"Lakewood Live Music Series"
Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010 – 7:00 PM
Headlee Mainstage
Lakewood Center for the Arts
368 S.
State Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Tickets are $15/adults, $10/ages 18 and under
(Half of your ticket price is a tax deductible contribution to Lakewood)
call 503.635.3901 or click here to order online
"This is the second benefit concert for the "Lakewood Center for the Arts." Hard to believe, concert #2 is already approaching. We had an amzing show in April, 2010 with an appreciative audience glued to their seats! Don’t miss this equaly exciting and diverse concert, benefiting the Lakewood Center for the Arts, showcasing LO’s own Rock Bands and featuring West Linn’s world class pianist John Nilsen on piano. I’m honored to share the stage at this night with John, my mates in "Walk in the Rain," and the energetic bands of longtime Lake Oswego resident’s Nicole DeCosta and John Thayer. Please join us for an upbeat, positive musical evening with 230 friends (for the night, at least) and our wonderful artists/musicians who are as sincere, real, and nice as they are talented."
Series Partner: Pacific West Bank
Media Sponsor: Lake Oswego Review
Noted Sponsor Ed Buchman- Principal Broker
and Noted Sponsor John W. “Jack" Lundeen
Lake Oswego/Lake Grove Family Law Attorney
jacklundee@aol.com– 503.635.9393
Artist Biographies
John Nilsen World Class Pianist and recording artist
John Nilsen was born in Seattle, Washington in 1956. The Nilsen family moved to Portland, Oregon in 1960. Nilsen began studying classical piano from his mother at age six. John graduated from Southern Oregon College (Southern Oregon University) in 1979 and was honored in 1995 with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the most prestigious award of Southern Oregon University graduates. Nilsen founded the Magic Wing recording label in 1987. The label has a catalog of fourteen successful titles, all having international distribution.
“John’s music has a magical quality to it. Each new recording seems to be his best,” praises a long time KINK radio DJ in Portland, Oregon. One of the Northwest’s largest selling musical artists, Nilsen has released seventeen recordings, most on his highly successful independent record company, Magic Wing. John has also had recordings released in Germany, Taiwan, Canada, Philippines, Great Britain and Singapore bringing reported sales to well over 800,000 copies sold.
As his father once told him, all things in balance… rehearse hard, play hard. Nilsen does just that. With 240 annual performances including national tours of the United States, Europe and Japan, the rewards of his diligence are unmistakable. He has earned a devout following of listeners and with his increasing nternational distribution, his popularity continues to grow.
Often accompanied by many of the very finest musicians from the Northwest, Nilsen is an innovative performer who creates an intimate repartee with his audience. “As a performer, I like exploring beyond the boundaries of my recorded songs. It gives me the chance to offer something special, spontaneous and personal to my audience. The entire performance hinges on the connection not only between the players, but with the audience as well.”
Artist website: www.johnnilsen.com
John Thayer Band "A pop-rock explosion of great
original music"
A Portland, Oregon native, John Thayer owns and operates EON records with his brother Tommy, lead-guitarist of KISS. If you like The Beatles, Coldplay, Lifehouse, Keane and The Dan Reed Network, you’ll love the John Thayer Band.
The singer and songwriter’s most recent album “Ideology” (2007 EON Records) is appropriately titled and properly executed. The record is a blend of political and social views peppered with incite on love. Thayer‘s vocals with driving undertones grip the listener for an emotional journey through hope, humanity and life’s lessons and losses.
The album, performed live by John’s current line-up, consisting of seasoned Portland players – Brandon Cook on lead guitar, Jeff Buehner on bass, Steve May on drums, Blake Sakamoto on keyboards and piano, and Thayer on lead vocals, is a virtual pop-rock explosion with songs about fresh starts, moving on and becoming empowered. The song “Hypocrisy,” offers insight into egocentric political leaders. “I’m Losing You” labels this lover as a black cat running through his nerves whose rose-colored glasses hide lies. Thayer speaks as a close friend, offering some occasional tough love. “Redemption” serves as a safety net to one’s problems. No one is really ever alone, or are we?
Before the end of the album, Thayer’s poses: “Did we turn our back on the human race?” almost as a recap to these lessons learned through the song’s lyrics. “Only Time Will Heal” confirms the age-old adage that experiences only make one stronger, absence makes the heart grow fonder and sometimes pouring out your inner emotions over both blazing guitar rifts and soft piano can heal many souls.
As a follow up to Thayer’s first release “Letting Go” (2000, EON Records), the live version of “Ideology” proves that Thayer has done just that and started a new musical chapter – with a bit more bite but whose pop-inflicted melodies still go down smooth. The “Ideology” live set is about a fresh start, right here, right now.
