Opening Weekend at Eugene Holiday Market

Held at the Lane Events Center (796 West 13^th Ave., Eugene, OR), Eugene Holiday Market features hundreds of artisans with quality, hand-crafted items. Saturday/Sunday November 19-20 was opening weekend for the Holiday Market. I especially like the non-stop entertainment perfect for the season.

I appreciated the opportunity to be the opening act on the main stage on Sunday, Nov 20. I interspersed jazz standards with interactive kid's songs. Everyone seemed to enjoy the variety for all ages. I saw several folks singing, clapping, dancing along. A few young volunteers helped me out on "Strike the Bell" (accompanied by concertina) and "My Aunt Came Back" and "Sambalele." Also saw folks singing along with "I'm Beginning to See the Light," "Call Me Irresponsible," and "I'm Confessin' That I Love You."


Then, The Celtic Tradition (Linda Danielson, Janet Naylor and I) took the stage for special Scottish/Irish Holiday shows at 11:30 am (Main Stage) and 2 pm (Holiday Hall). Assistant Market Manager Kim Still even caught us on video playing a Scandinavian waltz called "Bond Vals" (Farmer's Waltz), as well as "Shady Grove." The day's dress-up theme was "Hats, Ties & Tiaras," and Ms. Kim Still was decked out in a cute homemade dress and antique hat from the 1940s.       

After us was Ghillie Dhu & The Dohun'ts (Jeremy Wegner, Chico Schwall, Hilary Jones) with some rousing reels and jigs for our dancing pleasure. I video'ed their set with "Pigeon on a Gate, Monahan Twig, and Jenny Dang the Weaver" and their closing set of jigs and hope you enjoy them.

 

Other acts appearing opening weekend were Eugene Bhangra Youth Group, Richard Crandell, Jerry Zybach & Adam Scramstad, Carolyn Cruso, Tatiamo, Gypsy Moon, Bow & Airo, Jill Ledet, Robert Meade, TheTraceys, Rusty Still, Dirty Dandelions, Gordon Kaswell and Lonesome Randall. WOW!

Food booths in the International Food Court always offer a large variety of delectable delights. I had a great steak burrito from Saritza's Mexican and a refreshing raspberry cooler from the Lemonade Gourmet. My wife had a tofu dish from Bangkok Grill. My bandmates enjoyed crepes from Edible Improv. Check out all the Holiday Market food choices here.   

For the "I Spy Elves" Game, Market artisans created unique elves to be displayed in booths throughout the Market on Opening Weekend, November 19-20. People picked up an Elf spotter's card, then wandered the Market, and wrote down the booth number where each elf was seen. Those finding at least six elves were entered into a drawing to win one of the elves. Those locating 20 elves were entered into a grand prize drawing to win $100 in Holiday Market gift certificates! Check the website to see some elves that folks were looking for. There were also silly clues to help locate them. What a fun activity for families and kids of all ages!

All Holiday Market 2016 Dates include:

Sat.-Sun., Nov. 19-20; Fri.-Sun., Nov. 25-27; Sat.-Sun., Dec. 3-4; Sat.-Sun., Dec. 10-11; Sat.-Sun., Dec. 17-18; Thur.-Sat., Dec. 22-24. Hours are 10 am - 6 pm (but closing at 4 pm on Dec. 24)

For a complete artisan and entertainment schedule, see the Holiday Market webpages. 

DIRECTIONS: From Interstate 5, take Exit 194-B to Eugene (I-105). Continue on I-105 until it ends at 7th Ave. Continue straight ahead on Jefferson to 13th Ave., continue on under the big electronic sign which is the entrance to the Fairgrounds. Holiday Market is in the Exhibit Hall, ahead on your right as the entrance drive curves into the Fairgrounds. Drive past the building via the driveway that passes its left side to the main parking lot and main building entrance. Parking & admission are free.

The E-Lazztic Duo of Mary Schaffler and Joe Ross

Who can't relate to the Jazz, Latin, Broadway Classics from our Great American Songbook!? The E-Lazztic Duo of Mary Schaffler (vocals) and Joe Ross (guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals) offers something for everyone from the eclectic repertoire of the 1920s through today. It's much loved music for dining, dancing, lounging and enjoying at restaurants, lounges, parks, fairs, festivals and special events.


The duo calls themselves "e-lazztic" because of their appreciation for a large, diverse, variety of eclectic music under the jazz umbrella. They emphasize flexibility and elasticity to  entertain and leave audiences with memorable musical experiences. "E-lazztic" also because the duo sounds like a much bigger band by using programmed accompaniment tracks of drums, bass with occasional saxophone or trumpet. "It's a real fun experience for all." says Ross. "Our accompanists are real tight professionals, and they're very dependable, reliable and easy to get along with." Take a twirl through the musical decades with Schaffler and Ross. Like two mint juleps on a foggy night, their relaxing music goes down easily from dusk 'til dawn. 
  

Check out this video on You Tube that captures some of the variety offered by the Schaffler & Ross Duo, as well as the excitement they generate! Ross also performs regularly as a soloist, such as in these videos featuring his guitar ("What a Wonderful World") and mandolin ("I'm Beginning to See the Light").  

