A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSIC

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn_lAwn8h1E

New slideshow & presentation by Eric Isaacson, co-founder of Mississippi Records, and new introductory soundworks by Corum of Psychic Sounds ... both traversing the American planescape for the first time since 2018 ! !

CORUM (of Psychic Sounds) opens the evenings with a short set of new compositions in the vibe of atmospheric "lounge / parlor" sounds to set the mood as people take their seats and enter in the room, then :

A new lecture / film / slideshow that attempts to tell the entire history of North American music in ninety minutes guiding you through this whirlwind presentation of archival film, sound clips and images.

Subjects include:

- Examples of industrialization devolving the human race to become dumber while other animals are getting smarter.
- The insane early American Puritan's visions of a utopian musicless society.
- How The Church Of Scientology saved the record industry.
- A brief history of Mississippi Records and details about the many chips on their shoulders.
- The dystopian world of Spotify and AI music.
- Hopeful messages about the future.

Overall, it's the story of how the powers that be try to control music and people throughout history finding ways to work outside puritans, corporations, and tech lords' systems despite these social engineers' best efforts. Don't worry, it's a fun telling of this tale with lots of great music, images, and wild stories.

About the presenters:
- Eric Isaacson founded the Mississippi Records store and label in 2003. The label has released over 360 records and 160 cassettes. Eric has toured with presentations like this one for the past eleven years, performing over two hundred shows in over forty different countries.

- Corum:

Grant Corum is a visual & recording artist. He is best known for his design & screen prints for music labels such as Sublime Frequencies, Psychic Sounds, Mississippi Records, Sahel Sounds, Feeding Tube, Aguirre, and Time-Lag among others. He has created & collaborated on many audio releases, installations, performances & exhibits throughout the United States, Guatemala, Japan and Europe. He currently resides and works in mid-coast Maine.

calendar by Tockify

TICKETS AND SCHEDULE BELOW:

11/4 - Richman, Virginia - https://www.studiotwothree.org/event-tickets/p/a-peoples-history-of-american-music
11/6 - Philadelphia, PA - Brickbat Books - https://brickbatbooks.blogspot.com/
11/7 - Baltimore, MD - True Vine (TBA)
11/10 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn FolkFestival - https://www.viewcy.com/o/thebrooklynfolkfe
11/13 - Portland, ME - Washington Baths  https://washingtonbaths.com/
11/14 - Providence. RI - Lost Bag -https://www.instagram.com/lostbagspace
11/15 - New London, CT - Telegraph Autonomous Zone (TBA)
11/16 - Keene, NH - Nova Arts -https://www.novaarts.org/events/peopleshistory
12/5 - Eugene, OR - Wandering Goat - https://wanderinggoat.com/
12/6 - Sacramento, CA - Beers Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/beersbooks
12/7 - Joshua Tree, CA - Yucca Valley Materials Center - https://www.yuccavalleymaterial.org/
12/8 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon - https://link.dice.fm/Peoples-History-of-North-American-Music-Dec-8
12/ 10 - Santa Cruz, CA - Indexical - https://www.indexical.org/
12 /11 - Oakland, CA - Grand Opening
12/12 - San Francisco, CA - 4 Star Theatre - https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar
12/13 - Bolinas, CA - Bolinas Hardware - https://www.bolinashardware.com/
12/14 - Fort Bragg, CA - Larry Springs Museum - https://larryspringmuseum.org/

THE COSMIC TONES RESEARCH TRIO RECORD RELEASE PARTY
WITH THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS

SEPTEMBER 9TH
Hollywood Theatre
7:30 PM

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS PRESENTS THE COSMIC TONES RESEARCH TRIO - ALL IS SOUND RECORD RELEASE! Featuring The Secret Life Of Plants and a live set by The Cosmic Tones Research Trio.

To celebrate the release of ALL IS SOUND, The Cosmic Tones Research Trio (Roman Norfleet, Harlan Silverman and Kenney Realness) present a night of healing music and film.

