Jazz Musician Thara Memory Charged With Sex Abuse, Harassment

Portland jazz musician and teacher Thara Memory, 68, was arraigned in Multnomah County Court Monday after a grand jury indicted him on eight counts of third-degree sex abuse, two counts of attempted third-degree sex abuse and harassment. He was booked and released following his arraignment.

Willamette Week has reported Memory’s next court date is April 17, and according to The Oregonian, while Memory is out of custody he won’t be permitted to have contact with children.

According to the Portland Police Bureau, the bureau’s sex crimes unit started investigating Memory in Sept. 2016 after receiving a complaint involving a student. A press release from the Bureau said detectives later learned of other victims, both girls and women, with complaints going back to 2014.

Police think there may be other victims and have encouraged members of the public with more information to contact Detective Jeff Myers at 503-823-0595, jeff.myers@portlandoregon.gov.

Memory won the 2013 Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists with his former student Esperanza Spalding for the song "City of Roses" from her album "Radio Music Society."

According to the bio on his website, Memory has taught at Portland State University, Portland Community College and Marylhurst University, as well as working with Portland’s Wilson High School band programs and Beaverton’s Arts and Communication Magnet Academy. In 2005 he organized the American Music program, a regional youth jazz orchestra, which has won the Next Generation Festival in Monterey and the Savannah Music Festival’s Swing Central Music competition.