Black Music Matters

MusicWatch Monthly: Black History Month

An abbreviated consideration of Black music in Oregon, from Jimmie Herrod and Darrell Grant to Machado Mijiga and esperanza spalding.

Grounded in community: Reflections on a Blacknificent 7 afternoon with Resonance Ensemble

The Oregon choral group hosted the seven strong, all Black composer collective for a Sunday of commissions, premieres, and future classics.

A window into his quicksilver mind: A post Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival conversation with Kevin Day

Talking about growing up with gospel and hip-hop, composing string quartets and opera, playing tuba, and the spontaneity of composition with this year’s WVCMF composer-in-residence.

We who believe in freedom will not rest: Sweet Honey in the Rock with Resonance Ensemble

Two legendary vocal groups united at The Reser for a packed house of enthusiastic fans.

Persistence reborn: Resonance Ensemble with composer Darrell Grant, writer A. Mimi Sei, and Oregon Remembrance Project’s Taylor Stewart

The March 17 concert featured commissioned work by Grant and Sei alongside music by Joel Thompson, Rosephayne Powell, and regular Resonance collaborator Melissa Dunphy.

A conduit to the heart: Portland Opera’s production of “The Snowy Day”

The family-friendly opera by composer Joel Thompson and librettist Andrea Davis Pinkney was premiered in 2021 Houston and runs in Portland through March 24.

PDX Jazz Festival 2024: Local musicians Lo Steele, Methods Body, and greaterkind held their own

This year’s festival of “Black American Music” featured hot touring artists and returning Oregonians alongside up-and-coming new locals.

Honoring the past, setting sights on the future: Portland Youth Philharmonic and Imani Winds

PYP geared up for their upcoming East Coast tour with a thrilling concert featuring music by Amy Beach, Jessie Montgomery, and Jeff Scott.

Conversations and connections: Darrell Grant with Resonance Ensemble, Andrea Reinkemeyer with In Mulieribus

The famed jazz pianist partnered with the choral ensemble and Portland poet/activist A. Mimi Sei to create “From the Book of Sankofa”; the former Linfield Music Department Chair returns to Oregon for the live premiere of her “Cycles of Eternity,” recorded in 2019.

“X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X” at Seattle Opera

SO co-produced the revival of the 1986 Anthony Davis opera, revised and re-premiered in 2022 by Detroit Opera.

A resonant electrifying current: Reflecting on Cappella Romana and Kingdom Sound’s recent concert and albums by Cappella Romana, Resonance Ensemble, Eugene Concert Choir, Oregon Repertory Singers

The Orthodox choral ensemble and Gospel choir joined their voices for February’s “Black Voices in Orthodox Music: How Sweet the Sound.” Recent albums released by Oregon choirs feature music by Melissa Dunphy, Renée Favand-See, Naomi LaViolette, Morten Lauridsen, Stacey Philipps, Undine Smith Moore, Joel Thompson, and more.

MusicWatch Monthly: Nasalrod at Mississippi, Gershwin with Ray Ushikubo, and a month’s worth of Black music from Michelle Cann to mousai REMIX to the Albina Music Trust

The pronk quartet returns to live music, Oregon Symphony celebrates the “Rhapsody” centennial, Grammy-winner Cann performans a recital of Black women composers for PPI, Eugene Concert Choir releases their “Black is Beautiful” CD, and the Albina Community Archive goes live.

Albina Community Archive: Recovering Portland’s Black Music History

The Albina Music Trust celebrates its trove of recordings, photos, memorabilia, articles, and oral histories with a searchable archive and a Feb. 3 release party at Oregon Historical Society.

Unspeakably sad yet somehow uplifting: San Francisco Opera’s ‘Omar’

The Pulitzer-winning opera by Rhiannon Giddens & Michael Abels makes its way across the country.

‘The endless expanse of the African savannah’: Harriet Tubman comes to Jack London Revue

The electric jazz trio will perform at the Portland night club in October.

A profusion of joy: Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita at The Old Church

The Cuban-born keyboardist and Senegalese kora player returned to Oregon for another popular concert of high musical energy.

‘We’ve made it a priority to grow with our creatives’

How The Thesis became one of Portland’s premier live music showcases.

An all-around, all-age success: Portland Jazz Festival 2023

Neither snow nor Covid could cool this year’s jazz festival.

MusicWatch Monthly: Black music and a bloc party for Bandcamp Friday

Featuring KayelaJ, Donte Thomas, PDXJazz, Darrell Grant, and the latest edition of long-running hip-hop showcase The Thesis.

“You have to say what you want to be heard”: Mac Smiff

The Portland writer, hip hop organizer, and activist discusses life as a Black Muslim in Oregon, the foundation of We Out Here Magazine, and monthly hip hop showcase The Thesis.

On his way: Will Liverman in Lincoln Recital Hall

Chamber Music Northwest’s December concert featured the baritone with pianist Gloria Chien, performing some of his favorite storytelling works.

The real deal: Sphinx Virtuosi at The Reser

The conductorless chamber orchestra premiered music by Jessie Montgomery, Valerie Coleman, Carlos Simon, Michael Dudley, and Ricardo Herz.

Now Hear This: Juneteenth edition

Black Bandcamp Matters: A wealth of sounds, from JxJURY to Darrell Grant.

Perpetual light shining on the saints: The long-awaited premiere of Geter’s ‘Requiem’

An African American Requiem raises the roof in world premiere performance.

Imani Winds premieres northwest composers at Alberta Rose Theatre

The restless wind quintet’s blissful concert featured new music co-commissioned by CMNW, OBF, and Anima Mundi.

Damien Geter: Creating with Resonance

In the vocal ensemble, the composer of this weekend's African American Requiem found the ideal partner to make a musical milestone.

A brief note regarding Geter’s ‘Requiem’, premiering this weekend

A few seats remain for this historic concert. If you can’t make it to The Schnitz on Saturday, listen on the radio.

The fugitive energy of art: Chronicling a civil rights milestone in words, music, and images

Darrell Grant’s "Step by Step: The Ruby Bridges Suite" reveals the continuing relevance of historic struggle.

That note in music heard not with the ears: Dr. David Morrow visits Oregon

Esteemed Morehouse Glee Club director teaches local choral students at three-day event in Portland.

There’s power in us that’s greater than the world’s systems in power

Portland Chamber Orchestra premieres the dynamic spoken-word and music collaboration "My Words Are My Sword."