Larry Dupio

Larry Dupio CD coverLightning
OIPUD Music

Hawaii may not be the first place one thinks of when it comes to blues music. But it is the home of Larry Dupio, long considered one of the island’s premier guitarists, and his passion is with the blues. For more than thirty years Larry has been performing and teaching guitar, including a spell living in Portland where he led his own band and also teamed up with Shel Bailey heading the group The Big Package. Lightning is his second release under his own name and it is filled with awe-inspiring guitar playing and displays an overview of the deversity of his guitar creativity, be it blues or other avenues.

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25th Annual Cascade Blues Association Muddy Awards, November 7th at The Melody Ballroom

For the past quarter-century, the Cascade Blues Association has honored many of the most beloved artists, venues, events and recordings of the region with the annual Muddy Awards. Named in honor of the most important postwar Chicago bluesman, Muddy Waters, for his contributions to the modern blues scene. Nominees and recipients for the awards are completely selected by the members of the Cascade Blues Association through a process of two ballots, with nearly 1100 ballots sent out each time. And a grand celebration is then held to announce and recognize the decisions made by our membership.

This year’s 25th Annual Muddy Awards will be held on Thursday, November 7th, starting at 6:30 pm at The Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St. We have the upstairs grand ballroom reserved as this event is one of the largest blues happenings every year in Portland, with Read more

Rae Gordon Band’s Blue Lemonade Named CBA Entry As Best Self Produced CD

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As part of the International Blues Challenge’s series of events happening in Memphis every winter, a competition amongst self produced CDs has been taking place since 2005. The Cascade Blues Association has participated in this competition since its inception and have done nicely with our entries, several making the semi-finals and especially well with the two discs we have submitted by Joe McMurrian, who placed in the finals in 2007 and winning the overall prize in 2010 with his disc Get Inside This House.

The Cascade Blues Association opened entries for the 2014 event at the end of August with a deadline for submitting in early October. We received eight entries: Dave Mathis’ In Your Face, Franco Paletta & The Stingers’ I Like It Just Like That, Hank Shreve Band’s I’ve Had Read more

Tevis Hodge Jr.

Blues And Rags
Junior Records

Tevis Hodge Jr CD cover             Tevis Hodge Jr. has certainly had a busy summer. Besides winning the Cascade Blues Association’s Journey to Memphis competition as a solo entry, he has also crafted this outstanding five-song EP. Titled Blues And Rags, this is completely original material that shows his deep understanding of early blues forms and sounds. The guitar work on this solo effort is impeccable. Nice clean sound and tone with spot-on phrasing. The fact that he can sound like the musicians of the 1920-40s Delta and Piedmont is uncanny. In fact, the second number on this album, “Ain’t No Tellin’,” comes across as a long-lost Mississippi John Hurt piece; though I am pretty sure that Hurt would’ve never thought of the phrase about his good girl busting a cap in you. Hodge’s charcoal-infused vocals fit the numbers precisely and add an even more in-depth feel for artists from those by-gone years. Good blues is timeless. These tracks sit well alongside masters like Son House or Rev. Gary Davis.

I find myself listening to the CD endlessly. As soon as the five songs finish I just keep it rolling over and over again and discovering more appreciation for such exceptional creativity. I once called Tevis Hodge Jr. on stage a young man with an old blues soul. These selections bear witness to that. He has said that he is working on more material for a future full-length album; that has me in heavy anticipation waiting to see what he will do next. Definitely an artist I will keep a close eye on and I suggest you do the same. Start off now and pick up this incredible debut recording. If you’re a fan of acoustic and early blues, it will fit your listening ear perfectly.

Total Time: 19:27

Sweet Road Blues / Ain’t No Tellin’ / Jelly Bean Rootwork / Bozehovia Rag / That Girl

The Cascade Blues Association Sends Our Best Wishes To Alice Stuart

Alice Stuart (press photo)

Alice Stuart (press photo)

Please keep Alice Stuart, one of the greatest musicians of the Pacific Northwest in your thoughts and prayers as she experienced a medical emergency this summer. Alice has had to cancel many of her scheduled shows over the past couple of months to take a leave from performing for the time being, following guidance from her doctor. A special fundraising event will be held in Seattle on September 29th, featuring an all star line-up. If you would like to help out, you may go to  her GoFundMe campaign at http://www.gofundme.com/450q2w.

