Duff’s Garage Presents An Evening With Maria Muldaur- Oct 1st

Maria Muldaur - press photoMaria Muldaur’s storied 50-year career could best be described a long and adventurous odyssey through the various forms of American Roots Music. During the folk revival of the early ’60s, she began exploring and singing early Blues, Bluegrass and Appalachian “Old Timey” Music, beginning her recording career in 1963 with the Even Dozen Jug Band and shortly thereafter, joining the very popular Jim Kweskin Jug Band, touring and recording with them throughout the ’60s. Scoring a mega-hit in 1974 with the Baby Boomer classic “Midnight At The Oasis,” which received several Grammy nominations, she has covered all kinds of American Roots music over the ensuing forty years, including gospel, R&B, jazz and Big Band. She has now settled comfortably into her favorite idiom, the Blues, often joining forces with some of the top names in the business. Recently announced that she will be inducted into the Jug Band Hall of Fame, she has been honored with a bevy of awards and nominations over the years from the Grammys and Blues Music Awards.

Duff’s Garage is proud to present an evening with Maria Muldaur on Wednesday, October 1st at 9:00 pm. Tickets will be available soon from www.TicketTomato.com. This is a CBA co-sponsored event and you can receive a $1.00 discount on admission at the door by showing your current membership card.

Pete Karnes Reunion Concert & CD Release Party- Sept. 6th

Pete Karnes - press photoThey say that the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime. Well, harmonica master Pete Karnes is no criminal unless you count helping establish the Portland blues scene a crime. And he will be returning the venue where it all began, The White Eagle, 836 N. Russell. This venue helped establish many of the best blues performers back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and the Pete Karnes Blooz Band was one of the most beloved.

Karnes is a committed blues man who has played with many of the legends, including Big Walter Horton, Willie Dixon, Robert Lockwood Jr., J.B. Hutto, Lightning Slim and John Lee Hooker. Joining Karnes for this long-awaited return to Portland, will be several members from his original band, Richard Englund on bass, Doug Smith on sax and Michael Mendenhall on keyboards.

The night will also be extra special as Karnes will be releasing a new CD which is sure to take us back to those extraordinary nights, titled Live At The White Eagle 1982. This is a follow-up disc to his excellent recording released earlier this year, I’m Still Here. Taking that stroll back to that night in 1982, it features two outstanding artists who have since passed away, the late Nick Christmas and one of the West Coast’s premier guitarists Tom McFarland.

This one-night only performance happens on Saturday, September 6th, starting at 9:30 pm. The White Eagle will be extending their hours until 1:30 am in order to give everybody a complete night for this reunion show and CD release party. Advanced tickets may be purchased at www.etix.com for $8.00, or $10.00 at the door. Come on out and relive those memories as the Boogie Man Pete Karnes returns!

The GAIA Project presents Jim Kweskin & Geoff Muldaur- Sept 11th

Jim Kweskin and Geoff Muldaur - photo by Lori EanesThere has never been another group like Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band. The original “Americana” band, playing everything from classic blues to hillbilly country, ragtime, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll, they perfectly captured the legendary 1960s mix of exuberant anarchy and heartfelt sincerity. “The rock historian Ed Ward went so far as to place the Kweskin Band alongside the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Byrds as that period’s most influential groups.” – Alex Ward, The New York Times

Two of the legendary bands key musicians will be teaming up for a special show at The Alberta Rose Theatre on Thursday, September 11th, Jim Kweskin and Geoff Muldaur.

Jim Kweskin is probably best known as a singer and bandleader, but he also created one of the bedrock guitar styles of the folk revival, adapting the ragtime-blues fingerpicking of artists like Blind Boy Fuller to the more complex chords of pop and jazz. He has maintained a remarkably consistent musical vision since his jug band days, continuing to explore traditional folk and blues with the sophisticated sensibility of a jazz musician and jazz with the communal simplicity of a folk artist.

Geoff Muldaur was already a known factor when he joined the jug band, and he went on to lend his soulful vocals and brilliant arranging skills to a wide range of influential groups, from Geoff and Maria to Paul Butterfield’s Better Days to his own dazzlingly varied solo ventures. Fifty years on, his singing remains uniquely powerful; as the English folk-rocker Richard Thompson said: “There are only three white blues singers, and Geoff Muldaur is at least two of them.”

Opening the show will be singer-songwriter Phoebe Hunt, accompanied by Connor Forsythe. This duet effortlessly blends country, swing, jazz, folk, and pop.

Showtime is 7:30 pm. Minors are okay when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets are $22.50 advance and can be purchased at www.albertarosetheatre.com, $25.00 at the door.

