Greg Johnson, Cascade Blues Association President

It truly continues to amaze me how extraordinary Portland can be when it comes to attracting some of the larger and high-profiled musicians to come through our area. Just looking at April alone sees blues giants like Bonnie Raitt, Janiva Magness, Robert Cray, and Gary Clark Jr all hitting town. And the summer looks to be shaping up, too.

But when it comes down to the bare facts of it all, it is still our local musicians that make Portland a world class blues city that rivals any place. The talent level on any given night is staggering and I have said it before, but it is all so clear, we are spoiled rotten with the artists who live here. How many places can you go and find regular weekly gigs led by people like Lloyd Jones, Kevin Selfe, Lisa Mann, Franco Paletta, John Mazzocco, Mitch Kashmar, Ed Neumann, Rae Gordon, Sonny Hess, and so many others? Then throw in the regular people showing up at those gigs to sit in such as Mark Shark, Randy Monroe, Karen Lovely, and the not too uncommon Curtis Salgado. I can tell you that any of these people and a lot more that we have right here are the envy of people living elsewhere.

Speaking of Curtis Salgado — are you ready for the new release he has coming out? Clips online that have already been made available look great. And he has a handful of shows coming up that you’ll want to get your tickets for early as he is going to sell out everywhere he plays. Watch for him doing CD release shows and more in April at The Lake Theater & Café, The Trails End, and two nights running at Jimmy Mak’s.

Of course, another major night you don’t want to miss is the annual Inner City Blues Festival. It’s all organized by a crack team led by Norman Sylvester and once again features some of the region’s best musicians. Plus it all benefits Healthcare for All Oregon. Check it out at The North Portland Eagles Lodge.

The Cascade Blues Association’s Journey To Memphis competition is coming up the first weekend in June, but if you plan on participating do not forget that the deadline for entry is April 6 at the monthly CBA meeting. We have so much talent enter every year and it just keeps getting better and the people in Memphis take notice of our acts closely.

We’re also looking for committed individuals who can bring their skills to the CBA Board of Directors. It is a bit of work, but it will make you feel good knowing that you’re helping to make a difference in the area’s music scene by volunteering. We need help in many different aspects, so speak to a Board Member to let us know how you may be willing to assist. We are fairly small right now, so we would like to see a few more people jump on board (no pun intended).

But remember, we have all those fantastic musicians living here and touring into our city. We can’t keep that happening if you don’t go out and see their shows. Pay the ticket price or admission. If there isn’t one, make sure you tip the performers and the venue staff. It’s how the venues and musicians survive. It’s not easy for them if they can’t get the gigs, so do your part to help out. We’ll all be better for it, emotionally, culturally and for those behind the music financially, too. Thanks all, see you in the clubs!

Recorded Live At The Slippery Noodle Inn
Muskett Music Media

The Dave Muskett Acoustic Blues Band cdThe Dave Muskett Acoustic Blues Band is based in Indianapolis, so it should be no surprise that it recorded it’s debut live album at that city’s renowned Slippery Noodle Inn. It is not the usual path for an acoustic artist who is best known as a solo performer to take on a band setting with his style of music, yet he does so here and it works to perfection. Strike down the thought you may perceive of a blues band, this is the bare minimum with stand-up bass, a small drum kit of snare and kick most often played using brushes, Dave’s finger-style guitar and dobro, and a harmonica. The group rolls through traditional sounding yet all original material, whether Piedmont or Delta inspired, along with a little ragtime and a touch of jazziness.

I met Dave Muskett during his appearances at the International Blues Challenge where he made it into the finals this past January. He’s one of those people that you like right from the get-go, friendly, and forth-coming, but when you hear him play that same quality of honesty and goodness shines through as well. This is music that makes you sit back and listen to closely with a smile on your face.

And as you listen to Recorded Live At The Slippery Noodle Inn you’re more than likely going to be smiling widely, too. Filled with memorable numbers that bring visions of exactly what is being sung clearly to mind. When Dave sings about the woman that draws his attention just by walking into the room you see and understand what he’s saying with “that kind of walk has a certain kind of talk to me.” And you know how happy he is with his partner when he explains that despite whatever she may put him through she can’t ever give him the blues. I love the ragtime feeling of “Ain’t My Good Girl Now,” the dobro work on “Rain Song” and “Sweet Mary Jane,” and the double-entendre silliness behind “Pet That Thing” with its audience sing-along and pretty much everything else on this disc. It’s a very enjoyable live performance with a band that works together with the kind of cohesiveness that usually the stuff of dreams. And I cannot get enough of it. I can already tell it’ll be one of my favorite discs for the year.

