If you would like to have your CD considered by the Cascade Blues Association for submission in The Blues Foundation’s Best Self-Produced CD competition, please send your disc to BSPCD c/o Cascade Blues Association, PO Box 14493, Portland, Oregon 97293. You may also turn your submission in at the September or October Cascade Blues Association General Membership Meetings. No discs will be accepted later than October 1st.

All discs submitted must have been released after November 1, 2013. A committee set up by the Cascade Blues Association’s Board of Directors will listen to each submission and like the Journey To Memphis will rate each on a series of categories (blues content, instrumentation, vocals, art work and liner notes). Entries are only accepted by acts within the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Idaho and Washington). We must receive your entry no later than October 1st. Please note, the entry that we submit to The Blues Foundation will require that we send them four copies of the disc for their judges. We will notify the appropriate act for the extra copies needed to send.

The Hauscats - photo by Tony KutterIt doesn’t seem that long ago when Thursday nights meant heading out to the Stein Haus for an evening of blues from The Hauscats, the all-star group featuring Franck Goldwasser on guitar, Jim Wallace on harmonica and guitar, Jimi Bott on drums, and the late Sam Schlosser on bass. But as great things often do, the weekly show came to an end when the Stein Haus closed and then Franck Goldwasser moved back to California. So it is quite exciting to see a pair of shows reuniting the band while Goldwasser visits town.

The original surviving members will be on hand, joined by bassist John Neish who often collaborates with each artist. Two shows are scheduled. On Thursday, September 18th, The Hauscats will appear at Duff’s Garage, 2530 NE 82nd, for a 9:00 pm show. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so show your membership card at the door for a $1.00 discount on admission. Then, on Sunday, September 21st, the band will be doing an early dinner show at 6:00 pm at The Birk, 11139 Highway 202 in Birkenfeld.

Come out to one or both shows and relive those stellar nights of first-class traditional blues the way it was meant to be played!

Here is a great opportunity to learn first-hand from some of the finest acoustic artists in the country, co-sponsored by the Cascade Blues Association. On October 2 – 5, at The Menucha Retreat & Conference Center located in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in Corbett, Oregon, the Blues In The Gorge will take place. This is your  chance to watch, hear and learn up close alongside your fellow guitar enthusiasts with Pat Donahue, Mary Flower, Robert Jones and Suzy Thompson. This is limited to a small number of attendees, space is only open to 36 people so the instructors are able to spend quality time with everyone, so act quickly as the event is nearly sold out.

While at the event, you can explore the Menucha’s historical buildings and grounds, including their prohibition era speakeasy (now an espresso bar), enjoy homemade meals and the breathtaking views of the Gorge.  Overnight guests will stay and play in the Creevey Complex. Please visit the website to make sure space is still available and for prices to attend at http://menucha.org/programs/blues or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Menucha.Blues.In.The.Gorge.

For those unable to attend these workshops, there will be a concert on Sunday, October 5th at the Alberta Rose Theater featuring all of the instructors. Showtime is 7:30 pm and minors are welcome when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets are $25.00 in advance and $28.00 day of show. This concert is also co-sponsored by the CBA and you can receive a $2.00 discount on tickets at the door.

Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland
Wednesday, September 3rd 7:00 pm
Members always Free – Non-members $3.00
Opening Acoustic Set – The Mudbugs
Second Electric Set – Billee Reis with guests The Stevens Hess Band

Oh yeah, we’re going to kick September off with an exciting night of blues at the Cascade Blues Association’s General Membership Meeting, with good friends. In fact, for the next few months until the end of the year you will be seeing new faces and some very familiar ones, too. Always one of the best blues nights of every month, you’re not going to want to miss this one.

The MudbugsThe opening set for the meeting will be a newly formed acoustic duo called “The Mudbugs,” pairing one of Portland’s favorite couples, KG and Candy Jackson.

KG has been a Portland blues mainstay for over two decades and is currently the bass player for Michael Osborn and The Drivers.  KG also plays rhythm and lead guitars, and is a Muddy nominated Best Male Vocalist.  He is a prolific songwriter and many of The Mudbugs tunes will be originals.

