#looptworks portland

To be honest, I've never been a huge Corinne Bailey Rae fan. It's not that I had any reason not to listen to or like her music -  she's just one of the thousands of talented artists in this world that hadn't yet filtered to the top of my playlist.  Making my own music and keeping up with all the artists on my general music-listening radar takes a talent for time-management that I've yet to achieve. But I'd heard enough about Corinne Bailey-Rae to know that, whenever it was that I actually found the time to listen to her music, I would likely enjoy it. As I found out last night at Portland's Roseland Theater, my intuitions about her music were quite the understatement. I absolutely loved it. Prior to his death in March of 2008, I had been more familiar with Bailey-Rae's late husband's music than her own. Jason Rae, a Scottish saxophone player from Aberdeen, played with an incredibly talented horns-based funk / afro-beat / souljazz band called The Haggis Horns who were regular players at a party called Departure Lounge, which I used to help my promoter/DJ friend Astroboy (Chris Knight) organize from time to time. I lived  in Edinburgh, Scotland from 2006-2008 while pursuing my MSc at University of Edinburgh and found myself consistently amazed at the dedication to Motown sounds that came from Northern England and Scotland. Something about that land  (persecution and prejudice at the hands of the English perhaps ?) seemed to resonate deeply with the sounds of Motown. Jason Rae was a Scottish Motown funksman through and through. Even if you don't know his name, you've likely heard him play with Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson. But to get back to the matter at hand, Corinne's show at the Roseland Theatre last night was simply riveting, from start to finish. She and her band seamlessly moved between psychedelic northern soul,  gospel-flavored balladry, Motown funk and soul, Jazz and other various eclectica from the last 50 years. Although tragic, one might argue that her late husband's death might have inspired a type of soul-searching and mourning that has put Corinne Bailey Rae at the top of her musical game. But it also helps to have a voice that could shatter fortresses and a band that brings forth the sort of effortless virtuosity and dynamic range that hers did last night. The band towed the musical line perfectly, playing at all times with rapt attention to what appeared to be the question of "will this phrase enhance or detract from what everyone else, especially Bailey-Rae,  is doing right now ?" In other words, they accomplished something far too rare in public musical performance, even by top-billing artists of every genre: they listened to each other.  Carefully and joyfully. The net effect was to provide the perfect balance of funk, rock and soul music to underscore the huge voice from Bailey Rae's tiny frame. It was a wonderful way to start Portland's Soul'd Out Festival, a musical undertaking that I hope to see flourish for years to come. Corinne Bailey Rae's music is EXACTLY what this town needs more of. Huge kudos to Corinne Bailey Rae, The (RED) Nights concert series,  the whole Soul'd Out Festival crew and everyone else who made this show possible. Below is a video I shot on my iPhone of Bailey Rae's encore performance. Pardon the poor sound and video, but I think you'll find the quality shines through. Corinne Bailey Rae\'s encore performance on 4.11.10 @ The Roseland in Portland, Oregon, for the Soul\'d Out Festival

Truly one of my favorite things to do is run around outside with my favorite friends doing activities that make me FEEL better at the end of the day...So, joking that we were the 'Looptworks Crew' - even though I guess you could argue that this was true! - here we are playing, laughing, riding bikes, running, jumping, listening to music, supporting local, and showing off some new-upcoming Looptworks gear. I just feel honored to be part of a city with so much talent, passion, and insight for living a life where less is more - half the crew rode their bikes down to the site, the other few rode public transportation, and the last couple carpooled....it's just how we roll! So here we are with a sneak peek of the between moments, having fun and testing out some new video concepts - thanks to Looptworks for having me on board to help produce this as well as model - I can't wait to see and share the final footage. VIDEO: Looptworks and friends hit the streets of Portland! Also - if you ever have thoughts or ideas for how we can get people together for some fun, new video content, please don't hesitate to send those thoughts our way - it's all about community! and what better way to connect than by putting our heads together and coming up with new and innovative ways to spread the word that 'LESS' is more. (actual polaroid from our day!) Love to all on our excessless adventures.

...so I'm giving homework to everyone - check out the dictionary and pick 2 words that are out of your normal vocabulary...or maybe are in your vocabulary but are defined outside your normal box of thinking. Let's challenge each other, connect, and find new ways to communicate that help us all to focus on a better picture, a bigger meaning...and in whole, a healthier way of life.

What images does the word trash conjure up for you? Overflowing landfills? Piles of torn Christmas wrapping paper? Plastic water bottles stuck in the street gutter? For many of us in the Western World, trash is often associated with excess, a representation of our over consumptive society. If we live in excess, we're bound to be wasteful, and that waste often turns to trash. Yet in many places around the world, trash represents having very little. I'm talking about slums, places where large families crammed into small, rundown spaces, people have limited to no access to sanitation and children play amongst piles of refuse. Although in our own society most of us can turn a blind eye to trash, one third of urban dwellers live in slums and deal with trash on an everyday basis. That's more than 1 billion people. 1 billion people that live in the midst of trash and waste, but with lives that are anything but excessive. The Places We Live is a touring, multimedia photojournalism exhibition by Norwegian photographer Jonas Bendiksen, a striking documentation of life in the slums. "If we tell people about our house, will anyone believe us," -Nagamma Shilpiri, Mumbia. For those who can't visit the exhibition in person, www.theplaceswelive.com has been set up to create an interactive and educational experience for the viewer, welcoming you into the homes of families stuck in slums from Caracas, Venezuela to Jakarta, Indonesia. The goal is to truly expose the problem of slums, not allowing the viewer to turn a blind eye, but to get him or her see the reality of these places and the impact on the people that live in them. In many slums, access to clean water is of high concern, and although many Western consumers live far from these places, our actions have global impacts. Ever heard of a water footprint? The term refers to the "total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by an individual, business or nation." Many of our everyday goods, from coffee to cotton, have high water footprints. When it comes to conventional cotton -- used in much of the textile industry -- excess consumption in the Western world can mean dire straits for those living in places with water shortages. In the European Union alone, 84% of the cotton related water footprint lies outside of the EU. This makes European consumers heavily dependent on the water resources of cotton producing countries like India and beyond, reducing the amount of water available for other purposes -- drinking, sanitation, etc. -- in these countries that are at the epicenter of textile production. Problems associated with water scarcity will only worsen; according to the World Health Organization, by 2025 nearly 2 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water shortage. What can you do about it? We could all benefit from thinking about what clothes we wear affect the people and places that are producing them. Choosing upcycled clothing is a clear start; a t-shirt that uses no new materials contributes no additional burden  to the overall water footprint when it comes to irrigating cotton crops. There are also a lot of great organizations out there focusing on water issues. charity:water is a personal favorite, bringing safe and clean drinking water to developing nations. So check out www.theplaceswelive.com and be inspired to start thinking about your own impact and choosing to make a difference.

Check out the video that I took on my awesome Jillian Flip Cam... Looptworks Portland Party Video!