Discover Walla Walla

Blues ruled the roost last Wednesday at the Walla Walla Community College Performing Arts Center as a near sellout crowd was treated to two top blues performers. Headliner, Matt Schofield, voted Blues Guitarist of the Year by the British Blues Society, more than lived up to his billing dazzling the crowd with his mastery of the guitar and his soulful and powerful voice.

The night opened with Blues Hall of Famer Jimmy Lloyd Rea and his band The Switchmasters. If you love conventional blues, then Jimmy Lloyd is your man. A member of John Lee Hooker's band for many years, Lloyd Rea revved up the crowd with his rendition of Hooker's "Big Legs and Tight Skirts." Rea is a local favorite who swings through Walla Walla often, hailing from Baker City, OR which is just 2 hours down the road.

It's fair to say that probably many in the crowd, including this author, were not very familiar with Mr. Schofield. By the end of the night, we were devoted fans. Not only did Schofield and his trio shower us with a rainbow of incredible sounds, making us feel as if we had been fans all of our lives, but he mesmerized us with his absolute mastery of his guitar and the pure soulfulness with which he played.

Schofield, a thin man, with even a thinner face, curly gold locks touching his shoulders, wearing a black t-shirt under his blue denim long sleeves, doesn't remind you of B.B. or Albert King, to say the least. Yet, during the two-set performance, his ability to groove, rock and swing - all within the framework of the Blues - makes him special, indeed.

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Viennese Romance, the third concert of the Walla Walla Symphony season, began with a bit of humor and a bunch of energy. After Maestro Yaacov Bergman did not enter on cue, the players pretended as if something were amiss. As the pause lingered, they shrugged their shoulders, raised their instruments and began playing without their conductor. Moments later, a startled Bergman scurried onto the stage and glared at them as if to say "how could you start without me?"

This planned confusion played well with the crowd, drawing chuckles and applause. As Bergman turned to the crowd with a sly smile on his face, he began exhorting them to clap along to "The Radetzky March" -- the night was off to an upbeat start. "Radetzky" is considered Johann Strauss's Sr.'s most famous piece and is performed every year at the closing of the Vienna Symphony's New Year's Eve concert. It is tradition that the crowd claps to the beat of the march, and Bergmann relished the role of miming instructions to the crowd regarding when to clap softly, loudly, and to halt. He would thunder his hand toward the audience when the clapping was to reach a crescendo.

By the end of the buoyant piece, Cordiner Hall, the home of the Walla Walla Symphony, was bursting with mirth.

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As the crowd hummed with excitement, moments before the wine colored curtain of Cordiner Hall lifted, it was strikingly apparent that this was not just another Symphony event in Walla Walla. The bi-annual production of the Nutcracker Suite by the Walla Walla Orchestra and the Eugene Ballet far transcends the parameters of a night at the symphony.

It is a night that is cherished by families throughout the community, for it is a Christmas tradition. At the Walla Walla Nutcracker performance, instead of limos arriving with well dressed couples, vans doors slide open as every member of the family from grandparents to great grandchildren spill out in their Sunday best. Groups of 8 or 10 enter together, with the little ones trying to scurry ahead in their excitement.

The Nutcracker Suite is a night for elders to savor the music and dance that has brightened their holiday season for a lifetime while relaying to their young descendants the first time they saw the Nutcracker. Little girls, some only three years old, romping in their holiday dresses, squirmed in their seats and asked a million questions about "what was this and what was that?"

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The band was rocking, the crowd was dancing, and the wine was flowing. Sapolil Cellars was vibrant and vibrating as Ce Ce James and her band rolled out the blues all night long.

The Seattle based songstress, voted recently as Best Blues Writer in the state of Washington, displayed her wide range, meandering back and forth between driving tunes and traditional numbers, alternating from aggressive vocals with a strong hint of Joplin to more melodious moments that fostered some slow dancing.

Dressed in all black, and twisting and jerking her body with every note, James doesn't short-change her audience on effort. Often there was interplay between her and the crowd as she roamed through the maze of circular tables, her interaction authentic, not choreographed like a Las Vegas performance.

