Billy Price & Otis Clay

This Time For Real
Bonedog Records / VizzTone

This is soul music the way it is supposed to sound. Billy Price and Otis Clay’s new CD This Time For Real has a very distinct Memphis sound to it, created by a guy from Pittsburgh and a legend living in Chicago. Clay was a major influence on Price’s career, and the two had only recently had the opportunity to meet, but when it was decided that they should do a recording together, give whoever thought of that idea the Kewpie Doll because it was pure genius.

Blues Hall of Fame inductee Otis Clay still proves that he is one of the greatest soul singers going. Last year he released a duet album with Johnny Rawls covering OV Wright songs that brought big time accolades and a Blues Music Award nomination. But stand back, this one with Clay collaborating with Billy Price just may outshine that previous album. No knock on Mr. Rawls mind you, but these two sound like they’ve been working alongside one another for an eternity in the heavenly soul choir. It’s just that good.

The title says it all: This Time For Real.

But how do you push two amazing singers to come across so naturally together? Well, one way to do so is to bring in an ace producer who just happens to be one of the best guitar players alive to take on the task: One Mr. Duke Robillard. Add into the mix some of the finest musicians to be found in the New England area, such as drummer Mark Teixiera, keyboardist Bruce Bears, bassist Brad Hallen, and horn players Mark Earley and Doug Woolverton. With that group you might think that anybody would sound good. But don’t be fooled, they’re just that extra amount of sprinkles on the ice cream. They might give it appeal, but the real flavor is with these two singers.

You have to love the song selections, too. Fantastic numbers originally done by greats like Little Milton (“Somebody’s Changing My Sweet Baby’s Mind”), Bobby Womack (“Broadway Walk”), Syl Johnson (“Going To The Shack”), Joe Tex (“I’ll Never Do You Wrong”), and The Spinners (“Love Don’t Love Nobody”). I’m infatuated by the takes on so many of these songs, this disc has become ever-present in my car as I always want to give it another spin.

Yes, soul music done right. By two vocalists that have produced an album that will prove to stand the test of time. This Time For Real — it really is!

Total Time: 49:10

Somebody’s Changing My Sweet Baby’s Mind / I’m Afraid Of Losing You / Going To The Shack / All Because Of Your Love / Love Don’t Love Nobody / I’ll Never Do You Wrong / Don’t Leave Me Starving For Your Love / Broadway Walk / Book Of Memories / Too Many Hands / Tears Of God / You Got Me Hummin’

Pete Karnes Blues Band

Bar Room Blues
Self-Produced

Sitting in the White Eagle Saloon on this early September night last year was like taking a step back into time; Pete Karnes was back in town. Back in the day, so many years ago, he ruled the blues world in Portland and was pretty much the house band for this nostalgic music venue. Here he was returning to the venue where he made a name for himself some thirty years later and sounding every bit as strong and bluesy as ever. Karnes of course falls into that mode that traditional blues stemming from places like Chicago and Texas are the authentic real deal. And of course when you’ve worked with and been friends with the likes of John Lee Hooker, Big Walter Horton, Willie Dixon, Robert Lockwood Jr, Charlie Musselwhite, and JB Hutto (to name but a few), who are we to argue?

Coming to Portland found him reuniting with several of his surviving band members from back in time, alongside his current Florida-based outfit. The song selections stemmed from old chestnuts that were regular staples in Karnes original repertoire with bits and pieces from his most current (and third) studio release under his the Pete Karnes Blues Band name, I’m Still Here. Most are well-known covers such as “I’m Ready,” “Little By Little” and “Mama Talk To Your Daughter.” There are also those fun covers not heard too often by current bands like “Play With Your Poodle” and “My Last Meal.” But he also takes on his original music with his song for his late wife “Rayma’s Song” and a little Latin fare with “South Of The Border” (think of Big Walter doing “La Cucaracha and you’ll have a good idea — in fact Karnes claims to have taught Walter that number).

Being at this show felt like a flashback. Karnes voice sounds and harmonica playing is as brilliant as ever and film man David Jack Jester had set the room up just right to capture the music nicely. It sounds so much like the old band once did that you can compare it with his last release Live At The White Eagle 1982 and it would be hard to pick one over the other, save for the better sound quality nowadays.

Yes, Pete Karnes still knows the blues and how to do it well. Bar Room Blues is testament to that.

Total Time: 77:40

I’m Ready / How Did We Let It Go This Far / Help Me / Rayma’s Song / Boogie All Night / Framed / Play With Your Poodle / Chicken Shack / Ain’t Nobody’s Business / All Your Love I Miss Lovin’ / Mama Talk To Your Daughter / South Of The Border / My Last Meal / Back Door Man / Little By Little

What’s on Tap for November’s General Membership Meeting: The Muddy Awards!!