First off will be a live performance by the Trio, The group plays music that is unclassifiable - At its heart it's healing / meditation music, but the Gospel and Blues roots are in there too, as well as hints of Cosmic Jazz and beyond.

After the live set, we'll be showing an AMAZING NEW TRANSFER of Mississippi Record's favorite documentary - THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS. The movie is part psychedelic Stevie Wonder music video, part art film and part mockumentary. It starts with the birth of our planet and all plants and ends with Dogon Space Rituals....and there are plenty of surprises that carry you through the journey, including interpretive dancing, Stevie rowing his boat through paradise and amazing time lapse videos of the life of plants.

A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICAN MUSIC 
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH
Hollywood Theatre 
7:30 PM

Thirteen years ago Mississippi Records started putting together, what we call for lack of a better descriptive," psychedelic slideshows/films". The first was called I DON'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE. It was a meditation on cultural extinction and a history of a bunch of artists on the Mississippi Records label. The presentation ended up touring around the world.

At the time of that first show's tour, there was no information about Mississippi Records available outside of Portland. We were an internet black hole. The only way to get in touch was to write us a letter or call us on the phone, which we picked up maybe 20% of the time. We never talked to the press - hanging up on everyone from Rolling Stone to the New York Times. 

Miraculously we were selling around six thousand of our labels releases per month without any promotion, press or social media. Suddenly appearing in towns around the world in person felt like the right and only way to make a first reveal of our "world vision."

That was thirteen years ago - before Trump, the pandemic, and the genocide in Gaza. The "world vision" I presented back then could be considered too precious for the current Portland populace. The modern Portlander might ask, "How can you wax on about the importance of culture preservation, how fun music is, and living outside capitalist norms in the face of the bigger fish we need to fry?" 

After the last few years of watching folks burn out on whatever front line they have chosen to fight on, it's only reinforced our belief that the best refuel is to immerse ourselves in culture. we're doubling down on our beliefs with this new presentation - a telling of the entire history of North American music.

To be honest, it's a pretty ridiculous show. It races through time and goes on unexpected tangents about things like Octopus intelligence, The Church Of Scientology, and my personal life. The show's definitely trying to be fun more than anything. But, you can't talk about the history of North American music without talking about injustice, oppression, and exploitation. So the darkness of America comes up, but not without some constructive and weird ideas on how to deal with it. 

August 30th at The Crystal Ballroom
Fred Cole's birthday celebration!!!!!

6:30 pm doors, 8 pm show
All ages welcome
$15 advance, $20 day of show

Our favorite rocker's Bday is being honored with performances by Toody Cole, Jenny Don't And The Spurs and Monica Nelson And The Jack London Trio. Impossible to even start to explain how important Fred is to our town, not to mention me personally. I still hear his voice in my head daily and look for signs he sends from the other side of the veil. I also still listen to an average of four Dead Moon records a week. 

 Watching Toody play shows over the past couple years has been one of the best times I've had. She brings it every time. The opening bands rule too. This is a great show not to be missed. C'mon Portland.

After a few years of a wonderful monthly night at the beloved New Orleans bar Vaughan's, the Domino Sound DJs have booked a summer getaway to play our beautiful and danceable records for a few dancefloors in New York. If you are in New York, please come out if you can. If you know anyone in New York that would be interested in a night out on the town with beautiful music and good cheer, please spread the word. The more, the merrier!

Soul, Cumbia, African, Reggae, New Orleans, Tropicalia, etc. vinyl records for you at:

Tubby's, 586 Broadway, Kingston NY, Saturday August 3rd
Radio Shop, 1136 President Street, Brooklyn, NY, Sunday August 4th

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 7 PM
Biblioteca Henestrosa (“Casa de la Ciudad Biblioteca Andres Henestrosa”)
Calle Porfirio Díaz, esq Morelos 115, Centro Histórico, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico
FREE

RELEASE EVENT: RADIOGRAFIA DEL ROCK EN OAXACA (PRIMERA PARTE: LOS SESENTAS)

Mississippi Records is proud to support the release of a new book, produced by the Archivo Sonoro de Oaxaca

Lineup for the event includes a conversation with the book’s author, Gamaliel Robles, and musician Jose Manuel Barbosa.

