What’s On Tap For October’s General Membership Meeting . . .

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Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland

Wednesday, October 1st, 7:00 pm

Members always Free – Non-members $3.00

Opening Acoustic Set – Tess & Patrik Barr

Second Electric Set – Lisa Mann & Her Really Good Band

 

You’re definitely going to want to attend the October General Membership Meeting for the Cascade Blues Association as we present performances from two of the region’s premier blues women in what is sure to be one smokin’ night of great music.

Opening the night, heading into town for this meeting from the Columbia River Gorge will be the duet of Tess & Patrik Barr. This is a very rare performance as they usually do not play in a duo format.

Tess and Patrik Barr - press photoTess is a vocalist, songwriter and guitar player who has been singing her entire life, who went through phases of country and rock music before discovering the blues in the 70s. Influenced by the likes of Koko Taylor, Katie Webster, Janis Joplin, Elmore James, Junior Wells and Hound Dog Taylor in her writing and singing style, she has recently been creating her own original material, many of which can be found on her outstanding release from earlier this year, Do What You Want.

Joining Tess for this set will be her husband Patrik, best known for his electric slide work, he also plays harmonica, banjo and fiddle along with guitar. A one-time member of the Seattle old time music scene, he has also spent time in Ireland where he took up playing Irish music. He has been playing with Tess’ bands now for the past twenty years as well as co-writing much of her material.

Aside from playing the blues, Tess & Patrik also own and operate Hood Crest Winery and have been working on a follow-up recording to Do What You Want, titled Trouble’s Comin’.

For the second set of the night, we will feature one of the most popular acts in the Portland area, Lisa Mann & Her Really Good Band. A multiple

Lisa Mann

Lisa Mann

recipient of the Muddy Awards, including Hall of Fame status as bassist, Lisa is also a nominee in this year’s Blues Blast Awards for the Sean Costello Rising Artist Award. The band has been busy this last summer working the release of the latest recording Move On, taking Lisa all the way to New England and the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas.

The Really Good Band will feature a slightly different line-up for the meeting as regular drummer Michael Ballash works during the week teaching and Brian Harris will be on tour with Curtis Salgado, so the ever reliable Dave Melyan will be handling the drum position alongside the extraordinary guitar skills of Jeff Knudson. Though not known for certain at press time, Patrick McDougall may be joining the band for the night on keyboards.

And as always, make certain to pick up your free ticket at the door for a chance to win CDs, concert tickets and other prizes. There will also be a winner take all raffle for a $1.00 per ticket chance to win a multi-CD package put together just for the meeting.

Hope to see you all there for another night of good friends and great blues.

 

 

Popa Chubby Brings His Rockin’ Blues to Oregon

Ted Horowitz, better known to the world as Popa Chubby has not performed in Portland in a number of years. So if you’re a fan of heavy-Popa Chubbyhitting, rocking blues, then you’re not going to want to miss these two rare appearance in Oregon. His career has always been about moving forward and carving a place for himself in the imposing terrain of the music business, overcoming odds to continue growing and maturing as a creative force. He has built a constantly increasing base of fans across the world, starting out in the punk scene, yet the blues has always been the foundation of his playing style.

“Since I’d grown up on Hendrix, Cream and Led Zeppelin,” explains Popa Chubby, “when I started playing blues in New York clubs I understood that the blues should be dangerous, too. It wasn’t just from playing in punk bands. Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters were dangerous men. They’d cut or shoot you if they thought it was necessary, and Little Walter packed a gun and wouldn’t hesitate to use it. That danger is a real part of the blues and I keep it alive in my music.”

Well, I’m sure his shows here in Oregon will not come to that danger point, but you know his blues are going to be deadly in his approach and powerful playing. This one will bust down the doors and burn up the stage.

Popa Chubby will be appearing at Duff’s Garage, 2530 NE 82nd on Tuesday, October 7th. Showtime is 9:00 pm. Admission is $10.00 and this is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored show, so do not forget your membership card to receive a $1.00 discount at the door.

And if you miss out on Tuesday, or if you just cannot get enough, head out to The Birk Wednesday, October 8th for an early dinner show at 7:00 pm. The Birk is located at 11139 Hwy 202 in Birkenfeld, Oregon.

Pete Karnes Blues Band with Tom McFarland

Pete Karnes CD coverLive At The White Eagle 1982

Self Produced

This is a throwback to the days when the White Eagle was one of the hottest spots in Portland to catch live music and particularly the blues. The Pete Karnes Blues Band was one of the primary reasons why the club was so popular, as they worked quite a number of nights as one of the house bands. The recording Live At The White Eagle 1982 takes us back to those heydays and rambunctious shows that took place in the venue and around town, with an appreciative audience on hand and a smooth blues band running through a collection of traditional blues classics and originals.

