Oregon Music News

Chris Doss OMN 2026 by Oregon Music News

This was supposed to have run a couple of weeks ago but that awful flu intervened, both for me and Paul K Ward. We're both back at work. Sorry to keep you waiting. = = = = = = = A couple of weeks ago we got the news that Music Millennium owner Terry Currier was, at 70 years of age, looking to the future of Music Millennium and handing off to another owner or owners the home of recorded music in Oregon…after forty-two years at that magnificent museum of music on East Burnside. I’m at my desk in Northwest Portland, at the controls engineering, producing and editing is Paul K Ward in his Studio Blue in Northeast Portland. And in his office at Music Millennium is our guest Terry Currier to tell us how all of this happened, how he sees his future and that of the record store. He’s no stranger to Coffeeshop Conversations. He’s been a guest once a year for …well for EVER.

Hey Tom D’Antoni back with ya. It’s another Oregon Music News Coffeeshop Conversation I’m at my desk in Northwest Portland. Engineer, producer/editor Paul K Ward is in his studioblue and at his home? Guitarist/composer Chance Hayden. It’s been a long time since Chance was on the podcast and I don’t know why. …he is a very busy musician.

Joe Manis - the Point 12_19_2025 by Oregon Music News

It’s another Oregon Music News Coffeeshop Conversation. I’m at my desk in Northwest Portland and in studioblue in Northeast Portland are, at the controls, Paul K Ward and with him is Darka Dusty. She of the Light and Limn podcast she and her husband Miri do. She and Miri visited Ukraine for five weeks during the summer. They did an episode of their podcast when they returned. I wondeed, now that Darka has had more time to process, what she thinks of it and how it has effected her.

PDX Jazz Festival Jazz Master. He ran the Portland State University Jazz program for 27 years and produced generations of great musicians. //

Paul Brainard: Playing many instruments including "The Fun Machine: Coffeeshop Conversations #448 by Oregon Music News

Tom D’Antoni back with you for another, as a matter of fact the four hundred and forty sixth Coffeeshop Conversation. Well, yeah I’m proud of that. Proud also that returning to the bat controls at his own studioblue in Northeast Portland is the very busy pianist/comper/proudcer Paul K Ward. I’m still at my desk in Northwest Portland. Sitting next to Paul is the fabulous Miz Kitty of Miz Kitty’s Parlour…l o u r…the long running vaudeville show, which returns once again on Saturday, October 18th to the Mission Theater. We’ll find out who’s playing in a bit. Miz Kitty, in her other life is Lisa Marsicek, she of many bands, maybe the most well-known of which was the Flat Mountain Girls who many of us still miss.

What we’re going to do this week is talk to Arietta Ward and Terry Robb. The backstory? You remember Sly Stone passed away on June 9th I did a memorial set on KMHD’s I Like It Like That. But there was one song I wanted to play and I couldn't find the album no matter how hard I looked and I have a lot of CD’s. It was a lengthy search and very frustrating. I was on the last shelf, the last place it could be and there it was. The song was If You Want Me To Stay and the version I wanted to play was from an album called Sista by Portland’s angels; Janice Scroggins and Linda Hornbuckle. You know how you get when you hunger for knowledge about something you love? That is precisely why Janice’s daughter Arietta Ward is here. She was there at the recording sessions. Also with us is Terry Robb who produced those sessions. And by the way, the day I found it would have been Janice’s birthday.

Happy to be with you for another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation. I’m Tom D’Antoni at my desk in NW Portland. At the controls in NE Portland studioblue…all lower case…all one word is Paul K Ward without whom Coffeeshop Conversations wouldn’t exist in its present form. As Dr. John would say, A big round of ammunition for Paul. And along with hin is our guest today, Jim Friscia, from an organization called Swan Songs, musical last wishes. What’s that? That’s what we’re here to find out. Jim was one of the founders of Portland’s own Mardi Gras Krewe The Missti Krewe of Nimbus Which makes merry every Mardi Gras. And we are still trying to have lunch at that Sicilian restaurant…what was it again Jim? And what do you recommend?

