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Sisters, Oregon
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The contents of the on-line edition of The Nugget represent a selection among the stories that appear in the weekly print edition.

Americana Project celebrates roots music
By Jim Cornelius

Not All Related closed the Americana Project assembly. Photo by Jim Cornelius

Young musicians from the Americana Project have been featured at events across Sisters since the program began three years ago.

They often provide an accompaniment or musical backdrop to arts events at Sisters High School -- but the spotlight doesn't often shine directly on them.

This year, participants told program director Brad Tisdel that they wanted an assembly of their own -- and they got one on Wednesday, December 4.

The assembly featured performances by Ben Scharf, who offered his original piece "The Bleeding of the Earth," before stepping to the piano to accompany the duo of Kerani Mitchell and Lauryn Shultz performing a song penned by Mitchell.

Mitchell encouraged her fellow students to take advantage of the Americana Project offerings, noting that many teens "have self-confidence issues" that can be overcome through self-expression in music -- especially in the nurturing environment of the Americana Project.

That point of view was emphasized in a student-produced video documenting the project.

The video also drove home the point that the Americana Project is more than a music class. The program has involved students in video production, concert promotion, sound engineering and recording and has infiltrated the classroom through tying cultural expression to literature and history.

Several Americana Project students are currently at work on a CD of original recordings. They are working with local musician, producer and engineer Philippe "Frenchy" Mallen at his Mallen Music Ranch east of Sisters on the project.

Last week, members of the noted regional folk band Misty River journeyed to Mallen Music Ranch to add harmony vocals and instrumentation on several of the students' tracks.

Misty River's participation reflects a commitment by program organizers to bring artists of national reputation into the schools to work with and inspire the students.

Artists who have worked with students in the schools include Robin and Linda Willliams, Don Conoscenti, David Jacobs-Strain and others.

In addition, local musicians have taught guitar and discussed the role of music in their lives.

The Americana Project is a collaboration between the schools and the Sisters Folk Festival. The musical orientation is designed to instill an appreciation for American roots music, but its tone is broad and eclectic, incorporating blues, jazz and rock as well as folk and country styles.

That eclectic format was reflected at Wednesday's assembly as it was closed by an impassioned performance by Not All Related, which followed earlier acoustic singer-songwriter performances with a drum-driven rock epic.

Jim Cornelius is a director of the Sisters Folk Festival.

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