Fourth Annual Cascade Blues Association Rummage Sale- Sept. 6th

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CBA SALE 2014The Cascade Blues Association Rummage Sale returns this September on Saturday 6th, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, once again being held at The Bomber Restaurant, 13515 SE McLoughlin Blvd. in Milwaukee. There is great food at The Bomber, so grab some breakfast or lunch while at the sale. And we’ll have live music happening throughout the day, too (bands TBA).

Last year Thanks to You, the annual CBA Rummage sale made over $2,000!  This year will be bigger and better.  There are three ways you can help again!

  1. Clean out your garage, your closets and your neighbor’s closets!….make sure they are home.  This is a great way to organize your home while giving back to your CBA.  Save your items at home and bring to the sale before 9:00 am on September 6th.  Smaller non furniture items can be brought to the September CBA general meeting.
  2. Help at the sale.  People needed to help unload items from a truck in the morning and load a charity truck after the sale.  Also, people to help during the day where needed.
  3. Spread the word!!!

This is a fun event where you get a chance to listen to some live music, browse some great deals, meet some new blues fans AND help make a difference!

Your Cascade Blues Association NEEDS you !

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Have you ever thought about getting more involved? Well now is the time!!  You can choose to be a part of the CBA Board or a volunteer – whatever you choose – we welcome (and need) your help.

We have open At-Large Board positions available for those who would like to get in behind the scenes and make our events happen.  Just think – you can take part in shaping and influencing this great organization.  You can help us keep it running on a monthly basis. We really do rely on you – our members – to continue to make the CBA better and better.

Yes, it’s fun and games – because if it isn’t fun – why do it!  But don’t be fooled – we do work! Board members attend the monthly board meetings where we discuss budget, membership, merchandise, sponsorships and events.  We do ask that each board member take a turn at the merchandise booth at our monthly membership meetings at least once a year and help out at various events – but actually – that’s the fun part!

Do you have a special skill or talent – like managing databases or financial statements?  Running the CBA takes skill (we are a non-profit business) sometimes above and beyond just loving the promotion of blues.  We have a need for help in a variety of areas and I bet there’s something here for you!!  Officer positions naturally take more time – when considering running for either the Membership Secretary or Treasurer positions, we require that you have sufficient background to fill the needs of the Cascade Blues Association. The Membership Secretary maintains the membership information, renewals and address changes that require the ability to keep up an ever-changing spread-sheet and a knowledge of mailing is also preferred. The Treasurer must be able to balance the CBA’s bank accounts, pay due bills on time and keep funds at the Post Office readily available for BluesNotes mailings. The Treasurer is also responsible for maintaining all business filings for annual taxes. These are the two positions that require the most knowledge to keep up, so consider the expectations if you select to run for these officer spots.

Do you just want to be a volunteer with no board commitment – well guess what – we have things you can do! Some options are maintaining merchandise, working with a volunteer list, BluesNotes distribution, writing for the BluesNotes. These functions do not have to be handled by board members. If this interests you please let someone on the current board know!

Every year we put out a request for members to get involved. This year is no different other than we really REALLY do need your help.  Please consider this great opportunity and if your schedule and interests allow – then come join us!  Get involved.

You are welcome to attend one of our monthly Board meetings at 2020 SE 7th (about four blocks south of the old Duff’s Garage), the third Tuesday following the monthly General Membership Meeting.

Best Self Produced CD Entries Now Being Accepted

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If you would like to have your CD considered by the Cascade Blues Association for submission in The Blues Foundation’s Best Self Produced CD competition, please send your disc to BSPCD c/o Cascade Blues Association, PO Box 14493, Portland, Oregon 97293. You may also turn your submission in at the August, September or October Cascade Blues Association General Membership Meetings. No discs will be accepted later than October 1st.

All discs submitted must have been released after November 1, 2013. A committee set up by the Cascade Blues Association’s Board of Directors will listen to each submission and like the Journey To Memphis will rate each on a series of categories (blues content, instrumentation, vocals, art work and liner notes). Entries are only accepted by acts within the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Idaho and Washington). We must receive your entry no later than October 1st. Please note, the entry that we submit to The Blues Foundation will require that we send them four copies of the disc for their judges. We will notify the appropriate act for the extra copies needed to send.

