On January 30, 1996, five days before the Portland Organ Grinder closed, three performers entertained the audience: Paul Quarino, Donna Parker, and Jonas Nordwall.
Although not a scheduled event, it represents a “Farewell Concert”, as it was the last time these three performers would play together at the Organ Grinder.
Three different fans independently recorded home video on that evening. Those tapes have been provided to the Organ Grinder Documentary Project and, for the first time ever, we have been able to assemble a complete record of that night.
A sudden cold snap (part of a series of unusual weather events which led to the Great Flood of 1996) rendered the organ out-of-tune, but the patrons didn’t seem to mind.
This video consists of selections from two hours of performances. Some audio is in true stereo, and some is enhanced from mono sources.
Some segments are multi-camera, while others are just single-camera.
We believe that despite any flaws, this video is of historic importance. Details about video quality and enhancement processes are at the end.
Home Video Provided By:
Ron Burch, Judy Hedberg, Thomas Larson
Performers:
Donna Parker, Jonas Nordwall, Paul Quarino
Editing, Footage Restoration and Enhancement:
Bob Richardson
Audio Restoration and Enhancement:
Nathan Avakian
Opening Titles Song:
Send in the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim, Performed by Jonas Nordwall
Music Played:
- Send in the Clowns – Stephen Sondheim
- Wind Beneath my Wings – Jeff Silbar, Larry Henley
- Mr. Sandman – Pat Ballard, The Chordettes
- Downtown – Tony Hatch, Petula Clark
- I Know a Place – Tony Hatch, Petula Clark
- Star Wars Medley (Main Theme, Creature Cantina) – John Williams
- Theme from “2001” (Also sprach Zarathustra) – Richard Strauss
- Rock Around the Clock – Max C. Freedman & James E. Myers (as “Jimmy De Knight”), Bill Haley & His Comets
- Powerhouse – Raymond Scott
- Hoedown Medley (Cotton Fields – Huddie Ledbetter “Lead Belly”, Green, Green Grass of Home – Claude Putman, JR.)
- Everything’s Coming Up Roses – Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, Ethel Merman
- Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid – Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Samuel E. Wright
- Tiny Bubbles – Leon Pober, Don Ho
- Chattanooga Choo Choo – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon, Glenn Miller
- Joy – Martin Janus, Tom Parker / Apollo 100 (based on Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Johann Sebastian Bach) W: )
- Star Wars – Throne Room and End Titles – John Williams
- Memory from Cats – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Trevor Nunn
You can help support the project by purchasing from the Crowdfunding Shop.
