Any day you get to end with a 300-year old double bass playing jazz interpretations and new work called “Cat Piano” dovetailed with Shelley Short’s amazingly delicate and friendly voice is a good day indeed. Celebrating the release of Short’s A Cave, A Canoo with a tight-knit crowd of friends and musicians, the Golden Bears kicked off the night.
The Golden Bears have gotten great press in the past, and it is clearly well deserved. The story goes: their record was made while Julianna was pregnant, and once their daughter showed up it was only the record that would calm the baby. It calmed the rest of us too, opening up to a soft night where the simple ruled.
Glen Moore is a staple in the Portland jazz scene, along with his gigantic bass that has outlived ten or more human generations. It was really more of a duo; the bass and Glen taking turns of being in charge of the music. Alternating between bowing and plucking the bass, the sounds that came out of that instrument were surreal, rich and wonderful in a way you don’t often get to hear.
The openers were the perfect primers for Shelley Short. She took the rich bass (Glen guested on a few songs), the girl/boy vocals, and a truly Nortwest sense of love and whimsy to the stage. Dressed in a clean, simple black dress and tan Victorian-ish shoe boots, Shelley was clearly presenting exactly who she is in real life. With no need for showy lights or visuals, and no impromtu solos, Shelley and Alexis Gideon (providing electric guitar, vocals and assorted sounds) proved that songwriters and songsingers are alive and well.
While Holocene might not have been the warmest venue for such an evening, the sound was great and the crowd clearly appreciative of a venue supporting local music. Next time though, I’m bringing some blankets and pajamas—it would be a high honor to drift into sleep to Shelley’s music.
DOWNLOAD: Shelley Short - Swimming (MP3) or Follow us for more Shelley Short MP3s (Twitter)
Deastro + Max Tundra - 11/27
Doug Fir
Morrissey + Doll and the Kicks - 11/30
Roseland Theater
Portland Cello Project - 12/4
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it’s beyonce’s sister.
by colin on Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 12.36 pm from the entry: Solange takes on Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet"
Am I supposed to know SOlange?
by max on Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 11.51 am from the entry: Solange takes on Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet"
this may be your best review yet, colin. and that includes the pixies and modest mouse pieces. nice work! i’m also digging these photos.
by josh on Mon Nov 23, 2009 at 04.54 pm from the entry: Girls + Dominant Legs - Doug Fir (Portland, OR; Nov. 18, 2009)
GREAT review!!! Love that 2nd picture up there as well.
by Siri on Mon Nov 23, 2009 at 02.45 pm from the entry: Girls + Dominant Legs - Doug Fir (Portland, OR; Nov. 18, 2009)
Yeah, perfect lineup, except for the whole Spoon thing.
by Ari on Sun Nov 22, 2009 at 11.40 am from the entry: Spoon Tour Dates
I’ve read the book ‘Dream Boogie’ the life and time of Sam Cooke’ If the movie is as good as the book, Sam Cooke will get the respect that he has been deserving of for many years.
by jed on Sat Nov 21, 2009 at 10.39 pm from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
oh, that just made my Saturday a little more absurdly beautiful.
favorite moment- when the bear was caught in a stick up
by Ian on Sat Nov 21, 2009 at 01.58 pm from the entry: Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck's "Heaven Can Wait"
