First Annual Oregon Word Jam

Oregon Word Jam. Words and music jammed together. Like PB&J. Except that I don't like PB&J. And, at Kelly's Olympian, it's like PB&J with an off-brand peanut butter and an off-brand jam on cheap white bread. But somehow, it is delicious nonetheless.

Oregon Word Jam is the brainchild of Tim Sproul, someone I was not aware of. Tim originated in Newport and does poetry. I discovered Word Jam from Matt Love. Matt now originates from Newport and does history. Matt does history the way I aspire to do history. Find some minutia and bring it to the present. Matt has a new book he just finished and since I hope to be on the Oregon Statehood Wagon Train in August, this was going to be my only chance to hear him read in the immediate future. Tim read first. His style, to me, is like Bridget-Jones-meets-Oregon-meets-Hipness. Loved it. Matt Love read two selections from his newest book (http://www.nestuccaspitpress.com/about.html) and then a musician went on--but we (Matt White and me) decided to catch Laura Ivancie's set at the historic White Eagle.


Laura Ivancie does not know it, but I have a signed 8x10 glossary of her grandfather, Frank Ivancie, from 1984. Yes, THE 1984, when the Junior Court of Rosaria was proud to call me their representative from District #2. If you don't believe me, visit the Oregon Zoo. There's a plaque with my name on it as you walk up the Elephant Walk. (And, if you're not on Facebook and you didn't see my post about the coolest piece of trivia ever in the history of trivia, you are missing out! One street in Portland spawned 5 Rose Festival Princesses. And when I say spawned--let's just face it. Rose Festival is a bit of a cult here in the PNW.)

I digress. Laura is talented in her own right and we have enjoyed watching her develop professionally, with her band. The White Eagle has also developed and you can find out about the psychic that abounds there: http://www.mcmenamins.com/bin/history.eagle.pdf

After I was home, I opened up Matt Love's Vortex I. I had desperately wanted this book but couldn't find it anywhere except on ebay for $105. I feel most fortunate that Matt had 2 copies left when I got to Kelly's. If you really want to know about Vortex I, ask me. It is a kick ass piece of Oregon's history. I'd be jealous that he got there first, except that he deals in "modern" history and that's about 100 years this side of what I like, so I'm just happy to be reading something "new" in Oregon history that isn't academically filtered.

Anyway, I am putting the count now at 140. Hopefully the Oregon Word Jam catches on. I'm hooked for sure!