Let’s get this out in the open to begin with. The sound quality may not be up to some people’s standards, a bit muffled here and there. But this was never really meant for release. It was recorded using a cassette recorder sitting on top of a speaker during the show. Considering the clarity it did receive it’s amazing, and now thirty-two years later it has been enhanced digitally by the band’s keyboardist Mike Mendenhall for public consumption. And it easily takes you back to those party nights at the White Eagle as the band got us all up dancing the night away.

Pete Karnes harmonica playing has always been skillfully performed in the style of the Chicago masters, many of whom he had the fortune to know and work with. This is truly noticeable in the “Jimmy Reed Medley

The band really is having a fun workout during this show, with sensational saxophone on a tune like “Maonin’” from Doug Smith and the powerful solid rhythm from Richard Englund and the late Nick Christmas. Mike Mendenhall takes a terrific piano run on “Roll ‘Em Boys” and some nice organ backing on “Down At the White Eagle.” The whole band stretches out a number of times, most notably on “Chicken Shack” with various individual solos.

But what also makes Live At The White Eagle 1982 a special historical recording is the inclusion of the great, late Tom McFarland on guitar. A West Coast legend who left his mark on every blues scene from Seattle down to San Francisco and beyond, McFarland spent a great deal of time in the Portland area, delivering his always tasteful guitar playing to every project and show he was a part of. On this disc, he shares some of the vocal duties with Karnes and the two work as a collective unit between guitar and harp that it sounds as if it was written in the heavens that these two were meant to be bandmates.

For anybody wanting to relive those glory times of the blues from the early 80s or perhaps never had the opportunity to catch Pete Karnes or Tom McFarland from these days, Live At The White Eagle 1982 takes us back to time when life was a little easier and finding a seat at the White Eagle for the Pete Karnes Blues Band was just what the doctor ordered to kick off your weekend perfectly. The memories come flooding back when listening to this album. Thank you.

Total Time: 71:41

Little Bit / Jimmy Reed Medley / Yonder Wall / Part Time Love / Roll ‘Em Boys / Back Door Man / Chicken Shack / Help Me / I’m Ready / Talk To Your Daughter / Next Time You See Me / Moanin’ / Down At The White Eagle

 

Janiva Magness

Original

Fathead Records

Janiva Magness has created perhaps her most compelling and emotional album of her career. It is a masterful performance that easily Janiva Magness CD coverovershadows all that she has released before. That in itself is saying a lot as she has had a number of excellent recordings that have placed her amongst the best blues artists already. But she has surpassed all expectations with Original and continues to dazzle and amaze with her exceptional talent. This is without doubt a defining achievement

Original combines eleven very personal songs, seven written by Janiva herself, that speaks volumes about herself. Blending the words behind a bluesy and soulful delivery, her vocals are on top of her game, something that has truly come about from years of progression as one of the genre’s elite singers. There is a lot of passion that comes across, that can stir emotions while listening to her expressive heartfelt lyrics. That is a sign of a master. Somebody who can make you feel exactly what is going on within themselves as they tell you their story of life’s challenges and how they cope and overcome those situations. Janiva has seen a lot of heartache these past few years, with divorce, the deaths of several close people in her life and a frightening neck injury. This turmoil provided the spark behind her taking her pain into her songwriting and she bares herself, letting us share what she has gone through. And that is what the blues can do when handled correctly. It is all about life and its challenges.

The theme of loneliness, loss and grief are expressed through numbers like “Let Me Breathe” and “When You Were My King.” She digs deep within herself as she asks “Who Am I.” She’s ready to take on new relationships under her own terms on “I Need A Man,” and that past hurt has left her feeling a touch of bitterness on “Badass” where she lets us know she is going to live her own life or that she is tired of lies and pretending on “Mountain.” But going through these tribulations only makes her stronger as expressed on “Twice As Hard” and there is still hope in her heart on “Everything Is Alright,” “With Love” (a duet with Dan Navarro) and the beautiful closing track “Standing.”

After several years of recording on the Alligator label, Janiva took a chance on herself by releasing Original under her own label, Fathead. When you walk away from somebody that has such a highly recognized reputation for their product and promotions like Alligator, you have to be very confident in yourself and the material you are creating. Janiva has confidence in spades, and Original is an album that will receive notice and success. If you have been moved by Janiva’s music in the past, wait until you hear Original. Simply said, it is one for the ages and will be certainly be proven over time as one of today’s modern blues masterpieces. It doesn’t come much better than this. A crowning achievement!

Total Time: 44:26

Let Me Breathe / Twice As Strong / When You Were My King / I Need A Man / Everything Is Alright / With Love / Mountain / Who Am I / Badass / The Hard Way / Standing

Cascade Blues Cruise – Get your tickets now!

