by Neil Mattson | May 20, 2024 | Events, Press |
Photos are available.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland’s most adventurous jazz festival enters its second decade with a three-day village-style celebration of local, world-class artistry with more than 30 concerts and events across 12 venues.
PORTLAND, Ore.—With more than twice the number of performances than the previous year, the 2024 Montavilla Jazz Festival will run August 30–September 1, 2024, with concerts across the city. The festival lineup celebrates the rising stars and creative, forward-thinking artists connected to Portland with locally-raised and internationally-lauded saxophonist Nicole Glover bringing her trio to her hometown for the first time. On Sunday, September 1st, Glover’s group will perform selections from her latest release Plays. Saturday, August 31st, violinist, vocalist, and storyteller, Joe Kye journeys through lineage and emotion in collaboration with Seattle’s Civic Poet, Shin Yu Pai. The festival’s geographic footprint continues to expand with the number of concerts, and this year features a nexus of activity in the heart of Montavilla.
The twenty-nine East Portland neighborhood events include free concerts and conversations in the plaza in collaboration with SoundsTruckNW, a co-presentation with the Driveway Jazz series, performances at Portland Metro Arts and Beer Brats & Beats, DJ sets at multiple establishments, three student stages, and a return to Mt. Tabor Park’s Caldera Amphitheater for two free concerts on Friday, August 30th. Outside the neighborhood, listeners can venture to Alberta Rose Theatre to see the festival headliners, to The 1905 for three of Portland’s top pianists, and Strum for adventurous guitar-centered performances.
Montavilla Jazz Festival is the only Portland festival focused on the original music of the city’s jazz artists, and this year’s lineup is the first crafted by an artist-driven curation process. Montavilla Jazz Executive Director Neil Mattson shares, “We asked the artists to tell us what they would love to present but might not have been able to without support, and they dreamed big. Every year, we are astounded by the way these musicians take risks and innovate. This year, we’re excited to invest in even more artist-centered programming that represents a wide breadth of jazz’s creative spirit. It’s a great way to usher in Montavilla Jazz’s second decade.”
DATES:
Friday, August 30–September 1, 2024
VENUES:
- Mt. Tabor Park Caldera Amphitheater
- Portland Metro Arts (9003 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97216)
- Montavilla Plaza (SE 79th Ave. at SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97216)
- Beer Brats & Beats (8826 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97216)
- The 1905 (830 N Shaver St, Portland, OR 97227)
- Alberta Rose Theatre (3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211)
- Strum (1415 SE Stark St #C, Portland, OR 97214)
- Driveway Jazz (1524 SE 51st Ave, Portland, OR 97215)
- Montavilla Brew Works (7805 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215)
- Vino Veritas Wine Bar and Bottle Shop (7835 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215)
- Threshold Brewing & Blending (403 SE 79th Ave, Portland, OR 97215)
- Beer Bunker (7918 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215)
TICKETS:
$5-45 per live concert with discounts for advance purchases, students, and Arts for All available for some concerts. On Sale Now: Alberta Rose Theatre single tickets & Portland Metro Arts single tickets. Discounted student tickets ($10) and Arts for All tickets ($5) are available.
Find ticket details and information at montavillajazz.org.
The 2024 Montavilla Jazz Festival events include:
- Nicole Glover Trio featuring Tyrone Allen and Kayvon Gordon
Sunday, September 1, 8:00 PM – Alberta Rose Theatre – Tickets $5-45.
Festival headliner Nicole Glover brings her trio to her hometown for the first time to perform selections from their latest release Plays.
- Joe Kye’s The Well Sessions featuring Shin Yu Pai
Saturday, August 31, 8:00 PM – Alberta Rose Theatre – Tickets $5-45.
Joe Kye takes listeners on a transcendent personal journey, recollecting lineage and love through looping violins, vocals, and traditional Korean instruments interwoven with the poetry of Shin Yu Pai.
- Dan Balmer Trio featuring Gary Versace and Mark Ferber
Saturday, August 31, 7:00 PM – Strum – Tickets $25-35, available soon.
