New Orleans’ musicians jazz up MHCC
KMHD is preparing to host a Mardi Gras jazz festival, the 10th annual Mardi Gras special, with young musicians recently evacuated from New Orleans. The festival is being made possible by the efforts of ‘New Orleans, Lousiana to Portland’ (NOLA2PDX), an organization that was created after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans. “Last summer, after Katrina, Sho Dozono, owner of Azumano Travel, joined up with the Portland Jazz Festival to help New Orleans musicians in Portland,” said Calvin Walker, KMHD development director. Walker thinks highly of NOLA2PDX’s efforts. “They gave them places to stay, work opportunities, even instruments.” KMHD host Deborah Smith writes and produces the show. “I do a Mardi Gras special every year and historically, our listeners look forward to the special,” said Smith. “I begin getting calls after Christmas asking if I’m doing it this year again. One woman told me recently that she records it all and sends it to her son fighting in Iraq.” Smith grew up in New Orleans, moving to Portland in 1989 with her family to pursue a career with KGW. In the early 1990s, she began DJing for KMHD. Smith said she feels a personal connection to the music. “I think because the music is in my soul, along with my experience in how the real neighborhood-friendly Mardi Gras is spent, as opposed to what most people see on TV with tourists in frenzy or heavy party mode, it is recognized and appreciated by our listeners.” Walker enjoys the work Smith does. “Debbie came up on this music. She grew up there and this music is a part of her life,” he said. The festival is being held in the music departments Grand Band Room Feb. 28 from 7 to 10 a.m. It will also play on 89.1 KMHD-fm radio and online at www.kmhd.fm. “Anybody can go and see it,” said Walker, “MHCC musicians should come check it out. They’ll get to hear music with a New Orleans twist.” Walker hopes people everywhere will listen. “The people out there in radio land get a free three-hour concert to start their day.” He says many are not familiar with New Orleans music or what KMHD does each year. “Each year we try to do something that’s a little bit more special. Last year we did a live concert downtown with Reggie Houston, and this year we’re doing a live broadcast. We’ve done some pretty cool stuff with mardi Gras.” “KMHD allows me to freely create the Mardi Gras celebration; this is a blessing, as this annual special program has always been close to my heart . . . and this post-Katrina year, it’s even more so,” said Smith. “The show will not only be truly New Orleans in flavor, but it will honor the city as well, and the people who have endured so much,” Smith continued. “This is cool for us,” said Walker. “Students who may want to skip a class or are gonna be here anyway between classes can come check it out for free. It may inspire them.”
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