COMING SOON

June 20 – June 23, 2019

The Great Big Fais Do Do (pronounced Fay-Doe-Doe) is the Northwest’s premier roots country music festival. It is a welcome all dance and music festival in Northeast Portland, Oregon bringing together honky tonk, cajun, western swing, bluegrass, and string band music. At the Great Big Fais Do Do we can forget, for a joyful moment, about life’s hardship through music, dance, and social communion, a tradition that is as old as humanity. Fais Do Do is a Cajun french phrase that means “go night night”, meaning, put the kids to bed and let’s have a party! Traditionally this would have been a house party with live unamplified dance music and partner dancing. It grew into a wider used phrase for the Louisiana country dancehall, and there is even a Fais Do Do stage at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Now we use it again as an attitude we wish to promote here in Portland. Jimmy C Newman said it perfectly in his famous song, Great Big Fais Do Do: “at the great big fais do do, where you glide across the floor, then you eat some hot gumbo, then go back and dance some more!”

Portland Old Time Music Gathering 2019

The 20th annual Gathering happened on January 16-20, 2019 and it was a blast!. Our visiting Artist in Residence, Nokosee Fields, is an amazing and multi-talented fiddler and bass player. Born and raised in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Nokossee began studying orchestral violin at a young age. After years of learning and performing Classical and Early music, Nokosee has recently turned his attention to various forms of traditional American music, performing, teaching, and touring professionally. As a bassist, he tours with the Country band Western Centuries. As a teacher, he has taught at the Augusta Heritage Center and has been involved with Dancing with the Spirit—an Alaska-based youth and community music program that aims to re-inspire fiddle and dance traditions in indigenous communities throughout the region. Nokosee visited the BRAVO Youth Orchestra programs in North Portland, performed concerts and led workshops at the Old Time Gathering.

To review the full list of 2019 performers click here.

Save the date for the 2020 Portland Old Time Music Gathering January 15-19, 2020. More details coming soon!

Gathered

The CD created last year from Gathering recordings met a enthusiastic response at the Gathering, and has been a steady seller across the country this past year. You can order your own copy or get one for a gift (recommended – the beautiful case design and liner notes are well worth the extra couple dollars) or download it directly by clicking the image. Or pick up your copy next month at the Gathering merch table.

Gathered-Album-cover      Gathered-Album-back cover