Total Time: 48:02

Introduction / That Kind Of Walk / Ain’t My Good Girl Now / She Can’t Give Me The Blues / Handyman Blues / Ain’t Got It All / Rain Song / Sweet Mary Jane / Got The Need / Semi-Naked Shoe-Shine / Take A Look At This / Pet That Thing / You Gotta Know

Descendants Of Hill Country
Self Produced

cedricburnside cdThe name of the album says it all, Descendants Of Hill Country. Perhaps nobody playing today has the legacy and the depth of knowledge when it comes to the Hill Country music of Northern Mississippi better than the musicians in the Cedric Burnside Project. After all, both Cedric and his uncle Garry are products of the RL Burnside family, and Trenton Ayers’s father was Joe Ayers, the bass player for Junior Kimbrough’s band. These guys grew up listening to the region’s music directly from its masters and playing in the aforementioned artists’ bands while still in their teens. Though they may often have a modern approach to the pounding pulse and drive within their own compositions, it is always honest in presentation and true to the original form. As stated in the opening track, they were “Born With It.”

All three of the musicians can shift easily between guitar, bass, and drums, with both Cedric and Garry sharing vocal duties. Most of the songs are originals written by the three, but they also offer covers of RL’s “Going Away Baby” and “Skinny Woman.” The stories told throughout the songs are all common — hard times that bring them down on their luck with women, gambling, and money woes. But there is also a nice tribute to the soldiers serving overseas who are going through strife and pain that we never see at home because of their sacrifices afar for freedom. And Cedric offers a couple ballads about how true his love really is with “Just You Wait And See” and the closer “Love Her ’Til I Die.”

For the past couple of decades, the Hill Country music has really defined the blues of its region. It has always been around, but the popularity that took off with the Fat Possum releases of RL Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, Cedell Davis, T-Model Ford, among others that introduced many listeners to the Hill Country Blues. The Cedric Burnside Project continues that legacy and has been bringing it even more to the forefront as Descendants Of Hill Country recently received a Grammy nomination and is up for multiple Blues Music Awards this year, too. This is a traditional blues that defies generations and The Cedric Burnside Project has clearly put forth a masterful recording with this one.

Total Time: 43:14

Born With It / Hard Times / Front Porch / Don’t Shoot The Dice / Going Away Baby / Airport / You Just Wait And See / Tell Me What I’m Gonna Do / This Is For The Soldiers / Skinny Woman / That Changes Everything / Down In The Delta / Love Her ’Til I Die

Hello, friends!  Missi & Mister Baker want to thank all of you who supported us by attending and/or contributing to our South by Southwest Send-Off show in February.  From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate your love and good wishes as we blazed a trail to Austin!  Thanks also for getting the word out about our project:  Just a simple “like” on our Facebook page is so valuable to our mission.

It is our distinct pleasure to bring both roots and modern blues from Portland to an international audience.  The SXSW Music Conference celebrated its 30th year in 2016.  Over 30,000 people from all over the world attended this festival featuring a mashup of musicians hailing from all over the US and the world.  Missi & Mister Baker are proud to be one of only a handful of Portland bands selected this year for an official showcase.  We were also honored to play other shows with some of Austin’s finest musicians.

We’re now busy producing a new collection of songs with a particular focus on acoustic roots blues with lots of Mister Baker’s killer lap steel!  Find several full-length samples on our Bandcamp page — streaming is free — just search for Missi & Mister Baker.

Love to you, Cascade Blues Association!

Missi & John

By Laurie Morrisey

Local musician Mark Shark was born and raised in St. Louis Missouri. “I wanted to be a professional baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals,” he confessed. Lucky for us, he ended up being a musician. When asked if he has a day job, his answer was, “I’m a musician—I have several day jobs. Every day I am either composing, recording, transcribing, writing, or teaching,” Mark said.

mark shark pic“I moved to LA in 1979 to pursue music and spent the next 35 years in the studio, touring, gigging, teaching, and writing from my home there. I moved to Portland a year and a half ago with my wife Robin. Our daughter attends Reed College.”

