Eugene Weekly

Chris Berry loves African music so much that he risked his life to play it. As a teenager in California, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, who plays the WOW Hall Friday, Aug. 16, studied African drumming with master drummer Titos Sompa, then spent a decade exploring it at the source, especially among Zimbabwe’s Shona people. He learned their language, cultural history and music, including their signature instrument, the zingy metal mbira (a “thumb piano”). Continue reading →

Ya got trouble, my friend, right here,  I say, trouble right here in River City.  Continue reading →

On July 6, the Oregon Bach Festival chorus sang a sweet surprise 80th birthday gift for retiring founding music director Helmuth Rilling — an “Alleluia” commissioned from the great contemporary Scottish composer James MacMillan, who’s working on a big new commission for the 2016 festival. It’s a treat to see the OBF returning to sparking the creation of new music, as it did for a while every other year, resulting in major works by Arvo Pärt, Osvaldo Golijov and other composers. Continue reading →

It’s easy to overlook some of the hidden — and often less expensive — gems amid the many choral and orchestral treasures the Oregon Bach Festival offers each summer. Continue reading →

Eugene’s biggest annual musical happening, the Oregon Bach Festival, begins its 44th season, and founding artistic director Helmuth Rilling’s last, Friday night with one of the monuments of choral orchestral music — but one relatively rarely encountered in live performance. Continue reading →

If you’re wondering why the restaurants and streets along Broadway seem a little more crowded this month, blame The Shedd. The erstwhile Baptist church is hopping with jazz, choral music and its annual summer musical. First up is Friday night’s concert featuring the impeccable guitarist Frank Vignola, a frequent and always welcome visitor who brings a duet partner, guitarist Vinny Raniolo. Continue reading →

With music institutions — especially those in less commercial genres — struggling musicians and fans have had to get social and entrepreneurial, increasingly relying on grassroots funding (through Indiegogo, Kickstarter and similar crowdsourcing sites) and informal venues. The Shedd is our biggest local example of music lovers creating their own outlets for the music they cherish, and fans run many venues like The Jazz Station. Continue reading →