Alice Stuart is a musical legend, having first recorded in the 1960s and influenced many of folk and blues best known female artists including Bonnie Raitt. She was a member of Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention, performed at the 1964 Berkeley Folk Festival, has released albums on the Arhoolie and Burnside Record labels, performed on the Dick Cavett Show and the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test, represented the Cascade Blues Association and Washington Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge, most recently led the band The Formerlys, and has regularly performed at numerous venues throughout the Northwest including a monthly show at Portland’s LaurelThirst Public House. There are not many artists who can claim the credentials and talent of Alice Stuart.

The Cascade Blues Association wishes to send its love and best wishes to Alice Stuart for a speedy recovery and return to the stage. The Northwest music scene is a better place with Alice being a part of it.

 

 

 

Hager/Fleschner Duo

Live From The Vault
Self Produced

Hager Fleschner CD cover This is an engaging live recording by two of Portland’s most talented musicians, keyboardist Dave Fleschner and guitar master Alan Hager. Both have extensive backgrounds in the local and national blues scene, but pairing the two together was simply a stroke of genius. Recorded at The Vault at O’Connor’s in Portland’s Multnomah Village neighborhood, the duet strolls through eleven numbers covering a wide variety of music history and they place their own unique touch on each.

Dave Fleschner’s piano work shows exceptional range, whether it’s a stride, New Orleans boogie or a Otis Spann-styled Chicago number, he can do it all with precision and flair. He Read more

Johnny Rawls

Remembering O.V.
Catfood Records

Johnny Rawls CD coverLovers of classic soul music have definite reason to jump up and shout. Without doubt, OV Wright was one of the true icons of the musical genre, and now we are blessed with a new recording from one of the modern masters paying tribute to his mentor. Johnny Rawls has one of those voices that can emote passion and deep feelings with natural ease and grace. Like Wright, this guy could probably sit down at a Waffle House and read the menu out loud and make it sound like the most soulful tune you’ve ever heard. Wait. Did I say one of the masters? There are actually two, as Rawls is joined on three numbers by Blues Hall of Fame inductee Otis Clay which is pure ecstasy for all.

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Home Is Where The Music Is: A Celebration Of Miss Lavelle White

Various Artists
Home Girls Records

Home Is Where The Music Is CD coverMiss Lavelle White is a Texas icon. She first recorded in the late 1950s for Don Robey’s Duke and Peacock labels scoring on a string of hit singles and writing songs for others, such as the classic “Lead Me On” for Bobby Bland, yet did not record a full album of her own until 1994 at the age of 65. She has influenced numerous artists, both while living in Chicago and her current home in Austin, where she held a long-time residency at Antone’s.

Like many musicians as they start to age, White found herself in assistance in order to keep a home of her own. That is where HOME stepped in. An organization started by a group of female musicians and entertainers in the Austin area aimed at providing housing and assistance to musicians in need. An all-star concert was put together for White at Antone’s, held on October 1, 2012,bringing together some of the very finest that Texas has to offer. Coming to her aid in performance were people like WC Clark, Sarah Brown, Guy Forsythe, Marcia Read more

The Claudettes

Infernal Piano Plot . . . Hatched!
Yellow Dog Records

The Claudettes CD coverThe idea of a piano-drums duet may bring up visions of Otis Spann and SP Leary working together, but in the case of The Claudettes you may be surprised by the diversity of their musical direction. More so in the likes of the late New Orleans piano-man James Booker, they can wander off to approaches that may begin with a blues theme, but can instantly cut into a classical or jazzy instrumentation that offers something entirely different than first expected. Something that has been referred to as “a fanatical fusion of blues and soul-jazz, like Ray Charles on a punk kick.” Whatever you may want to label it as, the thirteen instrumental selections on this debut Read more

IBC Fundraiser For Tevis Hodge Jr In St Johns

Tevis Hodge Jr (photo by Greg Johnson)

Tevis Hodge Jr (photo by Greg Johnson)

 

Please plan on attending the second fundraiser to raise travelling expense funds to help send Tevis Hodge Jr back to Memphis to participate as the Cascade Blues Association’s representative at the International Blues Challenge this January. Though Tevis received prize money for winning the Journey To Memphis competition, it still will not cover total costs for airfare, hotel and meals.

On Friday, October 25th, Tevis will be appearing at The Central Hotel, 8608 N Lombard, in the heart of the St Johns neighborhood. Showtime is 7:00 pm and admission is $5.00. The Central Hotel serves incredible food and they’re well known for their vintage bar and drinks. Tevis will have copies of his latest recording available at the show, as well as a handful of the limited edition copies that he still has left with an alternate cover. Help send Tevis back to Memphis and come to this event.