Waterfront Blues Festival Hosts The CBA’s Journey To Memphis Finals, Rae Gordon Band Declared Winners

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The Cascade Blues Association held the finals for the 15th annual Journey To Memphis competition on July 4th at the Waterfront Blues Festival. Four finalists selected by our judges scoring at the first round held at The Lehrer in early June, faced off against one another in the hot summer afternoon before three new judges. This year’s overall competition was without doubt one of the strongest fields ever, top to bottom. Covering a wide diversity of blues styles, twelve acts started out and four remained at the Festival.

David Pinsky and Phil Newton (use this shot with J2M article) - photo by Greg Johnson

David Pinsky & Phil Newton – photo by Greg Johnson

One of the three was a solo/duo act, David Pinsky & Phil Newton. They had already earned the right to travel to Memphis to represent the CBA at The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in January. We still had to decide on a band amongst the three remaining acts. Why were David and Phil involved then? They were competing for the overall prize money to help them get to Memphis. If they scored higher than the bands they would be awarded the grand prize.

The other three acts included two bands that made it to Memphis in 2014 for the IBC, Rae Gordon who made the semi-finals back East representing the Rainy Day Blues Society of Eugene, and Ben Rice & The iLLamatics who went for the CBA and made it all the way to the finals. The newcomers were Salem’s Still Water Vibes, a fiery new band with sensational vocals from Nick Wixom. All three acts, along with David and Phil, turned in knock-out performances, all worthy of taking home the prize.

But it was all up to the scoring of the judges. And we had three of the best judges you could ask for, all on the same level as those judges used in Memphis at the IBC finals themselves. Music writer and editor Stacy Jeffress from Topeka, Kansas; Delta Groove recording artist from Australia Kara Grainger; and Delta Groove artist and past IBC second place winner Sugaray Rayford. Each scored the competitors on five categories: blues content, originality, vocals, instrumentation and overall stage presence.

Rae Gordon - photo by Tony Kutter (use this shot with the J2M article)

Rae Gordon – photo by Tony Kutter

A tough call to make, but in the end it was the Rae Gordon Band coming out on top. Aside from the prize money and the right to represent the CBA in Memphis this coming January, the band will also open the Muddy Awards show this coming November and will have a guaranteed paid set at next year’s Waterfront Blues Festival.

Congratulations and good luck!

 

Portland Mourns The Loss Of Bluesman Mel Solomon

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Mel Solomon - photo by Val Davis

In Memory of Mel Solomon, Bluesman – photo by Val Davis

The Cascade Blues Association is saddened once again with the loss of one of our most beloved performers in the Portland area, Mel Solomon. Mel passed away on June 23rd, just days shy of his 81st birthday, after following a long battle with diabetes.

Mel Solomon moved to the Portland area in the early 1970s and worked at Freightliner until retiring in 1985 when he decided to pursue a renewed career in music. He was surrounded by music growing up in Louisiana and worked in many bands as a young man, moving from locations like Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. He even did a five-year period touring as part of Hank Ballard & The Midnighters.

In Portland, Mel worked with a variety of blues outfits, garnering a pair of Muddy Awards from the Cascade Blues Association for Best New Act with The Nightlighters in 1991 and Best Male Vocalist in 2001. Sadly, Solomon only officially recorded three songs during his career for Jan Celt’s Flying Heart Records’ compilation CD “A Taste of the Blue Rose”. He was also featured for a couple songs sitting in with guitar legend Hubert Sumlin at the CBA’s second Willamette Delta Showcase in 2001.

The past few years were tough on Mel Solomon as he began to lose his fight with diabetes. First he lost a leg and a few fingers, then his kidney started giving out creating the need for dialysis. Anybody who has known somebody or had to be treated for dialysis knows that it is not an easy treatment and encumbers many painful hours. After some time, Mel decided enough was enough and selected to halt all treatments. He knew that the outcome would be fatal, but he chose to go the path with dignity, deciding on his own that his time had come.

Mel Solomon will not quickly be forgotten. He was an individual everybody enjoyed working with. And when people asked who was the true, real deal bluesman in this city, chances were more than likely they would point out Mel Solomon.

