SOU’WESTER EVENTS!
See what’s happening during your next stay or plan a visit around our free live music, workshops, wellness offerings and more!
Songwriting Workshop with Catherine Feeny
Songwriting: the Art and the Business
One Three-Day Workshop
Tues July 12 9:30am – 12:30pm|
Day one will focus on awakening creativity. We will use exercises designed to open our ears to that unerring inner voice, and move us past blocks to honest expression. Students may use one of the exercises explored in class to begin writing a song in their free time on day 1.
Wed July 13 9:30am – 12:30pm
On day two, we will focus on what makes a song powerful, and explore the significance of writing as a tool for deeper connection with oneself and others. We will look at successful works and discuss our own songs in terms of tools like metaphor, melody and rhythm. Students who are open to workshopping their material may bring a song they started on day 1, or a song they wrote before the workshop for the class to hear and discuss. Sensitive souls, fear not — we will create a safe space for artists at their most vulnerable.
Thurs July 14 9:30am – 12:30pm
On day three, we will talk about the business of songwriting. Royalties, publishing companies, synch agents, collection agencies — the ins and outs of making money as a songwriter can be challenging to navigate. Come with questions and take away ideas about how to take your craft and your career to the next level.
Portland, OR-based songwriter Catherine Feeny has been a professional songwriter for ten years. She self-released her debut album in 2003, which garnered an audience in Europe that led to extensive touring abroad. Feeny moved to the U.K. in 2005, where her song “Mr. Blue” received an A-list at the country’s most listened to radio station, BBC Radio 2. After being dropped by record company EMI in 2008, she relocated to the Northwest and in 2013, won the Peace Promotion Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest with the song, “United.” The revolutionary anthem also caught the attention of writer/activist Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues), who commissioned Feeny to compose a song for her organization, One Billion Rising. Feeny has shared the stage with acclaimed songwriters The Indigo Girls, Suzanne Vega, John Prine and Wilco. The confessional “Afraid,” from her most recent album (on Fluff & Gravy Records) has received more than 700,000 plays on Spotify. Her songs have been featured in film and TV in Europe and in the U.S.
It is possible to RSVP for just 1 or 2 days of the workshop,
but preference is to sign-up for all 3 due to structure of teachings.
Cost $75 for all three days (preferred) or $30 each day.
Participants should bring their own musical instrument (unless they plan to write for vocal only) and a recording device (phone is OK). Also bring a notebook and a writing instrument, or a laptop for writing and notes. Please bring a snack if needed. Hot tea and coffee provided. Workshop for students ages 16+ (exceptions made for very mature and interested younger teens). All skill levels welcome.
Max # of students:10.
STATUS:there is still availability souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.com or 360 – 642 – 2542
Acclaimed songwriter Catherine Feeny met jazz drummer Chris Johnedis after recording her rebellious fourth solo album. She had just come back from the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York, and he was returning from 2 years of working and studying in Thailand. The two hit it off, and Johnedis helped translate the varied rhythms of “America” — which ran the gamut between vintage drum machine sounds and captured field recordings — into a live show setting.
Two years later, working with producers Sebastian Rogers (Floetry) and Sheldon Gomberg (Ben Harper, Ricki Lee Jones), in a live four-day session in Silverlake, CA the two create a universe of sound that is sparse and propulsive, yet playful, for their eponymous debut as a duo.
Catherine’s career as a solo artist began with Joe Purdy recording her first album, a self-titled affair that garnered acclaim for its compelling songwriting and stark, nostalgic feel. The album won Feeny an audience in Belgium where it was championed by French-language radio station Classic 21.
However it is Feeny’s second album, 2005′s “Hurricane Glass,” for which she is best known. The song “Mr. Blue” was picked up by KCRW in LA, and later featured in “Running with Scissors,” “The O.C.,” and “Miss Conception.” The attention won by “Hurricane Glass” resulted in the album being picked up by EMI Records.
Catherine is teaching a songwriting workshop here at the Sou’wester Tuesday July 12th, Wednesday July 13th and Thursday July 14th, so this performance will be a real treat. Songwriting at its best.
Join us in Welcoming Invisible Familiars opening for Jolie Holland.