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Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland
Wednesday, November 4, 6:30 pm
Members always Free – Non-members attending the Muddys $5.00

It’s here again. The biggest night for the blues in the City of Portland as the Cascade Blues Association honors those deserving musicians, venues, events, recordings, and individuals with the highly coveted Muddy Awards for outstanding achievement during this past year. Twenty-two categories will be presented by members of the CBA Board of Directors, noted artists and other friends of the blues recognizing those chosen as recipients by the members of the Cascade Blues Association by ballots the past two months.

Be sure to arrive early since this annual event draws over 500 attendees and tables fill up quickly. It is a gala event, so feel free to dress up a little, but it is not required. Because of the early start, The Melody Ballroom will have dinners available for purchase.

Since we are honoring our local musicians, it is only fitting that we have live performances to enhance the evening. Opening the night will be the Cascade Blues Association’s 2015 Journey To Memphis winners, Sister Mercy, at 6:30. The Awards presentations will begin right around 7:30 following a tribute to those artists we lost in the past year since the last Muddy Awards ceremonies. Mid-way through the awards, we will continue with tradition with a musical interlude featuring our 2015 Journey To Memphis solo/duo winners, traveling all the way from Medford to participate, Rogue Rage Duo. After the conclusion of the awards, it’s time to party. Every year we invite a musician to put together an all-star jam band including past and present Muddy Award nominees and recipients. This year’s guest band leader is two-time International Blues Challenge finalist and rising blues star Ben Rice. Ben has already pieced together an impressive line-up, but he is still talking to others for commitments. At this time expect to enjoy performances including: Big Monti Amundson, Dave Fleschner, Dave Melyan, Karen Lovely, Kevin Selfe, Lisa Mann, Rae Gordon, and Rich Layton. This is quite an impressive grouping indeed.

The Muddy Awards is an event not to miss. Please join us for what is always one of the highest anticipated nights for the Portland Blues Community. If you’re not a member, you can always join at the venue if you’d like. This, like all Cascade Blues Association monthly meetings, is open to all ages.

2016 CBA Officer Election Coming In December

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Every December, the Cascade Blues Association asks its members to attend the monthly membership meeting to cast their votes for the people who they would like to run the organization for the coming year. All five officer positions (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Membership Secretary) are open for anyone who would like to seek the positions. We do request, however, that for the Membership Secretary position that you have knowledge of spreadsheets and mailing, and for Treasurer you have a firm grasp of accounting and filing taxes.

If you would like to place your name on the ballot for any of the CBA positions, please submit a letter stating your intent to run and outlining your qualifications no later than Friday, November 27. If you would like your letter published in the December BluesNotes, please submit the letter by November 15. You may mail your letter of intent to Cascade Blues Association, PO Box 6566, Portland, OR 97228-6566.

The Blues Cabaret CD Release Concert – Nov. 7th

Earl Thomas - photo by Greg JohnsonPortland’s own piano master, Dave Fleschner, has composed, written, and arranged his own two-set musical The Blues Cabaret, which has been presented at various venues along the West Coast. Now the show is being released on CD and to celebrate a special performance of The Blues Cabaret will be held at the Alberta Rose Theatre on Saturday, November 7 at 8:00 pm.

Once again joining Fleschner for this performance will be Grammy-nominated blues vocalist Earl Thomas and Portland Gay Men’s Choir soloists Billy Mixer and Jimmy Wilcox, all who appear on the album, too.

The Blues Cabaret is a dynamic new song cycle about a wistful musician who finally walks the road not taken years earlier. It’s a heart-rending, knee-slapping ride through love lost, gained, and squandered, told through thirteen-plus songs, four soulful singers and swinging band.

Tickets for The Blues Cabaret are available at albertarosetheatre.com, $15.00 general admission or $30.00 including a copy of the CD. VIP early seating, CD and pre-show champagne reception tickets are also available for $60.00. This is an all ages event with minors permitted with a parent or legal guardian. This is a CBA co-sponsored event and members may receive a $2.00 discount on tickets when ordering online and using the code “CBA.”

British Blues Explosion Returns To Duff’s Garage – Nov. 7th

In the early 1960s, while the blues languished in obscurity here in the United States, teenage guitarists all across England were wearing the grooves out of scratched 45s by Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddley, and dozens of other American blues artists. The first wave of the British Invasion was not led by The Beatles, but by working class bands that first put their own stamp on classic blues covers, and then tapped the blues idiom for a new generation of original rock & roll. The third annual British Blues Explosion (BBE3) taken place at Duff’s Garage on Saturday, November 7, pays tribute to those English lads who kept the blues flame alive until we rediscovered it here.

Like its predecessors, BBE3 celebrates the blues as interpreted by groups like The Animals, The Kinks, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, and many, many more. Expect a mix of familiar classics and obscure nuggets dug up by the evening’s performers. The line-up confirmed so far includes Greg Georgeson, Jon Koonce, Robbie Laws, Rich Layton & The Troublemakers, and Jon Wallace.

