Memorial Parade to be Held Sunday for Pink Martini Drummer

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Saturday, September 06, 2014

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

A memorial parade for a Portland musician,who took his own life last month will be held on Sunday in Pioneer Courthouse Square. 

Portland Fashion Week has teamed up with Pink Martini and invites the public to attend the Derek Rieth Memorial Drum Parade at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 in Pioneer Courthouse Square, according to the Pink Martini website. 

On the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 20, former Pink Martini percussionist Derek Rieth was found dead by Portland police. Rieth played the congas, drums, and bongos among other instruments and had been with the musical group for 20 years. 

Pink Martini fans are invited to join the Derek Rieth Memorial Drum parade, happening on the last day of Portland Fashion Week’s 'Fashion and Music on the Square' event. The public memorial service will meet at the northwest corner of Pioneer Courthouse Square, near the Starbucks. 

The service will bring Pink Martini, The Lions of Batucada, Jorge Alabe, and other samba players together to play and walk from Pioneer Square to the riverfront. 

They ask the public to bring percussion instruments to play and that all samba players wear white.  

The memorial will also educate the public about the Derek Rieth Foundation, “a memorial organization founded by Derek’s family to provide musical instruments and music education to underprivileged young people,” according to the Pink Martini website. 

For more information about the event, click here.

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