Part II of Corvallis Music History Project looks at immigrant influence in local music, dance

CORVALLIS - "The Heart of the Valley," Corvallis, has had its fair share of musical legends over the years.

These have include former slave Louis Southworth, who made a living playin violin, and the De Moss family, official song writers of the 1900 World's Fair in Paris and composers of the state song "Sweet Oregon."

During World War II, famous blues musician Howlin' Wolf was stationed at nearby Camp Adair and performed in Corvallis. In more recent years, Corvallis High School graduate Meredith Brooks had a hit single "Bitch" in 1997.

However, most of the music from Corvallis prior to the mid-1960s is lost, according to Corvallis Music History Project organizer Roy Bennett.

The music history project was created to prevent gaps in the musical record for future generations, by creating a public archive of local musicians and dancers.

"It's about reminding people that they are treasures and not to take for granted what we have," said fellow organizer Kent Buys, owner of the Troubadour Music Center.

Part I of the music history project in June 2008 was a whirlwind tour of Corvallis history from the Civil War to contemporary music.

This weekend's installment is Part II of the project and will focus on the influence of immigrants on local music and culture. Every group that is performing has some sort of historical or cultural justification behind its inclusion in the program.

In addition, because there was so much interest in the project, organizers were forced to make a rule that no group that performed last year could be in this year's lineup.

In response, more than 100 new musicians have signed up to go on record over the two days of performances Friday and Saturday, June 5 to 6, at Old World Deli.

A globe of musical influences will be on stage with Australian didgeridoo, Chinese pipa, Japanese Taiko drummers, German, French/Cajun, Celtic and Scandinavian songs, Balkan music, Middle Eastern dancers, Jewish liturgical singers, Afro-Cuban beats, Pacific Islander dancing, sounds of India and even Americana during the 25 musical performances.

Several performers, such as Turkish-born jazz pianist Sila Cevikce Shaman are immigrants themselves.

The lineup of musicians includes seasoned performers, elementary school students and everything in between.

"It's so important to see the circles that already exist, overlapping them in one venue," Buys said. "We want people to know what is happening here is just as important as what was happening on the banks of the Seine in 1915," Buys said, referring to the rise of the Impressionist artists.

Each act will be video-recorded for the official archive and each group is interviewed following their performance to collect information on their origins.

"We do this really low key and very much for archiving and the music," Bennett said.

The atmosphere at last year's event was likened to a reunion of friends.

"The musicians like very much to play for one another," Bennett said.

"If you have in the audience actual performers themselves, it's very akin, I think, to having bicyclists watch the Tour de France," he said.

According to Bennett, volunteers are still editing some of the information and film gathered in Part I of the project and uploading it to the Corvallis Music History Project Web site.

The organizers have at least two more installments of the project in the works. Part III will most likely focus on jazz and folk and Part IV on blues and rock.

According to Bennett, the hope is to present the next installment as early as next fall.

"This is cultural history: you can't appreciate it without knowing it," Buys said.

CHECK IT OUT

WHAT: Corvallis Music History Project, Part II.

WHO: Friday: Jake Duncan (6 p.m.), Ginny Chiao (6:30 p.m.), Little Bohemian Band (7 p.m.), The Minors

(8 p.m.), Accordioso (8:30 p.m.), Poitin & Stout (9 p.m.), Lewis & Clark (formerly Viking Funeral) (10 p.m.), Neon Gypsies (10:30 p.m.).

Saturday: Ted Cox (1 p.m.), Dan Gilmore and Amy Becker (1:30 p.m.), Turkish Dance Troupe (2 p.m.), Celtic Session (2:30 p.m.), Chinese Children's Folkdance Troupe (3 p.m.), Waldorf School Taiko Drummers (3:30 p.m.), Sila Cevicke Shaman and Dave Storrs (4 p.m.) Bullfinch's Mythology (4:30 p.m.), Maharimbas (6 p.m.), Anne Weiss (6:30 p.m.), Sid Rosen and Friends (7 p.m.), Yap Island Dancers (7:30 p.m.), Jewish Liturgical Singers (8 p.m.), Fossegimen (8:30 p.m.), Rusty Hinges (9 p.m.), Bon Ton Roulet (9:30 p.m.), Jesus Candy (10:30 p.m.).

WHEN: 6 to 11 p.m. Friday ,June 5, and 1 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6.

WHERE: Old World Deli, 341 S.W. Second St., Corvallis.

COST: Free.

INFO: www.corvallismusic.com.