First of all, thanks for all the Birthday wishes. Much appreciated. Of course, it’s another reminder of my age. Not much I can do about that. Thanks also once again to Paul K Ward for recording and editing at his studioblue in Northeast Portland as is our guest. I’m at my desk again in Northwest Portland. You know lots of musicians moved to Portland because of our music scene, at least in part. Today we’re talking to Debra Giannini who has lived all over the place, moving to Portland in 1990. She had multiple careers, the musical one being as a singer/songwriter and folk music artist. But she’s about to leave town, to a degree. And as such she’s about to launch a farewell Portland tour, singing and playing guitar and baritone ukulele. She’s calling it “The Savoring Time Tour.” It begins in Portland and ends (if there is such a thing) in Kansas where she will light like a butterfly on a leaf. That seems like a good time for me to stop talking and let her explain herself.

Glad you found another OMN Coffeeshop Conversation once again not at Artichoke Music…yet. Paul K Ward is at the controls again in studioblue…all one word, lower case,and doing a great job of being the real reason why there still are Coffeeshop Conversations Artichoke or not. I’m at my desk in Northwest Portland. With Paul is guitarist, composer and educator Ryan Meagher and we’re going to talk baseball. He’s a Giants fan and I’m an Orioles fan so there are no bitter rivalries between us. Ok, we’re not going to talk baseball. That’s for when we’re not rolling. I could give you a list of what Ryan is up to, but it’s hard to keep up with him. Let’s just say he does a lot of things and we’ll let him tell us what they are in the order he thinks best.

Welcome back to OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations yet again not at Artichoke Music, although we’re getting closer. I’m at my desk in Northwest Portland and Paul K Ward is in his studioblue on the other side of town, at the controls along with our guest making a return appearance, saxophonist, vocalist and educator and once again a resident of Portland…….our friend Reggie Houston. He’s got a new band, something I’m eager to hear about. He has a birthday gig coming up at EAT that combination restaurant and venue that’s been a home to him and various ensembles he has put together. That’ll be on Wednesday, July second. Reggie has done several memorable Coffeeshop Conversations so let’s get rolling on this one

Vocalist/bassist Lisa Mann is coming back strong from a severely broken leg, as only she can. She's gigging again and is full of the fire and energy we've come to know. But that's not all we talk about, as you might expect. You'll like this one.

Glad you found us after a couple of weeks off, OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations is back. Paul K Ward is at the control in his Studio Blue Productions headquarters, I am still at my desk on NW Lovejoy Stret because I’m not quitte ready to return to the world. With Paul is today’s guest Nichollas Grier, pianist, a mental health therapist, professor of Practical Theology and counselling at Claremont School of Theology and a councelor at the Bishop Wellness center at Wilamette University. He has a presentation at the 1905 club, it’s called Juneteenth Emancipation Jazz Concert on Thursday, Jun 19th and Professor Grier is with Paul in the studio to tell us all about it.

Molly Tentarelli is with Paul K Ward at his studio, I'm at my desk in NW Portland. Molly is as versatile an artist as it gets. Find out how and why.

Brady Goss used to be the kid Boogie-Woogie piano player. He isn't a kid anymore but in addition to pounding out the Jerry Lee Lewis sound, he's added other genres and techniques. He's playing with Curtis Salgado and also is a part of an Allman Brothers tribute band. His journey has been an interesting one. Paul K Ward recorded and produced from his studio blue. Brady was there and I was at my desk in NW Portland.

Pete Peterson: One Busy Saxophonist -- CC#433 by Oregon Music News

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, 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.

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.

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’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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Parrt 2 by Oregon Music News

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.

Maria Muldaur is our guest on Coffeeshop Conversations this week. She will be in Oregon for two upcoming shows; in Eugene at WOW Hall on Friday, April 8 and a sold-out show in Nehalem the next night. Right now she’s in Mill Valley, California. Don’t you dare call her a one-hit-wonder because she has been lending her voice to her own band and dozens of other groups for a long long time. Next week, our guest will be writer Shawn Levy on his upcoming book on female comedians from Moms Mabley to Joan Rivers. But right now let’s talk to the lively and enthusiastic Maria Muldaur.

