Echo Fund 2023 Recipients
This year, MusicOregon received 217 Echo Fund applications, doubling the number received in last year’s grant cycle. While there were so many inspiring proposals to consider, there were 18 winning projects that managed to surf above the crowd.
None of this is possible without local companies who care deeply about music.
Thank you to the Echo Fund underwriters and Portland Music Month sponsors who contributed to this vital resource for Oregon’s music creators. To donate to the future of the Echo Fund, click here. To be a Portland Music Month sponsor for 2024, reach out to contact@musicoregon.org.
Meet the 2023 Grant Recipients here. Drumroll please…
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Recording, Art & Distribution
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Cay Davis is a queer non-binary first-generation Filipinx-American multi-instrumentalist musician and artist living on the occupied lands of the Chinook now known as Portland, Oregon.
Cay leads Cay Is Okay, a BIPOC rock band, mixing swells of emotion and vulnerability through pop melodies and dissonance. Cay Is Okay lays bare the feelings in the intersection of the Asian-American and queer communities via the minutiae of everyday experience.
In summer 2022, Cay Is Okay collaborated with Seattle’s Vera Project on a recording workshop for queer/trans youth. The band and participants recorded the song “Lemons” over the course of a weekend. To honor the intentions of the workshop, trans artists mixed, mastered, and provided album art for the song. “Lemons” will be featured in the 2023 compilation for Seattle's enby party.
In 2019, Cay was named in an OPB Music feature titled “4 Musicians Leading Portland’s Resurgent DIY Scene.”
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Art & Duplication for Second Record, "Tender Lately"
ABOUT
With vocal stylings reminiscent of 1920s jazz, songwriting that is unafraid to tackle the taboo, and pop melodies that stay with you for days, Portland-based singer-songwriter Blair Borax writes tender folk-pop songs to make you feel less alone. She conjures a vocal charm somewhere in between Regina Spektor and First Aid Kit, wordsmithing inspired by folk songwriting greats like John Prine and Paul Simon, and tender vulnerability akin to Haley Heynderickx and Big Thief’s Adrienne Lenker. After releasing her debut album “Keep Walking” in June 2022, she is working on her sophomore record, “Tender Lately” and plans to release it in February 2024. “With rich lyrics and a voice like molasses,” poet Juniper Klatt says, “Blair Borax makes music that moves you to the heart of being human, offers you a warm cup of tea, and invites you to stay a while.”
PROJECT FUNDED
Music Video Production
ABOUT
Named the Willamette Week's 2020 "Best New Band," MAITA, the musical vehicle for songwriter Maria Maita-Keppeler has gone on to reach national acclaim, opening for the likes of Mirah, Blind Pilot, Horse Feathers, Typhoon, as well as performing at SXSW and Treefort and releasing their most recent two records on Kill Rock Stars. Following MAITA's 2020 debut, Best Wishes, named one of the “50 Albums that Define Oregon” (Portland Monthly), MAITA’s sophomore LP, I Just Want To Be Wild For You, digs into the crippling oxymoron of modernity, the constant bombardment of communication paired with utter disconnection.
Splitting time between her mom’s Japanese-speaking home and her father’s English-speaking home, Maria Maita-Keppeler, who KEXP calls “a master storyteller who can turn intimate moments into quippy, catchy indie-rock songs,” found an expressive avenue out of her childhood shyness through music.
PROJECT
Mastering & Vinyl Record Pressing
ABOUT
Formed in Portland OR, DaMiNo embraces the principles and history of the free jazz movement and filters it through a modern perspective. All songs are freely composed on the spot, individually cycling through genres,eras, and keys at the flip of a dime. Watching this vibrant trio is a unique experience within itself, as if a matrix of sonic melding is being unfolded right in front of your eyes.
The trio consists of drummer Daniel Rossi ( Illegal Son, Haley Heynderickx) Mike Gamble ( TWANS, The InBetweens and the Artistic Director the Creative Music Guild) trumpeter Noah Simpson ( Ron Artis, Amos Lee, Alan Jones Quintet) They have released two EP’s on Mike Gamble’s record label As:Is within the last year, and are looking to record their next release in NYC.
