It Was Party Time On New Year’s Eve At Duff’s Garage!

,

By Kat Rose

The Strange Tones were excited to play the first New Year’s Eve at the new Duff’s Garage, located at 2530 NE 82nd.

The band has developed a marriage of blues, surf and Rockabilly that they have coined “Crime-A-Billy” to describe their own distinguishable, unique sound.

This band is the complete package with Guitar Julie (vocals and guitar), Andy Strange (bass, guitar, and harmonica), Suburban Slim (vocals, guitar), backed by Andy Gauthier’s energetic drumbeat.

NYEJulie’s lyrical style vocals and steaming guitar are well teamed with Andy’s backbeat on bass. He also plays harmonica on the original tunes “Wigglin’ Fool” and “Runaway Dog”. Andy Gauthier’s precision drumming and Suburban Slim’s fierce guitar and vocals on songs like ”Strollin’ With You” and “Kathryn Style” add to the band’s versatility.

Due to a recent bicycle accident, Andy was relieved on some songs by Whit Draper. Whit was a member of the original band and performed on their first CD Stink Bomb!.

The Strange Tones performed songs from their latest CD At Home With The Strange Tones as well as some old favorites from their previous CDs We’re On Our Way, Crime-A-Billy, and Stink Bomb!.

The band’s live energy was reciprocated by whooping and hollering and a packed dance floor.

I talked with Julie after the show and she exclaimed, “What a perfect way to ring in the new year with all our Strange Tones family and friends. We have such a long history with Duff’s, so it was great playing in their new room. And having Strange Tones alum Whit Draper sit in made it extra special!”

The Aladdin Theater Welcomes Eclectic Guitars Featuring Eric Johnson & Mike Stern- Feb 6th

Eric Johnson & Mike Stern - press photoTwo of the world’s most adept guitarist players are joining forces for a show that is certain to amaze both fans and players alike. Eric Johnson is able to mesh the sounds of country, blues, pop, rock and jazz and has collaborated with the likes of Sonny Landreth, Jimmie Vaughan, Jonny Lang and Steve Miller. He has also won a Grammy Award along with ten nominations. Mike Stern is a jazz and fusion guitar master with three decades of performances behind him with six Grammy nominations of his own. With the two of them on stage together, expect to be treated to a show that will expand all boundaries possible on guitar.

Eric Johnson and Mike Stern will be performing at The Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., on Friday, February 6th. Show time is 8:00 pm and minors are welcome when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets are $35.00 advance/day of show and may be purchased at either the Aladdin Theater box office or through www.TicketFly.com.

Valentine’s Day Double Header: Aryon Jones / Rich Layton & The Troublemakers At White Eagle- Feb 14th

McMenamins White Eagle Saloon will be throwing a terrific Valentine’s Day show, Saturday, February 14th, that’ll feature two of the Northwest hottest acts, Ayron Jones & The Way and Rich Layton & The Troublemakers.Ayron Jones & The Way - press photo

Seattle blues rockers Ayron Jones & The Way have become one of Seattle’s hottest up-and-coming acts with their hybrid style of guitar playing pioneered by Jimi Hendrix, in which the chord and solo are played at the same time, and infused the raw energy of punk with the inner-city attitude of Hip-Hop. The result is a soulful reincarnation of that iconic Seattle sound. Think Stevie Ray Vaughan meets Nirvana.

Rich Layton & The Troublemakers are Portland’s premier purveyors of classic Gulf Coast music that covers both familiar music from Texas and Louisiana alongside their own rockin’ originals that Layton describes as “Rich crafts sharply drawn songs of good times and bad choices, big dreams and bad timing. Hope may hang by a thread, but it’s never out of reach.”

The White Eagle is located at 836 N Russell Street. Admission is $8.00 advance and day of show. 21 & over only. Advance tickets may be purchased at www.cascadetickets.com.

Bill Rhoades’ Harmonica Summit Celebrates Twenty Years- Feb 21

summit20“We’re Back”! The 20th Annual Blues Harmonica Summit” will be held on Saturday February 21st at The Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St, from 8:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. $10.00 cover at the door. 21 and over only (sorry). Hard to believe that it’s been going for 20 years, but we’ve managed with all the great support from our harmonica fans.

