DOUBLE ALL-DAY SHAPENOTE SINGING is Saturday and Sunday, May 2 – 3, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm at The Little Church, 5138 NE 23rd Ave. Sing Early American shape-note music. Saturday is four-shape singing from The Sacred Harp (1991) Sunday is seven-shape singing from The Christian Harmony. Beginners are welcome and loaner books are available. Portland Sacred Harp is volunteer-run community singing in Portland since 1991. portlandsacredharp.org.
RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT COMES TO OMSI beginning May 21. Robert Ripley’s legendary compendium of oddities, anomalies and fantastic feats is presented in a 6,000 sq ft interactive adventure through real artifacts from Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Through experiments, challenges, touchable specimens, real artifacts, computer interactives and multimedia experiences, delve into the astounding world of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! OMSI spring hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 9:30 am. – 5:30 pm and open Monday, May 25 too. omsi.edu.
WRITE AROUND PORTLAND’s Toward the Sound, is an anthology of community writing by writing workshop participants. Friday, May 29 is a reading in Collins Hall in the First United Methodist Church (1838 SW Jefferson St.) beginning at 6:30 pm. Admission is free (donations accepted) and books are $12. The group offers community-building writing workshops in hospitals, schools, homeless youth shelters, senior centers, low income housing, prisons and treatment facilities. www.writearound.org.
MUSIC MILLENNIUM’S BLUESTREAK LIVE is hosted by KMHD’s Dr. Jane Manning and Dave Johnson every second Monday with live blues artists and conversation. Monday, May 11 at 7 pm, the series features Rae Gordon, Cascade Blues Association’s Best Female Vocalist in 2011. Other instores: Thursday, May 7 at 7 pm, Steve Barton of Translator celebrates the release of Translator’s Omnivore rarities CD, Sometimes People Forget. Music Millennium is at 3158 E. Burnside St. Free admission. 503.231.8926.
HELP RESTORE THE ‘CREATING COMMUNITY’ MURAL – In January 2015, the mural was damaged by large tags spray-painted across the 72′ span. Original muralist Rin Carroll Jackson says the mural was created in 2003 and says there are no city funds for which the mural qualifies. Help at infinity2dots.wordpress.com/murals.
DHVANI PRESENTS UDAY BHAWALKAR, Dhrupad singer, accompanied by Pratap Awad on Pakhwaj and Michael Stirling on Tambura in an afternoon of North Indian Vocal Music at Christ United Methodist Church, Sunday, May 10, at 4 pm, 12755 NW Dogwood St. Tickets $20, children $10. Bhawalkar lived and studied Dhrupad for 12 years. He has performed in Europe, USA, Canada and Mexico including world music festivals in England and Belgium. See dhvani.org for more.
INSTANT COMPOSERS POOL ORCHESTRA returns through The Creative Music Guild, Sunday, May 17, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 5431 NE 20th Ave. ICP was originally founded in 1967 by saxophonist Willem Breuker, pianist Misha Mengelberg and drummer Han Bennink. The current ten-piece version (with Bennink on drums) will play one long set of swing, bop, free improvisation and their own instant composition. Doors at 7:30 pm, music at 8 pm. $15 at the door. All ages.503.287.7553. The NY Times said “They are scholars and physical comedians, critics and joy-spreaders”.
SONGWRITER ANNE WEISS AND ERIC VON BECK are adopting a child and celebrating with a live concert, Saturday, May 16 at St David of Wales Church, 2800 SE Harrison St. A potluck at 5:30 pm, music at 7 pm and everyone is welcome. Live music by Mary Flower, LaRhonda Steele, Mark Steele, Ara Lee, JP Garau, Joe McMurrian, Bre Gregg, Nathan Earle and Juliet Howard from Get Ahead, Barbara Ford, and the Everyone Welcome Community Choir. $20 at the door. Proceeds go toward the couple’s adoption. See anneweiss.com for more.