Once again, the event has a genuine thread back to where it all began with British saxophone legend Chris Mercer, a charter member of John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. That thread connects to a new generation of blues artists this year, with performances by “young guns” Ben Rice and Kivett Bednar.

Duff’s Garage is located at 2530 NE 82nd, showtime is 9:00 pm. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so bring your current membership card to receive a $1.00 discount at the door. Please note, both BBE1 and BBE2 were sold out shows, so be there early to guarantee entrance.

14th Annual Musician’s Toy Run Benefit – Nov. 7th

The 14th Annual Musician’s Toy Run Benefit, hosted by Francine West & The High Speed Wobblers, will take place on Saturday, November 7 at the Trails End Saloon. The day-long concert is aimed at helping the Portland Shriners Hospital for Children bring holiday joy to its patients and also acquire much needed medical equipment. Admission is either a new toy or a minimum $5.00 donation, with monies being used to purchase medical equipment. All performers at the show are playing for free so that all funds received will go directly to the hospital.

Alongside Francine West & The High Speed Wobblers, other artists appearing throughout the day will include Norman Sylvester, Jim Mesi, Robbie Laws, Big Yellow Taxi, Bad Motor Scooter, Probable Cause, Rose City Rattlers, and Better Than Street Racket.

The event will begin at 3:00 pm and will run until midnight. The Trails End Saloon is located 1320 Main Street in Oregon City. Door prizes will also be available to further raise funds for the benefit.

Help bring happiness to the children this holiday season and attend the Musician’s Toy Run Benefit

Acoustic Showcase Fundraiser To Send Justus Reece To The IBC – Nov. 8th

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For the first time during the Cascade Blues Association’s relationship with The Blues Foundation, we will be sending a performer to the Foundation’s International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase. Nineteen-year-old Justus Reece is a solo guitarist who competed with the adults in this year’s Journey To Memphis, and because he was the only artist under 21 in the event was asked if he would consider representing the CBA.
Traveling to Memphis is expensive, so Justus is hosting an Acoustic Showcase at The Venetian Theatre & Bistro, 253 E Main Street in Hillsboro on Sunday, November 8. Joining Justus will be Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductees Terry Robb and Jon Koonce. Also appearing will be 2014 CBA solo/duo representative at the IBC, Tevis Hodge Jr. Showtime is from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm and admission is $10.00. This is a family friendly event open to all ages, with children under 12 getting in free of charge.
Your attendance at the Acoustic Showcase will help get Justus to the IBC, where the future of the blues is discovered every year, not only in the competition, but in the Youth Showcase as well. Justus will be able to meet other young blues artists from around the world, participate in jams for both young musicians and those hosted by recognized touring musicians, as well as being able to explore Beale Street, Memphis, and the Delta firsthand. Let’s give Justus the experience of a lifetime.

Cigar Box Guitar Scratch Off With Nathan James and Ben Rice – Nov. 9th

Nathan James - photo by Jon NaugleWhat could possibly be better than an adept guitarist working a slide on a cigar box guitar? How about two such masters working together? That is exactly what you’ll be hearing at The Lake Theatre & Café on Monday, November 9 as Nathan James and Ben Rice join together for what is sure to be a thrilling night of blues. And since both tend to use their own creations combining cigar box and washboards, the event will be known as a “Scratch Off” noting the distinct sound the instruments can produce.

Nathan James has long been known as one of the finest guitarists in California, having worked many years with James Harman, as an International Blues Challenge winning team with Ben Hernandez, and most recently with his own band The Rhythm Scratchers. Ben Rice, of course, is our own local young guitar slinger, multiple Muddy Award recipient, and the winner of the St Blues Guitar Award at the 2015 International Blues Challenge having reached the finals two straight years.

This not to miss show begins at 7:00 pm and admission is $10.00. The Lake Theatre & Café is located at 106 North State Street in Lake Oswego.

Acoustic Guitar Master Chris Smither Comes To The Alberta Rose – Nov. 12th

Chris Smither - photo by Jeff FasanoChris Smither has been performing blues and roots music for more than fifty years. Growing up in New Orleans, where he says the folk music scene of the fifties and sixties barely touched, he was drawn to and influenced by the acoustic sounds of musicians like Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Smither is perhaps best known for his song “Love Me Like A Man” that other musicians have recorded numerous times. He is a proficient and well-respected songwriter and has even had an album of his songs recorded by a multitude of artists including the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Jorma Kaukonen and Dave Alvin. Smither’s own latest release is a double-disc anthology of his music titled Still On The Levee.

An engaging performer, Chris Smith returns to Portland for one night at the Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta Street on Thursday, November 12. The show begins at 7:30 pm and tickets can be purchased in advance at albertarosetheatre.com for $20.00 advance or at the box office day of show for $23.00. This event is open to all ages, minors permitted with a parent or legal guardian.