At La Hacienda - Country boy Jimmy Thompson provides variety of music
La Hacienda Peruvian & Mexican Cuisine, 1900 McLoughlin Boulevard, Suite 76, Oregon City (in the Oregon City Shopping Center), is owned by Juan and Zoila Galva'n for the past 23 years (www.lahacienda.ocbiz and on Facebook; 503-656-2210). Their son Roy Galva'n takes care of customers' needs & the operations of daily duties.
The floor plan is excellent and seats a large capacity of customers comfortably. A big screen television and a stage is for musical performers such as Jimmy Thompson, a one-man band who performs country, blues, bluegrass, jazz, rock ’n’ roll who played recently.
As you enter the restaurant, you're welcomed by A-1 customer service hostesses. The food is delicious. Seating is comfortable with a classy décor; tablecloths covered with glass tops and candles are on tables. Peruvian/Mexican interior decorating artifacts with framed woven artwork adorns the walls, a ceiling crystal ball and blue decorative ceiling lights. If you pay by credit card, they have a “Pay-at-the-Table” computer box that gives your receipt and credit card to you before the waiter leaves your sight, once your bill is delivered.
Frequent food items include: shrimp enchiladas, chalifas, stir-fry chicken, steak or shrimp with vegetables and salad; lomo saltaldo - sliced top sirloin sautéed with onions, served with Peruvian white rice, garlic and green onions. Peruvian dishes are rice and pasta; Mexican dishes are beans and tacos. Peruvian dishes have a special taste different from Mexican items served at La Hacienda because of the seasonings in their sauces. Their Mexican dishes are exceptionally delicious also. There is a large selection of food on the menu and will fulfill your appetite.
Thompson is a great one-man band (pianist/bassist/ vocalist) with programmed drum beats and other instrumental sounds in his keyboards. Thompson is an excellent musician, performing country, blues, bluegrass, jazz and rock and roll. He's a “country boy” by way of the “hard-knock” raisings with a strong backbone, enabling strength of mind and Jesus to accomplish his life and goals for positive curves.
In the third grade, Thompson’s music teacher checked each person's vocal range and had each person sing the song Home On The Range. She asked if he knew how to whistle. He did; learning how by inhaling and exhaling. There was a recording artist Blind Whistler who was popular when Hank Williams, Sr. was popular. Thompson copied him. He whistled I and his teacher was impressed. She arranged for him to sing and whistle in programs around the college in Grand Junction, Colorado, and on radio programs during Christmas holidays.
At the age of 27, Thompson sang at a jam session and was hired to sing while pretending to play guitar. While that was going on, he paid attention to the band members and had them teach him to play the chords, watching the bassist to learn more. He then performed on the bass when the bassist left the group. Jimmy Vee, guitarist and vocalist, would tell Thompson keys of songs and then learned the songs while on the bandstand in Colorado. He worked with him for several years, then performed in Oregon, Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget in a trio. He traveled from North Dakota to Oregon as Jim Thompson and the Colts, performing country music.
The group split up. Thompson then played bass, hiring a rock and roll guitarist and drummer, performing rock and roll, i.e., Doobie Brothers style, along with country music. Then the Lord opened his ears and head to help him understand the metering and timing of the music (pitch and time), furthering his musical education in the importance of melody and rhythm, which has to be in sync with all band musicians. Once Thompson became aware of that, musicians he worked with didn't gel anymore.
Therefore, Thompson went back to Colorado, ended up in Oregon and traveled throughout the United States until the gas shortage began in 1973. He traveled from '73 - '75 playing music. The musicians listened to each other instead of playing by memory as they performed in country and rock and roll clubs seeking new band members. After the oil embargoes, the nightlife died. He relocated to Portland as this city's nightlife and music was still alive. He settled down to make a name for himself instead of touring the country, as he saw what people didn't see here in Portland.
Thompson performed at Tony's on 99th and Sandy Blvd. Bobby and Lois Gibson were a draw here in town because of their upper echelon playing abilities. Eventually, they left and the club owner offered Thompson the position, working with great players for six years, until the club was demolished and a freeway off-ramp replaced it.
The next job was at what used to be called the Venus Club at 112th' and Sandy. Thompson led the house band for six years, working with excellent players. At this time, he established himself in the music community. The next two years, Thompson worked for the owner of a music company. On Sundays, there was ballroom dance music. He was fortunate; the musicians in his band performed all styles, from jazz to country. He's played here over 35 years with many musician friends. He says, “We're fortunate to have good entertainment here in Portland, Oregon.”
At that time, the owner of a club named La Mesa in 1987 (now called Celebrities, formerly Gin Sun) at 207th and Sandy Blvd. in Fairview, approached Thompson in 1989, offering a job as a single player for a year. He's had good fortune and still performs there on Sundays. He also performs at Riley’s Pub, 5836 S.E. 92nd north of Foster, on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Thompson gave his heart to Jesus and says, “He is true to His word; that's what's going on and it's true that Jesus takes care of me.” He was run over by a motor home and shouldn't have survived. The music community and friends came together, performed his gigs free, giving him their earnings, enabling Thompson to keep his music job and pay bills. Upon relocating to Portland, he was down on his luck and dealing with many negatives. He began to study the Bible and found the true way of life.
Thompson continues, “In reality, in my opinion, the things I've learned from life's experiences and what the scriptures have shown me; in this world, everything has two things, good and bad, which are always together…a good point and always a bad point to it. It's a tendency to always give attention to the bad with humans. The bad will take care of itself. The good starts growing and becomes stronger. If you had 100 seconds, 99 all pain; one is free of pain. That one, set free of pain, you'd always look forward to…the bad will always be there. People make the bad stronger instead of looking at the good to be your strength. The way of Jesus is selfless, not selfish which brings bad; selflessness brings good and feels good. Don't give glory to the bad…love is everything.”
Thompson continues, “I have the gift of music. The Lord and people inspire me to continue music as a medicine, as I have the ability to play the music, especially having people listening to it and playing with other people. There's nothing like performing music with other human beings. Music has always caught my ear with good melodies at movie theaters, whistling, listening to country artists (as a small child) such as Hank Williams, Sr., Slim Whitman and Lefty Frizzell.”
Elvis Presley caught Thompson’s ear as a teenager; then rock and roll became his love. He loved to dance and he's got a lot of rhythm. When he decided to do rock and roll, Thompson did not listen to one man’s advice…the man told him he'd do better in the country field. So, he didn't listen for a year to any music. Then he listened to country music at clubs, developing a taste for country at 27 years of age.
Thompson relates, “Being able to play music is wonderful, as it soothes the savage beast…very soothing and it's a wonderful blessing to be gifted with music and making a living with it. You're so far apart from people that you're able to do it at home. It's my hobby. A beautiful gift is being able to play music while listening.”
To contact Jimmy Thompson, call: 503-318-2785. He says, “Come out and listen to a good variety of music…country, all the way from the '50s to present day, rock and roll ('50s to the '70s), blues, bluegrass, a reggae song and a variety of songs. As a one-man-band, I mix it up to cover all the bases,” Thompson concludes.
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