Live music by
EL GRUHPO
With special guest Jacobo Aragón Torres

Presentación del primero de cuatro libros que nos acercan a la historia de los grupos, los personajes, los sitios y formas de difusión del rock en la década de los sesentas.

Participan: José Manuel Barbosa y Gamaliel Robles
Actuación musical: El Gruhpo, invitado especial Jacobo Aragón Torres.
Get a copy of the book via WhatsApp: 9512519195

JULY 12TH
TRAVELS OVER FEELINGS 
AN ARTHUR RUSSELL TRIBUTE

ALL PROFITS GO TO JANUS YOUTH PROGRAMS
7:30 PM, HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

TICKETS

A celebration of the life of Arthur Russell and the release of Richard King's book Travels Over Feeling.
One of the 20th century’s true musical visionaries Arthur Russell (1951 – 1992) was a cellist, vocalist, and composer known for his fusion of classical and popular music including Disco, folk, and rock. Before his death from AIDS in 1992 Arthur defied genre and consistently challenged our expectations of what pop music could be. If you know his work, this event will be a chance to take a deep dive and hear his music resonate on the excellent sound system at The Hollywood Theatre.

If you're not familiar with Arthur, this event will be an excellent introduction to one of the 20th century's greatest artists.

Audika Records (Arthur's archival label, based right here in Portland!), Mississippi Records, and Lonesome Cowboy Iz present the following program:

- WILD COMBINATION; A Portrait Of Arthur Russell, directed by Matt Wolf.

- TERRACE OF UNINTELLIGIBILITY, a video by Phill Niblock.

- Live interpretations of Arthur's music by
Cellist Harlan Silverman 
Beloved experimental folk musician Dragging An Ox Through Water     
Singer/songwriter/producer Skyler Pia     
Full band Half Shadow

- A conversation between Mississippi Records' Eric Isaacson and Steve Knutson Audika Records founder and Arthur's primary archivist.  

A night to immerse yourself in the world of Arthur Russell not to be missed!

QUINTRON AND MISS PUSSYCAT
JUNE 16TH AT THE HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

Quintron and Miss Pussycat live! Legendary New Orleans musicians who filter the true psychedelic soul of New Orleans traditional party music through a Hammond organ, technicolor puppets, and a battalion of distorted, homemade instruments. Quitnron is the inventor of The Drum Buddy, a light sensitive drum machine used by folks like Laurie Anderson, and the Weather Warlock, which uses sun, rain, temperature, and wind to make music.

It's a show to behold. 

This special event will feature a puppet show, live music and a retrospective of films from the Quintron and Miss Pussycat archive. If you like fun, this is the place to be. 

TICKETS
https://hollywoodtheatre.org/tickets/25463/

HARRY SMITH 100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
JUNE 15TH AT THE HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

Part of the big amazing Harry Smith celebration sweeping the city all week -

See details here! -

https://harrysmitharchives.com/events/portlands-prodigal-son/

A celebration of the work of filmmaker, alchemist, painter, recordist and creator of The Anthology Of American Folk Music - Harry Smith!

Sat., June 15, 7:30 pm @ Hollywood Theatre. $15

Harry’s short films with live musical accompaniment curated by Mississippi Records.

Featuring The Portland Sacred Harp Singers, Roman Norfleet And Be Present Art Group, Collate, and Jay Ringer. Special guest Rani Singh, Director, Harry Smith Archives 

We'll be showing three of Harry's major film works accompanied by live musicians performing pieces based on what Harry would play during these films. Musicians include The Portland Sacred Harp Singers bringing down the house with a huge acapella assemble, Roman Norfleet And Be Present Art Group interpreting pieces by Dizzy Gillespie and angular rockers Collate performing early Beatles songs. 

