Rhythm Nation

10/08/2022

This November, Oregon voters get to vote on the Right to Healthcare Oregon Amendment to the state constitution, which establishes a state obligation to ensure every Oregon resident has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate, and affordable health care. Norman Sylvester is a long-time health care activist, a member of Health Care for All Oregon as well as a legendary boogie musician who was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2011. On the show, we talk about the experiences as a musician trying to afford and access healthcare. Later in the show, Daniel Shaheen Moltke and Peter Marks talk about the measure’s specifics with State Representative Rob Nosse who was a champion of the measure in the legislature, and is currently chairing the House Health Care Committee.

https://www.rhythmnation.us/podcast/38

This November, Oregon voters get to vote on the Right to Healthcare Amendment to the state constitution, which establishes a state obligation to ensure every Oregon resident has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate, and affordable health care. Norman Sylvester is a long-time health care

25/05/2022

Andrew Yang is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, non-profit leader, and former 2020 presidential candidate. He supports Oregon People’s Rebate, an initiative petition that would rebate about $750 to every Oregonian, every year and is paid for by raising taxes on corporations making over $25 million a year. On the show we talk about universal basic income, ranked choice voting and discuss a playlist of Andrew’s favorite music, including Prince deep cuts.

22/04/2022

Happy Earth Day! 🌎 This weekend we’re celebrating by supporting Jamie McLeod-Skinner for Oregon, the candidate best positioned in the May 17th election to positively impact climate change. She’s up against Kurt Schrader, one of the most conservative Democrats in congress who has taken $8M from corporate PACs over the course of his career, including from the fossil fuel industry.

Despite an enormous cash disadvantage, Jamie is polling just 3% behind Kurt Schrader and humiliated him in a TV debate this week. She can win this, but she needs our help. We’re making calls for her campaign on Sunday. There are a number of times in the coming weeks to make calls and go to doors on her events website, including tomorrow at Berkeley Park with a free pizza party. If you are unable to get involved that way but still want to support, we encourage you to consider donating to Jamie’s campaign.

16/02/2022

House music is bigger than ever in America, yet the story of its origins is widely unknown outside of the heads who follow the records. We have a member of our organization who saw it unfold firsthand. Cee White was coming of age in Chicago in the late 1980s right as house music was taking shape and came on the program to talk about it. We’ll hear stories of going to the music’s namesake venue “The Warehouse”, listen to the records that moved the floors in the early days, and hear what has stuck with him to this day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXhTPAaZcwM

Peter sat down to chat and play music with DJ Cee White who grew up in Chicago as House Music was born. Cee talks about the early days of House Music, how it...

02/02/2022

Our members voted unanimously to endorse Jamie McLeod-Skinner for congress because Oregonians need a champion who will stand up for them, not the corporations instigating the climate crisis and raising the prices of prescription drugs. Jamie is running against Kurt Schrader, a 14-year incumbent who has taken more money from the fossil fuel and pharmaceutical industries than just about any Democrat in congress. As Jamie explains in our interview, she supports bold solutions to tackle the climate crises, address rising healthcare costs and supports single payer healthcare solutions like Medicare for All.
https://www.rhythmnation.us/endorsements/jamie-mcleod-skinner

Our members voted unanimously to endorse Jamie McLeod-Skinner for congress because Oregonians need a champion who will stand up for them, not the corporations instigating the climate crisis and raising the prices of prescription drugs. Jamie is running against Kurt Schrader, a 14-year incumbent wh

27/01/2022

Our members voted unanimously to endorse Oregon People's Rebate because COVID and inflation have hit the people of Oregon the hardest. Huge corporations making over $25M are clearly doing just fine, just look at the record profits on Wall Street. Oregon People's Rebate is simple: make these corporations pay their fair share and we as Oregonians split it evenly. As the founder Antonio Gisbert explained in his interview, that will mean direct payments of about $750 to EVERY Oregonian EVERY year.
https://www.rhythmnation.us/endorsements/oregon-peoples-rebate

