6 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER August 2023
Charbonneau Arts Association
By CATHI MCLAIN
Music Stage Series , festival upcoming
Charbonneau Arts Association volunteers are deep into planning for the 39th annual Charbonneau Festival of the Arts , Sept . 22-24 . As we build on last year ’ s biggest and most successful festival , it ’ s
MCLAIN amazing to look back to the early days of the event , when it was a small Charbonneau-only arts and crafts fair . The addition of the new Activity Center and the Pavilion helped us transform the festival into a regional event that attracts exhibitors and visitors from throughout Western Oregon . The CAA team is excited about the quality offered by returning artists and artisans , and new participants with unique and beautiful creations to view and purchase in the Fine Art Gallery and Artisan Vendor Show . Reminder : The deadline for applying to exhibit in the festival is Aug . 15 , so , if you ’ re an artist or artisan , or know someone who is , there ’ s still time to apply . All the details can be found on the CAA website at charbonneauarts . org .
Jazz @ Charbonneau Music Stage
After the successful addition of the Music Stage to our Festival of the Arts in 2022 , committee chair David Rowe has set an exciting schedule for this year ’ s event . Musicians will perform for free during the day on Saturday , and tickets will be sold for the evening show headlined by the Mel Brown B3 Organ Group . As the featured performer at Jazz @ Charbonneau , Mel and the band will take the stage on Saturday evening at 7 p . m . Details on purchasing tickets will be announced in an upcoming email , and on the CAA website at charbonneauarts . org . MUSIC STAGE LINEUP : Friday , Sept . 22 6 p . m . - Kevin Karrick . Ticket required for
Opening Night Reception .
Kevin Karrick is a master of the acoustic guitar . His repertoire includes compositions from James Taylor , Sting , Van Morrison , Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers , classical favorites from Bach , Faure , Handel , Pachelbel , plus a library of American Songbook and Latin standards . Living in Oregon since 2013 , he has played events in Portland and Vancouver , coastal towns and other locations from the Puget Sound area to Eugene . Kevin has also performed all along the Colorado Front Range , from Sheridan , Wyoming to Colorado Springs ,
Mel Brown B3 Organ Group is a featured band at this year ’ s festival .
and many of the Colorado Mountain Resorts , from Telluride to Steamboat Springs . This is Kevin ’ s third appearance at the Charbonneau Festival of the Arts . Learn more about Kevin and listen to his music here : https :// archtopmusic . com / kevinkarrick . Saturday , Sept . 23 12 p . m . - Sarah Saul Combo Sarah Saul is a jazz singer and native Oregonian who performs with a number of groups throughout the Pacific Northwest , including Wild Rose , Tin Can Alley , and the Sarah Saul Combo - which will return to Charbonneau Arts Festival after a dazzling performance in 2022 .
The Sarah Saul Combo offers a deep dive into the artistry of jazz with their thoughtful expression of jazz standards from the 1920s onward . This group does not shy away from complex works and can play in the many styles of jazz while incorporating their unique expression and artistry . The group ’ s repertoire is simply delightful for lovers of jazz of the 20th century . And her fans say the Sarah Saul Combo can play a bossa like nobody ’ s business ! And learn more about her and enjoy some of her music here : https :// sarahsaulmusic . com . 3 p . m . - Tom Grant & Friends Master instrumentalist , talented singer and natural entertainer Tom Grant nimbly walks the line between jazz tradition and modern pop . This soft-spoken Oregon native ’ s inspired songwriting produces propulsive R & B grooves , infectious melodic hooks and stylish ballads with equal ease . He plays jazz piano with the harmonic sophistication and deep sense of swing that only comes from more than four decades on the bandstand . As one of the Pacific Northwest ’ s most renowned musical artists , Tom Grant ’ s career achievements reflect his unique ability to embrace the full spectrum of contemporary music . In the 1980 ’ and ‘ 90 ’ Tom was considered by many to be the father of the smooth
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Jazz sound , recording albums on major labels including Verve , Shanachie and Windham Hill . Several of these shot to number one on the Smooth Jazz charts . Tom has appeared on the Jay Leno show and was featured in many of the national music magazines as well as in a CNN news spot . He ’ s also enjoyed large followings in Indonesia and Japan . Learn more about Tom Grant and listen to his music here : https :// tomgrant . com .
7 p . m . - The Mel Brown B3 Organ Group . Tickets on sale soon .
A true all-star band , each member is widely viewed as tops in the Northwest on his instrument . With a collective resume that reads like a “ Who ’ s Who ” of jazz , blues and soul ( all four members are Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductees ), this group has the talent and confidence to be completely spontaneous — from their blistering solos to their improvised arrangements and segues . “ If this band appeared in New York City , they ’ d be a sensation ,” said guitar great - and one-time Mel Brown bandmate - George Benson , after hearing the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group open for him at the 2003 Oregon Britt Festival . No wonder they ’ ve thrilled audiences wherever they ’ ve played . Those venues have included Portland ’ s top jazz club , Jimmy Mak ’ s ( every Thursday night for the entire 20-year run of that legendary jazz venue ), the Jack London Revue ( home to the band for the past three years ), the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival , The Britt Festival , The Mt . Hood Jazz Festival ,
the Rose City Festival , the Bite Of Oregon , The Port Townsend Jazz Festival , Jazz in the Valley , the Newport , OR Jazz Festival , Jazz at the Oxford , the Montavilla Jazz Festival and many more . Learn more about the Mel Brown B3 Organ Group here : https :// www . facebook . com / melbrownb3organgroup .
Volunteers are welcome
Volunteers are a huge part of the success of most of the events in Charbonneau , and the Festival of the Arts is no exception . We welcome folks to join the Festival Organizing Committee and to help the weekend of the event . Sadly , Laura Curran will be moving away from Charbonneau during festival weekend , so Lindy Anderson will lead the committee moving forward . If you ’ d like to add your name to the volunteer list , please contact Lindy at andersonlindy @ comcast . net .
Festival sponsors make the difference
We have many sponsorship opportunities for individuals and businesses , including Music Stage Sponsorships . We are still hoping to gain a Presenting Sponsor at the $ 2,000 level , and a Platinum Level Sponsor at the $ 1,000 level , but are pleased to list the sponsors to date at more affordable levels . Gold ($ 500 ): Nancy and William Hall ; Roof Masters , Canby ; and Wilsonville Carpet & Tile ; Wilsonville Subaru . New Music Stage Sponsor , Nichols Family Agency , Allstate *. Silver ($ 300 ): Mayor Julie Fitzgerald *; Lynn & Lonn Liffick ; Parker Johnstone Wilsonville Honda . Bronze ($ 150 ): Amy Costello , Windermere Real Estate , Charbonneau ; Canby Smiles , Dr . Joshua Wieland , Family Dentistry ; Eric & Shirley Hoem - 2023 Music Series sponsor ; Rick Cady Photography ; Jay Puppo State Farm Insurance ; Lisa Willett , Cascade Hasson Sotheby ’ s International Realty .* And we couldn ’ t do any of it without the huge support provided by the Charbonneau Country Club , which provides the amazing venue to make the event a success . Other partners include The Charbonneau Villager , CharbonneauLive . com , Clackamas County Cultural Coalition , Greater Giving Inc ., Mediaphysics , Wilsonville Arts , Culture & Heritage Commission , and Pamplin Media Group . Individuals wanting to make a tax deductible sponsorship donation can go to http :// charbonneauarts . org / sponsor / for information , or contact Eric Hoem at erichoem @ comcast . net .
* New sponsors since last month .