The Shivas and !mindparade shimmy into Doug Fir Lounge; 45th Parallel illuminates the Universe; Machado Mijiga’s new “Uncharted,” “Loss” and Third Angle; MF Zakir.
In which we discuss Baroque music, marching bands, protest songs, and other acts of resistance.
Featuring KayelaJ, Donte Thomas, PDXJazz, Darrell Grant, and the latest edition of long-running hip-hop showcase The Thesis.
January brings a city-wide music festival, Fear No Music’s “Generations,” a PJCE celebration of women in jazz, and more.
Listening backwards and forwards to the trends and traditions which (we hope) will continue into the next year.
Your guide to making last-minute holiday music plans through the New Year, from Nutcrackers to Pink Martinis.
In which we discuss Niel DePonte’s chair change, Aminé with Oregon Symphony, Caroline Shaw at The Reser, PCSO premieres Nicole Buetti, Cappella Romana premieres Robert Kyr, Young Composers Project alumni with FNM and MYS and PYP, Dvořák galore, and more.
Classical mainstays move into their seasons, a choir dissents, new music sounds out, electronica and rock get experimental, plus jazz and post-punk.
Waterfront festivals, touring jazz giants, and local musicians transmute summer into fall.
Keep keeping your fingers crossed for an Augustful of festivals, from jazz to loopers to hip-hop.
Summer brings sunny festivals to Oregon ears: Chamber Music Northwest inside, Cathedral Park Jazz Festival outside, and more.
Pride Month, Juneteenth, and more.
As musicians play canary in the Covid coal mine, youth orchestras play concerti; cellos haunt The Old Church and Dante’s; Gaytheist and Eight Bells get hard.
Earth days, green days, Russian music, new music.
Reser Center marches forth in Beaverton; Black music still matters; “Ladies’ Night” with Third Angle.
Change in the weather, change in the sound: The Oregon music scene begins to thaw and stretch its muscles.
Festivals galore hope to postpone postponement, offering live music and merch
Christmas concerts, drag shows, música latina, doom metal, and everything in between
MusicWatch Monthly: November brings a wave of sounds (and don’t forget Halloween and Day of the Dead).
Symphonies, concerti, chamber collabs, extra-curricular improv, progressive jazz, and Zoomer B.S.
September attempts to get “real” with symphonies, operas, ‘90s bands
It’s a busy August of album-release shows, neighborhood concerts, a renamed synth library, Hip Hop Week & more.
In the opening remarks at last week’s Makrokosmos festival, pianist and co-Artistic-Director Saar Ahuvia said, “live music is finally back.” That is true, with an asterisk.
As vaccination rates rise and infection rates fall, Oregon’s music world starts to take to the great outdoors.
At least April ended on a high note: FearNoMusic’s headliner show capped off its season brilliantly.
Looking forward to a wild summer where the masks start to come off and the concerts slowly start coming back.
Old Portland, new Portland, any way you like Portland: Charles Rose lends an ear to the music of March.
Portland Jazz Festival, rewatching Motchisuki, African films, Black composers, Sybarite5 and more.
This year the holidays take on a somber tone. Will we have to leave some of our favorite traditions behind?
Fear No Music’s new series starts with Nokuthula Ngwenyama, Regina Harris Baiocchi, Adolphus Hailstork.
Living composers, ghost composers, cloned string quartets, and a virtual songspiel
Shining a light on rose gardens Oregon musicians are tending; listening to Kenji Bunch on behalf of the City of Roses.
On the opposite of “the dead.” Living music, the “quick,” the good stuff: paying living performers, promoting living composers, responding to living audiences.
Last week we talked all about how everyone should be making albums right now, and hopefully you all nodded your heads and muttered, “hell yeah!”
Taking a spin with some recordings fit for troubled times (plus a few albums we wish existed).
Let’s talk about the part of the music industry most directly impacted by The Troubles: the shuttered venues where we no longer gather and share musical ecstasy. But let’s be honest…
In which we lament Geter’s Requiem, remember Menomena, and set Kevin down on the PDX Couch.
We’re toggling between extremes: mass digital socialization and truly next-level hermit action.
Oregon musical performances may be suspended, but Oregon music plays on. Oregon classical musicians aren’t letting a little thing like a deadly pandemic and total cancellation of live performances stop them from bringing the sounds. Tonight, Friday May 8, at 10 pm,
Strikes, unions, mega-corporations and the unpaid labors of love (with a tip of the hat to Bandcamp).
Examining the New Flesh. Staying home and slaying dragons. Running on a treadmill. It’s corona time.
Music in the Time of Pandemic: Turn off the web, put on an album, close your eyes, and listen.
No fooling, no fake news: an imaginative leap into a possible musical future.
First of all, how are you? Eating enough? Staying inside and entertained? Called your friends and/or family lately? Good. Let’s start by collectively admitting that we’re Not Doing Alright. It’s been a busy two weeks since last we spoke, dear reader: schools
Bad news, everyone! No, it’s not quite the end of the world. But, yes, shows are being canceled.
Defining “American”: Caroline Shaw, nyckelharpa and hardanger fiddle, Carnatic voice & violin, harps & drums, American gothick.
Notes for an extra day: A weekend of concerts and a Portland Weird undectet.
An Oregon lineup that mines the meanings of “Americana” and “world music.”
Matthew Neil Andrews thinks about the phantom zone of “world music” and what it really means.
Matthew Neil Andrews spots composers everywhere, and a jazz festival, too.
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