The Soulful Sounds of Lee Fields and the Expressions Coming to the Aladdin Theater

lee-fields-press-photoApologies to the late, great James Brown, but you’d be hard pressed to find another singer who’s ever worked as hard as Lee Fields — a man who’s been making soul and funk anthems since 1969. Since that time, he has toured the world with musical legends like Kool and the Gang, Sammy Gordon and the Hip-Huggers, O.V Wright, Darrell Banks, and Little Royal; he’s recorded with French house DJ/producer Martin Solveig, and somehow has found a newer, younger audience, becoming more prolific as the years transpire. Fields flexes those strengths on his most current recording Special Night, where you’ll find some JB-style funk and hints of Stax, Chess, Fame, and Motown. But this is not a throwback. Fields possesses a voice that’s equally raucous and tender, and crafts a truly honest, soulful work.

Lee Fields and the Expressions return to Portland for a 9:00 performance at The Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Avenue, on Monday, December 5. Tickets for this all ages event are $16.00 advance through Ticketfly.com or $18.00 at the door day of the show. Opening that night will be Atlanta’s Lady Wray.

Acoustic Guitar Summit Christmas Concert Comes To The Lake Theater & Cafe

Acoustic Guitar Summit

The Acoustic Guitar Summit is celebrating its 22nd Annual Christmas Concert Series with a performance at the Lake Theater & Cafe on Monday, December 14. Composed of three award-winning, master fingerstyle guitarists, Doug Smith, Terry Robb, and Mark Hanson, the concert will feature songs from their acclaimed Christmas album, O, Christmas Three, along with other holiday favorites. Each of the guitarists is a master of the strings on their own, but whenever this trio performs together it is a vision to behold and a treat to the ears.

Acoustic Guitar Magazine said of the O, Christmas Three album, “This festive offering is as rich and heady as a rum-spiked eggnog laced with varied spices. There are traditionals, such as the stunning “Oh Holy Night,” blues-and-swing variations of such holiday favorites as “Boogie Woogie Jingle Bells,” and arresting originals.”

Tickets for this holiday tradition show are available online at Laketheatercafe-com for $20.00 for this open seating event. Show time begins at 7:00 pm and is open to all ages. The Lake Theater & Café is located at 106 N State Street in Lake Oswego.

Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons – Woody Guthrie’s Northwest Folk Songs and more

Ben Hunter and Joe SeamonsSeattle-based duo Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons truly made a mark for themselves when they captured the solo/duo competition title at the 2016 International Blues Challenge. Their delivery of classic pre-war American roots music and early blues in its truest form was a breath of fresh air. Their commitment for historical music takes on the flavors of jug bands and street performers to the earliest takes on folk, and they execute it masterfully with multiple instruments. Recently they have been working on the Woody Guthrie songbook that he created while working for the Bonneville Power Project seventy-five years ago, along with Joe’s other outfit Timberland. Witnessing a show by Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons is like a throw-back to a happier time. Entertaining, jovial and they just might get you to sing-along.

The duo will be presenting music from Woody Guthrie and other pieces of roots and blues when they appear at Artichoke Music, 3130 SE Hawthorne Street, on Sunday, December 11. Tickets for this 7:00 pm performance are available from Brownpapertickets.com for $15.00.

Get Some Early Holiday Cheer with The Andy Stokes Band

Andy Stokes - photo by Greg JohnsonLegendary vocalist Andy Stokes and his band will be returning to Jimmy Mak’s on Saturday, December 10 to ring in the season with their ultra-funky grooves. Stokes’ incredible vocals earned him the Cascade Blues Association’s “Curtis Salgado” Male Vocalist Muddy Award for the second consecutive year, and he will be backed up by his Muddy Award winning band including guitarist Doug Lewis, bassist Ricky Varnado, and drummer Rusty Cox.

With his new single, “Promise,” and his recently released EP Full Circle shooting up the charts, Andy’s career is on fire. Andy’s musical lineage includes tearing up NW clubs as the lead vocalist with the legendary funk band Cool’R, recording for A&M Records, world-wide tours, as well as many familiar voices on radio and television such as the California Raisins.