The band was tight. Three guitars and a drummer supported Ce Ce. The lead guitarist (name unavailable) was the kind of guy I like: didn't upstage any vocals, his solos were inspired but controlled, and he could drive. Plus, he looked the part  . . . stringy long blond hair, a black cutoff shirt, the fu Manchu beard, a face that has seen many miles and a smattering of tattoos.

Sapolil doesn't possess a true dance floor, but the limited amount of space that does exist between the band and the tables served as one, as it was stuffed with folks shaking their groove thing. During James' cover of "Aint Superstitious" the amount of dancers was so plentiful that the crowd flowed into the spaces between the tables.

Walla Walla crowds are not renowned for spontaneous dancing but James and her band inspired them to buck the trend.

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What do fly fishing and chamber music have in common? If you are in Walla Walla in June, the answer is Tim Christie, Founder and Director of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival. I was fortunate enough to meet Tim in 2009 and discovered that we both share a passion for chasing trout with a fly rod. I also thoroughly enjoy the beautiful Chamber Music that Tim has brought to Walla Walla. We agreed that when Tim was back in Walla Walla this year we'd make time to visit the water and commune with the fish.

Unfortunately Mother Nature wasn't cooperating with our plans to visit the Walla Walla River in mid-June; heavy rains had theriver hig h, muddy and un-fishable. Luckily Walla Walla is a supportive community and a friend, Max, offered to share his private pond just south of town with us. Max has a beautiful home on five acres including this great little pond that he stocks with trout. (Being a superb host Max even suggested the right flies.) You know it's going to be a good day on the water when your first casts resulted in a both Tim and I hooking-up with nice trout. The fishing was so good that before long Max decided to get his rod and join us; we all caught fish into the early afternoon. Max even demonstrated a new technique for us - catch & release dry fly fishing for Bull Frogs - impressive!

So, if you live here, or are just visiting Walla Walla in June, remember that you can choose both, fly fishing and world class chamber music. That is if incredible wine, delicious food, sweet onions, exciting baseball, and scenic biking isn't enough for you....

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Just as recently as 3 years ago, the chance to experience entertainment in Walla Walla after 7 pm was slim and none with none more often than the slim. Now, one can walk the streets of downtown on Thursday through Saturday nights and have several places to patronize.

This is a prime reflection of the stark change in Walla Walla. Let me give you an example. On a Saturday night, just a couple of weeks after I had moved to Walla Walla in March of 2003, I went to a local pub and restaurant for some food, drink and a little action at 8:30 pm. When I asked for a menu, the bartender told me they had closed the kitchen at 8. I thought that was a bit early but cheerfully asked him where I could get some food at this hour?

He chuckled and said, "The only place serving food after 8 in Walla Walla is Shari's." You know Shari's, a distant cousin to Denny's that specializes in "down home" pies. Any entertainment? Yeah, a broken down barn called "Barnaby's" that was the home of 21-year-olds experimenting with hard liquor for the first time, and a DJ who was obsessed with rap. I became depressed.

In just 7 short years, that scenario is a distant memory. Not only do most restaurants stay open much later but there is a bevy of music and eats coming from a wide-range of establishments. Vintage Cellars used to be solely a wine and beer bar; now it serves food and live music with its beverages. With its patio and inviting upstairs, it makes for a nice evening destination.

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We keep with the theme of music tonight as we take in the Spring Jazz concert for about a dozen Whitman College students. Their instructor is world class trombonist, Dave Glenn, who prior to teaching, blew his horn in the Gerry Mulligan Band and toured with the likes of Dianna Ross. He’s a player, not just an academic. And tonight we’re back at my favorite recital hall, Chism, with its scratched honey wood floor and stark 70’s architecture – no more than 100 seats in the house.

The group starts out with a solid version of Miles Davis’ “Freddie Freeloader.” Each of the musicians plays a brief solo, all of them charted, except for pianist Ethan Maier. As the evening progresses, it becomes apparent that Maier and guitarist, Bo Sagal, are true jazz dogs. They’re really digging their solos that appear improvised, or at least, memorized, which distinguishes them from the other players. All the musicians tonight exude an affinity for jazz but Sagal and Maier are the most accomplished players and seem to most personify the jazz feel.