Candy Jackson, on accordions and washboard, studied piano as a child.  She didn’t discover the accordion until her 50th birthday when she woke up on that day and declared to KG that she wanted to learn accordion.  KG realized she is a very determined gal when she puts her mind to something and watched her wrestle that accordion to the ground.  He invited her to join his band “KG Jackson and The Shakers” and she was honored to be part of that band’s Muddy nomination for Best New Band.  She has learned to play accordion at Centrum’s annual Blues Week up in Port Townsend under the tutelage of blues and zydeco greats such as Jude Taylor, Sunpie Barnes, Curley Taylor, and most recently Corey Ledet, and her mentor Washboard Chaz.

The Mudbugs have diverse musical interests and will play some Blues, Zydeco, Country, and all things Americana.  This is their debut performance so let’s give them a very warm and friendly CBA welcome!

For the second set of the night, we will present Billee Reis. Known for her passion and authenticity, When Billee started her own band in Montana she realized she was made for music and hit the ground running. Since then she has been performing regularly in Montana and Portland including being a finalist in the Colgate Country showdown as well as performing at several festivals. Billee sings Soul, Blues, Country, Rock, Jazz, Pop, R&B Billee Reisand is known for her unique ability to change her voice to suit the style of her music. Once she moved to Portland she joined forces with the highly regarded 12 Media Music Studio with producers Erick Gilbertson and Tony Coleman. She has also been selected for and looking forward to making her first television appearance as a featured musical act for a nationally syndicated network and then coming up this month she will be a guest feature for a radio interview where she will be airing some original pieces from the studio as well as performing live.

Joining Billee for her set will be CBA favorites and last year’s recipients of the Best New Act at the Muddy Awards, The Stevens Hess Band. With Sonny “Smokin’”Hess’ stellar guitar playing, Vicki Stevens hard blowing harmonica and vocals, Kelly Pierce on drums and Jim Hively on bass, this is an outstanding outfit that will not only shine in their own talents, but will draw out Billee’s incredible voice as well.

The Stevens Hess Band has been working steadily over this summer performing at venues and festivals all over the Northwest. And they’ve just completed a brand new CD titled Gold Mine that releases this month.

The music line-up for September is over the top, but don’t forget to pick up a drawing ticket when you come in so you’ll have the chance to win CDs, concert tickets and other prizes. And yes, we will also have the multi-CD winner take all package that you could potentially win by purchasing a $1.00 ticket. Or purchase as many as you’d like as all the money brought in by these ticket sales go to help the CBA in a variety of ways.

Don’t miss out on the meeting, it’s always the best way to start every blues month!

Gov't Mule - press photoFew bands have a reputation for making music as consistently honest, organic and daring as Gov’t Mule. They’re the rare rock & roll group with an improvisational heartbeat that allows all four musicians to expand on the songs’ themes in non-formulaic ways. That quality distinguishes the finest jazz, blues and rock recordings of the ’50s and ’60s, but is largely absent in modern music. Led by guitarist and founding member Warren Haynes, one of the most formidable guitarists and vocalists of the modern era, he effortlessly cross-pollinates genres with unfurling solos that broil with passion in his distinctive, signature style.

Known for their dynamic performances that can rival the best jam bands out there, Gov’t Mule will be appearing at The Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th Avenue, on Tuesday, September 23rd, for an 8:00 pm show. This is a 21 & over event only. Tickets are $28.50 for general admission on the floor, or $40.00 for reserved seating in the balcony, and can be purchased through www.TicketsWest.com.

The American Music Program will be holding a sensational night of music at The Winningstad Theater, on September 5th, titled “Giants Of Jazz & Blues.” The event will feature students and alumni of the nationally acclaimed program alongside jazz legends Terell Stafford, Benny Maupin and 2013 Grammy Award winner Dr. Thara Memory, who will also direct the night’s performances.

The program brings gifted and devoted young musicians in 7th through 12th grades from throughout the Portland metro area to work with recognized artists and providing opportunities to attend national music competitions. Many of the alumni have gone on successfully to well-known music schools like Berklee and Juilliard as well as many becoming renowned artists themselves.

The event is also a celebration of the release of their first CD, Live At The Gerding Theater: Nothin’ But The Blues, a performance held last summer that earned the group a key spot headlining at this year’s Waterfront Blues Festival.