His performances are riveting; as The Oregonian put it, “Andy Stokes sings with an earthy intensity that matches the magnetism of his extroverted showmanship on stage.”

Jimmy Mak’s is located at 221 NW 10th Avenue. Show time is 8:00 pm. Admission for this holiday performance are $12.00 at the door, but you can guarantee seating with a dinner reservation by calling the club at 503-295-6542.

CBA Holiday Party Dec. 11th!

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CBA Holiday PartyThe annual CBA Holiday Party is set for Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Moose Lodge, 16411 NE Halsey, Portland, and it is open to everyone, so bring your family and friends and have some fun. The lodge members are really excited to share their place with us and are preparing a great menu for us to enjoy. Their more than reasonable prices for food and drinks may be your first holiday gift. For faster service, the best way to pay is always cash, but the lodge will accept credit cards. We will again set up a table for you to bring desert goodies to share. Another table will display silent auction items for you to bid on, and a CD raffle will be held after each band, so bring your Christmas shopping list. The Moose Lodge is a very family friendly space: pool and shuffleboard are free and you can play darts for a reasonable charge. CBA Members are free and all others pay only a $5.00 donation to attend this event

It’s the holidays, so please think of those less fortunate than you. Bring cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank as the lodge has barrels set up for us. The lodge also sponsors the Boys & Girls Club. It will have barrels to collect dog and cat food for the Troutdale Humane Society, so bring pet food!

We have great music planned for you: 12:00 – 1:00   Harvey Brindell & the Tablerockers; 1:15 – 2:15 Bottleneck Blues Band; 2:30 – 3:30 Suburban Slim Band; 3:45 – 4:45 Franco Paletta & the Stingers; 5:00 – 6:00 Karen Lovely & Ben Rice

Rae Gordon’s We Three Kings Christmas Show with the West Coast Kings

Rae Gordon
Rae Gordon

Rae Gordon; photo by Mike Day

Plan on joining Rae Gordon along with three incredible guitarists representing the West Coast for the annual We Three Kings Christmas Show on Saturday, December 17 at the Trails End Saloon. It will be a sensational  night of celebrating the holiday fun with friends and music.

This year’s guitarists will include Salem, Oregon’s own Garry Meziere, Seattle, Washington’s CD Woodbury, and San Francisco Angelo Rossi (also known as AJ Crawdaddy) representing California’s blues scene. Backing the Rae and the guitar trio will be a fantastic band made up of Pat McDougall on keys, Al Hooten on bass, Ed Pierce on drums, Scott Franklin on sax, and Allan Kalik on trumpet.

This special night will also be aimed at helping the homeless survive the winter cold. There will be a collection of good used coats and for every coat that you donate you will receive a drawing ticket for a chance to win a big prize for your generosity at the event.

It has been rumored that St. Nick will be making a stop by the Trails as well for you photo opportunities with the big guy.

It all starts at 8:30 pm with admission only $15.00. The Trails End is located at 1320 Main Street in Oregon City.

End of the Year Celebration with Lisa Mann and Her Really Good Band with Ben Rice

Blues Music Award winner Lisa Mann and Her Really Good Band will help you say goodbye to 2016 with a heaping helping of original blues, blues-rock, and R&B when they are joined by special guest International Blues Challenge’s best guitarist award winner Ben Rice! It will all take place at Jimmy Mak’s, 221 NW 10th Avenue on Friday, December 30 at 8:00 pm.

Lisa Mann Blues Music Awards - photo by Greg JohnsonLisa Mann has been inducted in the Cascade Blues Association’s Hall of Fame, has won Blues Blast’s Sean Costello Rising Star Award and received the Blues Music Award for best bassist two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016. Mann’s voice effortlessly straddles the line between the honey sweet warmth of the South, and the force-of-nature sound that she has cultivated by mastering everything from rock to Memphis soul.  Her Really Good Band is made up of a trio of the finest blues musicians in Portland, with guitarist Jason “JT” Thomas, drummer Michael Ballash and keyboard master Pat McDougall. Mann’s latest release, Hard Times, Bad Decisions was named as the Northwest Best Recording by the members of the Cascade Blues Association.