PROJECT
Reggae Country EP Recording
ABOUT
Aaron Nigel Smith is a Grammy® Nominated musician and Billboard #1 recording artist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, Winnipeg Folk Fest, Lollapalooza, and Pickathon. He has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Aaron has also been a featured performer and composer for many video productions including Emmy Award winning PBS Kids show, Between the Lions. Aaron is an educator with 20 years of experience creating music curricula. In 2002, he founded FUNdamentals of Music & Movement, a fun, interactive approach to music for babies, toddlers, parents, and preschool children. He scaled and franchised the FUNdamentals curriculum to a national program called RockStarts in 2012. Young Audiences, The Right Brain Initiative and Arts for Learning added Smith to their teaching artist roster in 2011, and in 2013 he was named the Sunburst Teaching Artist of the Year.
Aaron and his wife Diedre, formed the non-profit 1 World Chorus with the mission of promoting peace and empowering youth internationally through the arts. More than 10,000 youth in Portland, Los Angeles, New York, Kenya & Jamaica have participated in 1 World Chorus programs.
PROJECT FUNDED
Branding & Music Video
ABOUT
With what Pop Matters describes as "tenacious swagger," singer-songwriter Ashleigh Flynn dialed up the volume and debuted an all-female roots band in homage to “Rosie the Riveter.” In late 2018, Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters’ debut hit the streets, followed by pre-pandemic touring on the West Coast and a live release lauded by Elmore Magazine as “Best in show! ‘Live from the Blue Moon’ is a glowing, spirited hootenanny that gives the people what they want - a rip-roaring good time."
Having survived, even thrived, as a band through the pandemic, in 2023, Flynn & the Riveters remain a musical homage to “Rosie.” With a fresh batch of songs in their arsenal, AF & the Riveters recently finished tracking and mixing long playing record #2; which was produced and engineered by a queer female producer and a nonbinary sound engineer. The record is scheduled for release in Q2 of 2024. This Echo Fund grant will provide resources for the band to hire a local videography crew to create a video of the single from the new record.
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Recording, Mixing and Mastering
ABOUT
I am a singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Portland. My music grows out of American folk, country, and pop traditions. I am also a trans woman, and representing trans people with a fearless and true energy is a core part of my mission as a performer.
PROJECT FUNDED
EP Recording & Professional Photos
ABOUT
Born in the early 1980’s and raised in the Northeast side of Portland, Oregon, Blew grew up in a home full of poverty and dysfunction. Blew escaped her world through reading poetry by authors Langston Hughes and Mia Angelou. They taught her how to express in writing the things her heart couldn’t. Sam Cooke, Anita Baker, Starship and Marvin Gaye (to name a few) taught her how to illustrate and emote those words through rhythm and melodies.
Today Blew has taken her childhood influences of r&b and soft rock and is recording her very first EP which is set to be released in January 2024 titled “This Is Blew.” You can expect to hear her sing about things such as divorce and domestic violence but also be reminded of the beauty in life such as love and peace.
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Mixing & Mastering
ABOUT
Born in Cali, Colombia, I am a freelance drummer with multi-genre experience. I have a bachelors degree in Jazz Studies from Portland State University and a Bachelors in Music Education from Universidad del Valle in Colombia. I toured and recorded internationally as a freelance performer and/or band leader with Grammy award winning/nominated artists from Argentina, Venezuela, Spain, Colombia, U.S.A., Cuba and many more. My experiences on stage include big and small venues, live TV performances and other media. I am a composer, producer and offer services in music transcription and arrangement. My passions lie in live performance, producing my own music and in the application of "jazz tools" in my songs with the incorporation of latin elements.
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Recording
ABOUT
My music has been described as American Gothic meets American Songbook - song writing that is "quick witted, perceptive, and hard to pin down." As a multi instrumentalist I write, record, and perform my own music - but I am also known as integral band member of various bands and projects in the Portland area. Often times these varying projects take up more of my time then my own writing/recording and I am looking to prioritize my own work over the next two years. I released an album in 2015 that was very well received, as well as some independent singles over the past few years, but I am looking to release new material that helps me move my creative expression and career to the next level.
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Recording, Mixing & Producing
ABOUT
Caicedo is a musical project from Guadalajara, MX, founded in 2013 by Vicco González. With an eclectic style that oscillates between dream-pop, psychedelia and latin grooves, the band has created their own genre, which they define as "Tropical Dream".
The band currently resides in Portland, OR and has garnered local attention thanks to their unique combination of sounds and meaningful lyrics.