Other artists scheduled to take part in this night of music include: Rebecca Kilgore, Andy Stokes, LaRhonda Steele, Tahirah Memory, Stan Bock, Renato Caranto, Nicole Glover, Dan Brewster, Louis Pain and Peter Piazza

The Winningstad Theater is located at 1111 SW Broadway. Showtime is 8:00 pm. Tickets are available through www.TicketTomato.com ranging from $55.00 – $105.00. Proceeds from the event will go to help fund the student’s opportunities to attend national competitions.

Brad Weeks - Guitar Raffle Winner - photo by Greg JohnsonCongratulations to Brad Weeks, this year’s winner of the Cascade Blues Association’s autographed guitar drawing. The drawing was held at the Membership Summer Picnic from tickets purchased throughout the past year. Among the blues artists who had signed this year’s guitar were: Taj Mahal, Joe Louis Walker, Pete Anderson, J.P Soars, Damon Fowler, Jonn Del Toro Richardson, Laura Chavez, Tim “Too Slim” Langford and Matt Hill

Rae Gordon - photo by Tony Kutter (use this shot with the J2M article)This past July, the Rae Gordon Band won the Cascade Blues Association’s Journey To Memphis competition at the Waterfront Blues Festival, earning the rights to represent the region at The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Tennessee this coming January. Though the band did receive prize money to help them defray the expense of travelling to Memphis, they still need to raise more in order to take part in this competition happening on historic Beale Street over five days.

On Saturday, October 4th, you have the chance to help the band raise these funds, enjoying an afternoon of great blues music while cruising the Willamette River on The Portland Spirit. Every level of The Spirit will have live bands, featuring the Rae Gordon Band and past Journey To Memphis winners Lisa Mann and Franco & The Stingers, plus additional surprise guest appearances. If you have ever been onboard one of the blues cruises during the Waterfront Blues Festival, you already know that this is going to be a fun time.

The Cascade Blues Cruise will board from Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $25.00 and food and drink will be available for purchase on the boat. All ticket proceeds from this incredible afternoon of music and cruising on the Willamette will go toward sending the Rae Gordon Band to Memphis, providing airfare, lodging and meals for all of the band members.

To get tickets for the Cascade Blues Cruise and learn more about this incredible event that the Cascade Blues Association supports, please go to: www.raegordon.com/ibc

Help the Rae Gordon Band sail on to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2015!

Stevens Hess Band - press photoThe Stevens Hess Band has a brand new CD out titled Gold Mine, and they’re going to celebrate its release with a party at McMenamins Kennedy School on Thursday, September 11th. The new CD is full of original numbers, with Sonny Hess providing some of her strongest songwriting ever, with numbers that were created just for Vicki Stevens’ powerful vocals. These are heartfelt, “yes I have lived it” type of tunes that contain a little bit of everything from sadness, joy and overcoming life’s challenges.

This CD release party is open to all ages and to make it even more exciting, there is no cover charge. Plus, if this was not reason enough to celebrate, it is also Sonny Hess’ birthday!! Kennedy School is located at 5736 NE 33rd, and the show is scheduled to run from 7:00 – 9:00 pm.

Maria Muldaur - press photoMaria Muldaur’s storied 50-year career could best be described a long and adventurous odyssey through the various forms of American Roots Music. During the folk revival of the early ’60s, she began exploring and singing early Blues, Bluegrass and Appalachian “Old Timey” Music, beginning her recording career in 1963 with the Even Dozen Jug Band and shortly thereafter, joining the very popular Jim Kweskin Jug Band, touring and recording with them throughout the ’60s. Scoring a mega-hit in 1974 with the Baby Boomer classic “Midnight At The Oasis,” which received several Grammy nominations, she has covered all kinds of American Roots music over the ensuing forty years, including gospel, R&B, jazz and Big Band. She has now settled comfortably into her favorite idiom, the Blues, often joining forces with some of the top names in the business. Recently announced that she will be inducted into the Jug Band Hall of Fame, she has been honored with a bevy of awards and nominations over the years from the Grammys and Blues Music Awards.

Duff’s Garage is proud to present an evening with Maria Muldaur on Wednesday, October 1st at 9:00 pm. Tickets will be available soon from www.TicketTomato.com. This is a CBA co-sponsored event and you can receive a $1.00 discount on admission at the door by showing your current membership card.