We’re working on an exciting documentary film project about the history of the Organ Grinder restaurants in Portland and Denver. Take a look at our Blog to see our progress, sign up to receive news and updates via email, or check out our Facebook Group which has a lively community. We want your stories – especially if you were a fan/patron or staff!
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New Teaser Trailer Just Launched – Watch it Now!
Welcome and Introduction
“Guess What’s Coming” – Those were the words on the new sign outside the first Organ Grinder restaurant in Portland as it was nearing completion in 1973. It’s a very appropriate phrase, as something new is coming – a documentary film project which seeks to tell the whole story behind the rise and fall of…
Would you like a tropical rainforest with your pizza?
On Saturday, we interviewed Stan Cadwallader. Stan lives on Maui, along the famous, twisty and mountainous Hana Highway, on a ranch that he and his husband, the late, beloved actor and singer Jim Nabors, purchased in the 1970s. Nestled in the hills of northeastern Maui, the climate is subtropical-rain forest or subtropical-wet forest, depending on…
Welcome to our New Sponsor: KXRW
We’re proud to announce our new Gold Sponsor, KXRW Independent Radio! KXRW is an independent, volunteer-based, values-driven, community-supported organization that supports radio station KXRW-LP on 99.9FM. They are dedicated to delivering quality programming with an emphasis on local voices. They are committed to sharing knowledge and information to build a stronger community, based on inclusion,…
Bonus Extra: Knabe / Ampico Reproducing Grand Piano Demonstration
Mark Reed demonstrates his reproducing grand piano. This piano was originally installed at the Portland Publix Theatre (later the Paramount theatre, now the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall) in Portland, Oregon. The piano was manufactured by Wm. Knabe & Co. and used an Ampico “Re-Enacting” (reproducing) mechanism, which not only recorded the notes of a performance,…
The Mechanical Music Man
Yesterday we interviewed Mark Reed at his farm in the forested countryside near the foothills of Mt. hood. Mark was the technician chiefly responsible for the maintenance of the Organ Grinder instrument in Portland. Mark provided a great a mount of technical detail, and told the history of the development of the theatre pipe organ…
This Organ is Not Obsolete
Today we had the privilege of interviewing Sam Battle, who has two very popular YouTube channels, “Look Mum No Computer” and “This Museum is Not Obsolete“. Sam participated in a remote interview conducted in his museum in Ramsgate, Kent, UK, which he describes as “the museum home for experimental and obsolete scientific and musical technology.”…
Hot off the Press – Willamette Week Article about the Film
Portland’s Willamette Week newspaper has just posed an article about the project, which should also be coming out in their print edition today. The Organ Grinder, once found on Southeast 82nd Avenue between Foster Road and Holgate Boulevard, was made immediately notable by the spectacle of its 32-foot diaphone pipes visible from the street, a…
Portland Tribune Article about the Project
Yesterday, the Portland Tribune newspaper published an article on the piece: The documentary will tell of the Organ Grinder’s huge success. Designed by Will Martin (who later designed Pioneer Courthouse Square), the glass building was something to behold. The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ was huge, as owners added enhancements and pipes through the years. It was…
KPTV-12 Segment on the Documentary
Today I was invited onto KPTV-12’s streaming show by reporter Greg Nibler, to talk about the history of the Organ Grinder and about the next steps for the documentary project.
Our Indiegogo Campaign is Now Live!
The Crowdfunding Campaign has Launched! Check out all the details on Indiegogo, and learn how you can back the film. There’s great perks available, including postcards and posters, sponsorship opportunities, and most excitingly a collection of Organ Grinder albums for the first time on CD! Campaign link: https://igg.me/at/organgrinder
Not Your Typical Home Stereo
On Friday, we again visited the home of Organ Grinder co-founder Dennis Hedberg, where he demonstrated his incredible audio system. The system can recreate a number of listening environments, including simulating the experience of being in a large movie palace while listening to a gigantic pipe organ. There are transducers under the floor that really…
First time on CD! Original Organ Grinder Albums Like You’ve Never Heard Them Before!
Launching the “At the Organ Grinder 3 1/2 Volume Collection” After months of research & preparation, we are enthusiastically delighted to announce the release of “3 1/2 Volumes” of Organ Grinder performances on CD as an early means of crowdfunding for the documentary. You can order these CDs today! Please read on for details. Big…