This year’s show will feature one of the world’s greatest women blues harmonica players, Lynnann Hyde! Coming over the mountains from Bend, OR, Lynnann got a lot of attention and turned some heads the last time she was at the Summit!

Though he’s been very ill from cancer treatments, Mike Moothart can still blow the harp better that most players out there and he will be at the Summit ready to prove that.

Making the trek down south from Seattle will be the great Kim Field. If you ever get the chance to read the book “Harp Blowers & Heavy Breathers,” Kim wrote that excellent book about many of the great harmonica players. One of the best from Seattle!

One of our great and eclectic harp men from here in Portland, Johnny Ward will also be on the bill. I say it every time that Johnny plays, you never know what he’s going to come up with and it’s a harp lesson to hear what he does.

Another veteran player from here in Portland, Dave Mathis is appearing at the Summit. Dave currently plays with Michael Osborn and the Drivers and if we’re lucky he’ll bring Michael along for some stinging guitar licks.

And last is your host and harp player, Bill Rhoades, a multiple Muddy Award winner and long-time Northwest Bluesman. Bill brings a vast knowledge of blues music and can wrestle with the blues harp himself!

Backing up all of our featured harp players will be an All Star House Band. If you like blues guitar, three of the Northwest’s finest will be on the bill. From Eugene, OR, Sir Henry Cooper and his unique slide guitar; originally from Austin, Texas, Newel C Briggs and his beautiful fretwork; and “The Orca” Chuck Laiti from here in Portland, with his slashing style!

On drums will be “Sweet” Jolie Clausen, another Northwest Vet. And on bass will be Katey May Angel.  All Blues All The Time!

Don’t miss this Harmonica Party / Show Down / Harp Slingers / Harp Bash / Harp Throw Down / Harmonica Armageddon! No matter what you call it, this is the First, Original and One and Only “Blues Harmonica Summit”! Don’t miss it! I don’t know if we have another 20 years in us. See it while you can!

Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition At The White Eagle- Feb 6th

Jimbo Mathus - press photoMississippi rocker Jimbo Mathus, perhaps best known as the frontman for The Squirrel Nut Zippers, has a long association with the blues as an artist and studio wizard, having worked with musicians like Buddy Guy and as a member of the South Memphis String Band alongside Alvin Youngblood-Hart and The North Mississippi All Stars’ Luther Dickinson. Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition will be returning to Portland on Friday, February 6th at The White Eagle for a 9:30 pm show. His latest recording, Dark Night Of The Soul on the Fat Possum label releases just days after his appearance in Portland, so expect a nice sampling of newer music combined with old favorites. The new album is a hodge-podge of all things Southern, with bits of Southern rock, funky pieces, swampy blues and other roots forms.

McMenamins White Eagle Saloon is located at 836 N Russell St. This is a 21 & over only show. Tickets can be purchased in advance through www.cascadetickets.com for $10.00 general admission. Portland renowned roots musician Lewi Longmire will open the show.

Naomi T To Compete In 2015 American Idol

The Cascade Blues Association would like to say congratulations and good luck to Portland’s own Naomi Tatsuoka, who works locally under the name Naomi T, for being selected as one of this year’s contestants on American Idol. Naomi travelled to Kansas City a few months back to take part in the audition process and was sworn to keep the results under her hat until the show was Naomi-Tatsuoka-press photobroadcast in early January. The song that she sang in the audition was Adele’s “Someone Like You,” impressing the three judges, Harry Connick, Jr, Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban. The next step will take her to Hollywood, California to continue the competition which airs on the Fox Network.

Locally Naomi T works in a variety of projects that she fronts, including Soul Provider, The Diva Project, and August In Blue. She recently released her debut album, Flight Of  The Dragon and also appeared on the compilation Shari’s 3am Sessions.

PDX Jazz Festival Welcomes Lucky Peterson- Mar. 1st

Lucky Peterson - photo by Greg JohnsonLucky Peterson has been amazing audiences since he was discovered as a child prodigy at the age of three by Willie Dixon. The son of blues man James Peterson, Lucky grew up surrounded by the blues and has shown his adeptness at guitar and keyboards, as well as his outstanding vocals and songwriting, for more than four decades. His music fuses the blues with soul, gospel, R&B and rock, he is a versatile musician whose talents have been termed as mind-boggling.

