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Early in the planning stages for the first Organ Grinder, the founders used an architecture firm which specialized in restaurants and hotels. The design was very conventional – a rectangular building, with the entrance and kitchen at the front, and the organ at the back. No towering windows showing off the pipes to the street,…
Yesterday, we returned to the Architectural Heritage Center in Portland, Oregon. The AHC had just unearthed a set of slides from the architecture firm Martin, Soderstrom and Matteson (now Soderstrom Architects), originally co-founded by Will Martin, the architect who designed the Organ Grinder building. The slides feature the Organ Grinder building in 1973 around the…
As part of the documentary project, Jonas Nordwall sat for an extended interview. Jonas is the Organist and Artistic Director of Music at First United Methodist Church, Portland, Oregon. He was also very well known as a performer at the Organ Grinder restaurants. At the end, he gave us a demonstration of the Mary L….
This morning we were joined by Bret Goss in front of an abandoned Walmart at an undisclosed location. (Why? Read on…) Bret had a harrowing “Home Alone” story to tell, when, at the age of six, he was accidentally left behind at the Organ Grinder after a large family celebration (each group leaving thought that…
Today’s interviewee was Ron Buel. Ron is a journalist, author and activist who was involved in the “Freeway Revolt” movement in the 1970s. He also was a founder of the Willamette Week newspaper. Ron spoke to us about the fight to stop the Mt. Hood Freeway, which would have destroyed the neighborhoods along SE Clinton…
This week, we visited the Architectural Heritage Center in Portland, Oregon to view the Will Martin archives. Will Martin was the architect who designed the unique Organ Grinder building. Will is most famous for designing Pioneer Courthouse Square in Downtown Portland. Among other items, we found this concept drawing of the Organ Grinder exterior, rendered…
Today we interviewed Brad and Debbie Avakian. Brad and Debbie were high-school sweethearts who would often gather up a car load of friends to drive all the way across town to enjoy the Organ Grinder together. They are also the parents of Nathan Avakian, who was thrilled as a child to experience the Organ Grinder…
The Organ Grinder restaurants in Portland and Denver were special places to spend your birthday back in the 70’s, 80’s, and into the 90’s. Now, you can send an Organ Grinder birthday greeting to anyone by sharing this video’s YouTube link. The clip used here was recorded at the Portland location in 1996, shortly before…
Located in Coos Bay, Oregon, the Egyptian Theatre is home to the last remaining Wurlitzer pipe organ in Oregon which is still playing in its original location. This short film features a demonstration of the historic instrument, with interviews of Paul Quarino, an original and long-time Organ Grinder performer who is now a caretaker of…
Jonas Nordwall performs the “Superman March” by composer John Williams on the Mary L. Collins Organ, First United Methodist Church, Portland. (4 manuals, 111 ranks.) As part of the Organ Grinder Documentary Project, Jonas sat for an extended interview this week. At the end, he gave us a demonstration of the Mary L. Collins organ,…
Behind-the-Scenes photo from yesterday’s interview with Jonas Nordwall, one of the original Organ Grinder performers. Not only did Jonas expound on a wide array of topics, he also gave us a demo of the Mary L. Collins organ at First United Methodist Church in Portland. Jonas and his son Christopher with Rose City Organ Builders,…
There is a connection between the Organ Grinder restaurants and the legendary Earthquake Ethel’s Roadhouse nightclub in Beaverton. Several of the same people were involved, and Ethel’s will have a chapter in the documentary. And here, we are happy to present to you, an original painting of the mythical Ethel herself, loaned to the production…
The project now has an IMDB Listing! For the occasion, we worked up a teaser poster based on the original Organ Grinder poster of the console “walking on water” on a lake in front of Mt. Hood.
The Organ Grinder experience wouldn’t have been possible without the talented performers who worked there. We’ve been in touch with several, and now the first of them has been filmed. Here’s a behind-the-scenes photo from our interview on Saturday of Organ Grinder performer Don Feely. Regular patrons may recognize the percussions & traps that Don…
Willamette Week (a weekly newspaper serving the Portland, Oregon area) recently published an article about the documentary project:Superfan of Portland’s Organ Grinder Restaurant Is Making a Documentary About the Beloved Music-and-Monkey Venue
I had a great time yesterday filming our third interview, this time with Vicki Buck. Vicki was engaging and energetic and had wonderful stories to share, from raising and working with monkeys, being the “World’s Only Female Organ Grinder”, TV game show appearances, and close friendships with Organ Grinder founders and staff. She’s also shared…
Well, hello, little fella! Thanks to a tip from our Facebook group member, Jason Pittman (who also took the photo), we know that the original Organ Grinder sign’s monkey (which is likely about 8-10ft tall – not a little fella) still exists! We are not disclosing the exact location at this time, as we are…
Photo of Vicki Bock (colloquially known as the Organ Grinder’s “Monkey Lady”) with two good friends.
Will the real “World’s Only” female Organ Grinder please stand up? Frame from a 1970’s episode of “To Tell the Truth” featuring the Organ Grinder’s “Monkey Lady”- can you guess which person is the genuine article? It’s important for a documentary to reveal the the truth about its subject. Sometimes, that truth involves subterfuge –…
This childhood drawing was provided by an Organ Grinder fan who spent hours creating elaborate scenes of their dream pipe organ. This instrument has everything – note the inclusion of not one, but two pianos!