Moving to LA in 1979 opened up a lot of opportunities for Mark. Meeting Jesse Ed Davis and playing with him led to meeting Jackson Browne, Taj Mahal, and Bonnie Raitt—these people all made a huge impact on Mark’s playing.

Mark has been performing professionally for 50 years if you count the school dances and bar mitzvah circuit he played in junior high and high school. “I started out in bands as the lead singer but wanted to play guitar too so I kept at it and here we are today.”

The Author

In addition to music, Mark is also working on a few books on alternate tunings and one for a friend of his. “I also teach guitar, mandolin, and banjo at Portland Music Company and Five Star Guitar.” His book, The Tao of Tunings (Hal Leonard) is available now, and coming soon from Inside Publications is The Jackson Browne Solo Acoustic Volumes I and II transcriptions.

Influences

To say that Mark comes by his talent naturally would be an understatement. Both of his parents were Julliard trained concert pianists. “They spent many years together touring, then my father spent years touring with Paul Robeson throughout the forties. During the McCarthy era in the early 50’s, Paul was blacklisted and his passport confiscated. My father then took a position with Washington University in St. Louis. He conducted the Gateway Festival Orchestra and University City Orchestra, which we attended frequently. My mother also introduced me to Pete Seeger and songs out of the Fireside Songbook, which we loved playing together.”

His older brother, Bill, introduced him to Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters records. “He was instrumental to my development as a music aficionado and guitar player. Living in St. Louis, Chuck Berry and Albert King were locals and accessible, frequently playing around town. They were a huge influence,” Mark said.

Other players who have influenced Mark are: Lowell George, Ry Cooder, David Lindley, Will Ackerman, Joni Mitchell, James Burton, Debashish Bhattacharya, Roger McGuinn, and George Harrison. “My latest inspiration is Esperanza Spalding who I didn’t know is a Portlander! I had the pleasure of hearing her talk, sing and play at Reed College last month.”

Music & Training

Mark describes his music as eclectic. “I have a wide range of musical tastes. I have always been drawn to roots music—blues, country and folk. I love rock n’ roll, Indian raga’s, jazz, soul, funk, new age, alternate tunings, native American/traditional indigenous music, world music, and classical music. In my own compositions I try to incorporate what inspires me. I often blend bits and pieces of different styles or genre’s of music to create something new. There are endless possibilities when it comes to composing and creating music that express whatever you want it to.”

Mark plays acoustic/electric guitar, mandolin, slide guitar, twelve string guitar, banjo, dobro, dulcimer, balalaika, and octave mandolin. “I began playing guitar in junior high and took lessons from my friend Doug Niedt. He was incredibly disciplined and by our third lesson he told me not to bother coming anymore. I was shocked and asked why and he said that he didn’t have time to waste on someone who wasn’t serious or committed to practicing and learning their instrument. He could tell I wasn’t doing what he asked. He knew I was just learning the Lovin’ Spoonful or Animals’ songs he was showing me and not doing the exercises and scales he laid out in my lesson plan. I begged for a second chance and he gave it to me. I practiced every day and learned the scales and the neck even though I was perfectly happy strumming a tune and not knowing what any of it meant or how it was all connected. Doug shamed me into being the musician I am today…I can’t thank him enough.”

“I continued on with private lessons and attended college. I finished my third year at Wichita State University Kansas with the incredible jazz guitarist Jerry Hahn. Sadly I left college after my third year to pursue life on the road with a show band and I’ve been on the road ever since. I regret not finishing my degree and it is still on my list of things to do,” he said.

CD’s

Mark’s CD’s include The John Trudell Catalog, From the Heart, and Zydeco Party Band Catalog. Additionally he has several projects in the works right now. “I am currently working on the final recording for John Trudell and Bad Dog. We lost John to cancer in December and this will be our tribute to him. I also have two blues projects that will be out later this year.”

Fellow Musicians & Band Members

Mark has played with many musicians: John Trudell, Jesse Ed Davis, Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Warnes, Bob Dylan, Terry Evans, Teresa James and Terry Wilson, Tony Braunagel, Johnny Lee Schell, Doug Legacy, Hutch Hutchinson, Kirk Fletcher, Todd Robinson, Jimmy Z, Bob Weir, Crosby Stills and Nash, Stephen Hodges, Pete Fahey, Jeff Turmes, Debra Dobkin, Ricky Eckstein, Billy Watts, Quiltman, Hani Nasar, Wally Ingram, Ulali, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Van Dyke Parks, Kris Kristofferson, Gary Ferguson, Freebo, Billy Block, and more.

