What’s on Tap for April’s General Membership Meeting April 3

Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland

Wednesday, April 3rd, 7:00 pm

Members always Free – Non-members $3.00

Opening Acoustic Set – Lucy Hammond’s NW Roots Uprising

Second Electric Set – Tracey Fordice & The 8-Balls

It’s the first of the month, so you should know by now where to be on that first Wednesday. The Melody Ballroom of course. You always want to make a point to join us for the Cascade Blues Association’s monthly membership meeting, where you’re sure to run into long-time friends and maybe make a few new ones, all while hearing two great sets of blues.

This month we’re going to open the acoustic set featuring a new project of the sensational vocalist Lucy Hammond’s titled “NW Roots Uprising.” With the assistance of co-producer Kevin Nettleingham at his award-winning studios, Nettleingham Audio, Lucy is bringing a diverse combination of songwriters and artists together to put together a collaboration CD. This will give fans a chance to hear new material from some of their favorite artists, while perhaps being exposed to somebody they may be altogether unfamiliar with in the process. The artists will get an opportunity to explore, experiment, work and create new material with one another in means they may choose to feature on their own individual projects. Funding for the project is fan-based through www.rockethub.com which is a win/win for both the musicians and the fans. It will provide production costs, requisite airplay print promotion and mini-tours while the backers receive creative rewards from the artists.

Titled Together, Borrowed & Blue, the recording will feature well-known Northwest blues musicians and artists from roots genres such as folk, Americana, Country blues, Neo-Soul, indie-rock, jazz, slamgrass and many other related sub-genres. The unifying factor is that they all spring from the blues, revering the influence of the musical pioneers and icons that is evident in their own musical journeys.

You don’t know just who will be joining Lucy Hammond for her set opening the April meeting, but they’ll definitely be putting the spotlight on the Northwest. This is one acoustic opener you will not want to miss.

“We’re not just another Blues Band”, is something you hear from every new blues band that appears on the horizon. Every year new configurations of talented musicians appear playing the blues, and quite often they sound very similar to last year’s band. To some extent, that is the nature of blues music. So what makes the band in our second set of the night so different?

Tracey Fordice, that’s the difference! Oh yes, and this band has balls, eight to be exact!

Tracey Fordice has been playing throughout the Northwest for over 40 years and has a beautiful and powerful voice that can rock you like a tornado of trouble in Tennessee, or soothe your soul with a sweet, sultry tone that is as deep as the mighty Mississippi. Her unique voice, piano playing, and song-writing talents are a blend of creativity that extends beyond many of the blues women performing throughout the Portland blues scene.

Oh yea, what’s up with those 8-Balls?

Well for starters, you have Randy Yearout on guitars and vocals. Randy, the founding member of the North Portland band NoPoMoJo. A gifted multi-instrumentalist and talented songwriter, capable of crafting witty and catchy songs that cross the roots and the boundaries of blues, folk, jazz, rock, and country. Also, from the NoPoMoJo band is Johnnie Corrie on drums and vocals. Mr Corrie has also worked with notable NW bands including the Margo Tufo Band, Gary Small and the Deacons, Dover Weinberg Quartet, Robbie Laws Band, and also Lloyd Allen and the Cannonballs. His smooth and swinging, yet rockin’ drum style is what drives the 8-Balls. Also, another long-time member of NoPoMoJo, comes Rudi Spain on bass. Rudi is one of the most solid bassists around, having played in just about every barroom that has ever had live music in it, from the streets of Bakersfield to the backroads of Beaverton! The band is completed by Robert Demary, an accomplished guitarist and vocalist, well known for his musical contributions in several bands throughout the Portland area, Ms. Demeanor, Nobody’s Bizness, and No Alibi, just to name a few. In addition, Mr. Demary handles all of their major record contracts, world-wide tours, contract riders, product endorsements, and tort litigations, as well as keeping the band out of jail. After-all, a blues band should always be prepared for just about anything!

Whether barrel-housing in the juke joints and road houses of the Pacific Northwest, or playing on the big festival stages, Tracey Fordice and the 8-Balls can deliver Rockin Blues and Soulful Ballads utilizing a broad repertoire ranging from Etta James to Bonnie Raitt and Willie Dixon to J.J. Grey and Mofro. With a contemporary delivery of traditional blues standards, striking covers of up and coming new artists, and the awesome creative power of original song material, this is NOT just another blues band.

Rack ‘em up and break!

We will hold our free ticket drawings between sets for your chance to win CDs and concert tickets and will also have our $1 per ticket drawing to win a multi-CD package put together for just this meeting. Come on out to The Melody for fun and blues. See you there.