Dan Balmer performs music from his latest album When The Night which The New York Times called one of the best albums of 2023.
- Unearthing the Extraordinary: PJCE featuring Christopher Brown
Friday, August 30, 7:30 PM – Mt. Tabor Park Caldera Amphitheater – FREE!
Christopher Brown’s new compositions illuminate the extraordinary acts of leadership that have helped shape Portland as a city and a community and offer a guiding light for the challenges to come.
- Julana Torres’s La Colorá featuring Carmelo Torres
Friday, August 30, 6:00 PM – Mt. Tabor Park Caldera Amphitheater – FREE!
La Colorá is a fiery Latin Jazz ensemble presented by Julana and Carmelo Torres highlighting the rhythmic legacy of the Torres family.
- Jasnam Daya Singh Trio with String Quartet
Saturday, August 31, 5:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-40.
Latin Grammy-nominated Jasnam Daya Singh braids the traditions of jazz, classical, and traditional Brazilian music into a universal jazz language.
- Bryn Roberts Trio meets Justin Copeland
Saturday, August 31, 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM – The 1905 – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
Bryn Roberts’s internationally traveled trio makes its Portland debut to celebrate its forthcoming album with special guest trumpeter Justin Copeland.
- Randy Porter Trio
Friday, August 30, 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM – The 1905 – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
The Randy Porter Trio grooves with inventive harmony, sophistication, and a refined improvisational approach creating a wealth of sonic textures.
- Kerry Politzer Quartet
Sunday, September 1, 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM – The 1905 – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
Pianist Kerry Politzer and her quartet perform music from her new release Ruminations.
- DaMiNo with filmmaker Devin Febbroriello
Sunday, September 1, 2:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-40.
Playing with conventions of sight, sound, and narrative structure, DaMiNo will be improvising to a film by Devin Febbroriello with an audio-reactive A/V element.
- Integer Quintet
Sunday, September 1, 5:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-40.
Integer Quintet is a brass-centric modern jazz ensemble focusing on melody, groove, and the fire of the creative spirit.
- DoubleDash
Sunday, September 1, 4:00 PM – SoundsTruckNW @ the Montavilla Plaza – FREE
DoubleDash fuses elements of electronic music and jazz, seamlessly blending together medleys of original compositions and improvisations.
- Chris Shuttleworth Chicago Quartet
Sunday, September 1, 10:00 PM – Beer Brats & Beats – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
With a sound born in Chicago’s jazz scene and grounded in an unabashed search for beauty and melody, this quartet bridges the Windy City and the Pacific Northwest, creating something unified that is both entirely fresh and completely approachable.
- Adriana Wagner Quartet
Saturday, August 31, 4:00 PM – SoundsTruckNW @ the Montavilla Plaza – FREE
Adriana Wagner presents her original compositions, playing with vulnerability and a dedication to the music that has no limits.
- Chris Lee Sextet
Friday, August 30, 10:30 PM – Beer Brats & Beats – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
The Chris Lee Sextet will be performing music from their latest PJCE Records release Green In Grey.
- Pablo Rivarola Quartet
Saturday, August 31, 10:00 PM – Beer Brats & Beats – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
Pablo Rivarola’s newest works eschew many of jazz’s conventional idioms in a personal dialog on loss, grief, and healing.
- Ross Garlow’s Big Water
Saturday, August 31, 12:00 PM – SoundsTruckNW @ the Montavilla Plaza – FREE
A musical dedication to Oregon’s great rivers, the importance of abundant fish migration, and protecting nature by giving land back.
- Sound Creation Trio
Friday, August 30, 7:00 PM – Strum – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
Sound Creation Trio plays daring original music that stretches from free jazz and post-rock to Americana and art pop and back again.
- Battle Hymns & Gardens + James Powers & Dan Duval
Sunday, September 1, 7:00 PM – Strum – Tickets $5-35, available soon.
Battle Hymns & Gardens + James Powers & Dan Duval bridge a vibrant free-jazz sensibility with a landscape of moody, evocative compositions.
