Ramblings On My Mind-July 2015

ramblings201306BNGreg Johnson / CBA President

Summer sure is kicking off in a big way, especially in July. We all know about the Waterfront Blues Festival. Well, how can’t we? It is only one of the premier events in the blues world, and not just within our region. Four days of spectacular music every year and it just keeps getting more amazing every time.

But hold the phone Mabel, that is just a small part of what’s happening in Portland and the area in July. Reading the BluesNotes calendar is going to be quite impressive if you haven’t taken a look at it yet. This is a blues lover’s list of events to be certain with folks like John Mayall, Keb’ Mo’, Bobby Rush, Doug MacLeod, J.P. Soars and that’s only a small part of it people. Then there’s the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, Wintrhop up in Washington and something new called the Meier Farms Lavender & Wine Festival in Hillsboro on July 25 featuring Boyd Small and others to be announced. And watch for free concerts happening in the city parks, they always include a fair number of blues acts throughout the summer.

But all is not fun and games in the blues world. Life still goes on and our blues community lost a good friend this last month with the passing of my friend and sometimes partner in CBA events Jackson Lee. Jackson was the president before I took the role on when he stepped down. RIP Jackson, I will certainly be one of the many who will miss you.

In good news, however, I want to send out a huge congratulations to Tracey Fordice and Randy Yearout who decided to take the walk down matrimony lane, getting married in a ceremony at The Lehrer in June. In their normal ways, it was a humorous and very enjoyable ceremony and we wish them many years of life together and happiness.

So make the most of your summer everybody. There is plenty of live music going on in Portland all the time, but when the heat of the summer months come up, the music gets more plentiful, too. Must be something in the rain the rest of the year that fertilizes the music of summer. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, then you’re just not looking hard enough. Enjoy everybody!