The lights are low. Anticipation weaves through the air like a wisp of smoke. Hushed voices murmur in the crowd.
It’s time for some music and magic, and the One World Music Festival is delivering just that with its signature style of mystery and surprise.
The annual event, a fundraiser for The Funhouse, will showcase musicians hand-picked by Martin Lund, who started the festival eight years ago. Off-island performers include soul singer extraordinaire Peter Kirkland, folk singer Hank Cramer, and dynamic songstress Jaz Lund.
Gene Nery, the Orcas Horns, and other local musicians will also make appearances.
The concerts are on Friday and Saturday, June 18 and 19 at Orcas Center. A reception is at 6:30 p.m., and the performances begin at 7:30 p.m. All net proceeds go to The Funhouse, whose mission is to help children and families on Orcas Island.
Kirkland sings Motown, and is known for bringing down the house with his performances.
Cramer’s repertoire is a mix of original, traditional, and contemporary folk songs that tell the stories of cowboys, sailors, soldiers, miners, adventurers, and drifters.
Jaz, the daughter of Martin and singer Moqui, started playing piano at age five. At 16, she taught herself classical guitar, with a Brazilian flair. Her vocals are described as smoky, exquisite and complex.
Martin was inspired to choose “music and magic” as this year’s theme because of nine-year-old magician Matthew Laslo-White, who often performs with Martin and Nery at their “Pub Night” concerts at the Orcas Hotel. The Orcas Center stage will be set up like a magic nightclub.
Organizers are tight-lipped about what Laslo-White will be bringing from his bag of tricks, but they did divulge that he will be joined by award-winning Seattle magician Aaron Wheeler.
“We want it to be mysterious,” said Donna Laslo, who has helped Martin coordinate the festival for the past four years. “Magic is going to be sorbet between the meals of music.”
How it all began
Eight years ago, Martin had the urge to organize a concert. But who could it benefit? His good friend Jim Bredouw built The Funhouse, a place that benefits the island’s youth, so it seemed like the perfect choice.
Since then, the One World Festival has become an island tradition. In its second year, the event was expanded to include two nights of music, and now both days sell out well in advance.
“It really touched a lot of people that first year,” Lund said, who adds that much of the show’s charm is its unpredictability.
“You just don’t know what’s around the corner. Nobody goes away from the concerts without something that they found magical,” Lund said.
It brings in a net total of $5,000 for The Funhouse.
“Martin could easily do this for profit,” director Pete Moe said. “But it benefits the Funhouse, every year.”
Ticket Info
Call the Orcas Center box office at 376-ACT1 or go to www.orcascenter.org to buy tickets, which are $28 and $15 (students).
Those who donate $75 or more can sit in a magic nightclub located on stage during the performance. They’re called VIP seating: Very Important Patron. Call The Funhouse at 376-7177 for details.