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Matthew Palumbo carves a sharp figure as he thunderously strikes the ivory of the grand piano resting on the stage of the Melvin K. West Fine Arts Auditorium, the muscles on his sculpted forearms pulsating with each chord. The 21-year-old Palumbo, decked out fully in black --short sleeved shirt, tuxedo pants, shoes and socks to go with his jet black thatch hair, prior to his evening, has performed with Andre Watts, Van Cliburn, Alexander Kobrin and Yong Hi Moon, not to mention winning top prize at the Northwest Chopin Competition, Sherman Clay's Bach Competition and the Seattle Young Artists Music Festival.

Tonight, though, on the Spartan stage of the "West Fine Auditorium," Palumbo is performing his Junior Recital, as he continues to study at Walla Walla University under the tutelage of Dr. Leonard Richter, worlds away from large concert halls and renowned artists. Yet, Palumbo plays with such voraciousness that at times he runs his fingers along the ivory as if he can't devour the notes fast enough for his liking and his joy of playing is not linked to the size of the crowd or the presence of a virtuoso. No, Matthew Palumbo merely loves to play classical piano and the guests and family members gathered in this snug auditorium are lucky enough to be treated to a passion-filled hour that displays the full array of Mr. Palumbo's enormous talent.

Palumbo opens with Barber's Ballade, Op. 56, which perfectly matches his all black attire. After finishing the dark piece, Palumbo sits for several seconds, as if in a trance, as if he has entered Barber's world before awakening and rising from his bench to take his bow. Palumbo shows his impressive dexterity in the second piece, Bach's Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, but by the finish, this observer is wondering if there is any softness or delicacy to go along with these nimble fingers.

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Walla Walla finally has an upscale night club with dancing. Ladies and Gents, may I present to you . . . The Red Monkey! - I know, I know, the name does not reflect the major upgrade in night clubbing that "The Monkey" represents. But let's excuse the owners for their strange taste in names and, rather, applaud them for opening a true dinner dance club that does not cater solely to the 24-and-under crowd and their rap music.

In fact, before 9:30 on a Friday night, "The Monkey" more closely resembles a classy Sports Bar than a Dance Club with its multitude of large flat screen televisions strategically placed throughout the establishment. The dinner menu is solid. Everyone in my gang seemed to be happy with their burgers, barbequed pork and salads. I had the chicken quesadilla which was tasty and not too salty . . . a good thing.

As the night progressed, the Happy Hour crowd and early dinner couples began to dwindle and were replaced by the younger crowd. Not a problem. There's actually a dress code and young ladies entered dressed to the nines, wearing a myriad of sultry pant and skirt ensembles, instead of the usual jeans falling off the hips or pajama bottoms. And the lads looked nice, too: Collared shirts, dress shoes and jeans, instead of the normal oversized hockey jersey, the ball cap to the side and unlaced monster sized basketball sneakers. 

As a male in his mid 40's, I felt quite at home. It's the type of place folks in their 30's to mid 50's have been aching for since I moved here in 2003 -- a place to go dancing that plays music we recognize and makes you feel like you're having a "night out" instead of getting in the way of the drinking duels of 22-year-olds who didn't have the time to comb their hair before making their motley appearance. The constant presence of security folks shows that "The Monkey" doesn't want to be a haven for macho man fights. God bless them.

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The bows slowly cross the strings of the three cellos, producing a moaning sound, each bow manipulated in perfect unison by the hands of the three musicians who sit in an open semi-circle facing the enraptured crowd.  A young man with jet black hair tinkers on the piano just behind them as the haunting sound of David Popper's "Requiem for Three Cellos and Piano" rises from the instruments and floats through the spartan chambers of Chism Recital Hall.

It is the final concert of the "Second Annual Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival" and the opening piece provides a stark contrast to the airy and upbeat performance of Mendelssohn's' "String Octet in E Flat" the night before where a mirthful audience sat in an open-ended winery production room, taking in the music after filling up on vino and hors' de oeuvres.

The sad but moving "Requiem" is an appropriate piece for Chism, which in its own way, serves as a perfect setting for a festival concert.  The warn wooden floor, the lack of any ornamentation to the stage or walls, the small piano cloaked by a dark tarp pushed against the deep back wall of the cavernous stage, all serve to create an atmosphere where ones focus is solely on the music and its performers.

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