Oregon Music News

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.