Touring on the recent release of his latest album, The Son Of A Bluesman, Lucky Peterson brings his electrifying performance to The Aladdin Theater for one night only on Sunday, March 1st as part of the PDX Jazz Festival. Show time is 8:00 pm and The Aladdin is located at 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. Minors are welcome when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets are available at The Aladdin Theater box office or through www.TicketFly.com for $30.00 advance, $35.00 day of show.

Lucinda Williams Comes To Portland For Two Nights- Feb 8 & 9

Lucinda Williams - press photoSince recording her first albums in the late 1970s, Lucinda Williams has been one of the country’s most favored cross over artists. Starting out her career blending country and blues, she has since been able to draw attention from the folk, rock and Americana genres, too. With three Grammy Awards and another five nominations, Williams latest release is a double-album titled Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone that has been described as “leaving no emotional crevice left unexplored, drinking deeply from a well of inspiration that culminates with an offering that overflows with delta-infused country soul.”

Lucinda Williams will be returning to Portland for a two-night stand at The Aladdin Theater, Sunday, February 8th and Monday, February 9th. Show time is 8:00 pm each night and Monday’s show is open to all ages when minors are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets are $42.50 in advance, $45.00 day of show, available at The Aladdin Theater box office or through www.TicketFly.com.

Gulf Coast Piano Legend Marcia Ball Returns To The Aladdin Theater- Feb 5th

The Texas-born, Louisiana-raised musical storyteller has earned worldwide fame for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she strolls onto the stage. Her groove-laden New Orleans boogie, deeply soulful ballads and rollicking Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of- a-kind favorite with music fans all over the world. In 2010, she was inducted into the Gulf Coast Music Hall Of Fame and in 2012 into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. She’s received a total of six Living Blues Awards and nine Blues Music Awards (and has a whopping 42 nominations). She’s received five Grammy Award nominations, including for four of her five previous Alligator albums. Always a songwriter of renown, Ball delved deeper into songwriting than she ever had in her career
with her Grammy-nominated 2010 Alligator release, Roadside Attractions, creating
one of her best and most personal albums.

Marcia Ball is currently touring in support of her latest Alligator Records’ release, The Tattooed Lady And The Alligator Man, and she also once again nominated for two Blues Music Awards in 2015. Ball will be performing at The Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., on Thursday, February 5th, for an all ages (21 & younger when accompanied by a parent or guardian) show starting at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available at the Aladdin Theater box office or through www.TicketFly.com, $27.50 advance, $30.00 day of show.

Fat Tuesday At Duff’s Garage – Feb 14th

Looking for a little Mardi Gras happening on Fat Tuesday? The New Iberians will be joining Bon Ton Roulet, two of Portland’s finest zydeco and Cajun themed acts for their annual Mardi Gras party at Duff’s Garage. This year they will also feature chef Terry Anne who will be cookin’ her famous chicken and andouille sausage file’ gumbo.

For seventeen years The New Iberians have been bringing their fun-filled, energetic dance music that reflect their roots in Louisiana zydeco, Northwest rock and Chicago blues to fans in the Northwest. The band is made up of sensational musicians: bandleader, accordion player and vocalist Evan Shlaes, rubboard player and vocalist Ural Thomas, Clark Salisbury on guitar, Linc McGrath on bass, drummer Fred Ingram and keyboard and harmonica man Claes Almroth.

Bon Ton Roulet has also been a long-time zydeco favorite in what they term “the Willamette Valley Bayou.” And they also feature fantastic musicians with Ted Hart on accordion, vocalist and fiddle player Annie Rosen, Dominic Maze on Bass,  Dave Muldoon on Drums, and guitarist Eran Schweitzer.

This is one event sure to get your gris gris going for Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday happens this year on Tuesday, February 17th. Duff’s Garage is located at 2530 NE 82nd. Showtime is 9:00 pm. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so make sure to show your membership card for a $1.00 discount on admission.