Keb' Mo' delights Sisters crowd

The 2008 Sisters Starry Nights Benefit Concert Series wound up on Saturday evening with a performance by three-time Grammy winner, Keb' Mo'. The contemporary blues artist played a set that ranged from true blues to lighter ballads and a few folk tunes.

He was joined onstage by five singers from the Sisters Middle School choir. Vickie Thatch, Felicia Zandonatti, Noel Chen, Beth Eckstine and Ciara Affatati added local flavor to the Joni Mitchell classic "Big Yellow Taxi."

Keb' Mo' admitted, "I never do this song live, but hey, this is a special occasion."

Jacob French, a high school guitarist, also joined the group.

During rehearsal, an impromptu educational moment presented itself, with Keb' Mo' giving the student artists tips on presentation and performance dynamic.

Sisters Americana Project teacher Gary Bowne said: "This is a wonderful by-product of the educational mission of Starry Nights."

Bowne uses Keb' Mo's music in the Americana classes as a primary example of the blues genre.

Student MCs, seniors Jena Rickards and Ryan Burbank, introduced the show. As part of his remarks, Burbank reminisced about the first Starry Nights concert, back when he was in kindergarten. He appeared on the stage then too, with performer Kim Carnes.

The Starry Nights Concert Series has been a part of the entire Sisters school experience for some students. Burbank also noted that the beneficiary, the Sisters Schools Foundation, expects this year to exceed $800,000 raised in the 11 years that the concerts have been staged.

The performance opened with the SHS Jazz Combo showcasing the strength of the high school music program. The Combo is an award-winning group of musicians who have been playing together for several years. Senior trumpeter Tyson Edmunson and saxophonist Riley Gilmore and guitarist Jacob French, pianist Wesley Ford, bassist Jared Henderson, and drummer Sam Orwig, juniors, demonstrated a wealth of experience and performance savvy.

They were joined by Sisters Americana Project vocalists Niesje Schilperoort and Christina Holler. Schilperoort demonstrated her range with "Undertow" and Holler did her father, Reno Holler, proud by singing his composition, "Blue's My Favorite Color."

The concert was a rare opportunity to hear a headliner blues artist in Sisters. While Keb' Mo' has appeared previously in Bend, this was a unique performance for him, too.

While working with the students, he said, "This throws me out of my...thing, which I like." He also noted the tremendous community effort involved in putting on the concerts.