Welcome back, Jim Brunberg.

It’s the last of a trio of inadvertent Coffeeshop Conversations with accordion players for which I have no explanation other than they all have clever, sparkling personalities. First was Darka Dusty, then Courtney von Drehle and today it’s Jetty Swart. I asked her how to pronounce her name, and since I don’t edit these things, you’ll hear her explanation in detail including her other name, Jet Black Pearl. She’s a composer, singer, accordionist and an all-around funny, singular personality who is married to the Bubble Man. She is from the Netherlands and has travelled the world performing and leaving a trail of delight wherever she goes. Including here. Meet Jetty Swart.

It’s the second installment of Why Did He Choose to talk with accordion players three episodes in a row. Last time it was Darka Dusty, next time it’ll be Jety Swart aka Jet Black Pearl and this time it’s our old friend Courtney von Drehle. Bela Balogh, his collaborator of a couple of decades in groups like Three Leg Torso was supposed to be here too but he had a gig tossed his way at the last minute. They’re working on a new holiday show called The Elves of Frostländ - The Next Generation featuring film segments directed by Bela. It’ll be at the Alberta Rose Theatre on December 17. Let’s do some catching up with the ever clever Courtney von Drehle.

We have a very interesting series beginning with this episode of Coffeeshop Conversations @ Artichoke Music with very interesting people. The one thing they have in common is that they all play accordion. Now when I asked them to guest, that fact did not occur to me. Don’t ask why because I don’t know. I just like all of them. In the next two weeks Jetty Swart aka Jet Black Pearl and then our old friend Courtney von Drehle of Three Leg Torso. Right now, across from me is Darka Dusty who is also well known as a vocalist, specializing in the music of Ukraine. Lately she has put together several fund raisers to help Ukranians caught up in the war. She and her husband Miri own Mirifoto which specializes in photographs of musicians. And there’s talk of her doing her own podcast. Lots to talk about and Darka is a trip.

Welcome back to the Café at Artichoke Music. Wanted you to know that next week Darka Dusty will be here to talk about all things Ukranian (including music). Today we have light in the Café and it’s brought to us as she brings it to everywhere she goes…it’s MizEtta….Arietta Ward. If you’ve been in the Portland music scene for any length of time you saw her grow up…the daughter to our beloved Janice Scroggins. But she stepped out of her mom’s shadow a long time ago. She’s just back from Europe….and that is a story in itself. Several stories. December is Ettabration month with a birthday show at the Alberta Street Pub on Thursday the eighth. Welcome back Arietta Ward.

Coming up next week here in the Artichoke Café, MizEtta, Arietta Ward, and the following week Darka Dusty will be here to talk about Ukraine and a lot more. We’re on a great run of Coffeeshop Conversations. Last time it was Jeremy Wilson and today it’s pianist/composer Kerry Politzer who has a new album on Portland’s PJCE label. It’s called In a Heartbeat and features an all-star band which includes her husband George Colligan on drums. She’ll talk about the rest of the band why the album is called In a Heartbeat, and you can hear the title track when we’re done talking. Kerry also teaches music and we’ll get into that too. This terrific run of Coffeeshop Conversations @ Artichoke rolls on.

Next week Miz Etta, Arietta Ward will be here in the Artichoke Café with me to tell us about her European tour. The week after, composer, pianist Kerry Politzer about her new album. You’ll like them. Today Jeremy Wilson who you know as an Oregon Music Hall of fame inductee for his long career which, of course includes the Dharma Bums. He’s also known for starting the Jeremy Wilson Foundation which gives money to people in the music industry who are in need. It’s a great service which has leant a hand to many of our finest musicians. Find out about it and the annual upcoming benefit concerts, the Next Waltz.

We’ve got some exciting Coffeeshop Conversations coming up. In the next three weeks we’ll have Jeremy Wilson, Miz Etta, Arietta Ward and also pianist Kerry Politzer in the Artichoke Café. Today James Latham is here with me. He’s the mastermind behind the Tom Waits tribute show on Sunday, November 6 at the Alberta Rose Theater. We’ll find out the lineup of Portland singers and players who are tackling the Tom Waits canon. It’s a benefit concert, too. How does something like this happen? He’ll tell us why and how. Meet James Latham.