Still a few weeks away from returning to the Café at Artichoke Music so we have to put up with other means. Lucky for us I’ve got Blues harmonica player and writer Kim Field on the line. He was with us a few years ago and he’s back now because he has a new book, “The Blues Dream of Billy Boy Arnold" on the legendary Chicago Blues Harmonica player. It's in first person because he spent a long time in conversation with Billy Boy, who is now 86 years old with seemingly perfect recall. Tales of Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson and the whole panoply of Chicago Blues greats. Let’s get started. Here’s Kim Field.

There are a couple of guys in Portland who have been playing together for a long time. They are both guitarists. They call themselves Moon and Bike mainly because their names are Boone and Mike. Boone Johnson plays acoustic guitar and Michael Robert Swanson plays electric guitar. It’s an interesting pairing and brought into high relief when they just play as a duo. They released their first album as a duo last year…all instrumental. They’re not kids, but have a lot of fresh spacy ideas. Their combination of crystal clear acoustic and reverbed electric guitars is pretty unique these days. They recently played their first Portland Gig at Music Millennium and will be playing right here at Artichoke on December 3. Boone the Moon is here with me right now.

The Blue Cranes have a new album. That news is enough to make fans happy, but that’s not all… it is called Voices, individual collaborations with vocalists Holland Andrews, Edna Vasquez and Luz Elena Mendoza, Rebecca Sanborn, Laura Gibson, Peter Frederick, Gavin Castelton, Redray Frazier, Analisa Tornfelt and Laura Viers. It’s the best thing I’ve heard in years. Magnificent. A masterpiece. And if you know me, you know I don’t throw those words around lightly Blue Cranes’ Reed Wallsmith is in the Artichoke Café with me.

In the Artichoke Music Café with me is the co-founder of a new label which she and her co-founder Damon Bucher have launched. She goes by the name of Sappho. Her other name is Megan Andricos. She’s a long-time Portland club DJ and party promoter. The label is called Koritsi Komma which is Greek for Party Girl and they say it is “a dance music record label to raise the visibility of queer party music.” They’re launching with the release of the singles "Higher Love" (on Oct. 1st) and "All I Want Is You" (on Oct. 15th), with remixes by Portland producers Perfect Health and Natasha Kmeto. Those singles are from an LP, due in November You’ll like Sappho. Let’s meet her.

Fifty-one years ago Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen album was released. It was and instant classic. You may not know a lot of backstory but by the time you finish listening to this you’ll know a bucketful because with me in the Artichoke Music Café is the percussionist from that band. You know him, he’s in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. It’s Bobby Torres who also played with Joe Cocker at Woodstock. As you may remember, Leon Russell played a huge part in the Mad Dogs band which was ad hoc at the time. So let’s go back to 1970 and find out what life was like with the mad dogs and Englishmen. All I have to do is push this little chromium switch. The tune at the end is "Afuebe" by Ghanaian Master Drummer Israel Annoh from the album of the same name, Produced by Bobby Torres.

Back in masks at Artichoke Café because the governor said to. She knows more about it than I do. Thankfully someone is here with me. His name is Noah Kite, he’s a singer, composer and guitarist who has a new album out this week called Drunk Lil’ Guy. In case you’re wondering, he is not the drunk lil guy. We’ll get into that. He calls what he does Chamber Folk which is just as good a musical concept as it is a marketing tool. Don’t get me wrong tho, Noah is a serious human, the songs, the music and his demeaner. His release gig is Friday, September 3rd at Polaris Hall with Sama Damas and Blair Borax. Let’s meet Noah Kite

It’s lovely to be joined in the Artichoke Café today by singer, guitarist, composer and all-around great person, Mary Flower. She’ll be a part of a celebration here at Artichoke they’re calling Summerfest, Thursday through Sunday, August 26th through 29th with a full lineup of not only your Artichoke favorites but some folks you’d never expect like Coffeeshop Conversations favorites Darkswoon. Mary has a new tune, written during the pandemic which she will perform for us at the end of our conversation. We’ll also find out how she’s handling emerging again. Next week Ryan Meagher will be in the Café and tell us about how he and his compatriots have put together an exciting 2021 version of the Montavilla Jazz Festival. But now let’s turn our attention to Mary Flower.

