Birds of Chicago- photo Natalie Ginele Miller
Birds of Chicago, is a collective based around JT Nero and Allison Russell. Whether touring as a duo or with the full family band, Nero and Russell have emerged as two of the most compelling new voices in North American Roots music. Nero’s fractured country-soul voice wrapped in Russell’s silver and gold tones, is a fine thing. Not too perfect, not at all saccharine, you’ll hear echoes of mountain gospel, street corner doo-wop, and classic soul. Accompanied by just a banjo and a guitar, it’s haunting. Fired by the band, it’s a full tilt revival. Music this raw and soul-rich demands to be experienced live, and Birds of Chicago have developed a fervent following, touring 200 nights a year since their formation in late 2012. For these Birds, singing for a room full of new people, hearts wide open, keeps off the cold and chases off the shadows.
Birds of Chicago will be playing at the Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside, on Sunday, March 12. Tickets for this 21 & over show are available in advance through Ticketfly.com ranging from $15.00 to $18.00. Show time is 9:00 pm.
Blues Hall of Fame inductee and five-time Grammy Award winner Robert Cray returns to Portland for one night only at The Aladdin Theater on Saturday, March 4. Rolling Stone Magazine credits Cray’s stellar 1986 release Strong Persuader as reinventing the blues with his “distinct razor sharp guitar playing introducing a new generation of mainstream rock fans to the language and form of the blues.” Considered one of the greatest guitarist of his generation, Cray has recorded more than fifteen Billboard topping albums and has worked with the best of the genre, from John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt and so many more. His newest release, Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm, will be hitting the stores in April featuring his soulful rendition of that flavorful Memphis sound, so expect to hear new tunes from the upcoming album.
3hattrio is quite a genre-defying band. Made up of three musicians, Hal Cannon on vocals. Guitar and banjo, Eli Wrankle on violin and Greg Istock on stand-up bass, the music they create can be hypnotic and mesmerizing. Described as American Desert Music, it is so much more. It intermingles the sounds of folk, country, gypsy jazz and bluegrass while coming across at times in the forms of Americana and trance blues, the type of music that may bring to mind Otis Taylor or the South Memphis String Band with Alvin Youngblood-Hart and Jimbo Mathus. The band hails from Utah’s Zion Canyon, with three albums to their credit, they state that it is their surroundings in the desert that inspires their sound.
Jim Gustin is a blues singer and guitarist from Santa Clarita California who has been performing in and around the Los Angeles area for more than thirty years. He has a distinctive, powerful voice; soulful and deep with a smoky rasp, and is a passionate and energetic performer. He has well written catchy songs that reveal his many varied influences to his groove oriented blues. He is also a very solid guitarist with great tone and a funky feel.
Cee Cee James has long been one of the most powerful female vocalists in the blues community. Full of fire and energy, she delivers passionate performances and is an acclaimed songwriter who has told her own story of pain and loss throughout the years. Her remarkable skills at crafting lyrics is certainly at the top of her game with her latest release, Stripped Down & Surrendered, which Blues Music Magazine’s Don Wilcock named as one of his top ten releases of 2016. “This time she faces her demons straight on and brings hard blues to a new bar height,” claims Wilcock.
The Sugaray Rayford Band is made up of world-class musicians. Ralph Carter on bass, Gino Matteo on guitar, Leo Dombecki on keyboards, Lavelle Jones on drums, Allan Walker on sax, and Gary Bivona on trumpet. With the onstage prowess of Sugaray he needs to have a stellar band to keep up with him, and with this group he certainly has just that.
Hunter & The Dirty Jacks are an Americana-crafted rock & roll band with influences based in the blues. Like a smoky whiskey with phosphorescent ice cubes in a blues-tinted glass. Led by frontman Hunter Ackerman and flanked by guitar players Carmelo Bonaventura and Jon Siembieda, with Aaron Barnes grooving the bottom end on bass and Brian Lara keeping the rootsy tribal beats, this band has been packing roadhouses and clubs in every town from San Diego to Seattle to Denver. For their music, think throwbacks and songwriting style like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors paired with a modern edge like the Rival Sons, Black Keys, Jack White, Mumford and Sons, and Chris Robinson Brotherhood, in a young, hip, accessible package. They have worked onstage alongside many familiar artists, such as Eric Sardinas, Coco Montoya, Kirk Fletcher, Arthur Adams, The Delgado Brothers, Roy Gaines and more. Their album, Single Barrel, was declared as one of the top 20 albums of the year by Blues Rock Review magazine.