Carly Harvey interview with Art Levine Part 3 by Oregon Music News

Carly Harvey Interview with Art Levine Parrt 2 by Oregon Music News

A middle of the night interview with Carley Harvey who will sing at Newberg ’s Meraviglioso Winery at 4 p.m, Saturday October 22 show, followed by a 10:30 p.m Tuesday show at Garages Music in Lake Oswego and an appearance next Friday in Camano, Washington. “I

Hey. Welcome back to the Café in Artichoke Music. Next week Farnell Newton will pay a return visit and the following week, Jeremy Wilson will be here for the first time to talk about his foundation and what he’s doing musically. Today, sitting across from me armed with a pile of harmonicas is Arthur Moore who has seen and heard and played with a lot of the great Portland Blues musicians and is the maestro of Arthur Moores Harmonica Party which has been going on for decades and which is now right here in Café Artichoke once a month. Think we can get him to play something? Pretty sure we can count on it. Meet the legendary Arthur Moore.

I’ve been looking forward to being back here in the Café at Artichoke Music with Cheryl Pawelski from Omnivore Recordings since she and I first geeked out in April of 2021 after Omnivore won a Grammy for a Best of Mr. Rogers release. I am going to tell you how Omnivore defines itself because it’s succinct and I am lazy. Says here, “It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings as well as select releases of new music on CD, vinyl and digital formats.” Cheryl walked into the Café loaded down with their latest releases and you should have seen my face. It was like Christmas morning and I was 10 and Santa brought everything I wanted. Welcome back Cheryl Pawelski.

Welcome back to the Café in Artichoke Music. I’m Tom D’Antoni, Next time we’ll bring back for a new visit Cheryl Pawelski of Omnivore Recordings, one of my favorite guests. Across the table today is Peter Bilotta, Executive Director of Chamber Music Northwest. Their new season has just started and he’s going to tell us about the entire rest of the season, which as you know, is something we like to do. I want to find out what an executive director really does. Also, in case you’re wondering, what exactly is Chamber Music and why it is not stuffy and boring…because it isn’t. Meet Peter Bilotta.

Things are still returning from pandemic exile. October brings the return of Miz Kitty’s Parlour, the vaudeville show from Lisa Marsicek who is the Miz Kitty Character. Lisa and her troupe of vaudevillians will be at the Old Church Concert Hall on Saturday October 29. She is with me in the Artichoke Café which is where she staged the first Parlor twenty-one years ago…when the Café and Artichoke were in the ole Hawthorne Boulevard location. Next week we’ll have Chamber Music Northwest’s Executive Director Peter Bilotta. Today, Welcome back Miz Kitty.

We’re really cranking up since my return to the Artichoke Café a few weeks ago. Next week Lisa Marsicek, known to all as Miz Kitty of Miz Kitty’s Parlor will be here. The following week, Chamber Music Northwest’s Executive Director Peter Bilotta will talk about their new season. And the week after that Cheryl Pawelski of Omnivore Records will be here to geek out with me about their newest releases of old or oldER music. But today the great recording engineer Bob Stark is here to catch up on his newest studio and what the life of a recording engineer is like in 2022.

Welcome back to the Café in Artichoke Music. I’m Tom D’Antoni. Sitting across from me is Pepe Raphael, a singer and dancer who may be best known for his Pepe and the Bottle Blondes ensemble. He was a member of Pink Martini too. He’s pretty much legendary around here and even moreso since he added a spectacular handlebar moustache. While keeping the Bottle Blondes always at the ready, his main project at the moment is a trio by the name of the Vegan Carnivores. Yeah, I know. I don’t know what it means either. We’ll find out. We’ll get to the bottom of that and a lot more in the life of Pepe Raphael.

Thanks for finding another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation from the Artichoke Music Café. I’m Tom D’Antoni. With me Is drummer/composer/journalist/intellect and all-around talented guy Tim DuRoche. He is, what amounts to kicking off the fall music season on Wednesday September 7 with a weekly-month-long concert series at the Turn! Turn! Turn! club. In Portland. Each performance with a different ensemble. He also plays on the new album, Amazing Life by Ezra Weiss which will have a release gig on Tuesday, October 4 at the Old Church.