Our members voted unanimously to endorse Oregon People's Rebate because COVID and inflation have hit the people of Oregon the hardest. Huge corporations making over $25M are clearly doing just fine, just look at the record profits on Wall Street. Oregon People's Rebate is simple: make these corpor

12/01/2022

Oregon's Kurt Schrader has taken the most money from the fossil fuel and pharmaceutical industries as almost any Democrat in congress. Jamie McLeod-Skinner is challenging him in the primary in Oregon's 5th District on May 16th. From repairing schools in war torn countries to developing climate protection policies in Silicon Valley to wildfire recovery in Oregon, Jamie has a record of producing solutions and models for people-centered leadership. We’re going to talk about her plans for the 5th district and also about the music stories that lead her there.

05/01/2022

Check out the latest Rhythm Nation podcast! Really exciting stuff happening this election cycle in Oregon in regards to UBI!

05/01/2022

The Oregon People’s Rebate is an initiative petition qualifying for the November 2022 election that will rebate about $750 to every Oregonian, every year. This would mean putting about $3,000 in the pockets of a family of four and is projected to significantly address childhood poverty if it passes. The revenue to fund the rebate comes from increasing the minimum tax rate for big Wall Street corporations after $25 million of Oregon revenue to 3%. Currently, their minimum tax rate is less than 1%, which is among the lowest rates in the country. The effort is being led by my guest and fellow Rhythm Nation member, Antonio Gisbert.

07/12/2021

Portland, Oregon will never be the same after the events of the past two years. To City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty , that’s a good thing in some ways. In our wide-ranging conversation touched on music venues, police budgets and homelessness, Commissioner Hardesty outlined a vision for a more equitable Portland that she hopes will woo voters more than fear based messages when she runs for re-election in May of 2022. On the show, Commissioner Hardesty also told me the story of how music brought her and kept her in Portland and also how Marvin Gaye’s 40-year-old classic “What’s Going On” continues to inspire her to this day.

Link in bio for episode. Subscribe to Rhythm Nation wherever podcasts are streamed or tune in to KBOO Community Radio Wednesday at 6pm to hear it live.

This interview was a first in a series of interviews of candidates running for Portland city council position #3. Next week, we’ll be chatting with commissioner Hardesty’s challenger Rene Gonzales. Per FCC guidelines, we are required to give candidates equal time. However, as a 501c4 non-profit, Rhythm Nation may endorse a candidate in this race. For more information on our organization and organizing efforts, visit our website.
https://www.rhythmnation.us/podcast/29

Portland, Oregon will never be the same after the events of the past two years. To City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, that’s a good thing in some ways. In our wide-ranging conversation touched on music venues, police budgets and homelessness, Commissioner Hardesty outlined a vision for a more equi...

20/11/2021

We are so excited to see you all tonight! This evening will be an experiment in raising awareness while we dance, and we look forward to sharing it with you all! We have one last artist spotlight to show you all, and it is none other than the closer for this evening, Bizio!

For nearly a decade, Nico Bisio, better known as Bizio has been a driving dance floor force in the pacific north west. Known for his smooth blends of weaving rich melodies, psychedelic soundscapes, and brain tickling noises, he serves these sounds on a plate of house music rhythms straight to your ears. From those very ears Bizio always takes the dance floor on a journey with him both inward and outward, as above, so below. “Through the communal nature of dance we find peace and healing in each other, and a for a beautiful moment we become one without a care in the world, with the hope we can bring a piece of that euphoria back to our day to day.” This philosophy has been the guiding ethos in all endeavors Bizio has embarked on when it comes to dance. Bizio most recently has taken up creating music of his own with his most notable releases being in collaboration with his dear friend Luke Mandala on Desert Trax and Merkaba Music. More original music should be expected imminently, until then, see you on the dance floor.

19/11/2021

Today we would like to shine a spotlight on your illustrious headliner for this weekend... Kim Ann Foxman, her music speaks for itself, but her story is an interesting one to put it lightly. We are in for a treat tomorrow night!