A very special night of film and music that'll make your head spin in all the right ways. 

TICKETS
https://hollywoodtheatre.org/tickets/25979/

LILY MULLEN IS HERE RELEASE SHOW 
JUNE 15TH - 3 PM AT THE ALBINA GREEN (PARK ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE RECORD STORE)

We're celebrating the release of Lily Mullen's first LP on Mississippi Records! Lily is a songwriter / poet in her early 20s, residing in Northwest Oregon. She was born with Down Syndrome and is a fierce advocate for disability justice and other underrepresented voices. Her music has a playful and magical quality - like found in the self-contained worlds of the Raincoats or the Slits. There are both rockers and ballads - with echoes of the Velvet Underground and Modern Lovers. Folky and poetic songs à la Patti Smith, Nico or Neil Young. Songs that vocally AND musically evoke Mark E Smith and The Fall. Of course, those are all just reference points! Lily’s voice is unique and original and forging new and beautiful artistic territory. Clever wordplay, cosmic themes, surrealist poetry, heart on sleeve laments, tearjerkers - Lily has it all.

Be wild.

Be free.

Experience Lily. 

Screening of CHESS OF THE WIND presented by MISSISSIPPI RECORDS with record release of newly recorded soundtrack! Followed by a DJ set by Lil DJ Kebab!

This summer, Mississippi Records will release CHESS OF THE WIND, the soundtrack to Mohammad Reza Aslani’s 1976 film of the same time. A masterpiece of world cinema, Aslani’s CHESS OF THE WIND was banned in Iran and thought lost until a complete print of the film re-emerged in 2014. Restored by Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation and released to rapturous reviews in 2020, CHESS OF THE WIND is a genre-breaking queer-class-horror in miniature, and one of the most visionary and daring films of pre-revolutionary Iranian cinema.

The film’s soundtrack, by one of Iran’s most revered avant-garde composers, Sheida Gharachedaghi, blends Persian classical instrumentation and atonal dissonance drawn from the composer’s Western-conservatory background. For the new Mississippi Records album, both Aslani and Gharachedaghi worked with film scholar Gita Aslani Shahrestani to revisit their score from fifty years ago and recombine its recorded elements into a new sonic work. The result is a cohesive sound collage tracing the history of the Women’s Rights Movement in Iran from 1905 to the present – a wholly new work that Aslani long dreamt of creating.

CHESS OF THE WIND

Screened publicly just once before it was banned and then lost for decades, this rediscovered jewel of Iranian cinema reemerges to take its place as one of the most singular and astonishing works of the country’s pre-revolution New Wave. A hypnotically stylized murder mystery awash in shivery period atmosphere, Chess of the Wind unfolds in an ornate, candlelit mansion where a web of greed, violence, and betrayal ensnares the heirs to a family fortune as they vie for control of their recently-deceased matriarch’s estate. Melding the influences of European modernism, gothic horror, and classical Persian art, director Mohammad Reza Aslani crafts an exquisitely controlled mood piece that erupts in a stunningly subversive final act in which class conventions, gender roles, and even time itself are upended with shocking ferocity.

TICKETS
https://hollywoodtheatre.org/tickets/25955/

TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF CHESS OF THE WIND, MISSISSIPPI RECORDS PRESENTS A SCREENING OF “CHESS OF THE WIND” AT HOLLYWOOD THEATRE

CHESS OF THE WIND
MON, JUN 10 AT 7:00PM

This rediscovered jewel of Iranian cinema has reemerged as one of the most astonishing works of the country’s prerevolutionary New Wave. A hypnotically stylized murder mystery awash in period atmosphere, CHESS OF THE WIND unfolds inside a candlelit mansion, where a web of greed, violence, and betrayal ensnares potential heirs as they vie for control of their matriarch’s estate. Melding the influences of European modernism, gothic horror, and classical Persian art, Mohammad Reza Aslani crafts an exquisitely restrained mood piece that erupts into a subversive final act in which class conventions, gender roles, and time itself are upended with shocking ferocity.

