New Audio Tour Explores North Portland’s Historic Musical Culture

The Albina Soul Walk is a one-mile walking tour that explores Albina’s musical culture of the 1960s-1980s. Tour audio features rare local music complemented by oral history accounts from a variety of Albina's elder musicians.

Kicking off at the legendary Cotton Club venue, The Albina Soul Walk leads users to sites where historic jazz and soul venues once stood. Users are invited to experience these historic landmarks, reflect on decades of urban renewal and gentrification, and consider how to preserve this community's legacy for future generations.

The audio tour was produced by documentary artist Megan Hattie Stahl with oral history direction and music curation by Bobby Smith. Musicians featured include: Ken Berry, Bill Deiz, J.W. Friday, Joe “Bean” Keller, Marilyn Keller, Paul Knauls, Sr., Marlon McClain, Shirley Nanette, Gregg A. Smith, Norman Sylvester, and Calvin Walker.

How it works

To experience The Albina Soul Walk, download the free ECHOES interactive sound walks mobile application - available in the App Store for iPhone and Android. Then search for "The Albina Soul Walk" in the app or scan the QR code on the map here.

To launch the walk, visit 2125 North Vancouver Ave. and either stream or download the walk. Once the walk has been launched in the app, sound will play automatically as the user steps into a zone of GPS-triggered audio tour of the following historic locations: Cotton Club, Billy Webb Lodge, Texas Playhouse, 7 of Diamond Teen Club, Matt Dishman Community Center, The Upstairs Lounge, and Fred’s Place.

For more information please visit: www.albinamusictrust.com/sound-walk, and use the password: Albina Soul Walk.