The short-story version of Kim Ann Foxman’s trajectory is pretty simple: An island-born kid dreams of a life in clubland, hits the big city and, with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, emerges as one of dance music’s leading figures. But it’s the details that transforms her singular tale into something far more fascinating than the standard-issue success story. After all, what other DJ can lay claim to the title of Miss Teen Filipina Hawaii? How many can say that their first job in nightlife was when in high school, serving as the in-house dancer and serving rave smoothies at an all-ages club? How many, after moving to New York by way of San Francisco in the early ’00s, can say that they helped to rejuvenate the city’s then-stale nightlife via her residency at one of the best parties ever held in a hole-in-the-wall gay bar, the Mad Clams affair? How many have tasted stardom as one of the original members of the scene-making dance-music collective Hercules and Love Affair?

Exactly one, and it’s Kim Ann. But it’s a safe bet that she would have made it to where she is today without those biographical eccentricities, because her near-classical take on jacking club rhythms is hard to resist, sounding as fantastic at a full-scale mega-rave as it does at a grimy basement bash. It’s a universally appealing sound that’s taken her around the world—the past few years have seen her playing such hallowed halls as Fabric, Berghain, DC-10, Concrete and Contact, all while holding down a residency at her hometown’s Good Room.

A lifetime in clubbing has informed Kim Ann’s studio work as well, with her music—much of it coming out on her own Firehouse label—synthesizing the best elements of raw house, propulsive 303 material, emotive techno and even the occasional hint of trance into a hugely satisfying whole that lives somewhere between the weird and the wonderful. And then there’s her latest project, Pleasure Planet, which sees her teaming with Andrew Potter and Brian Hersey to add sparkling touches of extraterrestrial new wave to the mix on her new sublabel, self:timer. It’s yet another twist in the continuing saga of Kim Ann Foxman—and, we’d wager, there are plenty more to come.

19/11/2021

We would also like to today introduce our other guest speaker Anthony Johnson! If you are interested in learning more about the trailblazing legislation us Oregonians voted in a year ago to decriminalize drugs, you will not want to miss his talk!
A former criminal defense attorney, Anthony has worked on successful drug reform campaigns in multiple states, starting back in 2003. He served as chief petitioner and spokesperson for the Oregon Measure 110 campaign that decriminalized personal possession of drugs with over 58% of the vote this past November 3rd. He was chief petitioner and director of the Vote Yes on 91 PAC that was responsible for the Measure 91 cannabis legalization campaign that passed in 2014 with over 56% of the vote. Today, as director of New Approach Oregon, he is working to effectively implement Oregon's landmark drug policy reform initiatives.

18/11/2021

Rounding out the spotlights for the outdoor housewarming stage is our friend &Roses! I personally have not seen her play since before the pandemic began so I am very excited to hear what she has cooking up for our dancing feet!

&Roses rests comfortably in the house and techno zone, but is constantly pushing the boundaries on what that is. Mixing in breaks, grime, jungle, hyphy, Miami bass and even baile funk. &Roses finds a way to take club music just one step further. &Roses has also been known for her energetic performances. Putting as much effort into her on-stage dance moves as she does into her sound selection.

17/11/2021

Joining us for some fun this Caturday is also Fluffystuff! They always bring a ton of fun to the night and we are excited to get fluffy with them!

☁️🌈 FluffyStuff is a Dj duo and artistic concept curated by two Fluffy humans, Karim Moussa and Alvaro Campomanes.
These FluffyStuffers will Fluff up your night, by creating silly, playful, and interactive experiences with music and art. Creating an environment that encourages grownups to bring their inner silly and bubbly self to come out and play.💞
FluffyStuff is known for bringing a unique and different energy to the dance floors with their Fluffy, weird and playful sounds.☁️🌈🔊🥳

Get ready to boogie, get a little silly and come get Fluff’d up with us!
🌈⚡️🎈🧸

17/11/2021

THIS SATURDAY: Two stages of dance music at Epicenter headlined by Kim Ann Foxman (Firehouse, NYC). Talks by DanceSafe and a national leader in drug policy. Tickets to this unique event are $25 and benefit our non-profit organization.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rhythm-nation-presents-kim-ann-foxman-tickets-167350298247
RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/892610271667217

COMMUNITY HOUSE MUSIC DANCE PARTY

16/11/2021

Also joining us on the Housewarming Stage is our friend Luxo! Luxo has been on quite a tear lately playing all over the continent in the US and Canada. We are excited to have him here!