From the cozy Artichoke Music Café, I’m glad you joined us again. This week sitting across from me is one of Portland’s best drummers, Tyrone Hendrix who plays in several bands, we’ll get an update on that. He’s also a part owner of the Alberta Street Pub where he has had a hand in booking and playing, of course. We’ll also find out about his son who is also a drummer…..and the rest of his family. Next week, another drummer and also a music journalist, Tim DuRoche will be here. I’d better sharpen my brain for that one. Tim is deep. Of course, so is Tyrone. He took time out of a very busy schedule to visit. He’s going out on the road among many other things. Here’s Tyrone Hendrix.

From the Artichoke Music Café…and it’s a good feeling to say that again….I am sitting across from Paul Ward, the new Artichoke Executive Director and Board Chair. He’s been on the job for a matter of weeks but he’s full of ideas and has experience in both music, he’s a pianist, and business with multiple degrees and an excellent track record in running companies. Bob Howard, who just retired from Paul’s job maneuvered Artichoke through the pandemic and now it’s up to Paul to take the next steps. He’s on the job. Meet Paul Ward.

Coffeeshop Conversations has returned to the Artichoke Music Café and it’s great to be back and just as great to be sitting across from Reggie Houston, saxophonist, vocalist and composer who moved back home to New Orleans a few years back but is making a visit to Portland in anticipation of moving back to his adopted home. We’ve missed him, his music and his spirit. He is a fountain of knowledge, memories and good will, as you might remember from previous appearances on this podcast when he talked about being in Fats Domino’s band, about Dave Bartholomew and lots and lots and lots of things like that. He was showing me pictures and just listen to the names of the people in the picture when I turned on the recorder.

Over the years of this podcast…eight to be exact…one of our favorite guests has been OMN’s National Editor Art Levine. He’s a journalist with international cred. His book Mental Health Inc is a very serious work. He has been an editor at the Washington Monthly and has written very funny pieces for National Lampoon, among many others. We always have fun when he’s on this podcast. We’re going to talk about the best interviews we’ve ever done including James Brown, Ruth Brown, Leon Redbone, Hank Ballard, Storm Large and many others. It’s always fun to talk to Art. We’ve been friends for fifty years. That’s scary.

Just a few more weeks until we’re back in the Artichoke Music Café. The podcast which goes up on August 19 with Reggie Houston, fresh from New Orleans will mark our return home to Artichoke. The 19th also marks the start of the three day Montavilla Jazz Festival, and as we always do, joining me electronically to talk about the full lineup is one of its curators, specifically Program Director, guitarist/composer Ryan Meagher. Ryan and I are also big baseball fans but we’ll save that until I shut off the recorder. Montavilla exists on its own but is greatly influenced in subjects and aims of the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble. Therefore, here’s the non-baseball part of my conversation with Ryan Meagher.

Welcome back to not the Artichoke Music Café. We’ll be back there on August 18 and talking with Reggie Houston who will obviously be in Portland. Today I am officially ending further discussion of what did you do during the pandemic. I’m about to talk with singer/pianist/composer Rachel Taylor-Brown, one of my favorite musicians on earth. We should consider ourselves lucky to hear what she has to say because she doesn’t do a whole lot of interviews. This being a conversation makes it different but not by much. No, she doesn’t have a new album to push and that’s fine. She does have a lot of new songs which are not ready for us to hear, but she’s ready to tell us about them. I’m calling her now.

I’m counting the days until I am recovered from the back surgery and can get to the Artichoke Café and sit across the table from our podcast guest. That will be on August 16 and it will also mark the return to Portland (for a visit) by Reggie Houston who moved back to New Orleans a couple of years ago. Today marks a Skype return to Portland by Jazz guitarist/composer Margaret Slovak who has had an odyssey which includes eight surgeries on her hand arm and shoulder. She has a new album called Ballad for Brad. Brad being her husband. Title track included here. They live in Austin, Texas. It’s a long journey and it’s not over. Welcome back Margaret Slovak.

Hey. I have recovered enough from back surgery to make it over to my desk and start a whole new round of Coffeeshop Conversations episodes via Skype and other methods. I hope to be sitting in the Artichoke Café in another month. I said hope to. I know that today our guest is Bobby Smith, XRAY radio DJ (and he’ll make some news about that). He’s archivist for the Albina Music Trust who, along with World Arts Foundation will be presenting a series of concerts and discussions and spoken word events all over town this summer. They’re calling it Summer of Sound. It's a celebration of Portland’s Black music…past and present. We’ll find out all about that and all of Bobby’s fine work. Meet Bobby Smith.