TICKETS

RECORD RELEASE EVENT!

This summer, Mississippi Records will release CHESS OF THE WIND, the soundtrack to Mohammad Reza Aslani’s 1976 film of the same time. A masterpiece of world cinema, Aslani’s CHESS OF THE WIND was banned in Iran and thought lost until a complete print of the film re-emerged in 2014. Restored by Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation and released to rapturous reviews in 2020, CHESS OF THE WIND is a genre-breaking queer-class-horror in miniature, and one of the most visionary and daring films of pre-revolutionary Iranian cinema.

The film’s soundtrack, by one of Iran’s most revered avant-garde composers, Sheida Gharachedaghi, blends Persian classical instrumentation and atonal dissonance drawn from the composer’s Western-conservatory background. For the new Mississippi Records album, both Aslani and Gharachedaghi worked with film scholar Gita Aslani Shahrestani to revisit their score from fifty years ago and recombine its recorded elements into a new sonic work. The result is a cohesive sound collage tracing the history of the Women’s Rights Movement in Iran from 1905 to the present – a wholly new work that Aslani long dreamt of creating.

To celebrate the record’s release, Mississippi Records label head Cyrus Moussavi will be here in person to present the project and the process of working with the Aslani family, along with a screening of Aslani’s film, CHESS OF THE WIND.

The screening will be preceded by a short performance by Mani Nilchiani, who is a New York-based musician by way of Tehran. In his music, he uses elements of Iranian classical music (Radif) to retrace, explore, and retell a story of displacement while researching future-facing sonic spaces. Mani has performed in venues such as Public Records, Barbes, Symphony Space & DROM.

Mohammad Reza Aslani
CHESS OF THE WIND / SHATRANJ-E BAAD
1976, 98 min, 35mm-to-DCP. In Farsi with English subtitles. Restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project and Cineteca di Bologna at L’Image Retrouvée laboratory (Paris) in collaboration with Mohammad Reza Aslani and Gita Aslani Shahrestani. Restoration funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.
“This rediscovered jewel of Iranian cinema has reemerged as one of the most astonishing works of the country’s prerevolutionary New Wave. A hypnotically stylized murder mystery awash in period atmosphere, CHESS OF THE WIND unfolds inside a candlelit mansion, where a web of greed, violence, and betrayal ensnares potential heirs as they vie for control of their matriarch’s estate. Melding the influences of European modernism, gothic horror, and classical Persian art, Mohammad Reza Aslani crafts an exquisitely restrained mood piece that erupts into a subversive final act in which class conventions, gender roles, and time itself are upended with shocking ferocity.”–CRITERION COLLECTION

LINK TO THE EVENT

URAL THOMAS AND THE PAIN 
With DJ Eric Isaacson
JUNE 7th at TURN TURN TURN 

The mighty Ural Thomas - soul legend of Portland - playing in our favorite intimate club on the Northside. The best vibes will be achieved. 

MISSISSIPPI RECORDS PRESENTS
TWO NIGHTS OF ETHIOPIAN DANCE MUSIC, STRAIGHT FROM ADDIS ABABA!

QWANQWA! LIVE!

MAY 10th at The Laurelthurst

MAY 11th at Turn Turn Turn
(with Special guest DJ all the way from New Orleans Domino Sound System, Prince Pauper)

Doors at 8:00 PM both nights, Band on stage at 9:00
Tickets: Available at the door, the day of the show. $15 to $20 sliding scale.

BE PRESENT ART GROUPS SPIRITUAL SONIC RESEARCH SERIES CASSETTE RELEASE FEATURING A SHORT SET BY THE COSMIC TONES RESEARCH TRIO 
SUNDAY, APRIL 7TH. 8 PM
AT MISSISSIPPI RECORDS 

Over the past year, Roman Norfleet with his ensembles Be Present Art Group and The Cosmic Tones Research Trio have performed odes to Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. The Albina Music Trust label has released a beautiful three tape set that captures these performances. We'll be celebrating this release with a pop up this evening. We'll have free wine and cheese on hand, and The Cosmic Tones Research Trio will perform a short acoustic set. Come on by and share the joy. 

