Gifts of Music NW is a relatively new nonprofit here in Bellingham dedicated to bringing music lessons and instruments to folks who might not otherwise have access, as a vessel for spreading creativity and joy. Although their mission has several facets, one particularly important one is bringing music instruction to at-risk youth.
Musician and teacher Bo Bestvina is the founder of the organization and its primary teacher. I checked in with him and board chair Dorie Blue to find out a little more about what they’re up to.
Bestvina has been doing this kind of work for years, but just started the nonprofit officially last year to act as an umbrella. He has a background as a middle school teacher. While living in Seattle, he used to perform in cancer centers. Here in Bellingham, in addition to teaching private and group lessons and working with incarcerated youth, Bestvina also performs and leads song circles at a handful of assisted living communities.
Bestvina finds fulfillment in working with kids who feel directionless, then discover a sense of purpose in music. Many kids who juvenile detention need to find healthy outlets for their energy and creativity, and getting started on guitar, piano, or ukulele can be the key that unlocks this.
Gifts of Music NW has a big fundraiser event on Thursday, Nov. 20 at the FireHouse Arts and Events Center in Fairhaven. Headliners Jenner Fox and Jeremy Elliott are two-fifths of the Jenner Fox Band and, therefore, responsible for one of the very best local albums of the year, and also play together a lot as a duo. Casaundra May and James will also do a set of their classic-style acoustic blues. There will also be a silent auction, with a whole bunch of local companies having made donations to support the cause.
Looking ahead, Bestvina hopes to grow the organization in a careful and sustainable way. Even if you can’t make it to the fundraiser, there are still ways to get involved and help. They’re hoping to bring on a few more volunteers for the board, and can use donations of instruments, especially keyboards. (They have a goal of giving away $20,000 worth of instruments, and already got a grant for the first $5,000.)
If you’re reading this column, it’s quite likely that music brings joy to your life. It certainly does to mine. This organization is a great way to help spread that feeling to those who need it most!
News
There have actually been a bunch of neat local records lately. (Just a reminder to the bands out there who might be reading this: Send me links to your stuff, ideally before it comes out!)
Hot Damn Scandal have released the first song from their forthcoming album, “A Life of Crime.” “That Ain’t Cool” sees them moving in maybe a more funky, horn-driven direction than what they’ve done in the past. They haven’t actually had a new studio album since 2017’s “The Gods Are Made of Mud,” so this is pretty exciting, as they’ve picked up a lot of new fans since then with their energetic live shows.
The remaining members of Spine Readers, Justin Maurer and Aaron Cramer, have a new EP out under the band name of Wentletrap. “Above the Break” carries on the Spine Readers’ legacy of catchy but experimental guitar-based pop. They describe the new songs as “directly and indirectly inspired by our eternal bandmate, Sean Meyer.” I’m glad to see these guys are still at it and also really happy that the new recordings sound so good.
Surreal are a young band out of Mount Vernon, and their album “Scrapt” could be called neo-grunge, bringing it back to the heyday of ’90s PNW rock. Driving power chords, scratchy vocals, sarcastic lyrics: for fans of that style, this one really hits all the right notes.
I’ve also been really impressed with the debut EP by Gated Community, especially the lead-off track, “Carry Me Out.” We could use some more of this kind of high-energy punk fury.
There’s another cool project coming up, known as Bhamhindsight. Twenty-five bands each committed to recording a cover from sometime in the last 25 years. It’s a pretty fantastic lineup, with a lot of the best bands in town. The results will come out in December, both streaming and as a double CD, to be followed by a big festival in January. All proceeds benefit music education scholarships. I’m looking forward to hearing more about this and will get you all the details as soon as I have them.
Make.Shift just announced its plans for its annual gala. It’s going to be Jan. 31 at the Lightcatcher Building, and the theme is Pop Art. New this year, there’s also going to be an after-party at the venue itself. This event has become one of my favorite nights of the year, bringing together a bunch of the most dedicated members of the music scene to raise money for one of our most important institutions, so I’m glad to see it growing and thriving.
Jesse Stanton’s music column, The Beat Goes On, appears weekly. Reach him at [email protected]; @JSBhamMusic. Check with individual venues to make sure events are still taking place as scheduled.
Click here for Jesse’s listing of live music events in Whatcom County.
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