- The Blue Butler Big Band
Saturday, August 31, 2:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-40.
The Blue Butler Big Band’s composer’s collective was formed by Paris Blue Butler and Quinn Walker to express a range of sounds varying from the deep end of obscurity to more traditional jazz forms.
- Rivkah Ross Quartet
Sunday, September 1, 12:00 PM – SoundsTruckNW @ the Montavilla Plaza – FREE
The Rivkah Ross Quartet plays original jazz inspired by jazz giants like Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Kenny Barron, and Steve Swallow.
- Olivia Fields Quartet
Friday, August 30, 4:00 PM – Driveway Jazz – FREE
The Olivia Fields Quartet is a group of some of Portland’s finest young musicians playing a curated set of original compositions.
- MJF Student Stages
Friday, August 30–Sunday, September 1 – times & venues to be announced – FREE
Breakout university students take center stage.
Additional events will continue to be announced. The festival lineup and schedule are available at https://montavillajazz.org/.
Contact:
About Montavilla Jazz: The mission of Montavilla Jazz is to support and strengthen local music culture and enrich our community by showcasing the best of Portland jazz. Montavilla Jazz is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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by Neil Mattson | Sep 22, 2023 | Uncategorized |
https://katu.com/amp/news/local/montavilla-jazz-festival-kicks-off-at-mt-tabor-park
by Neil Mattson | Aug 9, 2023 | Artist Spotlight, Awards, Events |
The late Commissioner Nick Fish said, “I have always believed that government can be society’s greatest force for good and that together we can do amazing things. As a member of the Council, I have insisted that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts, and I have focused on partnership, collaboration and shared success. We can rise to this occasion and embrace inclusivity, sustainability and shared prosperity for all.”
Nick won many awards during his twelve years on the Portland City Council including three from the arts community. They include the Angel Award from White Bird, the Community Partner Award from Metropolitan Youth Symphony and the McClendon Makarounis Award for Jazz Advocacy from PDX Jazz. He raised funds for and attended the Mount Hood Jazz Festival, PDX Jazz Festival, and Montavilla Jazz Festival in addition to Jazz concerts in Portland parks even though his demanding schedule often only allowed him to attend one or two sets.
Recognizing that he was a champion for the Jazz community, he was given the title of “Portland’s Jazz Commissioner” by veteran Jazz Radio Host, Marcia Hocker. She was convinced to do so after he spontaneously joined her Monday 6-8pm show during one of KMHD’s membership drives. At that time, they were then located at Mt. Hood Community College. Nick told his wife, Portland State University Professor Patricia Schechter that one of his special Jazz experiences was “spending deejay time with Marcia on her program.” Nick revealed that he fell in love with Jazz when he heard the iconic Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson during a visit to Ireland.”
The United Nations Education and Science Cultural Organization-UNESCO, believes the culture of Jazz breaks down barriers and creates opportunities for mutual understanding and tolerance. It is a vector for freedom of expression, unity and peace while reducing tensions between individuals, groups and communities. Jazz fosters gender equality encouraging artistic innovation and improvisation while empowering young people from marginalized communities.
In alignment with these values, the mission of Montavilla Jazz, a nonprofit 501©3 organization, is to support and strengthen local music culture and enrich our community by showcasing the best of Portland talent.
In recognition of the enormous, enthusiastic contribution from Nick Fish, the Montavilla Jazz Festival will present, for the first time, the Nick Fish Jazz Community Award to Ron Steen in celebration of their tenth anniversary. This will take place on Saturday, September 2, 2023, at the Alberta Rose Theatre.
Submitted by: Marcia K. Hocker, a Montavilla Jazz Board Member and radio host currently on KBOO Community Radio 90.7 FM with Jazz Lives! which airs on alternate Wednesdays from 12:08-2 PM. George E. Hocker, Jr. was the Public Advocate for Commissioner Fish for six and a half years.
by Neil Mattson | Aug 9, 2023 | Artist Spotlight, Awards |
In 1983, the jazz drummer and bandleader Ron Steen defined his entire career in one sentence:
“The only goal I have,” he said, “is to play some honest, true music.”