Over the span of her career, Jolie Holland has knotted together a century of American song—jazz, blues, soul, rock and roll—into some stew that is impossible to categorize with any conventional critical terminology. “Jolie Holland flows back and forth and in and out of genres like water trickling in a stream, from pedal steel cowgirl to smoky jazz diva, from soul and gospel devotee to indie chanteuse, all within the parameters of what we think of as the singer/songwriter tradition. She has a sensuous voice, marbled with a richness that’s utterly satisfying.” ~from Editors’ Notes – iTunes
Wine Dark Sea came out May 20th, 2014 on ANTI- Records.
Jolie Holland photo by Shervin Lainez Invisible Familiars photo by Nathan West
“Invisible Familiars’ debut album, Disturbing Wildlife, is out now! The band signed to Other Music this past spring, releasing the 7” single “Clever Devil” b/w “Digger’s Invitation” in June. Stereogum called it, “T. Rex in a funhouse of horrors,” advising, “Let it cast a spell on you.” Invisible Familiars is led by Jared Samuel, a New York City-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has long made his living playing music and supporting a variety of NYC artists – from Sharon Jones to Martha Wainwright, and most recently, Cibo Matto and the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger.” ~www.othermusicrecordingco.com
Great Notion Filmmaking Workshop with Scott Ballard, Dicky Dahl, & Edward P Davee
One Three-Day Workshop
This will be a general production class in three parts, where we carry students from concept to shooting during the week – screenwriting, producing, directing, lighting, cinematography. We will teach as a team, breaking out into groups for more individual instruction.
Tues July 19 10am – 1pm
Wed July 20 10am – 1pm
Thurs July 21 10am – 1pm
Scott Ballard is an award-winning Director, Producer and Director of Photography with over12 years experience filming narrative features, shorts, documentaries, commercial work and music videos. His HD, Super 16mm and 35mm work has played in festivals around the world, garnering numerous awards. He holds an MFA in Film Production from Boston University. He is currently in pre-production on his forth feature film, FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE UNIVERSE. He teaches at Portland Community College and the Northwest Film Center.
Dicky Dahl sang for the art-pop band Stratotanker in New York City, planted trees amongst the Mayans of highland Guatemala and herded goats in the Spanish Sierra Nevada before turning his attention to independent filmmaking. He co-wrote and produced The Ballad of Ramblin’ Jack, a documentary portrait of cowboy folksinger Ramblin’ Jack Elliott that won theSpecial Jury Prize for Artistic Achievement at the Sundance Film Festival and received wide theatrical distribution. His short film The Curio was a recipient of a project grant from the Regional Arts & Culture Council and an official selection of the 2011 Portland International Film Festival. The feature version of The Curio is in the festival circuit.
Edward P. Davee is an award winning writer/director whose films have screened in several film festivals, theaters, colleges, and art galleries around the world. His first feature, How the Fire Fell, won Best Feature Film at the Seattle Film Forum’s Local Sightings festival, had theatrical runs throughout the Northwest, and was distributed internationally by FilmBuff. In 2012, Davee won the Oregon Media Arts Fellowship and and additional grants from both the Oregon Arts Commission and the Regional Arts and Culture Council.
Cost $75 for all three days or $30 each day.
Please bring : Concept for a SHORT scene – 2-3 pages, 2-3 actors – or if no original material, bring a scene from a film you like that we can help reblock using local locations. We’ll be providing 2 Canon 5D Mark III cameras and 1 Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera for use in shooting, but if student prefers they can bring their own camera. Please bring a sack lunch and/or snack. Hot tea and coffee provided. Workshop for students ages 16+. All skill levels welcome. Max # of students:20
souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.com or 360 – 642 – 2542
Great Notion Filmmaking Workshop with Scott Ballard, Dicky Dahl, & Edward P Davee
One Three-Day Workshop
This will be a general production class in three parts, where we carry students from concept to shooting during the week – screenwriting, producing, directing, lighting, cinematography. We will teach as a team, breaking out into groups for more individual instruction.
Tues July 19 10am – 1pm
Wed July 20 10am – 1pm
Thurs July 21 10am – 1pm
Scott Ballard is an award-winning Director, Producer and Director of Photography with over12 years experience filming narrative features, shorts, documentaries, commercial work and music videos. His HD, Super 16mm and 35mm work has played in festivals around the world, garnering numerous awards. He holds an MFA in Film Production from Boston University. He is currently in pre-production on his forth feature film, FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE UNIVERSE. He teaches at Portland Community College and the Northwest Film Center.