Daniel Nish aka Luxo, emerged from the LA underground.
This LA native brings a unique style of forward thinking
tech house that is sure to get the party started. As
co owner of one of the hottest LA underground house
record labels, Rock Bottom Records, Luxo with his
compadre Posse Sauce continue to push the boundaries
of house music.
After an ambitious 2019, Luxo is rapidly becoming one of
the hottest names ON THE WEST COAST as a tastemaker and
party starter. Luxo s sound has been described as high
energy with rolling basslines and attention grabbing
vocals. Some of his most notable tracks include his
Friend remix (gaining over 100K plays across streaming
platforms), Voy (premiered on Techno Bible) and his
latest track OMG!” on Vibrancy Records.

11/11/2021

Another artist to meet is our Rhythm Nation Member Chris Torres! Who will be opening up the indoor stage before the speakers and Kim Ann Foxman at this awareness event on the 20th!

Chris Torres is a DJ and drummer based in Portland via Oakland. As a Colorado native his passion for music was fostered at an early age spending most of his teens and 20s gigging and raving in the copious Denver music scene. His monthly radio show Social Music on SutroFM traverses the spectrum, interweaving the myriad manifestations of the jazz diaspora with dance music of all flavors. A disciple of deep grooves and all things funky, you can catch him equally comfortable behind the decks or playing drums around town.

10/11/2021

We are just ten days away from our next awareness rave teaming up with our dear friends at The Epicenter! We thought it would be good to introduce you to some of the artists and speakers you will be hearing in support of Kim Ann Foxman.

Starting up the housewarming stage on the outdoor system is Nikkid!

Nick Farrell is NIKKID - a relatively new DJ in the scene, crowds are consistently stunned by both the technique and energy that goes into his sets. Drawing on a deep array of tech house, bass house, techno and minimal - NIKKID wields a diverse crate of tracks that will have you grooving into sundown.
This year alone, Nick has had the pleasure of opening for Donald Glaude and Ghettoblaster. He also runs a Twitch channel with weekly live streaming DJ sets with over 500 followers and counting.
Come find out what NIKKID is about!

09/11/2021

New podcast interview up with Manoj Mathew, a Portland-based electronic music promoter and DJ who has been throwing raves in Portland since 1991. We’ve been in touch with Manoj a lot lately as we’re planning a Rhythm Nation event together on November 20th at his venue Epicenter. As we’ve been talking through the event, it became clear that Manoj’s approach to putting on events is deeply personal to the point that it borders on spiritual. We wanted to get the full story on his views on dance music communities as it relates so strongly to the community organizing we do at Rhythm Nation. It happens to include some great stories and tracks of early west coast raves that we think you’ll really enjoy.

We’re also excited to announce that Rhythm Nation is now airing bi-monthly on KBOO Community Radio! Tune in the first and second Wednesdays of the month at 6pm.

To listen to the episode and to find more more information on our 11/20 event that’s headlined by and features talks from Dance Safe and Measure 110, check out our website: https://www.rhythmnation.us/podcast/28

15/10/2021

Great op-ed from Health Justice Recovery Alliance on the current state of Oregon's drug decriminalization and the important work left to be done: https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/10-opinion/524715-419365-knudson-and-hurst-measure-110-started-strong-but-oregon-still-has-an-addiction-crisis

M***a Knudson is executive director of Bridges to Change. Tera Hurst is executive director of the Health Justice Recovery Alliance.

20/09/2021

Last week, Oregon’s Congressman Kurt Schrader voted against his constituents and in favor of the pharma industry who fund his campaign. According to polling from Data for Progress, a whopping 91% of his constituents disagree with him on this exact issue. On Wednesday 9/22 at 5pm, we join Indivisible Clackamas District 5, and other grassroots groups for a rally at Schrader’s Oregon City office (621 High St) to remind Schrader that he works for us, not the pharmaceutical industry. Text “budget” to 541-313-2213 to take action.