And he has, whether on the road with jazz legends such as Joe Henderson and Woody Shaw, or in Portland with visiting artists that have included 20th century masters Dexter Gordon, Bobby Hutcherson, and Eddie Harris. But for most of his career, Steen has played that honest, true music with his highly skilled Portland colleagues — a community he helps to sustain through the jam sessions he has led without interruption for 40 years.
It’s for such contributions that he is receiving the inaugural Nick Fish Jazz Community Award from the Montavilla Jazz Festival. He’ll be presented the award in a brief ceremony before Darrell Grant’s “Pianos in the Dark” concert at the Alberta Rose Theatre on September 2, 2023.
That may be the crowning accolade for a drummer who received a “Portland Jazz Master” award from PDX Jazz in 2021, is a member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and the Jazz Society of Oregon Hall of Fame, and was named the 2020 Portland Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association.
Those honors all paid tribute to the impact he’s had on the local scene — an impact that goes far beyond his superb musicianship.
Portland has a remarkably active jazz scene for a city of its size and distance from the centers of cultural power. And though he is quick to deflect attention from his achievements and credit his colleagues, Ron Steen has played a leading tole in maintaining that status.
Because at the heart of every vibrant jazz scene is a jam session — a place where established musicians can try new things and interact with peers, while younger and aspiring players can test their readiness and learn from experienced artists.
And every successful session needs a leader like Steen, who knows the community and whose voice is respected. The sessions he leads — currently three a week — are a model of inclusivity and an opportunity, he says, “for people to come and express themselves.”
Steen, who was born in 1949, was brought up in that tradition by supportive musicians from Portland’s first Golden Age of jazz in the 1940s and ‘50s.
“We’d wait for hours just to get to sit in,” he recalls. But it wasn’t time wasted.
“You get to listen to guys who are better than you,” he explains. “And the ‘hang’ is just as important as the music. It’s not music school. It’s a cultural thing.”
That cultural information was passed along by the many veterans he worked with, like the bassist Omar Yeoman, whose advice ranged from the sartorial to the musical.
“‘Look at how I look, man,’ he’d say. ‘I’ve got this suit, and you look all raggedy,’” Steen recalls.
“He also told me, ‘Stop thinking! When you’re thinking, you’re dragging. You’re supposed to just play!’”
Steen laughs, both with chagrin at the inexperienced player he was and with joy for lessons so freely given. And even though conditions have changed drastically since he first sat in at the Upstairs Lounge at age 16, he strives to keep that tradition alive.
Primarily through jam sessions.
Over the years, they helped develop a number of artists who have gone on to wider recognition, including international trumpet star Chris Botti, former Wynton Marsalis bassist and Juilliard instructor Ben Wolfe, and current Portland residents George Mitchell, who tours with Diana Ross, and bassist Phil Baker, a member of Pink Martini.
In 2005, Steen expanded his sessions to include a Singers Jam, where a set with the night’s featured vocalist is followed by an opportunity for other singers to sit in.
That decision owes a lot to the impact of two vocalists on his career. First, the singer/pianist Terri Spenser gave young Steen his first big break when she took him from busboy to musician at the Benson Hotel.
“I met her when I was 17,” he remembers. “She was having a party at her house in Lake Oswego … i’d never met anybody like that; she was beautiful and intellectual and so gracious, it was like meeting Jackie Kennedy! But she heard me sitting in and hired me … and then we were working at the Benson Hotel — where I was a busboy!
“I never did another job besides music after that. And it’s always been jazz.”
The vocalist who most directly inspired his singers sessions, however, was the late Armonia Gilford. They are a way of honoring her memory.
“She was a fledgling vocalist when she started,” he recalls, “but she refused to accept that singers are anything less than other musicians. I was guilty of that myself,” he adds. “But half the population are women, and women are the majority of jazz singers. And that’s a good thing!” He laughs. “You don’t want a whole lot of masculine energy up there. And why segregate ourselves by gender?”