The downsized but still mighty Waterfront Blues Festival begins on Thursday, July 1 and ends Monday July 5 “Upriver” at the Lot at Zidell Yards. Details here. On Monday, July 5 drummer Tony Coleman’s Tribute to the Three Kings, B.B., Albert and Freddie with an all-star band. T.C. played with B.B. and Albert’s bands and on the same bill with Freddie. Listen to him tell us what we have in store.

Want to do something that makes you feel like we’re getting back to normal? One thing you can do is listen to this episode of Coffeeshop Conversations at Artichoke Music because unlike last summer when there wasn’t one, Peter Dammann is here to tell us all about the 2021 Waterfront Blues Festival. You heard me! It’s back. It’s smaller and down the street from where it usually is but there are people at this moment knocking themselves out to make it happen. As he has been since the beginning of time, Festival Artistic Director and ace guitarist Peter Damman is in the Café to tell us pretty much everything we want to know about the festival. All I have to do is push this little switch.

Can you feel it? Can you feel the music returning? Feels good. Karen Lovely is in the Artichoke Music Café with me today. She has not been doing a whole lot of music in the past year but she has been very busy with her other work as an advocate and first responder for domestic violence. We’ll hear about both, that and her return to music. And as important as the music is to all of us, her work with victims of domestic violence is crucial. She’s still got the voice and the attitude however and we’ve missed both. She’s got gigs lined up and is working on a new album but let’s let Karen Lovely do the talking. She’s good at that. She’s good at all of it.

It sure is nice being back in the Artichoke Music Café and sitting across from our podcast guests again, believe me. Especially when you’re sitting across from The Boogie Cat, the always splendidly dressed, Portland icon Norman Sylvester who has been bringing us Blues and Soul music for generations. He’s working with the Bravo Youth Orchestras organization which has a virtual event on Sunday, April 18 called Crossing Borders at 6:30pm. Norman will tell us all about it. And Norman is going to sing a little right here on the podcast. How about that. Here’s the Boogie Cat.

George Colligan is Skyping with me today. We’re looking to be back in the Café at Artichoke Music in about a month, once I’m fully vaccinated. You may know George Colligan as a Jazz pianist and composer, a teacher and valued member of several internationally known ensembles. On his new album Long Term Goals with his band Theoretical Planets, he’s a leader and a drummer. Most of the ensemble is made up of former PSU students of his, but they play like they’ve been together forever. That’s all pretty unique in the world of music and it takes a lot of talent to pull it off. That’s what George Colligan does. He’s a true musical intellectual but has the ability to clearly relate musical concepts to dummies like me. He’s peripatetic but he took some time to be with us.

This edition of OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations at Artichoke Music is headed your way early this week because March Fourth is Thursday. It’s the 18th anniversary of Portland’s beloved March Fourth who used to be called March Fourth Marching Band. They’ll be streaming a special anniversary show featuring footage from the best of the last three anniversary shows at the Crystal Ballroom…and boy do we miss the Crystal Ballroom. It’ll be hosted by March Fourth bandleader and founder John Averill. John is trapped in my Skype machine at the moment. We’ll find out what they’ve been doing for the past year, what they’ve got in store in the future and we’ll look back at some of the moments that made us all love the band. Let’s pry open the lid of that Skype machine and find out what he’s up to.

We’re Skyping again today. Hopefully just a few more weeks and I can get jabbed and we’ll be back in the Artichoke Music Café. Communicating online is a way of life now. So is playing music and streaming it. Moses Barrett who leads the band the Junebugs is also one of the founders of Left Door Streaming, one of Portland’s most active presenters of music online. How did it happen? What’s involved in doing it? How does it effect his band? What does the future hold? I guess nobody really knows the answer to that one. But Moses has some ideas. My guess is that live-streaming will be an option for years to come. But who knows? Let’s meet Moses Barrett.

