The Birk Welcomes The Pete Anderson Band
Long considered one of the world’s best-of-the-best Tele-twangers, musical pioneer Pete Anderson has never been satisfied with 
maintaining the status quo. The last 10 years has found Anderson focusing on his solo career, perfecting his craft, honing his musical vision, and fusing together blues and country to forge a style all his own. Well known as a pioneer in the roots-rock genre, he was an early champion of the Americana movement, where he had a hand in introducing the world to artists such as Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Michelle Shocked and Rosie Flores. He is also a renowned band-leader who …
This coming September, the fourth annual Blues In The Gorge acoustic blues guitar camp will return to the Menucha Retreat & Conference Center. Presented by Menucha and co-sponsored by the Cascade Blues Association, this year’s instructors will feature world-renowned artists Guy Davis, Mary Flower, Orville Johnson, and Valerie Turner. Guests will immerse themselves in music, enjoying up to four workshops each day, with instructor concerts and jams each night.
In December 1986, a small group of Portland area blues fans decided to form a society to help support, promote, and preserve the blues and related music. It was named the Cascade Blues Association as it was the only blues society in the Northwest at the time as the former Oregon Blues Society in Eugene had folded. Thirty years later the Cascade Blues Association is still alive. And to celebrate, it’s throwing a party with the aid of many of the local performers who have been stalwarts in our music community throughout our tenure.
With a great deal of sadness we witness the loss of one of Portland’s iconic blues venues as Duff’s Garage closes its doors in April. During the last fifteen years, Portland’s music community have seen much growth in the number of its musicians, it benefit showcases, and touring artists. And now they will all find it a bit tougher to locate a room to play in the city.
Former Portland resident and Delta Groove recording artist, Franck Goldwasser, aka Paris Slim, will be heading back to Oregon for a spring tour that will be making stops at numerous venues and will also feature special guests along the way. Without doubt, Paris Slim is one of the finest and most creative international guitarists. He has a handful of critically-acclaimed solo recording and a WC Handy Award (Blues Music Award) nomination for his disc Blues For Esther. Since moving to the United States from France in the 1980s, Paris Slim has been a mainstay of the West Coast blues …
Greg Johnson / CBA President