OFF THE CHARTS DOCUMENTARY AND SONG POEM CONTEST WITH DIRECTOR JAMIE MELTZER, FIVE BANDS, AND CELEBRITY JUDGES!

OFF THE CHARTS is a beautiful and entertaining documentary about the "song poem" industry. Starting in the 1940s and continuing on to the present day, ads have been placed in newspapers urging folks to send song lyrics along with some cash. Their lyrics, no matter how surreal, grotesque, satanic or just plain bad, would be set to music, pressed on a record and sent back to them.

Over the years, people got addicted to the excitement of hearing their lyrics on record and paid to get a whole universe of offbeat "outsider" music recorded by the companies placing these ads. Subjects varied from ginseng roots, being in love with a shark, non-violent taekwondo troopers, deep love and respect for Jimmy Carter, and rug bugs. These songs were churned out by studio musicians for hire who had little understanding or affinity for the lyrics they were paid to set to music. Nonetheless they invest emotion and care in their performances.

The documentary explores the lives of the song lyric writers and musicians who participate in this industry. A surprising amount of  great art results from this oddball capitalist venture.

Director Jamie Meltzer will be in attendance to introduce the film! After the movie, bands will perform song poems written by Portland locals, including a performance from a couple secret surprise guests!

YOU CAN GET INVOLVED! If you’d like to submit song lyrics, they will be considered for live performance and prizes. Please send in your lyrics by March 15th. If your lyrics are selected, they will be performed live AND you'll be eligible for one of the following prizes:

1st Place - $300 cash

2nd Place - A Mississippi Records gift certificate for $50

3rd Place - A Hollywood Theatre gift certificate for $25

Mail poems to songpoems@hollywoodtheatre.org or 4035 NE Sandy Blvd, Suite 212, Portland, OR, 97212 or email to - songpoems@hollywoodtheatre.org

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN PORTLAND TO ENTER AND WIN!
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE - https://hollywoodtheatre.org/tickets/25383/

This event will take place at the Uppsala Art Museum in Uppsala, Sweden.

Tickets:
https://secure.tickster.com/en/lw4tc0xf989xpec/products

Ethiopian pianist Emahoy's touching piano pieces have gripped people around the world since they were recorded in the 70s. During this tribute evening, we put her works in the hands of today's and future's musicians and composers. About the concert Emahoy Tsegue Maryam Gebrou (1923–2023) was an Ethiopian pianist and nun. Born in Addis Ababa and trained in classical piano. She embraced early jazz and the expression became a unique blend of parlor music, ragtime, gospel, Ethiopian folk music, and traditional Orthodox church choirs. Her sinuous piano pieces were noticed in the collection Éthiopiques published in 2006, where she appeared alongside other great Ethiopian composers and helped to open the eyes of more people to the country's song treasure.

The American music-archaeological record company Mississippi Records has in recent years reissued Emahoy's music and just in time for this tribute evening, an album is coming out with previously unheard recordings where Emahoy sings. All of her previous albums have been instrumental. We have invited record company representative Cyrus Moussawi from Mississippi Records, who briefly talks about his meetings with Emahoy and shows one of the few filmed interviews with her.

Three unique short sets are offered with:

Finnish-Swedish Iiris Viljanen, noticed and celebrated for the breakthrough with the duo Vasa's Flora and Fauna, will do a shorter tribute set where she freely interprets Emahoy's compositions on keyboard.

On keyboards, Shida Shahabi, currently recording, will also do a tribute set. She visited the Uppsala Art Museum for a concert in 2023 and will do a concert with PJ Harvey in the UK in 2024.