We’re not at Artichoke Music this week or next. The store is open and doing well, but since I have all the right things wrong with me, I’m going to wait for the vaccine to arrive before I start recording there again. This is a week I’ve been waiting for...literally, years. Composer Andrew Durkin and Mary-Sue Tobin are Skyping with me because after a four-year wait, Five Pointed Star, the collaboration between Andrew and the Quadraphonnes, Oregon’s all-female saxophone quartet, is about to be released…and it’s very special. It’s unique, as you might expect, reflecting the unique personalities and talents of all involved.

Given the givens looking forward to 2021 is a happy activity. One thing we can count on in 2021 is that there will be a Portland Jazz Festival in February. And as we always do, the executive director is here to tell us about all the performers, how they will perform and how PDX Jazz has been plowing through the muck of the past year. Chris Doss came on for 2020’s festival in his first year on the job, and he’s in Café Artichoke with me to run down everything you’ll hear and see in 2021 from top to bottom. Believe me, it’s a pleasure to actually talk about music and musicians and festivals again.

Happy to be back with you again in the Artichoke Music Café. And after several years, Amy Maxwell is back on the podcast. She runs Ticket Tomato, the Oregon-based concert and venue ticketing company, trying to keep their head above water, like the rest of us. What does the present look like? And what does the future hold? The first part we know, but the second is speculation, at best an educated guess. Amy is an expert and that’s why she’s here. She also has a fun new company we’ll be finding out about. She’s wearing one of her items in the picture. Here’s Amy Maxwell.

Because OMN just turned eleven last week. I thought I’d take a break on Coffeeshop Conversations from talking to folks in the music industry and talk to myself….and you. I helped found OMN in 2009, Later, I’ll tell you why in case you’ve never heard that story before. What else are we going to talk about besides of course the future? I dunno. Let’s just find out. Oh, and by the way, next week we’ll be talking with Ticket Tomato’s Amy Maxwell, no stranger to the podcast, about the future of concerts. And the following week to percussionist and actor Caton Lyles. Our eternal thanks to Keith Schreiner and Derek Sims, recording as Jazztronica for our theme music, called Ghost Jazz.

I always like it when I Have someone in the Artichoke Music Café who I’ve enjoyed and admired but have neve met. One of those people is Sarah Clare who is here in the Café with me. I’ve known about her for years for her singing with Dirty Revival. They were getting ready for a tour with Galactic when we all got smacked down with the virus. That has not stopped her. She’s been doing a lot of live-streaming, she is headimg up the Musicians in Solidarity organization and is involved with a new label, People Music. We’ll talk about all those things. I was great to finally meeting Sarah Clarke.

Karl Denson interview from 2013 / Waterfront Blues Festival by Oregon Music News

After a week off, OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations is back in a big way. Sometimes Coffeeshop Conversations introduces you to new artists or artists you may not have heard of but if you have never heard of Curtis Salgado, God help ya. He’s with Paul K Ward at Paul’s studio blue. Paul is at the controls and I am beating on my laptop as usual. It occurred to me that I have never introduced Curtis in public, not at the Waterfront Blues Festival….nor anywhere else….and I have introduced hundreds of musicians to tens of thousands of people. One of these days I’d like to stoke up a crowd, already psyched to hear Curtis…and fix that. Meanwhile, ladies and gentlemen, give a big round of ammunition for everybody’s favorite favorite Curtis Salgado.

Happy Mardi Gras everybody. Things are winding up or winding down to Fat Tuesday on March 4th 2025…Depending on how you look at it. And who better to help us find out all about the big fun here in the Big Rainy is Steve Kerin, keyboardist and co-founder of the Misty Krewe of Nimbus, our own Portland Mardi Gras Krewe, Steve Kerin. The Krewe is throwing their annual Mardi Gras Ball at the Wonder Ballroom on Saturday, March first and then on Mardi Gras day it’ll be time for their big Parade. That’s when the big bass drum leads the big parade Paul K Ward is producing today’s episode, he’s at the controls at his studioblue…one word all lower case and a big thank you to him for helping to pull the podcast out of hiatis hell while I recover. I’m at my desk in Northwest Portland, and Steve Kerin is at home in NE Portland. Steve, Hey now and Happy Mardi Gras!

