Benefit Concert For Ward Stroud – Feb. 19th

It wasn’t too long ago that Ward Stroud helmed a jam at the Trails End Saloon every Sunday night. But not too long ago his career focus turned more towards his work in hair design and as an artist. That doesn’t mean that he won’t show up at a venue every now and then and throw down some feisty guitar licks, a little Native American flute, and maybe even a bit of the didjerido, too. Well, Ward will be coming out for a special occasion back at the Trails End for a night of music to help raise needed funds to defray medical expenses he has occurred during a recent health issue — and he’ll be bringing along some old friends to help out.

It’ll all take place on Friday, February 19 at 8:00 pm. Joining Ward will be his jam band mates Vince Adame, Gregg Earl, and Lynn Axtel. It won’t stop there as the night will feature cameo appearances by friends like Ellen Whyte, Garry Meziere, Rae Gordon, and there’s even a rumor going around that The Bar Pilots just may show up as well. And there may be other surprise luminaries dropping by, too.

Aside from the music and dancing, there will also be a raffle, including a Ward Stoud original painting, along with other super prizes. There’s going to be a lot of fun going on as we’re helping out a “big, big heart!” Playing the blues …. And maybe some didjeridos!

The Trails End Saloon is located at 1320 Main Street in Oregon City. Suggested donation is $10.00.

Ward Stroud would like to say “Thanks to everyone at the Trails End and his extended family that is the musical community in the Northwest. A big shout out to the talent showing up and doing what they do. And mostly to the good souls that come out to listen. Without you our ol’ lives would be very small indeed.”

Seattle Blues-Rockers Ayron Jones and The Way Coming To Portland: Feb. 19th

Ayron Jones and The Way - press photoSeattle guitarist Ayron Jones’ playing style has often been compared to that of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan with perhaps with a hint of Nirvana and a touch of hip-hop. In other words, it’s old school and modern combined with an edge of attitude. His blues-rock guitar is filled with raw energy as he leads his three-piece outfit The Way and has been drawing a lot of attention throughout the Northwest and beyond, opening shows for artists like BB King, Robert Cray and Robin Trower, to being a feature performer at festivals like Sasquatch, Bumbershoot, and the Waterfront Blues Festival.

On Friday, February 19, Atron Jones & The Way will be performing in a twin-billed performance at The Star Theater with Portland soul band Dirty Revival. This is a 21 & over only concert, with show time beginning at 9:00. Tickets are $12.00 and available through TicketWeb.com. The Star Theater is located at 13 NW 6th Avenue.

Cascade Blues Association’s Red, White, & Blues Dance – Feb. 14th

The Cascade Blues Association presents its fourteenth annual Valentine’s Day celebration with the Red, White, & Blues Dance (formerly the Sweethearts Dance). This year’s event will be happening at the Milwaukie Elks Lodge 13121 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Portland, OR 97222, on Sunday, February 14, at 5:00 pm (doors open at 4PM).

We will have entertainment from three terrific acts this year.  Opening the night will be a performance from Robbie Laws, one of the most beloved guitarists in the Portland area. He is the recipient of 21 Muddy Awards, including nine for best electric guitar player. Throughout his tenure on the blues scene he has performed alongside virtually every local artist as well as legends such as Ronnie Earl, Albert Collins, and Kenny Neal. As a true guitar master — if it has strings, Robbie can play it!

The next act performing is Sister Mercy.   Sister Mercy has been taking the city’s blues community by storm over the past year. With a huge CD release party at The Star Theater, a Muddy nomination for best new act, and winning the CBA’s Journey To Memphis competition while representing our region at the Memphis International Blues Challenge, this band is showing true merit as an act to keep an eye on!

Is there any one artist more on fire the past few years in Portland than Ben Rice? Closing the dance is a two-time recipient of the “Curtis Salgado” Muddy Award for male vocalist of the year. Ben opened for BB King’s final appearance in Oregon and has lately been performing with Lisa Mann and Karen Lovely at various venues around the country. Ben competed in the International Blues Challenge three times, making the finals twice, where he won the St Blues Guitar Award for most promising guitarist in the solo/duo category this past year.

Milwaukie Elks Lodge will have a variety of yummy menu options of food available as well as drinks for great prices.

We will also be having a raffle for amazing CD’s and a silent auction with lots of great items.

Admission for the Red & White Blues Dance is only $10.00 person, or come as a couple and get a bargain rate of $15.00 for the two of you.  Are you an Elks members? You’ll get $2.00 off of the admission fee. The Milwaukie Elks Lodge is located at 13121 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Portland. Hope to see you there.