“Since moving to Portland I have been fortunate to have played with Lloyd Jones, Curtis Salgado, Chris and Ian Miller, Jake Ray, Miller Sasser band, Julie Amici and Dean Mueller, Karen Lovely, Lauren Sheehan, John Lowell Mitchell, Carlton Jackson, Dave Kahl, Denny Bixby, Jimmy Bott, Hilary Hanes, Adlai Alexander, Hershel Yatovitz, Buzz Holland, Joe Kerry New, Scott Pemberton, Joe McCarthy, Ben Rice, Ken Scandlyn, and Jesse Samsel and so many others who have welcomed me here in the beautiful City of Roses.”

Mark has known and worked with many musicians in various capacities over the last 30 years. “Many of them are well known players in LA and we lend our services to each other whenever possible. Many of them also overlap into other projects such as John Trudell and Bad Dog, the Zydeco Party Band, and Mark Shark and the Hammerheads.”

Band members he works with are: Ricky Eckstein, keyboards, bass and drums; Billy Watts, guitar: Gary Ray, drums; Doug Legacy, accordion/piano; Van Dyke Parks; Quiltman (Milton Sahme), Indian chanting/drumming; Gary Ferguson, drums; Todd Robinson, guitar; Teresa James, keyboards/singer; Terry Wilson, bass; Debra Dobkin, percussion; James Cruce, drums; Jerry Peterson, horns; Terry Evans, singer; John Juke Logan, harmonica; David Jackson, bass; and Danny Timms, keyboards.

To find out more about Mark’s upcoming events visit his website at taooftunings.com.

early blues jas obrecht

Much like baseball, the origins of the blues often lie along the crossroads of a hazy and mythic history. Fortunately though, Jas Obrecht’s handsome little book, Early Blues: The First Stars of Blues Music, lifts the mist a bit and shepherds us through the lives and musical biographies of nine of the foundational guitarists for what we now call “blues music.”

early-blues-jas-obrechtCombining perceptive musical analysis with tight, frugal storytelling, Obrecht, a former staff editor for Guitar Player and a well-established music journalist, traces the roots of the blues through the musical development and recording history of early innovators such as Sylvester Weaver, Blind Blake, Lonnie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Mississippi John Hurt. Throughout his book, Obrecht occasionally questions the popular myths of these musicians’ lives as well. For instance, he reveals the oft-told story of Blind Lemon Jefferson freezing to death at the age 45 on the streets of Chicago as a fable (see Francis Davis’s The History of the Blues, page 95, for a retelling of this tale) — apparently heart failure was the real culprit, not exposure.

Obrecht adds to the mix many insights from contemporary musicians — Albert King, Ry Cooder, and John Hammond, Jr all contribute to the book — to show the influence of these guitarists’ musical approaches and playing techniques. Obrecht also includes a number of illustrations, often depicting racial stereotypes, from record companies advertising copy and promotional information for what was then often referred to as “race records.”

While the research in the book is extensive and impeccable, the only slight quibble I’d have with Early Blues lies with its structure. Each chapter reminds me a bit of thoroughly researched liner notes for each musician, and this threatens to erode the book’s narrative momentum. Yet, this is a small complaint; taken as a whole, Obrecht’s book provides an excellent primer for anyone, from casual fan to hard-core aficionado, interested in the cultural and musical world that birthed the blues and its first guitar heroes. It’s an impressive home run.

Early Blues: The First Stars of Blues Guitar,

Jas Obrecht, Author. University of Minnesota Press, 259 pages. $22.95.

saved by the blues 3d“You can dance to blues music?” is a common reaction when someone says, “I’m a blues dancer.” Many will conjure up images of solo or partnered swaying, reminiscent of the dancing at a high school prom. But contemporary blues dancing looks more like what one may have encountered in a juke joint in the first half of the twentieth century, but  with a modern flair. Maybe you’ve even seen this new wave of blues dancers hit the floor at Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival without knowing a whole international community dedicated to the dance exists.

Blues dancing as we know it today evolved from the swing dance revival of the 1990s and early 2000s. All across the United States and Europe, multi-day swing dance events — Lindy exchanges — catered to the new aficionados of the black vernacular dances of the 1920s–1940s. The organizers began hosting late-night “blues rooms.” After the exhausting physical demands of a full day of Lindy Hop dancing, dancers would migrate over to the slower, smoother style of dance that blues music inspired.