Swedish-Estonian composer and performer Tuulikki Bartosik, recognized for her hypnotic minimalism and neoclassical expression, makes her accordion tribute set.

Price: SEK 200

Art Night Between 17.00 and 21.00 it is Art Night in the museum. The bar is open between 17.00 and 21.00, with DJ, bar menu, and chilled drinks. Please come early and stay a while after the concert.

Contact Reception, phone: 018-727 24 82.
Hours:
Tuesday - Wednesday: 11.00-17.00
Thursday: 11.00-20.00
Friday - Sunday 11.00-17.00.

MILFORD GRAVES - FULL MANTIS

March 14th
7:30 PM
Hollywood Theater 

A REVIVAL DRUM SHOP AND MISSISSIPPI RECORDS PRESENTATION

Full Mantis is a glimpse into the complex cosmology, philosophy, and art of percussionist Milford Graves. A visual poem that follows Milford through dynamic live performances, an intimate view of his basement science laboratory, a workshop at a Japanese school for autistic children, the martial arts dojo in his lush backyard, and much more. Milford Graves' work took him to the furthest reaches of the cosmos and deep into the body as he researched the heart and its interconnectedness with metaphysical forces. This film, fifteen years in the making, will expand your ideas of what humans are capable of doing. We'll have a surprise live opening ritual for the film too!

 All profits from this event will go to The Milford Graves Memorial Fund which is striving to preserve Milford's home, garden, and temple space in Queens, New York.
Tickets

Mississippi Records & Dada Strain Present:

An album release celebration for
Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru's "Souvenirs"
&
"la espalda y su punto radiante" by sinonó
(Isabel Crespo Pardo, Lester St. Louis, Henry Fraser)

Featuring the piano of Thomas Feng
and very special guest LARAAJI

Wednesday, March 13
St Mark's Church on the Bowery, NYC
Doors: 7:30 pm. Music starts punctually at 8.
$20 adv / $25 doors

Tickets: https://withfriends.co/event/17520212/the_music_of_emahoy_tsege_mariam_gebru_with_laraaji_and_sinon

Thomas Feng will play compositions from Emahoy’s original sheet music, LARAAJI will embark on a meditative journey sampling Emahoy’s work on the electric zither, and sinonó (Isabel Crespo Pardo, Lester St. Louis, Henry Fraser) will perform poemsongs from their debut album.

about the artists:

The late EMAHOY TSEGE MARIAM GEBRU was an Ethiopian Orthodox nun and composer whose piano pieces are beloved by people around the world. Born in Addis Ababa in 1923, Emahoy studied classical music in Europe and Egypt, underwent a profound spiritual awakening, and spent a decade in contemplation as a barefoot nun in the mountains of Ethiopia. She left Ethiopia in 1984 for exile in Jerusalem, where she lived at the monastery at the Church of Kidane Mehret.

SOUVENIRS is Emahoy's first vocal album, songs of longing and exile recorded by the artist on a boombox at her family home in Addis between 1974 and 1985. Emahoy long wished to see this material released to the wider world, but passed away in March 2023 at age 99. We celebrate her and this beautiful music in what would have been her 100th year.

sinonó is a brief submergence, a string of choices, a container for the communion of rigor and failure. This NYC-based trio, featuring Isabel Crespo Pardo (voice), Lester St. Louis (cello), and Henry Fraser (bass), performs graphic scores and poem-songs composed by Crespo. Their affinity for melody, metaphor, and abstraction draws them into familiar yet surprising environments, crackling with aliveness.
https://linktr.ee/sinono

Thomas Feng is a pianist, composer, and musicologist. As a pianist, he performs principally works of modern and contemporary literature, including new works by living composers and several works of his own. Notable engagements include premieres of solo works by Eve Beglarian, Salina Fisher, Reiko Füting, James Newton, Kurt Rohde, Nicky Sohn, and Sam Wu; ensemble performances with Da Capo Chamber Players and Wild Up; and appearances at Monday Evening Concerts and TIME:SPANS. He is also an accomplished flutist.