Ramblings On My Mind: February 2016

ramblings201306BNGreg Johnson, CBA President

Though most of the happenings that have gone on in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge have already passed before this month, I thought it would be nice to recognize a couple things going on at the event involving the Cascade Blues Association.

First, we are sending a youth act for the first time this year with Justus Reece. The Youth Showcase at the IBC is truly an important event as it proves that this genre is not a dying art form. The young musicians who participate in this are very serious, otherwise they would not make the trip with the expense involved. It gives them a nice insight to how other people their own age are taking on the blues, letting them know that despite what a lot of their peers may think the blues really are cool. These artists will have the chance to participate in jams alongside not only other youth acts, but with the elder contestants and several of the well-established musicians who will be in town. Plus, how many blues artists wouldn’t like the opportunity to play on historic Beale Street?

For the second year in a row, several of the Northwest blues societies will be putting on a showcase featuring all of the performers competing in the IBC. This year those societies, aside from the CBA, include the Washington Blues Society, South Sound Blues Association and the White Rock Blues Society in British Columbia. Being held in Club 152 is a prime location, too. Everybody looking to pick up their passes at will call have to go through the room to get upstairs to where The Blues Foundation people are set up. That means that all going through that Wednesday are exposed to our northwest artists. Plus, it’s not just the competitors on hand performing, as established northwest musicians like Sammy Eubanks, Ben Rice and Dave Melyan all are taking part in this showcase, too.

For me personally, I will be working once again at multiple positions including venue coordinator and stage management at the finals in The Orpheum, with my girlfriend Cherie Robbins helping out this year.

And I must note, I am extremely honored and humbled that The Blues Foundation selected me this year as a recipient of the Keeping The Blues Alive Award, the highest honor giving recognition to non-performers in the blues world. To be one of fifteen recipients (nine individuals, two festivals, a radio station, a blues society, a venue and a record label) world-wide means a lot and it doesn’t escape me the importance of how those who made the nomination and decision feel about the work I have accomplished. My commitment to the CBA and other events that I have been involved with over the years has never been about recognition. It is about my love for the music and the musicians and has always been and always will be about my giving back as much as I can for the enjoyment that I have been provided for so many years by them. It is my aim to continue in doing so, whether as your CBA president or any other capacity that I take on. Thank you all for your belief in me over the years.

LaRhonda Steele’s Philosophy is ‘Music is Life!’

By Laurie Morrisey

larhonda“Music is life!” That is the simple statement that headlines Portland’s musical diva LaRhonda Steele’s website. When I read that it resonated through me and made me pause. Watching LaRhonda perform only makes this hit home even more.

“I knew I wanted to be a singer ever since I was in high school. I found that my peers accepted me when they heard me sing and when I sang in church I felt so connected to God. I really wanted to share that good feeling,” LaRhonda said. And that’s exactly what she does every time you hear her sing—she shares that good feeling with all in attendance.

Although she graduated college with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and worked in accounting and bookkeeping, the pull of music moved her to a full time singing career.

She began her professional singing career shortly after moving to Portland 20 years ago. LaRhonda was encouraged to audition for the annual MLK celebration organized by Ken Berry. She auditioned over the phone. Her first paying gig was with his band, Time Sound, and soon after that she joined the Norman Sylvester Band.

Her early musical influences came from listening to her mother, Juanita Johnson, who sang with her aunts. “She had this incredibly beautiful smooth tenor voice that we grew up listening to. My grandfather was a preacher, so my mom and her two sisters sang before he preached.” LaRhonda had some training in high school but is mostly self-taught. “I was born into a family of singers.”

“Of course, I love Oleta Adams, Aretha Franklin, Shirley Ceaser, and Angela Windbush. I love old soul music with a funky back beat and a rock edge. I play a mean tambourine,” she said.

She has three CD’s, Artistic Differences, My Soul’s Song and Rock me Baby. “I have another in the works, to be released in 2016, with nine original songs.”

When talking about artists she has worked with she said, “I have had the pleasure of working with my husband Mark Steele, Curtis Salgado, Norman Sylvester, Lloyd Jones, Ken DeRouchie, Obo Addy, Janice Marie Scroggins, Linda Hornbuckle, and most currently, Louis Pain.”