Cascade Blues Association Annual Members Only Picnic, Sunday, August 3rd

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One of the most anticipated events of the year for Cascade Blues Association members is the annual picnic. Taking place on Sunday, August 3rd, it is open to members and their families only, and is one of the best perks of belonging to the CBA. Not a member or your membership has expired? Not to worry. You can join or renew at the picnic. The picnic will return once again to Tomahawk Moorage at Columbia Crossings on Hayden Island, 515 NE Tomahawk Island Drive, Portland, and will run from noon until 6:00 pm.

The Cascade Blues Association will be providing hamburgers, hot dogs and beverages. The rest is a pot luck. We’re asking members to bring an item to share, so by using the first letter of your last name we are asking you to bring:

A – C: Hot Dishes

D – H: Salads

I – M: Goodies/Desserts

N – Z: Chips, Dips & Veggies

There will be a craft area for the young ones from 12:30-2:00 with activities they will enjoy, as well as, a big piñata for them to smash and grab toys and candies.

But the CBA is an organization devoted to our love for blues music, so you know we are going to have live music taking place. Five great regional bands will be on hand. Here are short bios of each:

12:00 – 1:00: Born in Corvallis, Brady Goss spent most of his childhood in a rural Eastern Oregon town of Wallowa listening to his father’s Jerry Lee Lewis records. For years to come, Brady taught himself the songs of Jerry Lee on the piano developing a similar style with a fireball of a right hand and that rhythmic, romping left hand. Brady has always been open to and capable of playing and understanding jazz, country, classic rock and especially blues. At 24, Brady Goss has his career, road savvy with thousands of hours performing live, Goss has honed a unique entertainment style and voice to enhance the very physical piano player and now guitar player. You’ll here covers from many different genres and styles that he makes his own and also legitimate original songs that become memorable rather quickly.

1:15 – 2:15: Bass virtuoso Ben Jones, the son of a jazz pianist and music educator, virtuoso six-string bassist Ben Jones was born and raised in Detroit helped him create the Motown soul sound. Since first hitting the road with legendary R&B songstress Anita Baker 20 years ago at the age of 18, Ben has shared the stage with artists as diverse as Julio Iglesias, Martha Reeves, Noel Pointer, Jeff Lorber, Robert Cray, Delbert McClinton, The Coasters, and Gino Vanelli, to name just a few.

2:30 – 3:30: Kenny Kofler and The Third Power are a new Blues-based variety group from Portland, comprised of Scott Van Dusen on percussion, Chris Hale on upright and electric bass, Eric Rabe on saxophone and Kenny Kofler on guitar, saxophone and vocals. Though the name is new, the players are all seasoned members of the Portland and Southern California music scenes who have come together to share an appreciation for unique, thoughtful takes on old standards, creative new original music and most importantly- a fun, groove-oriented show that will keep you dancing all night long and leave you wanting more!

3:45 – 4:45: BOLT UPRIGHT has been part of the Portland music scene for almost fifteen years. When drummer Ashbolt Stewart started a band with his wife Susie on bass, they played with several great area guitarist-vocalists over the years, including Lynn Axtell, Chad Rupp, Ken Brewer, and Scotty Bouck. Two years ago, they were lucky to have Lynn Axtell bring his instrumental and songwriting talents back to the band full-time. With all three members contributing their own material, it’s by far the most creative and original expression of the group. BOLT UPRIGHT just celebrated 3 years of hosting the award-winning Sunday Jam at Montavilla Station.

5:00 – 6:00: Sister Mercy is putting the “cool” in the heat of summer with a new brand of Rhythm and Blues. April Brown leads vocally in the style of Etta James and Eva Cassidy. From rocking new originals by Roger Espinor (drums) to classic blues licks from Steven Savoie (guitar), Sister Mercy will make you want to tap your toes and get movin’. The backbone of the band rests with Gary Giacci (bass) who provides strong rhythms along with Debby Espinor (keyboards) bringing years of experience to a new style of music. Kelsey Brown (background vocals) rounds out this powerhouse band that will soon be a household name in the blues circles in Portland and the Pacific Northwest.

We’re looking forward to seeing you all there!

What’s on Tap for May’s General Membership Meeting . . .

