Oregon Music News

News and review

For somebody who spends a lot of nights sitting in bars and taverns serving as musical venues or in theaters in the Portland area, finding myself sitting in a high school auditorium almost made me feel out of place. But the cause is something that I truly believe in, so driving across town to Jefferson High School on Saturday night was quite an easy feat.

The school was playing host to the 88 Keys Foundation’s benefit concert A Place For Me 4 Musicians Make Better Students. 88 Keys Foundation is aimed at offering musical programs to young students in learning environments that otherwise do not have the option made available to them. Targeting three schools in North Portland: Rosa Parks, James John and Clarendon at Portsmouth, the idea is to bring structured after-school musical programs into facilities that are populated by primarily minority students below the area median income levels.

Studies have shown that students who have musical programs offered have better test scores in mathematics and sciences; build better leadership skills and team qualities; and have lower alcohol and drug usage. Even schools with minimal musical classes offered tend to do better than those that have none.

The A Place For Me concert was kicked off by a young vocalist/dancer named Abigail Meskimen who enchanted the audience with her extraordinary octave range for one song. The salsa band Afincando followed for a trio of selections that had the crowd tapping their feet and snapping their fingers to their

Moorea Masa

hypnotic sounds. Then former American Idol contestant Moorea Masa stepped up next with a spell-binding take on Etta James classic “I’d Rather Go Blind.”

The show took on a even more powerful strength for the next number as Pastor E.D. Mondaine took the stage leading his gospel group Belief for a soul-searing tune that brought the spectators to their feet, obviously wanting more. But this proved to be just a teaser as Mondaine left the stage and it was promised he would return later in the show.

Portland jazz wizard and professor at Portland State University Darrell Grant came up next, joined by two of his students, Sean Vinson on upright bass and Kyle Owen on drums. An incredible set of four songs that included a reworking of Nat King Cole’s “Route 66″ that Grant explained was really written by Cole after a visit to the Oregon Coast. The pianist explained that he was performing the song in the way it was originally meant to be done as “Route 101″ where the locations named off were all towns and cities along the Pacific drive from Astoria to Brookings. The trio then finished their set with an awe-inspiring instrumental reading of ‘What Child Is This.”

Keeping with the theme of student involvement brought up Maestro Lajos Balogh and members of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, cleverly shortened to Mysfits. A handful of short classical pieces from the eleven-piece group was a nice follow-up to the jazz performance of Darrell Grant’s trio.

To close out the musical portion of the night, E.D. Mondaine returned backed not only by Belief, but also by the Mysfits and Darrell Grant for a couple of rousing vocal numbers before Mondaine replaced Grant at the piano to perform his number “A Place For Me” that brought the house to its feet once again.

During his set, Mondaine explained how he had grown up in the ghetto of St. Louis, dreaming of playing the piano, but all he had to practice on was a brick window ledge that he imagined as a keyboard. Eventually he was able to sneak into the church across from his home to actually learn how to play on an actual piano. He explained that music saved his life from the hard environments surrounding him, keeping him from the cruel possibilities it could’ve brought him into instead of finding his musical path. His dream is something he wants other young children to be able to find in their own lives as well, but it can only happen if there is exposure to music itself.

Maestro Balogh and Pastor Mondaine were both handed bouquets before they left the stage. Balogh immediately went to the lip of the stage and began tossing individual flowers to people in the audience. Mondaine remarked, “Well I’m not going to be upstaged,” and started tossing his out, too, as both smiled ear to ear.

A short video focusing on the death of Michael Jackson and the impact it had closed the night out. Singing the background for the film was once again E.D. Mondaine.

The overall night seemed to be quick, making me feel like there should’ve been more. But glancing at the time when it finished I found that two hours had actually elapsed. A full-packed two hours of high entertainment that was so pleasing the time flew by without notice.

Musical education is something that needs to return to our schools. Raffles during the night were held and children from the impacted schools to benefit from 88 Keys Foundation drew the winning tickets as the host asked each if they had music in their schools now. Most answered “No,” and those who did have music did not have classes involving instruments, only singing.

The 88 Keys Foundation wishes to move beyond these three schools in the future, but at least it is a start for now. You can help in their efforts by making a donation through their website at 88keysfoundation.org. This event is planned to be an annual occurence, so please watch for the next benefit 4 Musicians Make Better Students in the future.