soul
A tribute to Portland's historic Black musician community and the spaces where community flourished.
walk
north
What is the ALBINA SOUL WALK - NORTH?A self guided audio tour hosted on the ECHOES mobile application, presented by Albina Music Trust.
Explore Albina’s musical legacy at the launch of SOUL WALK NORTH, a new audio walking experience through one of Portland’s most important historically Black neighborhoods.
Soul Walk North invites you to visit historic landmarks where music thrived in Portland’s Black community. Learn about Albina’s past, listen to the music that built its legacy, and hear from those helping to shape its future.
Step 1: Download The AppOn your mobile device, visit this link. Once complete, download the ECHOES app on your mobile device.
Step 2: Set Up Your AccountSet up your free account in the ECHOES app. This is not required, but recommended.
Step 3: Visit The Starting LocationVisit the walk’s starting location: The intersection of Williams Ave. and Russell St. in Portland, Oregon.
Step 4: Open The App and ListenOpen the app and listen. You will hear oral histories and music from historic locations on the walking route. Walking instructions will be given at each location.
The HistoryThe mid-late 20th century was a vibrant time for music in Albina. From the roots of gospel, blues, and jazz sprang new forms of soul, funk, disco, and electrified R&B. Teenagers and elders alike fused genres to create new sounds in church. Musicians spent afternoons and after hours hopping from jam session to jam session. And residents dressed to the nines, hitting the clubs every night of the week.
Over time, however, this rich musical culture was immobilized by redlining, community disinvestment, and gentrification. Black musicians experienced racism in the city's club circuit, restricting access to capital and recognition outside of Albina. Though music in the neighborhood was alive and well, record labels largely ignored Albina musicians and few albums were produced in their time.
The SOUL WALK NORTH audio tour explores Albina's historic music culture in the mid-20th century as well as current revitalization efforts underway. Using the ECHOES mobile app, walkers visit historic landmarks in Albina while listening to oral histories from Albina’s musicians and community leaders + songs from the Albina Music Trust archive. Visiting former venues and community hubs, we invite walkers to experience these historic landmarks while calling attention to the changemakers visioning 50 years into the neighborhood's future.
Credits
Voices
Ken Berry
Mel Brown
Solomon David aka “Jumbo”
J.W. Friday
Sharon Gary-Smith
Hurtis Hadley
Marilyn Keller
Paul Knauls
Donna Maxey
Marlon McClain
Lloyd Neal
Ta'Neshia Renae
Azalea Renfield
Juma Sei
Tony Sibley
Wilson Smith III
Norman Sylvester
Kayin Talton-Davis
Arietta Ward
Music
Creative Jazz Orchestra - "Meeting Place" (Live at Bourbon Street)
Donnie Wells & The Tabs - "A Real Love"
Frank Martin and his Orchestra - "Come Back Baby"
Hamiltones - "Bill Jackson Blues"
High and Mighty - "No Segregation in Heaven"
Hot16 - "Secret Staircase"
Jefferson High School Gospel Choir - "Hold Out"
Jonny Cool - "The Mayor"
Judy Proctor - "Storm in My Heart"
Jumbo - "Resonate"
Jumbo - "Searchin'"
Jumbo - "Something's Happening"
Lights Out - "Tonight"
Linda Hornbuckle & Janice Scroggins - "Thirties Interlude"
Linda Hornbuckle & Janice Scroggins - "Sista"
Lovin' From the Oven - "2001 / Star Trek" (live)
Mike B & Crew - "Crack Ain't Where It's At"
Milton Davis - "Blazermania"
Milton Davis - "Headed for the Disco"
Rev. L Overstreet & The Overstreets - "There's No Future In Gaining (The World And Losing Your Soul)"
Rev. Richard Probasco & The New Creation - "Let It Shine"
Shades of Brown - "Searchin' For Love"
Shock - "Let's Get Crackin'"
Slickaphonic - "Bubba"
Slickaphonic - "Doin' It"
Sliver - "What's Going On"
Sunday's Child - "Maybe I'm Amazed"
Rev. Wendel H. Wallace - "Who is My Soul Brother"
The Cavaliers Unlimited - "Soul Vein"
The Delegates featuring Billy Larkin - "Pygmy Pt. 1"
The Ever-Popular Staple Brothers - Trying To Do Your Best"
The Fabulous Majestics with Lanny Hunt - "Dream On"
The Faith Tabernacle Church Choir - "Where Do You Plan To Spend Eternity?"
The Faith Tabernacle Church Choir - "Why Call Him Now"
The Gangsters - "Suite for Funk Band"
The Harlequins - "You Spec"
The Hi-Liters - "Bobby Sox Baby"
The Legendary Beyons - "Let's Talk About Love"
The Mighty El Dukes - "Walking Beside You"
The Sensational Portlandaires - "Traveling"
The Seven Souls - "Got To Find A Way"
The Stereos - "Green Green Grass Of Home"
The Stereos - "Snap Your Fingers"
The Stereos - "You Left Me Forsaken"
Tony Ozier - "North Albina Avenue"
Transport - "Always There"
TROX - "Things Just Changed"
U-Krew With The Blazer Mercy Mercy Choir - "Rip City Rhapsody"
Ural Thomas - "America"
Ural Thomas - "Can You Dig It" (live)
Willa Dorsey - "Wasn't That A Mighty Day?"
Youthsound featuring Wanda Thompson - "When All Gods Children"
produced AND edited by
Megan Hattie Stahl
Special Thanks
1803 Fund
Albina Vision Trust
Williams & Russell Community Development Commission
XRAY FM
Interviews conducted by
Monet Ezra
Nikki Henry
Megan Hattie Stahl
Narration
Arietta Ward
Soul walk radio host
J.W. Friday
Music supervision
Bobby Smith
Executive producer
Bobby Smith
Narration written by
Megan Hattie Stahl
Arietta Ward
Tipstaking the walk
Once you have downloaded the “ECHOES interactive sound walks” mobile application, you can access the walk by searching within the app. Link coming here on June 14th, 2026.The soundwalk starts at the intersection of Williams Ave. & Russell St. and takes about an hour and a half to complete, as you will need to stop at each location to hear all of the audio.There are 8 ECHOES (blue sound zones) total which are meant to be visited in the order shown on the map above.When you walk into an ECHO, audio will start playing automatically. If you accidentally step outside of the zone, the audio will pick up where you left off when you return.The ECHOES are intentionally larger than the landmark itself to allow for meandering while you listen. To find out exactly where the location was, tap on the ECHO to view its street address.