Thanks for finding Coffeeshop Conversations again. Today’s logistics include me at my desk in Northwest Portland, and at Paul K Ward’s studio blue…(two words all lower case) …where he is recording and making it sound pretty, Paul himself plus today’s guest, The Boogie Cat, Norman Sylvester who has a major life event coming on Sunday, March 16th at the Alberta Rose Theater…a celebration of his forty years in music. Let’s find out all about it, and how you get there. Mr. Sylvester? Congratulations!

Since Coffeeshop Conversations has returned from health-related hiatus (mine), first of all it’s been fun doing them again and second, I love the guests we’ve had. David Vest and Terry Robb last week in particular. If you missed them, I suggest you listen but not this minute because we’ve got a good one this time. Before we go any further, let’s give a big round of ammunition (as Doctor John used to say) to Paul K Ward who has kindly lent his talents and his studo blue…all lower case…to record, mix and fix these episodes while I continue to try to recover from what I have to recover from. The strange thing is that the first time that today’s guest Kyleen King made an appearance on Coffeeshop Conversations, in January 2023, we had to do it this way too. Me at my desk and Kyleen at home. I had covid that time. One of these days we’ll actually sit across from each other, I hope. By the way, Kyleen was also a guest last summer on Darka and Miri’s Light and Limn Podcast which also can be heard on OMN. So why such a fast return? Because Kyleen’s life has taken a new direction and we’ll find out all about it. That and how it will or will not limit her music. We had a delightful conversation last time and there’s no good reason to think this one will be any different. So with that too-long introduction…a big hello to Kyleen King.

Hey now! Back again with Paul K Ward at the controls at studio blue…and that’s supposed to be all lower case. I’m Tom D’Antoni at my desk, not ready to go back to Artichoke Music. Wait, I’m not done. With Paul is famed guitar slinger Terry Robb, so good that the Cascade Blues Association stopped giving him best guitarist award and named the damned thing after him. Plus, at his home in Victoria, British Columbia is former Portlander, winner of a bunch of Blues Maple Awards for best pianist, Paul deLay’s last of the best piano players and boogie woogie master, David Vest. They have a new album of duets out called Criss Cross. And we’re here to find out why and wherefore.

We’re not back at Artichoke quite yet but we’re back in podcast production again. And happy to be. A giant thank you to Paul K Ward for recording these things until I am able to get back to Artichoke Music. I am at my desk and Paul is at the controls at studio bLue. Joining him is Chris Doss, the Executive Director of PDX Jazz, with us for his annual visit to talk about the 2025 Bi-Amp Portland Jazz Festival which takes place February 20 to March first, all over town.

A poem.

It’s the return of OMN’s Coffeeshop Conversations! We published the last new one at the end of August, at which time I became a much-to-frequent visitor to various medical facilities, had a number of surgeries and procedures and generally had a bad tme of it. I’m not out of the woods yet and not quite ready to return to Artichoke Music, but in the meantime Paul K Ward, pianist, composer, engineer and all around helpful person is recording these new episodes from his studio blue. I have to tell you that I am thrilled to be able to make fresh episodes of Coffeeshop Conversations again and I thank everyone who came to my aid and offered support of many varieties. I Love you all for it. So, here I am at my desk some of my guests join in at Paul’s studio, and there will be others in which we’re all internet connected. This time, it’s the latter. Meaning, today OMN’s National Editor Art Levine is on the line from his place in Washington DC. The jumping off point will be the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. In one form or another, Art and I have been Dylan fans since we were teenagers, and Dylan himself was just out of his teens. So let’s jump right in. We’ve both seen the movie.

Sorry that there hasn’t been a new episode of Coffeshop Conversations at Artichoke Music for a few weeks. I’ve been looking at the four walls of a hospital room and then recovery at home, but most of that is behind me and here we go again, just in time for this year’s Montavilla Jazz Festival. With me is guitarist, composer, teacher and PJCE Records honcho Ryan Meagher, no stranger to this podcast. He’ll be performing at the festival but he’s much more than that these days. The festival runs from Friday, August 30 to Sunday, September 1. This is what our conversation sounded like.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.