Kenny “Blue” Ray and Robbie Laws Team For A Night At Duff’s Garage – Sept 19th

Kenny Blue Ray - press photoTwo of the West Coast’s finest guitar players, Kenny “Blue” Ray and Robbie Laws, will be joining forces for one night only at Duff’s Garage on Friday, September 19th for a 9:00 pm show. These two have collaborated many times in the past and they always bring the most sensational guitar tones with them.

Kenny “Blue” Ray, based out of the Bay Area (and for a while lived in Portland), has worked and played with a virtual who’s who of West Coast musicians including Smokey Wilson, William Clarke and Little Charlie & The Nightcats, plus artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Marcia Ball and Charlie Musselwhite. Known for his fat tones on his own homemade guitars, Kenny “Blue” Ray is a guitar player’s guitarist with his precision and agility.

Robbie Laws is a Northwest favorite and a Muddy Award Hall of Famer, known for his adeptness at performing a variety of blues, from Piedmont and Delta acoustic, to Texas and West Coast electric. Robbie has performed alongside master guitarists like Albert Collins and Ronnie Earl, but leaves nothing behind those guys when it comes to delivering brilliant playing himself.

Duff’s Garage is located at 2530 NE 82nd. Admission is $12.00 and this is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event with members receiving a $1.00 discount by showing their current CBA cards at the door.

The Birk Welcomes Polly O’Keary & The Rhythm Method – Sept 13th

After touring around the country for the past few years with both Too Slim & the Taildraggers and The Randy Oxford Band, bassist Polly O’Keary has returned to lead position of fronting her own band, The Rhythm Method. Armed with a new CD, Compass, the band will be making their way to The Birk, 11139 Highway 202, in Birkenfeld on Saturday, September 13th for a 7:30 performance.

Polly O’Keary is a multi-time winner of the Washington Blues Society’s B.B. Awards for best female vocalist and songwriter. Joining Polly in the rhythm Method are guitarist Clint “Seattle Slim” Nonnemaker who has been a favorite in both the Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska blues scenes in bands like The Alley Cats and Seattle Women of rhythm & blues, and drummer Tommy Cook who also played with Polly in Too Slim & The Taildraggers. This is a fiery band that’ll be laying down some cookin’ grooves out at the Birk.

Duffy Bishop Farewell Performance At Duff’s Garage

Duffy Bishop (photo by Greg Johnson)

Duffy Bishop – photo by Greg Johnson

A message from guitarist Chris Carlson, “Yes, I’m goin’ down in Florida, where the sun shines damn near every day…Yeah, I’ll take my woman out on the beach fellas, and sit down on the sand and play.”

He may be quoting Muddy Waters, but Carlson grew up in Northern Florida and the time has come where he and his wife Duffy Bishop have decided to make the move down to the Southeastern corner of the country.

Now, now, do not get too overly upset just yet. The plan is that they will move down at the end of September and stay until April or May, then return to Portland for the summer. Now that’s not too bad is it? After all, we have had them gone for months at a time fairly regularly when they’ve left to perform the Teatro ZinZanni shows.

But before they do leave for their hiatus, Duffy and Chris will be holding a special Farewell Show at Duff’s Garage on Friday, August 22nd at 9:00 pm. Several guests will be on hand to help celebrate the night, including Jim Wallace, Kelly Dunn, Dave Kahl, Dave Fleschner, Brad Ulrich, Chris Mercer, Joe McCarthy and very special guest guitarist Henry Cooper.

Duff’s Garage is located at 2530 NE 82nd. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so show your current membership card at the door for a $1.00 discount on admission. Let’s make the night a party to last until we see each other in the summertime and bid our best regards to Chris and Duffy while they’re away and being missed by us all.

Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival Hosts Coco Montoya, Blind Boys Of Alabama

Coco Montoya press photo

Coco Montoya – press photo

The 17th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival is scheduled to happen Friday, August 22nd through Sunday, August 24th at Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver, Washington. Tickets are available in advance through the festival’s website at www.vancouverwinejazz.com. Several headliners are scheduled to perform, though the line-up is not complete as of BluesNotes deadline. Blues-related artists this year include The Blind Boys Of Alabama on Friday night, and Coco Montoya and The Heritage Blues Orchestra on Sunday. Other acts include Lee Ritenour, Stanley Jordan, Don McLean and Toshiko Akiyoshi. Please check their website for further updated details, times and ticket prices.