Rae Gordon band is headed to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis to represent the Cascade Blues Association – and you can help send her get there – and have fun at the same time. CBC temp file  

 

More Love For Linda Benefit Show Featuring All Star Line-up To Aid Linda Hornbuckle

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linda REV-01[1]

For the past couple years, Oregon Music Hall of Fame member Linda Hornbuckle has valiantly been fighting cancer. And it hasn’t been an easy fight. Linda needs our community’s help as this battle continues to heap medical expenses upon her. So some of her musical friends are coming together to hold a benefit concert for her titled “More Love For Linda” to be held at the Crystal Ballroom on Tuesday, October 14th.

An all-star line-up of friends will be on hand, including Quarterflash, Linda Hornbuckle Band, Patrick Lamb. Liv Warfield, Andy Stokes, LaRhonda Steele, Soul Vaccination, Norman Sylvester, Eddie Martinez, with many other guest artists expected.

Tickets are available at www.crystalballroompdx.com and www.tickettomato.com. A limited number of 150 VIP tickets are also available as long as they last for $100.00 which will include exclusive access to the mezzanine, a VIP lanyard and event poster. VIP tickets available through www.tickettomato.com only with all funds and ticket fees double-backing to support Linda. General admission is $20.00.

The Crystal Ballroom is located at 1332 West Burnside. Showtime is 7:00 pm.

Please come out and show your love and support for one of Portland’s most beloved artists. She has given all of us her heart for so many years, let’s give a little back to Linda.

Benefit for Tom Royer

Tom Royer poster

Long time Portland musician Tom Royer has been battling Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and is in desperate need of a lung transplant. Please visit http://www.gofundme.com/efjsrg to help out with your donations. A benefit concert has been scheduled for Monday, October 20th at Jimmy Mak’s, 221 NW 10th, to assist in raising the necessary funds. Tom Royer has worked with many of the finest musicians in Portland over the years, including DK Stewart, Paul deLay, Duffy Bishop, Linda Hornbuckle, The Cowboy Angels, The Mayther Brothers, Dub Dubrie, Benny Wilson, Lloyd Jones, Turtle Vandemarr and many, many others, especially alongside his wife Lily Wilde in a number of configurations. The last benefit held for Tom was packed full of many of the most renowned and beloved musicians in the region. Please make plans on attending this event. This event was just being pieced together at press time, so please watch the CBA Facebook and website, or the Soul Sisters Productions Facebook page and the gofundme.com sites for updated details.

Blues Music Award Winner Doug MacLeod To Play Two Shows In Oregon

Doug MacLeod is one of the blues premier storytellers and entertainers. The recipient of two Blues Music Awards in 2014, acoustic artist of the year and acoustic album of the year for There’s A Time, MacLeod is able to engage his audiences with his passionate guitar work and an ever-present smile. His music as described by the Nashville Blues Society are “Songs that hit you in the heart and go straight to your soul.” This is honest music, often with a sense of humor and always stunning in its presentation. A Doug MacLeod performance always keeps your attention and talking about for days afterward.

Always a favorite in the Portland area, Doug MacLeod will be returning once again for a night of storytelling and exceptional guitar at Duff’s Garage, 2530 NE 82nd, for a 9:00 pm show on Thursday, October 16th. This is a CBA co-sponsored event, so bring your membership card to receive a $1.00 discount off the $15.00 admission.

Doug MacLeod will also be appearing in Hood River at The Pines Tasting Room, 202 State Street, on Friday, October 17th. Showtime is 7:30, tickets are $20.00 and this show is open to all ages.

Don’t Miss Out, Tickets Selling Fast For The Cascade Blues Cruise To Help Send Rae Gordon To The IBC- Oct 4th

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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 traveling 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. But hurry, because tickets are going fast!

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

Something To Talk About: A Portland Bonnie Raitt Tribute – Oct 3rd

Bonnie Raitt is one of the music world’s most loved artists with songs topping the charts over her more than 40-year career incorporating the sounds of blues, rock, folk and country. A nine-time Grammy Award winner and named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 100 singers of All time, and a Cascade Blues Association Muddy Award Lifetime Achievement recipient, Raitt may make it to Portland once a year, but here is a great chance to hear her music as presented by some of Portland’s finest musicians.

On Friday, October 3rd, the Alberta Rose Theatre presents Something To Talk About: A Portland Bonnie Raitt Tribute concert. Appearing on this special night will be stellar artists including Anne Weiss, Lisa Mann, David Jacobs-Strain, Bre Gregg, Shelly Rudolph, Ara Lee, Rich Landar, Dan Stueber and Mark Bowden collaborating on a night of music celebrating the Queen of the Bottleneck Blues.

Tickets for this performance are $15.00 advance at www.albertarosetheatre.com or $18.00 at the door. Minors are okay when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Showtime is 8:00 pm. The Alberta Rose Theatre is located at 3000 NE Alberta Street.