Or by generation — another chasm his jam sessions are designed to bridge. And they’re a way to give younger musicians the kind of boost he received.
“My generation had it much easier than kids in their 20s today,” he says, “because some of the gigs are paying the same as when I was coming up. They can work two gigs seven nights a week, and they’re still not able to pay off student loans, and they have to have roommates just to make the rent … In the 1980s, a jazz musician could afford to buy a house in Portland.
“I wish it was feasible to hire more younger players,” he says.
But he’s trying to make up for that by at least offering them musical opportunities similar to those he received.
In addition, the jam sessions are a way for him to discover young, upcoming artists who he then hires for the Singers Jams. “It’s a way to share the wealth, and a way to keep it fresh for me, too,” adds the congenial and supportive host.
But in the end, as in the beginning, he’s doing it for the music.
“I feel extremely privileged to have the ability to play jazz,” he says. “I’ll never have enough time to repay all the joy I’ve felt being involved in this art form. There’s no greater honor than being able to carry it on.”
By Lynn Darroch
by Neil Mattson | May 22, 2023 | Events, Press |
Photos are available.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland’s most adventurous jazz festival turns 10 with a three-day event spanning five venues and 11 concerts showcasing the city’s world-class musicians.
PORTLAND, Ore.—At the leading edge of Portland’s jazz scene, Montavilla Jazz’s 10th Annual Festival will run September 1–3, 2023 with concerts across the city featuring original jazz by world-class local artists. This year, the festival highlights some of Portland’s jazz scene-makers with internationally-acclaimed drummer Alan Jones headlining the festival Sunday evening with his quartet featuring Grammy Award-winners Tivon Pennicott and Kevin Hays. Pianist Darrell Grant performs Saturday night with a one-night-only project: Piano in the Dark with special guest, and another Grammy winner, Billy Childs, as well as four local keyboardists of note. The 2023 festival’s footprint continues to expand with two concerts at the Alberta Rose Theatre, three at The 1905, and, for the first time, two free outdoor concerts at Mt. Tabor Park while maintaining a home base at the Montavilla neighborhood’s Portland Metro Arts.
The locally-based jazz festival begins at Mt. Tabor Park with a world premiere of Views of an Urban Volcano, a three-part commission inspired by the concert’s location on Portland’s beloved extinct cinder cone-turned-greenspace. The concert also celebrates Montavilla Jazz’s decade of partnership with Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble which will perform the new works. Opening the event will be Vestal Stories: Mary-Sue Tobin Sextet, a project developed collaboratively during Tobin’s tenure this spring as Montavilla Jazz’s artist-in-residence at Vestal Elementary School.
Montavilla Jazz Festival is the only local festival focused on Portland-based musicians’ original compositions. Headliner Alan Jones shares, “It’s really a great honor to be a headliner at the festival. The festival is something the Portland community can be very proud of — it’s really a special situation, especially for us local musicians.”
Montavilla Jazz Executive Director Neil Mattson shares, “It is incredible how far we have come in 10 years of making space for Portland’s local jazz artists. Montavilla Jazz’s formula has always been simple — we invest in local artists and invite them to carry out their dream projects. It’s a simple idea, but we continue to be astounded by the way these musicians take risks and innovate. This year’s artist-centered programming represents the dynamism and diversity of our community’s creative spirit. We can’t wait to see what happens over the next ten years as Montavilla Jazz continues to push artists to dream big and welcome new listeners into the jazz fold.”
DATES:
Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3, 2023
VENUES:
Mt. Tabor Park Caldera Amphitheater
Friday, September 1 ONLY
The 1905* (830 N Shaver St, Portland, OR 97227)
Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3
Portland Metro Arts* (9003 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97216) ON SALE NOW
Saturday, September 2 & Sunday, September 3
Alberta Rose Theatre (3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211)
Saturday, September 2 & Sunday, September 3
Vino Veritas Wine Bar and Bottle Shop (7835 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215)
Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3
*The concerts at Portland Metro Arts and The 1905 will also be live-streamed.