MARY FLOWER: CD Release Show Aug. 24 at Secret Society Ballroom

The Local Show:

Sunday Aug 24: Secret Society Ballroom, 116 NE Russell, Portland

7 pm/Tickets $10 at the door

www.secretsociety.net
Press Release:

 

IMG_0326

Mary Flower – photo by Greg Johnson

When My Bluebird Sings is Mary Flower’s 10th release, this time on her own label, Bluesette Records. Mary says this about her new, all solo CD: “This CD is a departure stylistically from my previous recordings. The CD is a mix of lap slide instrumentals and guitar pieces with vocals, all original. Some of these tunes have been rumbling around in my head for quite a while and seemed well-suited for a solo project. Many of you have asked for more solo and more slide …so here it is, the raw and unadorned. Enjoy.” 

Flower’s immense fingerpicking guitar and lap-slide prowess is soulful and meter-perfect, a deft blend of the inventive, the dexterous and the mesmerizing. Her supple honey-and-whiskey voice provides the perfect melodic accompaniment to each song’s story.

An internationally known and award-winning picker, singer/songwriter and teacher, the Midwest native relocated from Denver to the vibrant Portland, Oregon, music scene in in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since. She continues to please crowds and critics at folk festivals and concert stages domestically and abroad, ones that include Merlefest, Kerrville, King Biscuit, Prairie Home Companion and the Calgary Folk Festival, among many.

A finalist in 2000 and 2002 at the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship (Top 3 both years, and the only woman), a nomineeMary Flower CD cover in 2008 and 2012 for a Blues Foundation Blues Music Award, and a 2011 Portland Muddy Award winner, Flower embodies a luscious and lusty mix of rootsy, acoustic-blues guitar and vocal styles that span a number of idioms – from Piedmont to the Mississippi Delta, with stops in ragtime, swing, folk and hot jazz.

Flower’s 10 recordings, including her last four for Memphis’ famed Yellow Dog Records – Bywater Dance, Instrumental Breakdown, Bridges and Misery Loves Company – show a deep command of and love for folk and blues string music. For Flower, it’s never about re-creation. Her dedication to the art form is a vital contribution to America’s music.

Spirit Mountain Casino Welcomes Valerie June

Valerie June (press photo)

Valerie June (press photo)

Spirit Mountain Casino is proud to offer inspiring live entertainment, top-notch talent, and an unbeatable venue to experience it all! This summer, join us in welcoming Valerie June, the newest addition to the Songbook Series as she the takes the stage on August 29th.

Valerie June, the maker of ‘Organic Roots Moonshine Music,’ produces a rich sound that redefines stereotypical music genres. Her soulful voice merges the blues with gospel and folk, while her instrumentals are an experimental blend of Appalachian, country, and bluegrass. With a career beginning in Memphis, Tennessee, and has since created music that has garnered the attention of international and American audiences alike.

June’s 2013 release, Pushin’ Against A Stone, earned her a Blues Music Award nomination as the Best New Artist Debut and an Americana Awards nomination as Emerging Act of the Year. Billboard deemed that the album “definitely qualifies as a sonic treat,” and NPR described it as one that “slices across styles and decades of popular music with a cutting canniness.” She has toured with British sensation Jake Bugg and has collaborated with artists like Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and Booker T. Jones.

Famed for her enchanting presence, she will blow you away on the stage! Songs like “Twined and Twisted” and “Workin’ Woman Blues” are best experienced live… And now, Spirit Mountain is offering you the opportunity to see her perform! Valerie June will be in the house on August 29th at 8PM. Tickets start at just $10. Buy one now to secure your seat at the Main Event Center for this special event.

Michigan Bluesman David Gerald Coming to Oregon

David Gerald - press photo

David Gerald – press photo

David Gerald grew up in Detroit, the son of Mississippi transplants who left the South to escape segregation and racial discrimination. Living near a neighbor who played guitar, David was given parts from scrap guitars that he would piece together in what he described as “Frankenstein Guitars.” With these makeshift instruments and a new-found love for the blues via artists like Albert King, ZZ Hill, BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, it led him to begin writing his own original blues material and working at performing. Now nearly thirty years later, David Gerald is considered one of Michigan’s most entertaining live artists and creative guitarists.

Touring under his latest recording, Hell And Back, The David Gerald Band will be performing in Northwest Oregon for a trio of appearances.

On Wednesday, August 20th, you can catch David Gerald in a free performance at Parklane Park at SE 155th & Main Street as part of Portland Park & Recreation’s Concerts in the Parks series. Showtime is 6:30 pm and is open to all ages.

Then on both Thursday, August 21st and Friday, August 22nd David Gerald will be playing at The Birk, 11139 Highway 202 in Birkenfeld, Oregon. The Thursday show starts at 7:00 pm, with dinner beginning at 5:00 pm for those who would like to make it a full night. Friday’s show starts at 6:00 pm to coincide with the annual Hood To Coast Run, as runners are scheduled to be passing through around this time and may decide to stop over for a bit of dinner and blues on their trek.