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Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland

Wednesday, May 7th, 7:00 pm

Members always Free – non-members $3.00

Opening Acoustic Set – Melody Guy & Jake Blair

Second Electric Set – August In Blue

Every month we have a terrific line-up of talented local artists perform for you at the monthly general membership meetings. This city has a vast wealth of outstanding artists who call Portland home and we’re exceptionally proud of the acts we have showcasing for you this month as they display some of the younger musicians that are making great strides in making our local blues community even stronger.

Opening the night we will have the duet of Melody Guy and Jake Blair. Guy is a singer-songwriter who has been touring the country as a national act that has been based out of Nashville. Several years ago she met Jake Blair, one of the area’s top young blues-rock guitar slingers, and the two of them hit it off quite well on stage. On a tour Guy was making this past year, the two met up again and they more than just lit things up on stage. The pair married this past February and have been performing together as often as possible.

Jake Blair & Melody Guy

Jake Blair & Melody Guy (photo by Christa McIntyre)

Melody Guy is a native Oregonian, with nine albums already to her credit, including her most recent Diamond On The Street. Her music covers a wide range of genres, all done exceptionally well, with several national musicians covering her work.

Jake Blair first struck the local attention more than a decade back as one of the young blood guitarists pursuing blues in a generation that also included Ty Curtis and Ben Rice. He won a Muddy Award for best new act in 2001 and has progressed as an exceptional singer-songwriter with a new album on the horizon and rearing to make his own mark on the national circuit.

Certain to be a memorable performance, let’s help kick off their marriage and working together with a rousing appreciation. We already know that they’re both over the top musicians, so don’t miss out seeing them at the meeting.

August In Blue (press photo)

August In Blue (press photo)

For the second set, we will also be making up for the February meeting that was snowed out and bringing back a group that performed at last summer’s picnic. But with an altered line-up from what we saw then. August In Blue has been a long-time dream of guitarists Richard Staats and Josh Makosky, who have been making music together since they were in the 8th grade. In the summer of 2012 the two joined forces to blend the upbeat precision of rock and funk with the soul and emotion of the blues. Thus the birth of August In Blue. A band formulated and assembled on the month of the Blue Moon. Both have performed with bands on their own, Richard with Stupefyin’ Jones and Josh with Angel Bouchet, The Space Monkeys and was prominently featured in the Shari’s 3 AM recordings. With the fiery, funky thump that you come to expect from Calen Uhlig, plus the soul and groove of the amazing Brian Foxworth, the combination becomes explosive. Having this rhythm section alongside this pair of hot guitar players just means that the members are certainly in for a big treat at the meeting. And for the meeting, throw in the extraordinary vocals of Naomi Tee as a special guest and the set is going to be cookin’ with grease for a good time for sure!!

We will also be having our regular free ticket drawing, so make sure you pick up yours at the door for a chance to win CDs and tickets. And jump into the winner take all drawing for a chance to win a full package of CDs put together for this meeting. The winner take all tickets are only a $1.00 a chance.

Come out and share another night of fun and music at the CBA monthly meeting. Always guaranteed to be a great time with good friends.

Last Chance to Submit Your 2014 Journey To Memphis Applications – April 2nd Deadline!

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If you’re planning on taking part in the Cascade Blues Association’s Journey To Memphis competition to find a representative for the organization at the 2015 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, time has just about run out. You must turn in your applications no later than the CBA April General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, April 2nd. No late entries will be accepted.

To apply for the Cascade Blues Association’s regional competition, following the instructions detailed here:

1. First and foremost, all applicants must be a current member of the Cascade Blues Association. No act that has either won or has been nominated for The Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards may enter.
2.         Put together a promotional packet including:
•     A letter of intent
•     Band/Artist biography (including the names and ages of any members under 21 years)
•     A photograph for promotional use (must be a minimum of 300 dpi)
•     A CD sample of your music (please use full songs as your music may be used to promote the event on local radio)
•     Contact information including address, phone number and email address if available
•     $20 application fee. This fee will go toward the prize offered by the CBA to help defray travel expenses for the winning act. (Please make checks out to the Cascade Blues Association and note at the bottom “J2M” for our accounting purposes).