Before long, people became interested in the intimate partner dance as a style of dance in its own right. Traditional slow dance steps — like those seen in juke joints — were either incorporated or modified to result in the dance that became known as “blues.” Leaders in various swing dance communities began hosting blues dance house parties, attracting local, regional, and even international dancers. Parties began taking place around the world and evolved into “blues exchanges,” which — like Lindy exchanges — serve the purpose of not only familiarizing communities with dance styles evolving in other parts of the world but offering a sort of cultural and social exchange.

The dance itself is difficult to define; just as the music itself is constantly evolving and being influenced by what is popular of the day, the dance movements are adapting to influences from different cultures, new adaptations of blues-rooted music, and each dancer’s own personality. Blues dances as a genre, however, tend to share an aesthetic that includes a grounded body posture where the weight is held on the balls of the feet, the knees are bent, the hips are back, and the chest is forward; improvisation on an individual level and between dance partners, and dancing in the space between the beats — creating a sense of tension in the body while remaining loose and relaxed.

A key trait that defines the dance is intimacy. Danced most often in close embrace, the dance is raw, vulnerable, and exposed. Like blues music itself, the intention is not to hide or avoid who you are and what you’re going through but to face yourself and your partner fully and by doing so transcend time, space, and fear. As a result, the dance can be powerfully transformative. Many people would even say that the dance, and the community, “saved” them.

In fact, Portland author Rebecca Pillsbury’s upcoming book, Saved by the Blues  will feature the transformational stories of thirty-six dancers. Included in the book are inspirational interviews with Portland blues musicians Curtis Salgado, Kevin Selfe, and Dean Mueller — all these musicians have played for blues dancers, if not participated in the dance themselves.  After playing for blues dancers for the first time, Salgado declared, “I’ll remember this night the rest of my life.”

The dance is important not only on an individual scale, however, but globally as well. As many contributors to the book brought to light, where else can you share an intimate three-minute experience across gender, racial, and cultural boundaries in a socially acceptable way, if not on the dance floor. Dancing is a rare opportunity to communicate and develop bonds without words and without biases.

Moreover, as Salgado, Selfe, and Mueller all agreed, blues dancing may be traditional blues music’s best hope at staying alive — the dance is exposing younger generations to the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Ma Rainey, and other early blues legends.

A book launch dance party for Saved by the Blues will be held Monday, April 25 at 7 pm at The Lake Theater in downtown Lake Oswego. Guests will be in for a special treat as renowned blues musicians take the stage to read excerpts from their stories and of course — to play the blues. For more information on this special event, visit www.laketheatercafe.com. A sneak peek of Saved by the Blues can be read at www.savedbythebluesbook.com.

Anders OsborneNew Orleans-based Anders Osborne is known for his richly detailed songwriting, intensely emotional, soulful vocals, and piercing, expert guitar work. Guitar Player hailed Osborne as “the poet laureate of Louisiana’s fertile roots music scene,” and he’s been continuously touring drawing raves from fans all around the country. With a handful of recordings under his belt, the newest a collaboration with The North Mississippi All Stars, Osborne will be making a stop at Portland’s Dante’s for a double-headed show that also features the funky, rising band and one of the highlights of the 2015 Waterfront Blues Festival Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds on Saturday, April 2.

Dante’s is located at 350 W Burnside. Show time is 9:00 pm. Advance tickets are $21.50 and can be purchased at TicketWeb.com. A limited number of special VIP tickets can be obtained through Anders Osborne’s website linking ticket sales, use the promo code ANDERS. These special VIP tickets include one (1) Ticket to the show, access for one (1) to soundcheck, access for one (1) to pre-show Meet & Greet with the band, one (1) autographed screen printed poster, and one (1) commemorative laminate.

Luther Dickinson - press photo“I think we’re just a rock and roll band,” Luther Dickinson tells those who would label his North Mississippi All-Stars a blues outfit. But on his latest solo project, Blues and Ballads: A Folksinger’s Songbook Vol I &II, Dickinson exhibits an approach heavily influenced by blues and folk, but not belonging fully to either category. He’s sweetened this effort more than his usual blend of hill country drone and rock, often sounding more gospel oriented than anything he’s done to date, solo or with the band.