Artist website: www.eonrecords.com
Nicole DeCosta "Fresh, young, gutsy indie-chick-rock at its best"
Nicole is a Portland, Oregon native, a local newspaper editor and latest recording artist with EON Records. A young woman with words, DeCosta has been writing songs since she was 13, studied writing and the media industry in college and is now sharing her creative endeavors in the public whether in print or when you press play. DeCosta, formerly the lead singer for the Portland pop-rock group Macadam — which released the full-length album "History of the Future" in 2007 — releases her latest album "Escape" (EON Records) this fall. "I’m thrilled to share these fun upbeat pop-rock songs about life and love," DeCosta said, who often performs monthly in the Portland Metro area at clubs, benefits and at outdoor art festivals. "I love the interaction with the audience wherever I perform. People in dark nightclubs dance because they think no one’s watching. And people at festivals always seem to want to be apart of the performance so I usually throw ’em a tambourine." "Escape," a 5-song EP, provides plenty of opportunities to sway to the beat and hang on high notes. The songs "Escape" and "What Am I Supposed To Do" from the album were featured in three local, independent films. DeCosta won second place in Oregon State University’s 2005 "Best Singer/Songwriter Competition." She also tried out for American Idol in 2006, but apparently the judges were more interested in the 6’8" girl dressed like Britney Spears.
A gifted journalist who has earned 20 awards for her writings from the Society of Professional Journalists and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, DeCosta never seems to run out of words. She also hosts and produces a new TV show called Portland Living, airing this fall through Willamette Falls Television and produced through her media company "Nicole DeCosta Media." Being creative gives DeCosta’s life meaning. "Music gave me confidence growing up," DeCosta said, "and I’m so lucky to be able to share my mind through these songs. "Escape" is a fun CD. I’m hoping to provide a mini-escape for people. And who doesn’t love a killer guitar solo?"
Portland voice teacher Laura Myers has followed DeCosta for four years and said, "Nicole has a sound all her own and she uses it well. Her voice has hints of Gwen Stefani, but she polishes off her sound with pure DeCosta flavor. Watch out for those fast moving high notes ’cause they are coming your way and you are going to love them!"
Artist website: www.eonrecords.com
Lake Oswego’s Daniel Work "Thoughtful, soft-rock for the tragically un-hip"
star Daniel Work started writing songs when he was 17, with a tune called "Lookin’ Back," a pretty serious subject for a young, carefree boy? He’s performed professionally for 30 years, as often as 200 gigs in a year. He is a multi-year “ASCAP plus” award recipient; produced/wrote and performed the “I’ve Got a Name (Obama)” song/ music video, as well as the University of Arizona Wildcat’s “R.O.C.K. at the U. of A.” song/music video which aired regionally on the Fox Sports Network.
Daniel’s original adult-contemporary songs, style and voice are often compared to artists including Steely Dan, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, Sir Paul McCartney, Randy Newman, Alan Parsons and Colin Hay/Men at Work. His newest CD, entitled "SomeThingsTakeTime" contains a diverse set of 12 original songs recorded at Portland’s famed KUNG FU BAKERY featuring Mike Braun (long-time drummer with Hall & Oates), Tim Ellis (Mr. Uber- guitarist), Albert Reda (multi-award winning NW bassist) and guest musical artist, Aaron Meyer (Portland’s own electrifying rock violinist). The songs were mixed & tracked by Dean Baskerville (Sheryl Crow, Mark Cohn, Everclear) and mastered by San Francisco’s Steve/Savage Music (Robert Cray, Bonnie Hayes). The CD, co-produced by Tim Ellis & Daniel Work, was released in 2009 and has received positive industry reviews. Daniel has been fortunate to share the stage with some amazing Portland talent including Marv and Rindy Ross, Doug Smith and Judy Koch-Smith, Patrick Lamb, Tim Ellis, John Nilsen, Tyler Stenson, Ellen Whyte, Jake Oken-Berg, Miguel Martinez and dozens of other talented musicians/songwriters.
Artist website: www.DanielWork.net
The "Walk in the Rain" band features Daniel on piano/guitar and vocals, accompanied by industry pro, Jeff Koch on guitar, world-class drummer extraordinaire Mike Snyder, "hands of fire" Carl Smith on percussion and our newest member the understated and talented Yascha Noonberg on bass and other musical surprises.
Artist website: www.WalkintheRain.info
Tickets are $15/adults, $10/ages 18 and under
(Half of your ticket price is a tax deductible contribution to Lakewood)