Depending on the number of applications received, one or two nights will be scheduled to hold preliminary competitions.  This year’s first round will be held at The Lehrer the first weekend in June, please keep these dates open if applying as time slots for the competition are drawn at random filling in the order as each act is drawn. Judges with qualified credentials in the music industry will score acts in five categories to determine the final four entries to compete at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival on the Front Porch Stage on the 4th of July. The winning act selected at the Waterfront will have the honor of representing the CBA at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Also included as part of the prize is a guaranteed paid set at the following year’s Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, a set at the 2014 Muddy Awards and a cash prize based on the amount of admissions sold during the first round of the competition.

Please send application packets to: Journey To Memphis, c/o Cascade Blues Association, PO Box 14493, Portland, OR 97293. Or you may deliver your applications at the CBA monthly meeting at The Melody Ballroom. All applications must be received no later than the April 2nd CBA Membership Meeting, so we may have appropriate time to set-up semi-final dates in early June and to promote the acts in the BluesNotes that month. Absolutely no late entries will be accepted.

All rules used for the Journey To Memphis follow those outlined by The Blues Foundation. These can be found at their website www.blues.org.

Applications Now Being Accepted For 2015 Journey To Memphis

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The Journey To Memphis is the Cascade Blues Association’s regional competition to select the acts that will represent our organization and region in the next year’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN that will be held in early 2016. Up to 250 acts from around the world converge on Beale Street to perform before the music industry looking for new talent, with the chance to win recognition and prizes that include major festival performances and more. But the only way an act may participate is to win a regional competition held by one of The Blues Foundation’s affiliated societies like the Cascade Blues Association.

The Journey To Memphis will be held in two rounds. The opening round will take place over two nights at The Lehrer on Friday, June 5th and Saturday, June 6th. Acts are scored by a trio of judges selected for their backgrounds and knowledge of the blues. The two highest scoring acts each night advance to the finals held at the Waterfront Blues Festival on July 4th.
Applications to participate in the competition will be accepted now until Wednesday, April 1st at the Cascade Blues Association membership meeting. No late applications will be accepted. All eligible acts that meet our criteria as described below will be able to compete. We will adjust the time schedule to ensure all are included. Each act will perform either Friday or Saturday and are scheduled as drawn at random, so we request that you do not schedule other gigs until you know which night you are scheduled.
Here’s what you need to do to enter:

• Entry fee is $25.00 (This is an increase from last year and is the first time we have raised the fee in more than ten years. This is to stay consistent with what other societies have been charging – though still less than many – and all fees collected go to the prize money to the competition’s winners to help cover travel expenses.)
• Each act must have at least one person in the band who is a member of the Cascade Blues Association.
• Only acts located within the region of Oregon, Washington or Idaho are allowed to enter the Journey To Memphis.
• Any act that has been nominated for or received a Blues Music Awards from The Blues Foundation are ineligible to compete.
• Any act that has competed in the International Blues Challenge two consecutive years, regardless whether with the same society or as a solo/duo or band act, must sit out a year before being allowed to compete again.
• Along with your $25.00 application fee, send an up-to-date band bio including names of all members, a 300 dpi photo of the band, full song samples of the band’s music (this may be used on a radio broadcast to promote the event), and we need to be made aware of any band member who may be under 21 years of age at the time of the competition so the venue is aware ahead of time for Oregon Liquor Commission laws.
• We require that any act that moves forward in the competition must use the same band members that they won the rounds with. In other words, if you won with a certain bass player or drummer at the Waterfront Blues Festival, that bassist and drummer must be in your band to compete in Memphis. Exceptions will made in rare circumstances when not under control of the act, such as health issues.
• We do not prevent acts competing with the Cascade Blues Association from doing so with other societies. All that we ask is that if you win another group’s competition before ours is held, or if you win ours before theirs, then you remove yourself from further competitions to allow other acts the chance to win the right to go to Memphis.

2014 Cascade Blues Association Board of Directors

2014 CBA Board bwYour 2014 Cascade Blues Association Board of Directors (left to right) Art Bullis, At Large Member; Greg Johnson, President; Wendy Schumer, Vice President; Jon Pierce, Secretary; Merry Larsen, Treasurer; KimberLee Deane, Membership Secretary