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Vinyl Duplication
ABOUT
“Laryssa Birdseye is a truly exceptional singer-songwriter who effortlessly captivates audiences with her soulful voice and deeply meaningful lyrics. With a stage presence that commands attention and a talent that is undeniable, Laryssa has rightfully earned her place in the music industry. Her music seamlessly blends folk, pop, and indie rock, resulting in a distinctive and captivating sound that resonates with listeners on a profound level.
Laryssa's songs are a genuine reflection of her own experiences, delving into themes of love, loss, and personal growth. It is her raw and authentic approach to songwriting that allows her to forge a deep connection with her audience, evoking powerful emotions and leaving an indelible mark. Whether performing on grand stages or in intimate venues, Laryssa's live performances are always a delight, showcasing her remarkable vocal range and delivering heartfelt compositions that leave a lasting impact.” --Rose City Review
PROJECT FUNDED
EP Recording & Music Video Production
ABOUT
Big Wyno, a highly regarded underground hip-hop artist, a proud latino emcee.
With diverse musical influences ranging from hymns, 50s-70s R&B to 80s hip-hop, 90s boom bap, and contemporary conscious music, Big Wyno has crafted a unique sound.
Big Wyno's music is an authentic reflection of his life experiences, from orphanages, gangs, loss and betrayal.
Listen to the wisdom in his lyrics as he transforms these moments into art filled with honesty, hope, joy, and love.
Big Wyno embodies hip-hop culture and creates music & art that he resonate with Hiphop Culture - breakers, graffiti writers, DJs, and emcees. Driven by a desire to provide solace & inspiration to listeners, Big Wyno's music takes listeners through life's challenges and triumphs.
Connect with him on social media @bigwyno and join the tribe!
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Production
ABOUT
For more than ten years, Childspeak has firmly established itself as an integral part of the Portland music scene. Known for their dynamic instrumental compositions, they have a willingness to experiment with different genres and refuse to adhere to conventional musical tropes. They strive to challenge and captivate listeners with their creative songwriting and energetic performances.
Their latest album "Datura", recorded at the renowned Robert Lang Studios, and produced by Grammy-winning Marcel Fernandez, pushes musical boundaries with a fusion of post-rock, math rock and prog elements. "Datura" captures the authentic and raw essence of Childspeak's live performance, highlighting their chemistry as a band.
Childspeak stands as a trio—Matt Bosak on bass, TJ Martin-Lokey on drums, and Bri Haber on guitar. With plans to enter the studio this winter to record their fourth album, they aspire to deliver a genuine and unapologetic musical statement.
PROJECT FUNDED
Music Video Production
ABOUT
Party band/groove band that writes and locally performs fun, catchy, multigenre music. Almost all lyrics are written in non-binary language; our songs are stories for everyone. We glorify, ridicule, and celebrate the human relationship/sexual experience through music. We aim to create a safe, non predatory, omnisexual scene in Portland and beyond where orientation and inhibition take a backseat to dancing and collaborative, joyful participation of audience and bands/DJs. We recently produced/pioneered the first live music show at Crush Bar in a long, long time and are invited back. SLiM has a shameless, contagious dance energy that is willfully shared on and off the stage.
PROJECT FUNDED
Merch Production & Promotional Commercial
ABOUT
Hailing from Portland, OR, KADREN has been sharpening his tools since 2018—the year he started to believe in his talents and ability to pursue a career in music. Originally just a producer, KADREN combined his passion for composing with his discerning knowledge of what sounds good and what doesn’t, to produce the perfect mesh with his newfound love of songwriting. Inspired by the astronomical ability of Travis Scott, and the producing ability of Kanye West; his two biggest influences, KADREN shows the best of both worlds that comes with crafting songs.
PROJECT FUNDED
Music Video Production
ABOUT
Dirt Twins started as a two piece and in 2022 we grew to round out the sound. We are a 5 piece with congas, 2 saxes, guitars, synth, bass, drums. It's a really fun party sound, we love playing live and getting everyone all riled up. We’ve got two records out, and more songs in the oven!
PROJECT FUNDED
Album Recording & Mixing
ABOUT
Hope & Failure is a Portland-based Ethereal-Doom-Folk band comprised of Rhone Lachner (vocals, guitar, flute), Mikey Romay (drums, synth), and Sam Forst (bass).
Touching on subjects of nature, loss, dreams, and cycles of change, Hope & Failure’s sound navigates between delicate, atmospheric, and heavy cathartic moments, inspired by influences such as Portishead, Jesu, Yob, and Enya.
They are planning to record their first album later this year.