16/09/2021

Why is Oregon's Congressman Kurt Schrader trying to prevent our government from negotiating with drug companies to lower drug prices? Maybe he's hearing from lobbyists more than constituents on this issue. Call his office at (503) 557-1324. This might be our only shot to pass prescription drug reform for the next decade.

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/09/rep-kurt-schrader-of-oregon-helps-kill-drug-pricing-bill-endangering-biden-infrastructure-plan.html

A House committee dealt an ominous if tentative blow Wednesday to President Joe Biden’s huge social and environmental infrastructure package, derailing a money-saving plan to let Medicare negotiate the price it pays for prescription drugs.

02/09/2021

On Wednesday 9/8 at 5pm, we’re rallying at Schrader’s Oregon City office to ask that he commit to a generation-defining federal budget. He’s one of the only Democrats in congress who hasn’t committed and he hasn’t given a good explanation why. Join us Wednesday along with Indivisible Clackamas District 5:

https://www.facebook.com/events/832170924109068/?ref=newsfeed
https://secure.everyaction.com/BP0e17qK-E2qNXd1PzhTBQ2

There's also a rally at his Salem office at 11am hosted by Our Revolution Oregon.
https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/408876/

24/08/2021

New interview up with Michelle DePass, chair of Portland Public Schools, who has the unenviable task of re-opening public schools during the onset of the delta variant. It’s an incredibly tough job given that she has to weigh our constantly changing scientific understanding of delta against the varying opinions of thousands of concerned parents. In the episode, we talk through the thoughtful approach she and the board are taking to ensure our students and teachers are healthy. We also touch on lighter topics, such as the artistic path that led her to public office, the roller discos that are getting her through the pandemic, a playlist of her go-to jams and how we can get high school students dancing again.
https://www.rhythmnation.us/podcast/27

Michelle DePass is the current chair of the Portland school board who is currently focusing on the unenviable task of re-opening public schools during the onset of the delta variant. It’s an incredibly tough job given that she has to weigh our constantly changing scientific understanding of delta ...

19/08/2021

Our first members meeting and music hangout at Mt Tabor Park on Tuesday was great! Recap, recording and next steps posted here: https://www.rhythmnation.us/meetings/1

We discussed:

* The proposed bylaws. Feedback welcome!
* The endorsement process for candidates and issues, including currently endorsed issues.
* What it means to become a member of Rhythm Nation - you pay $10/month in exchange for voting rights, discounts and exclusive events.
* The various committees that are currently forming, including political, events, digital comms, membership and infrastructure. Sign up to be part of a committee here.
* The next meeting, which will be Saturday 9/18.

25/07/2021

Tonight's the night! No more presales but plenty of $20 tickets at the door. Proof of vax required for entry. Photo is fine. This will be Peter and Megan's third party of the day! See you on the dancefloor :)

23/07/2021

Our first IRL event is tomorrow at Produce Row @ 7:30pm! Here's a schedule of the event:

7:30pm - Doors open for event, but you’re welcome to be there earlier for dinner or a drink

8:00pm - interactive discussion with Travis Nelson, Vice President of the Oregon Nurses Association and a member of the DSA and DNC. Together, we’ll take direct action by calling our legislators.

9:00pm - DJ set Deena Bee, former urban music director at KBOO who we just had on the podcast.

10:30pm - DJ set from Sappho

12:00am-close - B2B DJ set from Lincoln Up and Peter Marks

21+. Proof of vaccine required for entry (photo is fine). $20 at the door. Limited presale tickets are available for $15 on RA: https://ra.co/events/1449357

21/07/2021

Deena Barnwell (The Soundbox) is a DJ and stalwart purveyor of great music in the ever-changing Portland music scene. She worked at local community radio station KBOO 90.7 as the station’s Urban Music Director from 1998-2018. On the show, we talk about what brought her to hip hop, what's she's learned as a woman working in the music industry and the collective moments through music that have the power to transform. At the end of the show, we go through a playlist of top-shelf hip hop jams that inspired her. Deena will be performing at this weekend's Rhythm Nation Medicare for All Party at Produce Row Cafe. https://www.rhythmnation.us/podcast/25

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