Mary Schaffler’s love of jazz music started in childhood. Both her parents lived through the golden era of jazz and swing of the 30s and 40s. Mary’s mother played Fats Waller and Benny Goodman on the stereo with original 78s. Mary’s former vocal and music instructor, Gayle Caldwell was a gifted songwriter and vocalist with the New Christy Minstrels in the 1960s. Gayle encouraged Mary to perform jazz standards such as Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child”. 

Mary has appeared as a guest vocalist with many Northern California jazz artists such as Richard Cooper, Terry Simick, Francis Varnek and Queen Jane. She was lead vocalist for the jazz group “Ain’t Misbehavin” from 2013 to 2014. Mary enjoys singing many different forms of jazz including swing, bossa nova, samba, big band, Latin, tin pan alley and fusion. She feels that singing jazz fuels her desire for self-expression as an individual in a cooperative effort. This open collaboration can be highly rewarding while entertaining the audience. She also currently manages and sings with a 5-piece band called Local Honey. The honeys do a variety of music including western swing, indie rock, classic rock, country rock, jazz and world music.

Blessed with ten thumbs when born in Virginia, many years of practice have paid off for Joe Ross who now dabbles with many instruments. Raised a “military brat” in Japan, his music career started on organ in sixties rock/soul bands in Yokohama. Bluegrass, Celtic and Old-Time music entered his life in the 1970s at the University of Oregon. Over the years, he’s picked up guitar, mandolin, bass, banjo, dulcimer, concertina and ukulele.  He's also branched into Western Swing, Polka, Latin and Jazz Music.

Performing regularly as a soloist, Joe can also be seen with Umpqua Valley Bluegrass Band, Celtic Tradition, Keynotes Polka Band and Alamojo Western Swing Band. His eight albums (available at Amazon and CDBaby) span from Celtic to Bluegrass, Swing to Jazz, Folk to Children's music. He also writes for music magazines and blogs, gives lessons at Absolute Sound & Music (Roseburg), and tells stories. Happily retired in 2010 from his day job supporting the U.S. Marine Corps, Joe now works full-time to share and encourage the “enjoyment, fun and camaraderie of making music together.”

For more information about The "E-Lazztic" Duo of Mary Schaffler and Joe Ross, please call 541-673-9759 (Joe) or 541-404-1505 (Mary). You can also reach them via Joe's Facebook, Mary's Facebook or by e-mailing to rossjoe@hotmail.com or marys42@yahoo.com

 

STEEL WOOL offers "Acoustic Rock Reborn"

Based in Eugene, Oregon,

STEEL WOOL is a harmony loving, acoustic rock band spinning on the edges of funk, rock, folk and traditional Zimbabwean mbira music. Their music is "family friendly, upbeat and happily serious."

The repertoire spans from rich harmony on "My Country Fair," to world beat rhythm on “Rainbow,” to tender love songs like “All the Love in the World” (the title of their awesome CD), to protest songs like “I Can't Tell You (9/11),” a Steel Wool show will get you off your feet and into your heart!

The band features Tim Mueller (River Jenny), Randy Hamme (the Raventones), Nel Applegate (Mudzidzi Mbira) and TR Kelley (Babes with Axes).

For more info about Steel Wool, contact Tim Mueller at 541-521-7208 or gwproj@pacinfo.com

Purchase their CD "All the Love in the World" here.

Find Steel Wool on Facebook here.

Cascadia Composers presents “Perceptions of Sound” on Jan 30, 2016

On Saturday, January 30th, 2016 at 7:30 p.m., Cascadia Composers proudly presents “Perceptions of Sound,” a Cascadia and Friends production. Tickets will be available at the door for $20 (general admission), $10 (seniors and working artists) and $5 (students). The event will take place at First Christian Church, 1166 Oak St. Eugene, Oregon 97401. 

CASCADIA COMPOSERS is a non‐profit membership chapter of NACUSA (National Association of Composers USA) based in Portland Oregon and dedicated to the promotion and support of regional composers. Cascadia has produced concerts, workshops, and presentations promoting new classical music by Northwest composers for eight years.

This third Eugene Cascadia Composers concert entitled “Perceptions of Sound” will challenge the ears with a variety of works that take advantage of the unique acoustic properties of the First Christian Church’s parabolic dome.  Many pieces will be “in the dark” for the listener to immerse themselves in sound, sometimes from various corners of the space. Dance, video, electro acoustic and other multimedia collaborative works will be on the program. 

The program will showcase pianist Alexander Schwarzkof, soprano Nancy Wood and percussionist Todd Bills among many Eugene musicians.  Composers represented include Eugene’s Paul Safar and Portland ‘s Daniel Brugh, Jeff Winslow and Lisa March. Jennifer Wright will electrify us with amplified harpsichord and John Beredzen will usher in the concert with his one of a kind instrument “the Robohorn.” 

Get ready for this new genre bending multi media experience set in the unique space of First Christian Church in Eugene.

For more information, contact Paul Safar at Tel. 541-868-5725 or e-mail info@cblossom.org