Ben Rice

Ben Rice

Ben Rice is also one of the Northwest rising artists as he has continuously been touring around the country with both Lisa Mann and Karen Lovely as well as with his own outfit. Renowned locally as one of the area’s best guitarists and vocalists, he recently received two Muddy Awards from the Cascade Blues Association in November.

Tickets for this incredible night are available in advance through Tickettomato.com for $12.00 general admission and $15.00 reserved seating.

Thunder Brothers and Ben Rice Take On The Trails End

thunder-brothers-press-photoTwo Muddy Award winning acts will supply a double header at The Trails End Saloon with the Thunder Brothers and Ben Rice. On the heels of their highly successful show at the venue in October, they were quickly booked again. Now, the Thunder Brothers will be celebrating the release of their eponymous titled EP and their recent Best New Act Muddy Award. Michael Quinby, Doug Rowell, Timmer Blakely, and Edwin Coleman III are ready to tear up the stage and bring the crowd to their feet with their brand of power blues.

Opening the night will be an acoustic set by Ben Rice, who also recently was awarded two Muddys for Best Traditional and Best Contemporary Blues Act. He’ll be going solo for this event, showcasing the guitar prowess that earned him the St Blues Guitar Award at the International Blues Challenge in 2015.Ben Rice and Illamatics - Cascade Blues Association

The Trails End is located at 1320 Main Street in Oregon City. Show time starts at 8:30 pm with a $10.00 admission. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so be sure to show your current membership card at the door for a $1.00 discount.

Crime-A-Billy Christmas Returns with Two Shows

Crime-A-Billy Christmas

strange-tonesThe Strange Tones continue their holiday tradition by bringing an all new Crime-A-Billy Christmas for the holiday season. This year the band will present two shows bringing back all their friends, plus a new Strange Tones “vintage” TV special titled “A Mysterious Encounter on Crime-A-Billy Mountain.”

Count on catching the band starring Suburban Slim, Guitar Julie, Andy Strange and Andy Gauthier with the Volcano Snow Vixens, Jim Wallace, Tracey Fordice, Randy Yearout, Jim Toussaint, Elvin Alfred Priestly, the giant Gingerbread Men, nutcrackers and maybe even a surprise visit from a jolly man dressed in red.

The first show will take place at Duff’s Garage, 2530 NE 82nd in Portland, on Friday, December 9, starting at 8:30 pm. Admission is $12.00 and can be purchased in advance through Tickettomato.com. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so show your current membership card at the door for a $2.00 discount. Also consider bringing two cans of food for donation to the Oregon Food Bank.

The second show happens on Saturday, December 17 at 9:00 pm at the Skyway Bar & Grill, 71545 E Highway 26 (milepost 43) in Zigzag. Admission is $15.00.

Lloyd Jones Will Be Singing With Santa’s Sweet Angels For The Holidays

lloyd-jones-press-photoPortland’s iconic bluesman Lloyd Jones will be helping to bring in the holidays right this year with a special happening at Jimmy Mak’s on Saturday, December 17. Two complete concerts that’ll find Mr. Jones “Singing with Santa’s Sweet Angels.” And angels they truly are, bringing two of Portland’s most beloved female singers, 2016 Muddy Award winner LaRhonda Steele and two-time Blues Music Award winner Lisa Mann, alongside Teresa James, making the trip to the Rose City from Los Angeles just for this occasion. Each of these ladies as well as Lloyd Jones are fantastic performers and vocalists who can offer gospel inspiration as well as soulful, bluesy and rockin’ good times. Filling out the band for the night will be Muddy Award winning drummer Brian Foxworth, who can also bring audience to ecstasy with his singing, and the incomparable Louis “King Louie” Pain on keyboards.

Two shows in one night, the first beginning at 7:30 pm and the second at 10:00 pm. Jimmy Mak’s is located at 221 NW 10th Avenue. Tickets can be purchased in advance through Tickettomato.com for $12.00 reserved seating and $10.00 general admission. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so use the code CBA when ordering tickets online for a $1.00 discount.

Don’t miss this one-time gathering of incredible talent, as they bring you their best Holiday Cheer!