The Waterfront Blues Festival is right around the corner…the Fourth of July weekend, as you know. Over the years, OMN has given you inside looks at how it runs, besides keeping you informed about the musicians. Today Louis Pain is here, or King Louie as he likes to be known. We all know he’s a master of the Hammond B-3, but did you know he has a thriving business renting them…including at the Blues Festival. You’ll see two of them this year. He’ll be playing, of course, but so will any other musician who needs one. We’ll take a medium deep dive into those strange creatures, the organs not the organists and hear about the time another musician messed with one that Booker T was going to play. Here’s Louis Pain.

Regular listeners to this podcast, and even irregular listeners may or may not remember that for the past few weeks I’ve invited some of my favorite guests to come to the Artichoke Café while I have a window between surgeries. I’ll still make episodes, but for a little while they’ll be via Skype or something like it. Today I am happy to have Ramsey Embick here with me. You may know him from his Jazz piano playing and composing and his Soul and Latin piano playing and composing. He spent a long time in Los Angeles where he worked with dozens of people you’ve heard of including the Pointer Sisters…even Michael Jackson. I want to ask him a million questions about that and other things because he’s always clever and quirky. Welcome back Ramsey Embick.

Returning to the Artichoke Music Café with me today is Third Angle New Music Artistic Director, flutist Sarah Tiedemann, a Coffeeshop Conversations favorite. The 22-23 season has been announced and Sarah is going to tell us all about what looks to be a very exciting musical experience for everyone…musicians and listeners. After a couple of years of the pandemic, you might say this is the first year she’s been able to spread her wings and put her stamp on all things Third Angle. Everything from the Spruce Goose to music to be played to a 1930’s silent Chinese movie. Let’s find out about the whole season from Sarah Tiedemann.

Pretty Gritty, a duo featuring Sarah Anne Wolfe and Blaine Heinonen has been around since they moved to Portland from the D.C. area twelve years ago. Now Sarah is moving to the East Coast and Blaine is staying put, putting at least a temporary end to the collaboration. Maybe, maybe not. Their farewell concert is Saturday, May 28 at Artichoke Music in the Café which is where I’m about to talk with them.

We’re still back at the Artichoke Music Café this week for a special occasion, the final day as Executive Director for Bob Howard. He’s retiring, there is a new head honcho in charge, his name is Paul K Ward. Bob shepherded Artichoke’s move from Hawthorne to Powell Boulevard and guided it through the pandemic. Not an easy job. The café is crowded today. Bob refers to several of the people here without telling us who they are. That’s ok, we recorded this last Tuesday and by now he’s in Paris. That’s France. Let’s say farewell to Bob Howard.

We are back at the Café at Artichoke Music with one of our favorite guests. And while I have this window of a month or so to be here and not on Skype before my next surgery, I’m bringing back some folks who have made great guests. Today it’s Lloyd Jones, singer, composer, guitarist and a guy who is full of great stories from a very long and productive career that’s still going strong. I see he has brought a guitar with him, so that’s something else to look forward to. So what we’ve got today is basically a hang. And you’re invited. I’ve got a cup of coffee here, so let’s say hi to Lloyd Jones.

For the first time since December, I am back at Artichoke Music in their Café. I had surgery in January…which worked and I did a few months in Skype prison. I have a new and different surgery in about a month and we’ll go back to Skype then until I heal, but for the next few weeks, it’s GREAT to be back and talking to people in person across a table, coffee in hand. Today I am very happy to have Meg with me. You know her as Meg Samples on KMHD and also as drummer and new Executive Director of Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble under the name of Meg Morrow. She took the PJCE gig not long ago and is busy making her mark. We’ll find out what that might be and ask her if she knows any drummer jokes. Meet…well, Meg.

Ever get the feeling that everyone you see has a podcast? Seems that way. Most of them last a few episodes and run out of steam. Some have been around long enough to re-imagine themselves and what they’re about. Gritty Birds is one like that. Our guest today makes that podcast. Her name is Jeni Wren Stottrup. You may also know her as a singer and composer Jeni Wren. She also operates the Podcast Forum and assumes her role as a podcast coach. We’ll find out all about all of those roles and where the name Gritty Birds came from. Jeni has been through a lot in the past couple of years, as we all have. Find out what she’s found on the other side.