“I work mainly as a solo artist. I have an incredible pool of musicians to call on when the LaRhonda Steele Band gets hired: Mark Steele on keyboards; Brian Foxworth or Tyrone Hendrix on drums; Carl Falls or Ben Jones on bass; and Mike Dolin and Eric Hailstone know my book as well.”

“I currently enjoy the role of choir director for the Portland Interfaith Gospel Choir, a community choir that sings gospel music. I am also music director for Unity in West Linn.”

Anyone who is looking to “feel” the music and is ready to understand “Music is Life,” it’s time to head out and listen to the LaRhonda Steele Band. To find out where you can find her next, visit her website at larhondasteele.com.

What’s on Tap for February’s General Membership Meeting …

Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland
Wednesday, February 3, 7:00 pm
Members always Free – Non-members $3.00
Opening Acoustic Set – Diggin’ In The Well Trio
Second Electric Set – Blues Battalion

February is here, and the Cascade Blues Association has yet another outstanding showcase lined up for our members for this month’s General Membership Meeting. This is always a great way to begin your blues month and judging from the responses and the size of the crowds we have been seeing, it looks like many of you are in agreement.

For February, we have a very special opening set with a unique group of musicians you’re not going to see just every day. Three of not only the city’s finest artists, but amongst the best you’ll find anywhere on this big old planet. Calling themselves the Diggin’ In The Well Trio and they’re planning on going deep for this meeting! The group is led by one of Portland’s most beloved musicians, Lloyd Jones, on acoustic guitar and vocals. A member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame as well as the Cascade Blues Association’s Hall of Fame and a CBA Lifetime Achievement recipient, Jones is the ultimate representation of the blues artists in our area. Always engaging and entertaining, with a smile on his face and delivering the best of shows whenever he is on stage, you know that you’re always in for a treat when Jones is on the marquee.

Deep In The Well - photo courtesy of Lloyd Jones The band’s designated hitter is regarded by many as maybe the very best blues drummer to be found, Jimi Bott. That title has definitely been earned with his many years playing with top acts like Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys and our own local heroes Kevin Selfe & The Tornadoes. Throw into the mix his recent recognition as the drummer of the year in The Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards and it pretty much sums that title up effectively.

Completing the trio is a recent transplant to Portland, but certainly another musician with credentials that cannot be ignored. Mark “Shark” Schatzkamer. A master of open tunings on guitar, mandolin, resonator guitar and “slide” mandolin, he has a rich history having played with Jackson Browne, Jessie Ed Davis, Taj Mahal, John Trudell, Terry Evans, Teresa James, and even Bob Dylan. Without doubt, another welcome newcomer to our ever-growing tremendous music community.

This opening set may be one for the memories, but it certainly is not going to be the only great music happening at the meeting. The second set of the night will feature Blues Battalion. A blues, classic rock and some jazz band that has been playing throughout the Portland Metro area for quite a while.

Blues Battalion is fronted by guitarist and vocalist Fred Riedel, an award winning Blues Battalion - press photosongwriter, who was recently been given the “Best Blues Song of the Month” award twice by Akademia Music Awards out of Los Angeles. Joining Riedel is drummer Tony Leitch, harmonica man Mike Amen, bassist Tyler McDowell and keyboardist David Lee Bassett. The band also features a pair of outstanding vocalists in Leanne Cruz and Fred’s daughter Kristi Riedel. The band has been working throughout the region including gigs at The Gemini Lounge, Spinella’s Off The Wall, The Hoppy Brewery, The Gateway Elks, the Troutdale Summer Fair and were the house band for Billy Bob’s in Gresham for a while. Each of the musicians in the band have extensive backgrounds performing and together will have the Melody Ballroom jumping to some exciting music for certain!

As always, we’ll bring you up to date with the goings-on around town for the upcoming month of blues. And we’ll have our free ticket drawings and winner-take-all raffle happening, too. If you attend these meetings monthly, you already know how much fun we have with great music and good friends. If you have not been before, what’s holding you up? Come on out and join in on the good times, and you’ll soon find yourself showing up every month. See you all there!

