Doug Saulter and Liz Robbins keep the dance going
Contributions to The Summer Waltz event will be matched up to $6,000
Arietta Ward performs the Sly & The Family Stone song “Thankful, Thoughtful” with Jimmy Russell (Guitar), Sean Badders (Bass), Shook Matthews (Drums), Steve Kerin (Keys), Steve Berlin (Sax) at the P2B Backyard Jamboree, a/k/a the Summer Waltz. - video by Jeremy Wilson 2024
By Claire Levine
What started as a way to keep the music alive during the Covid pandemic has turned into an annual fund-raiser. It brings fabulous music, big fun and donuts to party-goers – and thousands of dollars in contributions to the Jeremy Wilson Foundation.
This year in August, Doug and Liz are hosting a sold-out day-long event featuring dozens of Portland performers – and a parade through the neighborhood.
While many of the musicians regularly perform in the annual Next Waltz – and because Doug first learned about The JWF through the Next Waltz – Doug affectionately refers to this show as The Summer Waltz.
In 2020, Doug opened his North Portland backyard to performers and listeners who missed the joy of live music when the venues were shut down.
When a friend suggested that these concerts raise money for a good cause, Doug thought immediately of The JWF’s Musician Health & Services Program. The friend matched the amount of tips the musicians received with contributions to The JWF. With that incentive, the performers earned extra money while raising critical funds for musicians’ health.
Your Support Makes Music!
In the event’s third year, two donors will be matching not only tips but also any contributions made during the party, as well as any that come into the P2B Jamboree - Doug Saulter JWF Fundraising Page 2026 ear-marked for this show up to $6,000.
Kris Deelane and The Hurt backed by singers Lady Parts - photo by Jeremy Wilson 2024
For Doug and Liz, it’s all about fun and community.
Doug said of his inspiration, The Next Waltz, “It’s rare to get that many musicians on stage at the same time, and they really enjoy being there together. So that’s what I’m trying to recreate, putting them in their sweet spot by getting them together with a receptive audience, and where everybody makes a little money.”
Doug and Liz also have been inspired by Mardi Gras parades, and their own parade will model the exuberance of those in Portland and New Orleans. Along with instruments and noise makers (and a stop for donuts), parade marchers will carry images in tribute to those who have passed on recently.
Famed New Orleans transplant Reggie Houston will start the parade by talking about the Second Line – the revelers who dance and walk behind the band. The second line has been called the quintessential New Orleans art form.
Doug is a retired middle school teacher who, as well as being a music lover, is also a Discaterian - a dedicated Ultimate Frisbee player and disc golfer for close to 50 years. In short, he fully enjoys life and being around people in a common cause.
“For me, it’s about the human connection. We all need it. The treatment for societal ills is human connection,” Doug said. And his gatherings are a way to bring people together.
He says of musicians, “They’re like therapists, only they don’t get paid as well as therapists.”
The way Doug sees it, any support for the Musicians Health & Services Program comes back to help us all.
Backyard Jamboree!
Liz is no stranger to putting on musical events. She was “Queen of Fun” for the McMenamin chain, and she later produced shows for the City of Portland’s Concerts in the Park series, as well as volunteering with the Portland Jazz Festival for 20 years.
She’s also no stranger to musicians. “My son’s a musician, and I’ve had many musicians living in my basement. In fact, when I go to the Laurelthirst, the joke is, ‘can you guess who has lived in my basement?’”
So, she’s well aware of how tough it is for artists of any kind to support themselves in their art. That’s a big part of why she is so eager to help The JWF and all the people in the industry – from sound technicians to touring performers – who the foundation helps.
The Summer Waltz is sold out, but you can help keep the dancing alive.
Contribute here and help Doug and Liz hit the matching grant total of $6,000 for The JWF.
