Music fills the air: A transformative experience

By Molly Gunther

To appreciate what is and see what could be is a talent. To be able to take that vision and talent and create something new, that’s an artist’s gift to her world.

When Eadie Anelli moved to Silverton, in 2003 she brought with her vision, talent, and the willingness to roll up her sleeves and work. The results are a series of transformations that the community is invited to enjoy.

Some of Anelli’s projects seem familiar. The yard at the historic home she purchased featured rangy plants and rubble. She transformed it to a relaxing space of budding rhododendrons and whimsy.  A rotting carport evolved into a cozy music studio, complete with French doors, a grand piano and Tibetan singing bowl.

Now, projects and vision combine to become part of the gift, as garden and studio turn into a venue for intimate summer concerts with afternoons of jazz spilling out into the garden.

Portland bassist Dan Schulte’s group, Strange Pilgrims, performed at Anelli’s on July 27.

“Eadie’s performance space has a great acoustic quality to it with the studio’s angled ceiling and opened French doors creating a very high quality listening experience,” Schulte said. He praised the setting’s option to sit inside or in “relaxed sunshine.”

Vocalist Nancy Krug will perform there with Dan Gaynor Sunday, Aug. 24. David Goldblatt, piano,  Tim Wilcox, sax will take over the studio Sept. 28. Goldblatt is the former music director of the Dennis Miller show.

“The concerts are (by) professional musicians and that’s the way they make their living,” Anelli said. “They don’t do it as a side.

“The people that are coming here, some are world famous,” she said. “To the general public jazz musicians aren’t name(s) that really pop off your tongue. But when people come to see them their jaws drop because they’re great musicians. The world is full of great musicians that nobody knows.”

Anelli, a musician herself, is classically trained though she “dabbles” in jazz and Celtic music. The violin and viola are her primary instruments. She teaches music in the Salem Kaiser school district as well as taking private students at her studio.

“I love putting instruments in the hands of kids,” Anelli said. “They come into that room and it’s just the greatest thing in the world to hear a kid say ‘this is my favorite class.’”

Anelli started playing in school when she was 8 on “bedraggled little violins.” She lists some of her music inspirations growing up – Tony Bennett, Judy Garland, Don Ellis – like old friends.

Although she gave up playing in high school and became an art major in college, her love of jazz and playing music caught up with her after she moved to San Francisco and got involved in a community orchestra and a jazz Improv class. Years later, married with kids, she didn’t have a lot of energy to put into her music.

“To be a great musician, it’s a job, just like being a dentist is a job,” she said.

But she missed music, so she did a little personal transformation.  She went back to school at 40 and got a music degree in performance at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. She earned her teaching degree at Chapman University, and taught in California before making the journey to Oregon. When she drove out to Silverton she said she fell in love right away.

Last fall, Anelli and her friend and fellow musician Nancy Korda held concerts at Korda’s Edward Adams House B&B in Silverton.

The two agree that home concerts are the perfect environment to hear really good musicians up close and personal without having to drive far or pay much. There are limited tickets to the afternoon events.  The $25 admission covers the musicians’ fee and guests’ refreshments.

The first concerts were predominantly jazz, but Anelli intends to eventually invite Celtic, bluegrass and classical musicians.

For years, Anelli hired musicians for the Silverton Wine and Jazz Festival.

“Now that the jazz festival is in transition I wanted to keep the momentum of having jazz or any music here in town because a lot of people just don’t want to go anywhere. I don’t want to go anywhere.”

Anelli insists that the concerts are for the musicians coming, but since many of them are her good friends, she might be convinced to play a little something with them.

“Music is like a conversation without words,” Anelli said. “And when you’re playing with people who are good musicians you all have something to say. But it’s just the fun of it. It makes you happy to do it and I really think that people ought to be happy. What’s the point if you’re not having a good time at what you’re doing?”