Dicky Dahl sang for the art-pop band Stratotanker in New York City, planted trees amongst the Mayans of highland Guatemala and herded goats in the Spanish Sierra Nevada before turning his attention to independent filmmaking. He co-wrote and produced The Ballad of Ramblin’ Jack, a documentary portrait of cowboy folksinger Ramblin’ Jack Elliott that won theSpecial Jury Prize for Artistic Achievement at the Sundance Film Festival and received wide theatrical distribution. His short film The Curio was a recipient of a project grant from the Regional Arts & Culture Council and an official selection of the 2011 Portland International Film Festival. The feature version of The Curio is in the festival circuit.
Edward P. Davee is an award winning writer/director whose films have screened in several film festivals, theaters, colleges, and art galleries around the world. His first feature, How the Fire Fell, won Best Feature Film at the Seattle Film Forum’s Local Sightings festival, had theatrical runs throughout the Northwest, and was distributed internationally by FilmBuff. In 2012, Davee won the Oregon Media Arts Fellowship and and additional grants from both the Oregon Arts Commission and the Regional Arts and Culture Council.
Cost $75 for all three days or $30 each day.
Please bring : Concept for a SHORT scene – 2-3 pages, 2-3 actors – or if no original material, bring a scene from a film you like that we can help reblock using local locations. We’ll be providing 2 Canon 5D Mark III cameras and 1 Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera for use in shooting, but if student prefers they can bring their own camera. Please bring a sack lunch and/or snack. Hot tea and coffee provided. Workshop for students ages 16+. All skill levels welcome. Max # of students:20
souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.com or 360 – 642 – 2542
Come learn the art of healing with water and temperature applications! The uses of water in its various forms have been utilized as medicine in various cultures across the world, from the Chinese to the Greeks and Indigenous North Americans. This workshop includes a scientific overview of how water (as liquid, ice, and vapor) acts as a medicinal carrier of temperature, a group sauna and cold plunge, and discussion/practice of traditional folk remedies for home use. We will cover methods of reducing muscle pain, treating stress and insomnia, headaches, immune system enhancement and more.
$30 per person. Handouts included. Bring a bathing suit!
RSVP souwesterwellness@gmail.com OR call our front desk @ 360.642.2542
Space is limited to 8 folks
Let’s meet @ the wellness camper!
Great Notion Filmmaking Workshop with Scott Ballard, Dicky Dahl, & Edward P Davee
One Three-Day Workshop
This will be a general production class in three parts, where we carry students from concept to shooting during the week – screenwriting, producing, directing, lighting, cinematography. We will teach as a team, breaking out into groups for more individual instruction.
Tues July 19 10am – 1pm
Wed July 20 10am – 1pm
Thurs July 21 10am – 1pm
Scott Ballard is an award-winning Director, Producer and Director of Photography with over12 years experience filming narrative features, shorts, documentaries, commercial work and music videos. His HD, Super 16mm and 35mm work has played in festivals around the world, garnering numerous awards. He holds an MFA in Film Production from Boston University. He is currently in pre-production on his forth feature film, FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE UNIVERSE. He teaches at Portland Community College and the Northwest Film Center.
Dicky Dahl sang for the art-pop band Stratotanker in New York City, planted trees amongst the Mayans of highland Guatemala and herded goats in the Spanish Sierra Nevada before turning his attention to independent filmmaking. He co-wrote and produced The Ballad of Ramblin’ Jack, a documentary portrait of cowboy folksinger Ramblin’ Jack Elliott that won theSpecial Jury Prize for Artistic Achievement at the Sundance Film Festival and received wide theatrical distribution. His short film The Curio was a recipient of a project grant from the Regional Arts & Culture Council and an official selection of the 2011 Portland International Film Festival. The feature version of The Curio is in the festival circuit.
Edward P. Davee is an award winning writer/director whose films have screened in several film festivals, theaters, colleges, and art galleries around the world. His first feature, How the Fire Fell, won Best Feature Film at the Seattle Film Forum’s Local Sightings festival, had theatrical runs throughout the Northwest, and was distributed internationally by FilmBuff. In 2012, Davee won the Oregon Media Arts Fellowship and and additional grants from both the Oregon Arts Commission and the Regional Arts and Culture Council.
Cost $75 for all three days or $30 each day.
