AFRICAN MARIMBA CONCERT Eight marimba bands play high-energy music from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana, Saturday March 1, noon to 4:30 pm at Portland Foursquare Church, 2830 NE Flanders St. 97232. The event is free and doors open at 11:30 am. Put on your dancing shoes and bring your friends. Contact marimba@teleport.com.
ZOMBIE IN LOVE a world premiere Oregon Children’s Theatre presentation, March 1 – 23 at Winningstad Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway. Mortimer is a lonely zombie dying to find true love. He tried the gym, but his arm kept falling off. He offered his heart (literally) to the mail carrier, but she ran away screaming. It’s not easy being a brain-eating, graveyard-walking, bleeding-heart romantic. Directed by Marcella Crowson and based on the book by Kelly Di Pucchio with Scott Campbell’s pictures. Saturdays, 2 and 5 pm, Sundays 11 am and 2 pm. Tickets 503.228.9571 or www.octc.org. For ages 4 and up.
PORTLAND OPEN STUDIOS’ annual call to artists is open to all visual media, excluding film. Applications due by March 15, 2014. Tour dates are October 11, 12 / 18, 19. Apply before March 8 and jury fee is discounted to $25. Open to residents of Portland and vicinity. Artists aged 20–30 years are encouraged to apply for Kimberly Gales Scholarship. www.portlandopenstudios.com for details.
VALENTINE CONCERT with violinist David Ewart, Soprano Leslie Garman, Pianist Sandra Hyslop and guest Hugh Ewart, Oregon Symphony Concertmaster Emeritus celebrating his 90th birthday. Sunday, February 16, 6 pm at Tabor Heights United Methodist Church, 6161 SE Stark St. Hear the Portland premiere of Jonathan Leshnoff’s Yiddish Dance Suite for violin and piano, Bach’s Double Violin Concerto, Debussy’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, Morgen by Richard Strauss and more. The concert is free and donations accepted. www.taborheightschurch.org 503.232.8500.
11TH ANNUAL SE ARTWALK Sat. and Sun. March 1 and 2, from 10 am to 5 pm from the boundaries of SE 9th Ave to SE 41st and SE Powell to SE Hawthorne Blvd. Artists show in their own space or are hosted by residents and businesses. Attendees visit indoor locations on this free, self-guided tour. Nearly 100 artists provide colors, shapes, textures, and visuals in SE Portland neighborhoods. For information and a map go to www.seportlandartwalk.com.
BIRDS OF CHICAGO Powerful songwriting and mesmerizing singing Thursday March 6 at the elegant Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St. JT Nero and Allison Russell (ex-Po’ Girl), are compelling in performance through mountain gospel, street corner and doo-wop. Listen to their 2012 album at birdsofchicago.com . The music begins at 8 pm and tickets are $12 adv/$15 door at www.albertarosetheatre.com .
3 LEG TORSO is at Portland’s First Presbyterian Church’s Celebration Works Sunday, February 9 at 2 pm. The band’s superb musicianship and compositions result in evocative music for movies that haven’t been filmed yet (although they’ve supplied soundtracks to many that have). Hear the band in one of the oldest churches in the Pacific Northwest with exceptional acoustics surrounded by ancient wood. 1200 SW Alder St. Tickets are $15 general, $10 students. www.3legtorso.com.
KBOO NIGHT AT CLINTON STREET THEATER – the 2nd Annual Contessa de la Luna’s Valentine Spectacular, Thurs. Feb. 13 at 7 pm. The movie for the night is 1999’s Dogma. Abortion clinic worker Bethany is called upon to save humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loophole and re-enter Heaven. There will be a Sing-A-Long with La Contessa, Talk Like Christopher Walken contest, prizes, hooligans and more. www.cst.pdx.com .
BLUE MONK’S SUNDAY JAZZ SERIES is still hot and happening! The club at 3341 SE Belmont St. hosts the series curated by saxophonist Mary Sue Tobin and begins with a first all-ages set. The second set is 21+ over and February’s calendars include Feb. 9 Presley and Presley (Katie and Dan Presley) Quintet; Feb. 16 Tim Willcox Trio; Feb. 23 PDX Jazz Presents: Stan Bock’s New Tradition; March 2 PDX Jazz Presents: Chris Brown Quartet.