Oregon Music News

Southern Oregon is roaring with new and old artists pouring their hearts and souls into the musical passions that feed them. Being a local, musical entrepreneur and fellow musician, I have many privileges and opportunities to involve myself in their musical worlds. This is just the tip of the iceberg for those looking for some good ole’ local music to support and thrive on. Many resources are becoming available to the local artists, and this article is here to inform these  musicians and give them more than a garage or warehouse for their music.

I have had the opportunity to interview several local musicians and, through our discussions, certain topics have sparked curiosity in me, as well as others–even to the point where the idea was no longer cutting it.  The idea needed to get out into Oregon to show there is much more to local music than many supporters buy into. After a discussion with Christopher Hausa, of local metal band Enshadowed Empire, I realized many of these local musicians have no connection to a musical community. No place to share input or connect with other local musicians.

“Having some way to communicate with the city or local establishments would make setting and prepping our shows a lot easier, not to mention creating more opportunity for the new uprising talent,” says Hausa, “If I had a website or a local spot where the local bands, the venue owners, and other people willing to host shows could meet up we would see a great rise in the local talent.  After attending multiple shows with Enshadowed Empire, I was impressed to find out how driven the members were to help out fellow, upcoming bands. More often than not I would see new bands having an opportunity to share the stage. I see it as an opportunity to expand our horizons, I mainly listen to extreme metal and play it, but you will also catch me checking out and listening to quite the variety these days.”

When asked, “Do you feel musicians from all genres and styles could collaborate to help make our local musical community more accessible to our fans or audiences?” Hausa replied “I do, I feel it would be a productive way of bringing people with different ‘painted pictures of art’ together. When you go to an art show, everybody has different pieces, not the same damn thing from everyone! The diversity keeps us driven.”

Other bands such as Sol Seed, a Medford based roots/fusion band have taken the initiative to get local talent out by starting open mic nights at local venues.”Right now we are putting together a weekly open mic night on Mondays at Wild River which is set to begin on January 25th. Southern Oregon has a huge underground music scene, there is so much talent in this area,” says Sol Seed’s bass player Ben Pezzano.  “Where it seems almost cosmic, the mash-up of incredible, positive vibrations of music that emanate from this area.  The internet is rapidly becoming the most efficient form of discovery, giving anyone and everyone an opportunity to be heard. We need to spread this movement of community with a message of love, and the internet is the best way to do it today.”

Other musicians such as Grants Pass’ own Dweet Toonzip, an experimental artist named David Kraus, describes his music as avant-garde sound or “creative primitivism.”

“Because my music isn’t really influenced by and doesn’t relate to much to ’90s-era alternative metal, pop punk, and crust punk, the genres that are more prevalent in Grants Pass, it would be hard for me, at this point, to try and do anything live at this venue without assuming that I would have to try to open for a band that has very little in common with my music and to a crowd that would probably hate me for doing so,” claims Kraus.

These artists are pushing their music out into the Oregon community but find it difficult without the option of live shows. With so many types of music, giving musicians a community of local artists would increase opportunities and album exposure for such artists.  According to Kraus, ”If there were a more approachable and thriving music community I would definitely take advantage of making connections and meeting people to make music with the outside and possibly inside the Dweet Toonzip project. That’s something I’m actually hoping to work toward soon.”

Musical enthusiasts and local musicians Jeremy Olivera and Michael Szczesniak sparked an idea to create a solution that would promote musicians locally through a website. They named this community Ivory Harp and plan to start a movement to involve any and all art locally.

“Our goal is to be a platform and a resource for truly passionate musicians that, because of the commercial conveyor belt that runs the music industry, never would have had an opportunity to flourish in the way they should,” says founder Jeremy Olivera. “The purpose of Ivory Harp is to connect artists together and put musical talent towards international need and commercial culture.”  They are currently working to build their web community–contact Michael Szczesniak to plug-in.

Mark T. Johnson, a technical advisor for the Camelot Theatre in Talent, maintains a website dedicated to helping musicians find quality recording and audio support for a great deal. For more information visit Blue Jay Productions.

Please continue to support our local music and art for it helps us show Oregon how truly beautiful it is to have such diversity and passion here in our hometowns. It is becoming more and more beneficial and will only help so many more with all of our support. We are looking forward to growing and spreading these musical communities and any help is always a blessing.