New Music To Note: February 2016

Here’s a list of new music received at the CBA office or purchased personally this past month that should be noted:

Barry Levenson – The Visit (Rip Cat Records)
Billy Hector – Old School Thang (Ghetto Surf Music)
Bob Malone – Mojo Deluxe (Delta Moon Records)
Brother Sun Sister Moon – Brother Sun Sister Moon (Self Produced)
Celso Salim Band – To The End Of Time (GRV)
Chris James & Patrick Rynn – Trouble Don’t Last (VizzTone)
Chris O’Leary – Gonna Die Tryin’ (American Showplace Music)
Dexter Allen – Triology Of My Bluez (Deep Rush Records)
Fiona Boyes – Box & Dice (Blue Empress Records)
Heather Crosse – Groovin’ At The Crosse Roads (Ruf Records)
Jackie Payne – I Saw The Blues (Blue Dot Records)
JJ Appleton & Jason Ricci – Dirty Memory (Old Boy Network)
Joel Zoss – Florida Blues (Bluzpik)
Lazyeye – Single Malt Blues (Only Blues Music)
Nacomi & The Blues Temple – Nacomi Sings Little Walter (Swampie Records)
Racky Thomas – Goin’ Home (Self Produced)
Sam Burckhardt – Fly Over (Airway Records)
Ted Drozdowski’s Scissormen – Love & Life (Self Produced)
Tony Fazio – Another Way (Self Produced)
Tony Lynn Washington – I Wanna Dance (Regina Royale Records)

John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers

John Mayall

Live in ’67
Forty Below Records   

John Mayall Bluesbreakers 967 Live CDDuring the spring of 1967, a 16-year-old Dutch lad, Tom Huissen, followed John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers around London with his single-channel, reel-to-reel tape deck in tow, and managed to capture several of the band’s incendiary gigs in various local London clubs. This rather short-lived edition of The Bluesbreakers — John Mayall on keyboard, vocals, and harp, John McVie on bass, Peter Green on guitar and vocals, and Mick Fleetwood on drums — apparently never recorded in the studio, and according to Pete Frame’s musical genealogy of Fleetwood and McVie, only performed together during April and May of 1967. Fortunately though, Huissen’s remarkable tapes resurfaced and found their way to John Mayall, who’s now released them — and we owe him a huge debt for it.

While obviously far from high fidelity, this disk oozes authenticity. It’s a collection of gut-busting, wall-shattering performances combined with roughly hewed, seat-of-the-pants recordings that reveal a glimpse into the nascent blues scene percolating around the UK during this era. It’s no secret that many British artists from this era cut their musical teeth listening to American blues artists, and in doing so partially enabled the blues resurgence in America. As artifacts of that period, these performances are priceless.

Highlights include a searing rendition of Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “Looking Back,” (available also on Mayall’s 1969 release Looking Back), and Peter Green’s edgy version of Freddie King’s “The Stumble.” But to call these “highlights” is a bit of a misnomer; all the cuts on this album are worthy of that recognition — they’re simply that good.

Frankly, though, the odd bit about this album is Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. For those of us of a certain vintage, these guys were the ultimate purveyors of laid-back, LA-infused, high-school date music. To hear them here, tearing up these joints like British Dervishes overdosing on Red Bull, causes some dissonance — I guess it’s just the incongruity of thinking about what they’d be up to in ten short years.

But never mind. Fleetwood and McVie’s time with Mayall and this collection of live performances solidifies their place in Cooperstown, and we all ought to be thankful for Mr. Huissen and his magic reel-to-reel tape deck.

1:16:24

All Your Love / Brand New Start / Double Trouble / Streamline / Have You Ever Loved a Woman / Looking Back / So Many Roads / Hi Heel Sneakers / I Can’t Quit You Baby / The Stumble / Someday After Awhile / San-Ho-Zay / Stormy Monday /

John Clifton

John Clifton CD cover

Let Yourself Go
Rip Cat Records

John Clifton CD coverDoes this sound familiar: really cool harmonica player/vocalist from the West Coast who channels those fun times of jumping, swinging romps, and deep Chicago blues? Well, that might almost seem like a dime-a-dozen nowadays, but seldom does it warrant the attention that a musician like Fresno’s John Clifton does. He has been around; he is not a new performer dropped on us out of the blue. Since the 1980s he has been a strong member of the California blues community in the band he co-founded with his brother Bill, MoFo Party Band. They have toured across the country and into Europe numerous times. But Let Yourself Go is John Clifton’s first attempt at a solo disc. Something he put a heavy amount of personal attention to, and it is in one word — dynamic!

It may not hurt to have a strong collection of amazing musicians on hand to help. People like Rusty Zinn, Kid Ramos, Marty Dotson, Mike Turturro, Bob Welsh, and Scott Abeyta to name a handful. But they’re all just a little bit extra to the mix when you give the vocals and harmonica delivery brought by Clifton.

