The late 20th century was a vibrant time for music in Albina. From the roots of gospel, blues, and jazz sprang new forms of soul, funk, disco, and electrified R&B. Teenagers and elders alike fused genres to create new sounds in church. Musicians spent afternoons and after hours hopping from jam session to jam session. And residents dressed to the nines, hitting the clubs every night of the week.

Over time, however, this rich musical culture was immobilized by redlining, community disinvestment, and gentrification. Black musicians experienced racism in the city's club circuit, restricting access to capital and recognition outside of Albina. Though music in the neighborhood was alive and well, record labels largely ignored Albina musicians and few albums were produced in their time.

Narrated by lifelong Portland musicians Calvin Walker and Norman Sylvester, this one-mile self-guided audio tour explores Albina's musical culture of the 1960s-1980s. Along the way, songs from the Albina Music Trust archive complement oral histories from a variety of musicians. Visiting former venues and community hubs, we invite attendees to view these historic landmarks and consider how we might preserve Albina's music for future generations.

How do I take the Albina Soul Walk?

Step 1: On your mobile device, visit this link or scan the QR code in the image below. Once complete, download the ECHOES app on your mobile device.

Step 2: Visit the walk’s starting location: 2125 N. Vancouver Ave. Portland, Oregon 97227

Step 3: Open the app and listen. You will hear oral histories and music from historic locations on the walking route. Walking instructions will be given at each location.

Tips for taking the walk:

• Once you have downloaded the “ECHOES interactive sound walks” mobile application, you can access the walk by searching within the app or clicking here.

• The soundwalk starts at 2125 N. Vancouver Ave and and takes about an hour to complete, as you will need to stop at each location to hear all of the audio.

• There are 9 ECHOES (blue sound zones) total which are meant to be visited in the order shown on the map above.

• When you walk into an ECHO, audio will start playing automatically. If you accidentally step outside of the zone, the audio will pick up where you left off when you return.

• The ECHOES are intentionally larger than the landmark itself to allow for meandering while you listen. To find out exactly where the location was, tap on the ECHO to view its street address.

Credits

Voices

Ken Berry, Bill Deiz, J.W. Friday, Joe “Bean” Keller, Marilyn Keller, Paul Knauls, Marlon McClain, Shirley Nanette, Gregg A. Smith, Norman Sylvester, Calvin Walker

Music

Billy Larkin & the Jivers -  “But I Wonder”

Billy Larkin & the Jivers - “Play It Cool”

Chuck Moore & the All Stars - “The Flip Side”

Gregg A. Smith Band - “Teasin’ Woman”

Joyous ft. Chuck Colberg - “Get Down Tonight” (live at Fred’s Place)

Joyous ft. Chuck Colberg - “If You Could Be My Girl (live at Fred’s Place)

Mary Lee Whitney - “This Could Have Been Mine”

Ralph Ventsha & Red Julian Quartet - “Listen to Me (Baby)”

Rated X - “Rated X”

Rated X: “What You Gonna Do About It”

Ruby & the Wonders -  “Don’t Cha Do It”

Ruby & the Wonders - “Here is My Heart”

Shirley Nanette - “Give and Take”

Shirley Nanette - “Sometimes”

The Cavaliers Unlimited - “The Nasty”

The Fabulous Majestics with Lanny Hunt - “Somethin’ Else”

The Gangsters - “Le Funk”

The Gangsters - “Lester’s Theme”

The Harlequins - “Think”

The Harlequins - “You Spec”

The Legendary Beyons - “Dreamin’ You In My Mind”

The Legendary Beyons - “There We Were, Here We Are”

The Legendary Beyons - “Love Notes”

Transport - “Move Your Body”

Warren Bracken Quartet ft. Marianne Mayfield - “Love For Sale”

Special thanks to Betty Yu, Kathy Stahl, Nate Terepka, Laura Lo Forti, the Knauls family, the Sylvester family, and the Walker family.