Whether working with his brother in the North Mississippi All-Stars, as part of The Black Crowes, or as a solo musician, Luther Dickinson is always a strong performer carrying on the family tradition set on its path by his father Jim Dickinson. Luther will be bringing his latest solo tour with The Cooperators to Portland for a night at Mississippi Studios on Monday, April 4. This is a fully seated, 21 & over show with tickets available through TicketFly.com for $20.00 advance and day of show. Show time is 8:00 pm. Opening the show will be Grammy Award winning roots musician Jim Lauderdale.

Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland
Wednesday, April 6, 7:00 pm
Members always Free – Non-members $3.00
Opening Acoustic Set – Thad Beckman
Second Electric Set – Kenny Lee & The Sundowners

Hard to believe that we’re already rolling into April. Seems like just yesterday that we started the new year. Maybe it’s because of so much great blues happening in our area that the months just seem to be running into one another quickly. And, lucky for us, there’s no end to it in sight. Of course, we all know that the Cascade Blues Association is going to do its part in helping to provide at least one date every month you can count on for bringing exciting blues your way. That happens again this month in The Melody Ballroom at our General Membership Meeting where the Association always brings in the acts you love or should be aware of. And that’s not going to change in April as we have a spectacular couple of acts in line for everybody.

thadOpening the evening will be an artist that recently returned to the Portland area after a short hiatus living in Colorado. Thad Beckman is without question one of the finest acoustic guitarists around, but his career has spread far beyond just working as a solo artist. Beckman has worked for a number of years partnered with singer/songwriter Tom Russell touring throughout the country, Canada, and Europe as well as performing on television. He has also performed with a number of R&B bands including work with Bo Diddley and Earl Thomas, and has opened for such renowned artists as BB King, Albert Collins, Emmylou Harris, The Band, James Cotton, and many others. A creative songwriter himself, he has eight solo albums to his credit including his most recent, Streets Of Disaster, and an instructional book on playing guitar, as he also teaches guitar and does producing for others when not performing.

Perhaps Jim Beal of The San Antonio Express News best describes Thad Beckman when he writes that “Beckman plays an engaging blend of folk, singer-songwriter and blues music. Not everyone can pull off such a combination, but Beckman has chops, writing talent,  and a bag full of true stories which all dovetail for a cool show.”

Joining Thad Beckman for this set will be harmonica ace Kurtis Piltz. These two often work together and have a connection that is right on target every time they work as a tandem.

The second set of the meeting will see the return of a band that has not performed for us for a while and has been totally revamped kenny leeinto an even better outfit than before — Kenny Lee & The Sundowners.  Its ReverbNation biography describes Kenny Lee as “an Outlaw of Consciousness. Armed with his guitar, the simplicity of his song and the integrity of his soul, he is an outlaw runnin’ against the winds of inhumanity,  injustice and the crimes against Mother Earth and her inhabitants. True to his roots, his music captures the human condition in down home words. Kenny Lee also has a very special relationship with the lap steel. He doesn’t play the lap steel, he makes love to the music in the soul of the instrument. For those present in the magic of those moments, it is a beauty beyond description. Backing him up is the rythym section of Marcos Ferraz on Bass, Alan Wicks on Drums and Ken M (Mortellaro) on guitar. “

The band has been together in one form or another since 1992, with their most recent recording titled Outlaw which has received airplay throughout the area. When you come to a Sundowners show, you’ll hear blues standards that have been stamped with the band’s imprint, some classic rock tunes, and many original songs. You may notice a Hank Jr. sound along with some funk and a lot of Jimi Hendrix, that adds a psychedelic element to the music. There is a lot of influences behind the musicians in the band, so expect a high energy performance, great for dancing or just rockin’ out!

In between sets we’ll hold our regular free ticket drawing and alert you to the happenings in the area for the month. Don’t forget your ticket at the door when you enter for your chance to win great prizes.

Don’t forget, if you’re planning on participating in this year’s Journey To Memphis competition to earn the right to represent the CBA in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge, you must turn in your application no later than this meeting.

Special Note: Please respect the artists performing. Many of them wait for up to a year to have the chance to play for you. It is a great time to catch up with friends who you may only see once a month, but if you do want to talk, please step out to the foyer so others may enjoy the talent of the musicians playing for us. Thank you and we’ll see you at the meeting!