LARAAJI, born Edward Larry Gordon, is a prolific musician who specializes in live performance of music for piano, zither, and mbira. Born in Philadelphia and growing up in part in New Jersey, Laraaji studied composition and piano at Howard University, an HBCU in Washington D.C. then moved to New York City, where he began to play zither as a busker. During his time playing at Washington Square Park in the 70s, Laraaji was becoming deeply interested in the spiritual traditions of South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas and at the same time developing an improvisatory and meditative technique for performing. After his recognition in part through Brian Eno, Laraaji began to release his music and performance on cassettes for meditation and redoubled his spiritual practice with the help of teachers such as Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati.

Tickets:
https://withfriends.co/event/17520212/the_music_of_emahoy_tsege_mariam_gebru_with_laraaji_and_sinon

THE SPACE LADY - LIVE!

November 5th
7:30 PM
Hollywood Theater 

Start the new year right with our favorite cosmic visitor. The Space Lady will be performing with cosmic projections behind her on the big screen. 

The Space Ladys' music is driven by cosmic tones played on a synthesizer and her lovely echoing voice.  She does grandiose sweeping covers of songs like "Major Tom," "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night," "Ballroom Blitz," and many more that bury the originals cold" (she also plays some great cosmic originals).
 
Don't miss this rare opportunity to see a true counterculture legend!
Tickets

THE COSMIC TONES RESEARCH TRIO plays cosmic tones for mental wellness

Sunday, December 3rd
Mississippi Records in store!
8:00 PM

A very special event! The Cosmic Tones Research Trio plan on bringing some healing tones to vibrate the record store and all who are in it. 

Remember - your body is mostly water. The sounds you hear are constantly moving around 60% of you through their vibrations. Do that huge percentage of you a favor and give it some medicine. (some of your metaphysical self may benefit from this too)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH

LONNIE HOLLEY
ACCOMPANIED BY
MARISA ANDERSON 
ROMAN NORFLEET AND BE PRESENT ART GROUP 

PRE AND POST DJ ERIC ISAACSON 

7:30 PM (doors at 6:30)
POLARIS HALL

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO MISSISSIPPI RECORDS FIRE RECOVERY

Atlanta Georgia's Lonnie Holley is one of the greatest living musicians and artists around. His music is unclassifiable - a mix of cosmic jazz, soul, avant garde, folk music and pop. Lonnie never plays the same song twice, always channeling in the moment from some deep well of inspiration. His last performances in Portland left the audience inspired and transformed. No joke! One of Mississippi Records favorite artists 

Lonnie will be playing two sets. For the first, he'll be backed up by virtuosic guitar wizard Marisa Anderson. For the second set he'll be backed by Portland's premiere practitioners of Great Black Music, Roman Norfleet And Be Present Art Group. 

Mississippi Records' Eric Isaacson will be playing records before and after the show. 

All proceeds from this show go to the Mississippi Records fire recovery fund!
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/66394932/lonnie-holley-portland-polaris-hall

VICTIMS OF SIN
NOVEMBER 12TH
HOLLYWOOD THEATRE (4122 NE Sandy Blvd)
6:00 PM

 A 1951 golden age Mexican film starring music legend Ninon Sevilla. The movie features some incredible African, Caribbean, and Cuban musical numbers alongside a moving noir melodrama, beautiful shadowy B&W photography, and shocking plot twists. We're showing a newly restored version of this seldom-seen gem. A killer!

JELLYBEAN MAN PLAY THE VELVET UNDERGROUND

11/4
7:30 PM

Mississippi Records Shop
5202 N Albina Ave, Portland, OR 97217
FREE INSTORE

Jellybean Man is Portland's premiere all-teenage art rock band. On November 4th they'll pay homage to one of their biggest influences - The Velvet Underground - with a cover set. The band will be in costume and will be destroying fruit onstage. Be prepared for the future to bring forth the past and all points in between.