Running Up That Hill☟
For the past month, I have spent each Friday afternoon/early-evening running to the top of Rocky Butte, an extinct volcanic cinder cone in NE Portland. I make the climb for both practical and spiritual reasons. On a clear day I am rewarded with views of Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood and (sometimes) Mount Jefferson while planes enter and depart Portland International Airport.
This route had also become part of a recent training regiment ahead of a half-marathon race. I often feel a sense of pride and calm after a run, however these steep, short ascents have become more than a post work-week cleanse. Each time the climb > the payoff. The climb provides an opportunity further develop my sense of self. It requires self-compassion and kindness (something I should afford myself more often). It’s a welcome reminder, one I aim to carry especially as I make headway on another album. I’m going to keep running up that hill.
Listen to Music Outdoors☟
It’s truly strange to release music without touring/live-performance as part of the equation. Now two releases deep this pandemic, I am so grateful to be back in the saddle and connecting with in-person audiences again. This weekend I return to Los Angeles to perform at Permanent Records Roadhouse. It’s an outdoor matinee show (3-6pm) on their patio. $5-10 sliding scale entry. Put together a hell of a band for this one - Chris Muccioli on drums, Jacob Maag (Sonoda, New Balance, etc.) on bass and Conor Gallaher (Pearl Charles, etc). on pedal-steel. Music. Outside. Record Store. Beer. Come on. Tell a friend!
November DJ Sets☟
I want to give a huge shoutout to the bars, etc. around town that have invited me to spin vinyl recently - Either/Or, Dig A Pony, Keys Lounge, Donnie Vegas, and Mad Hanna. All of these spots are actively curating a diverse roster of DJs, truly doing the lords work. It’s been another avenue of connection with music obsessives in Portland. Have a few sets coming up in November! If you’re in Portland, please come say hello. Hair by Sunny Eckerle.
+Sunday 11/7 at Mad Hanna (4-730pm) - country/country-adjacent jams and
+Tuesday 11/16 at Donnie Vegas (9pm-1am) - soul, funk, gospel, etc.
Shabop Shalom☟
Just sayin’. + Nalgene Bottles (new color!) have been re-stocked as well.
Community Spotlight - The Creative Music Guild☟
The Creative Music Guild is a Portland, Oregon all-volunteer, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote experimental, improvised music by presenting concerts, workshops and other events that bring together internationally recognized musicians with local performers, audiences and music students of all ages. For over twenty years, the CMG has been a leader in cultivating Portland’s experimental and improvised music.
Below is a conversation with artistic director Mike Gamble. Stay up to date with all things CMG via Instagram and Facebook.
+ What conversations/ideas led to the formation of the Creative Music Guild?
For over twenty years, the CMG has been a leader in cultivating Portland’s experimental and improvised music. It’s origin of spreading this music being heard by the Portland was all because of the phenomenal saxophonist Rich Halley. Then the torch was passed onto bass clarinetist / OLO fragrance co-owner Jonathan Sielaff (Golden Retriever) and then eventually was made as what it is by the punk jazz outfit Halfbird saxophonist Ben Kates. As the current artistic director my goal is to make the organization more internationally sought after as a destination and also more recognized as a growing org in the PNW.
+ How do you see CMG fitting within the larger music community in Portland?
CMG’s impact on Portland's experimental scene is truly ever growing and helps add a necessary layer of sonic truth to our musical community. Without friction, there is no movement…and we’re lucky to have them both continually because of a growing base of interest and openness/ fluidity within the programming.
+ What are some of the core events/programs you offer?
There are currently four major components of the organization:
The Outset Series
The Outset Series provides an opportunity for local improvising musicians to get in front of an audience in a non-commercial venue with a completely attentive audience that is dedicated to creative, improvised music. This is the only regular series in Portland that features experimental, improvised music in front of a live audience. The Outset Series is now hosted by the KEX hotel in Northeast Portland after 4 years at TurnTurnTurn and 3 years at Revival Drum Shop.
The Improvisation Summit of Portland
The Improvisation Summit of Portland is an annual, multi-day performance festival featuring the best in creative, improvised and experimental music in collaboration with dancers, film, and other artists. Our festival committee carefully curates a stunning group of performers as well as organizes panel presentations, workshops and other events that coincide with the festival.
Confluence
The Visiting Artist Series We present 6-8 concerts a year by artists from all over the world at venues around Portland. Our programming committee carefully curates this series taking into account diversity (both musical diversity as well as gender & ethnic diversity), quality and recognition (extremely high quality of craft is a given and some degree of critical and/or community recognition within the creative improvisation scene is crucial) and the ability of the musicians to come to Portland without our help (we generally don’t get involved in concerts that would happen without us). This series occurs approximately monthly from October to May.
Extradition Series.
The Extradition Series presents quarterly concerts of composed and improvised New Music and works from the 20th and 21st century experimental tradition, performed by regional musicians and featured guest performers.
And we happy to add a soon to be official series Disordance
“Discordance is a series showcasing artists who’s discipline encompasses noise, free improvisation and musique concrète. Artists involved are both regional and afar.”
- Caspar Sonnet
+ What about your work brings you joy?
Seeing true communication and true community on display in an intimate environment is the true appeal to me. It’s all about actually physically being there and creating something from that space—and creating space as well. Now that venues are re-emerging and regulations are lifted, the barrier of the pandemic is finally, albeit gradually, being broken down. Throughout our own personal reintegration into this environment, we must be sensitive to each other's surroundings, needs, and especially our collective desire to see this vibrant microcosm we call Portland Oregon reconcile with its racist, sexist, colonial history and the trauma that continues to be evident. We hope we can push through and keep helping artists express themselves without any boundaries or limitations whatsoever.
+ How can people stay in the know/get involved?
Send us and email / performance request via our website. Follow our instagram and facebook profiles and mostly come to the shows and say hi!
+ Anything else you want to share - upcoming events, etc?
Discordance Series
St Philip Neri, 11/3, 8pm with proof of vaccination.
Tatsuya Nakatani (featured artist, Japan)
Cost
Maxx Katz’s presents at the OUTSET SERIES
Wednesday, Nov. 17th KEX Hotel
Luke Wyland (solo)
Shangri-La Sisters (Salty and Crystal Jiko)
Ixnay meets Long Drive Theater (Maxx Katz, John Niekrasz, Kaitlyn Petrik, Richie Greene)
Mike Gamble Presents Winter Solstice Series “Zenith”
Boedecker Foundation Dec 21st
Featuring the MetaOrcherstra
Mike Gamble- Guitar, efx, Synth, Musical Director
Machado Mijiga- woodwinds, Efx
Noah Simpson- Trumpet, Efx
Michelle Alany- Violin, Efx
Alexis Mahler- Cello, Viola, Efc
Andrew Jones- Upright bass, Efx
Alex Callenberger- sound design, keyboards
Michael Lockwood- Drums, Glockenspiel
Holland Andrews- vox, dance
Paris Meyers- live video painting
Devin Jane- video projections and ipad painting
Reading, Watching & Listening To☟
Reading
+ In The Country of Country (Nicholas Dawidoff)
+ Destroy Your Safe and Happy Lives (Jack Carneal)
+ Beyond Jogging - The Innerspaces of Running (Mike Spino)
Listening
+ Ambient Rumors - Whatever Heaven
+ Cape Cod Cottage - Brendan Eder Ensemble
+ Kevin Vicalvi - Songs from Down the Hall
Watching
+ Squid Game (Netflix)
+ Great News (Netflix)