Please bring : Concept for a SHORT scene – 2-3 pages, 2-3 actors – or if no original material, bring a scene from a film you like that we can help reblock using local locations. We’ll be providing 2 Canon 5D Mark III cameras and 1 Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera for use in shooting, but if student prefers they can bring their own camera. Please bring a sack lunch and/or snack. Hot tea and coffee provided. Workshop for students ages 16+. All skill levels welcome. Max # of students:20
souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.com or 360 – 642 – 2542
Join us in welcoming Espacio Flamenco to The Sou’wester!
BUILDING FLAMENCO HEARTS
Our goal is to create a space where flamenco arts and culture can be experienced, explored, learned and refined. We provide instruction, performance, and special events that encourage individual expression as well as collaboration and exchange among artists. We want to share our love of Flamenco with our community!
Brenna McDonald – Guitar
Randa BenAziz – Vocals
Lillie Last – Dance
Montserrat Andreys – Dance
Christina Lorentz – Dance/percussion
Nick Hutch – Cajon
Join us for an exploration into the worlds of two renowned medicinal mushrooms coexisting in the forests of Cascadia. This workshop includes: an introduction to the classification of fungi, identification techniques for Reishi and Turkey Tail (including distinctions from common look-a likes), an overview of the medicinal constituents of each species and their histories in healing, conscious and sustainable wild harvesting skills, as well as medicine making techniques for tinctures, balms, and teas.
$30. Includes handouts and a balm sample.
RSVP souwesterwellness@gmail.com OR call our front desk @ 360.642.2542
Space is limited to 10 folks
Let’s meet @ the wellness camper!
Performing a special stripped down acoustic set, The Sou’wester Lodge welcomes Lost Lander with Garth Steel Klippert of Old Light playing a short solo piano set!
Before she died, Matt Sheehy’s mother used to tell him about a dream she had about Lost Land Lake—a place she spent part of her mid-western childhood. That dream inspired the name of the Juneau-born, Portland-based songwriter’s band, and her memory is imbued in Medallion, their second album. If DRRT, the group’s first independently released album, was about the confluence of nature and technology, Medallion, its latest, concerns dualities – experiences of love and loss, impermanence and longevity, death and rebirth.
The confrontation of these dualities resulted in a set of songs that explore “more human territory,” according to Sheehy, a professional forester who spend his days in Oregon’s immense wooded expanse – where he collects data while occasionally dodging 1,000-pound bull elks and the stray hunter’s bullet.
The coming-apart of Sheehy’s marriage engagement and nearly concurrent loss of his mother, followed closely by the blooming of a relationship with longtime friend and bandmate Sarah Fennell, heavily influenced the lyrics on Medallion.
“It was almost like a switch flipped,” Fennell says. “It took us a while to figure out what that meant.” The 80s British synth-pop influenced ““Gemini” deals very directly with the danger I felt in getting closer to Sarah,” says Sheehy, while Paul Simon-esque world folk number “Flinch” is a direct response to his mom’s passing.
Yet not all the songs are so directly autobiographical: “Feed the Fever” was based on a TV interview with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden; the lyrics are direct quotes from the transcript. The swirling world beat psychedelia of “Trailer Tracks” was written whilst secluded in an Airstream during a writers’ retreat. The wide-screen Blue Velvet epic “Alpine Street” is a cinematic dream of suburban domesticity, cut with an undercurrent of sadness and dread. “Nothing lasts forever,” Matt observes. “And the seeds are already planted for the change that’s inevitable.”
Sheehy took the seeds of the songs into “the idea factory/workshop that is Brent Knopf’s brain,” he relates, “where he spits out all the bells and whistles that we hang on those structures.”
The new songs, recorded with producer Knopf (Ramona Falls, Menomena), also owe their current form to Sheehy’s bandmates; keyboardist Fennell, drummer Patrick Hughes and ex-bassist Dave Lowensohn. Medallion also features Beirut trumpet player Kelly Pratt, Akron/Family’s Dana Jenssen, and new bass and guitar player, William Seiji Marsh.
After the 2011 release of DRRT, Lost Lander went on tour for almost two years, playing 140 shows in the US, Canada, Europe, and Russia, where their collective experience resulted in the camaraderie and tightness that went into the making of Medallion. “For me, this band has been a dream come true” says Sheehy. The music business in general may be pessimistic, but not everyone in it is. We’re excited to go towards enthusiasm.”
Medallion is all about wrenching joy from despair, of finding the permanent within the temporary. “This record is an exclamation of love and loss,” Fennell declares. “It’s emotional, dealing with life in an exuberant way, even if it’s sad, hard, wonderful, and crazy. We’re all just lucky to be here to experience it.”