Clifton’s songwriting takes a backseat to nobody. Intense at times and happy-go-lucky at others, John Clifton is a brilliant craftsman at putting together a song. Look at a number like “Garbage Day”: “It’s garbage day baby, woman I’ve just got to put you out / Put you out like a dog in the morning, put you out like the trash at night.” Ouch! Now that’s downright stating it bluntly that this relationship is over.

His delivery comes from all directions. “Every Time You Come Around” is reminiscent of classic 1960’s R&B, while the instrumental “Beer Joint” takes on a standard Chicago blues approach, or “Big Man In A Little Town” could easily be taken for a composition from The Blasters’ songbook.  “Would You Understand” is a social commentary aimed to make you think whether or not you’d help somebody in more need than yourself. And “Dig Yourself” is a high-paced piano-harmonica interaction that from back in the day might’ve brought about images of Jerry Lee Lewis or perhaps Ray Charles doing “What’d I Say.” That number cooks! And Bartek Szopinski is highlighted again on “Tell Me Baby” as Rusty Zinn and Bob Welsh sling mighty guitar licks back and forth and Clifton asks, “Tell me baby, where did you go last night, you smell like wine and you’re a dreadful sight.”

John Clifton may not be a name that instantly leaps to mind like many of the West Coast blues scene harmonica players, but maybe it’s time it should be as he is right there with the best. And Let Yourself Go is filled with all the heavy blowing and swinging playing that makes for the finest blues originating from this part of the country.

Total Time: 51:54

Let Yourself Go / The Gamble / Beer Joint / Would You Understand / Big John From Mississippi / Anytime Is Cool / Dig Yourself / Have Your Way Baby / Buddy Buddy Friends / Garbage Day / Tell Me Baby / Every Time You Come Around / Big Man In A Little

James Harman

James Harman CD cover

Bonetime
Electro-Fi

James Harman CD coverHey, just in case nobody has informed you yet, James Harman is a flat out cool dude. Not only that, he’s a hell of a great songwriter and performer, too. Yeah, I can hear all of those who know James or have seen him before, “Tell us something we don’t know Captain Obvious.” Well, for those less initiated with the works of James Harman, let me say that this newest release of his, Bonetime, ranks right alongside his very best and would be a good place for you to start getting to know this terrific artist. And if you look at his picture inside the sleeve, you may think this guy is odd — dressed up like some kind of wizard or headhunter king on a throne. But Harman is like that old Honey Badger, he just doesn’t give a  ****  what you think. It still doesn’t take away that his music and presentation is the epitome of blues cool today.

But let all of that slip by and just sit back and give this man’s record a listen. It’s laid-back with that ease he has been providing fans on the West Coast and around the world for a few decades now. The tracks here have all been thought out over some time, too. He states in the liner notes that these original numbers were selected from over 150 unfinished songs. 150! Now that is quite prolific. And they’re all about the human condition he explains, because when it comes to blues, you should be writing about what you know, and believe me, Harman knows a lot.

There is often a lot of humor in his music. Here he sings about his “Big Boned Gal,” somebody with “Bad Feet/Bad Hair,” a “Blue Stretchmark Tattoo,” and all about how he just may be “The World’s Badluckest Man.” Yet he can take it all down home, too. Listen to the mood laid out on “Coldfront Woman” with rolling piano and guitar speaking the right phrases as Harman delivers his tale of woes brought on by that woman who did him wrong.

Oh yeah, James has a good many friends that dropped by over time to help him put these tracks together, too. Guitar players like Nathan James, Kirk Fletcher, Junior Watson and Kid Ramos, keyboardists Gene Taylor and Sonny Leyland, even Candye Kane steps in to add her voice to a couple numbers.

You know if you’re in a vehicle riding alongside him at a high rate of speed and he just kicked back taking his hands off the steering wheel, there’s nothing to worry about. He’s got this. You’re in good hands. And that’s how you need to approach anything that James Harman puts on disc. You know it’s going to be cool even before you hit play. Just take my word for it.

So don’t you just think it’s about Bonetime? You should! I have already said it, James Harman is cool and so is Bonetime. Check it out yourself.

Total Time: 51:41

Bonetime / (I Am) The World’s Badluckest Man / Ain’t It Crazy / Coldfront Woman / Big Boned Gal / Bad Feet/Bad Hair / Just A Game Goin’ On / Blue Stretchmark Tattoo / Yo’ Family (Don’t Like Me) / Leavin’ Fire / Skirt / The Clock Is Tickin’