TICKETS:
$5-45 per live concert with discounts for advance purchases, students, and Arts for All available for some concerts. On Sale Now: Portland Metro Arts single tickets ($25-30) and limited weekend passes for Saturday and Sunday performances at Portland Metro Arts and full festival passes ($80-197). Livestreams will be offered for free with a suggested donation of $5.
Find ticket details and information at montavillajazz.org.
The 2023 Montavilla Jazz Festival events include:
- Alan Jones Quartet featuring Tivon Pennicott, Kevin Hays and Joe Martin
Sunday, September 3, 2023, 8:00 PM – Alberta Rose Theatre – Tickets $5-45
Festival headliner Alan Jones assembles a dream team of award-winning talent for a concert of original music designed to inspire and challenge.
- Darrell Grant’s Piano in the Dark with special guest Billy Childs
Saturday, September 2, 2023, 8:00 PM – Alberta Rose Theatre – Tickets $5-45
Chasing the magic of the unexpected, Darrell Grant curates ephemeral encounters at and beyond the keyboard melding tradition and innovation.
- Views of an Urban Volcano with Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble
Friday, September 1, 2023, 7:30 PM – Mt. Tabor Park Caldera Amphitheater – FREE!
Composers Cyrus Nabipoor, Kirsten Volness, and James Powers premiere new jazz inspired by Portland’s beloved greenspace and extinct cinder cone, Mt. Tabor Park, performed by Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble’s 12-member band.
- Vestal Stories: Mary-Sue Tobin Sextet
Friday, September 1, 2023, 6:00 PM – Mt. Tabor Park Caldera Amphitheater – FREE!
Celebrating where we come from and the joy around us, this project is the culmination of a collaboration between Montavilla Jazz, Portland State University’s Artist as Citizen Initiative, and Vestal Elementary.
- Tim Willcox Quartet featuring Chuck Israels
Sunday, September 3, 2023, 5:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-30
Tim Willcox’s saxophone “sings and, at times, broods passionately and inventively” into the original works of his ensemble of local heavyweights.
- Ryan Meagher, Ralph Alessi, Peter Epstein, and Mark Ferber
Saturday, September 2, 2023, 5:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-30
Prominent Portland guitarist Ryan Meagher assembles a team of eminent improvisers to mine their decade-long creative relationships.
- Domo Branch and Branchin’ Out
Sunday, September 3, 2023, 2:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-30
Branch and company are on a mission to heal, motivate, and inspire through the trance of original and arranged music.
- George Colligan: The Phyllis Wheatley Project featuring Zyanna
Saturday, September 2, 2023, 2:00 PM – Portland Metro Arts – Tickets $5-30
Phyllis Wheatley was the first African American poet to be published in the United States. George Colligan sets her poetry to music.
- Nicole McCabe Quartet
Saturday, September 2, 2023, 11:30 PM – The 1905 – Tickets $15, available soon
McCabe’s Los Angeles-based band plays music from her recent album Landscapes released on the Spanish label Fresh Sounds New Talent.
- Charlie 3rown Quartet
Friday, September 1, 2023, 11:30 PM – The 1905 – Tickets $15, available soon
Riding the edge of multiple genres, the Charlie 3rown Quartet’s creations use their diverse experiences and influences to take listeners to the brink.
- Frank Irwin’s Aurora Septet
Sunday, September 3, 2023, 11:00 PM – The 1905 – Tickets $15, available soon
Blending chamber orchestration with improvisation and modal groove, Aurora Septet paints a beautiful landscape of self-discovery.
- MJF Student Stage
Friday, September 1, 4:00 PM; Saturday, September 2 & Sunday, September 3, 2023, 4-6 PM – Vino Veritas Wine Bar and Bottle Shop – FREE
Breakout university students take center stage.
The complete festival lineup and schedule is available at https://montavillajazz.org/.
Contact:
About Montavilla Jazz: The mission of Montavilla Jazz is to support and strengthen local music culture and enrich our community by showcasing the best of Portland jazz. Montavilla Jazz is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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