Tag Archive for: Kevin Selfe

Delta Groove Recording Artists Sugaray Rayford and Kevin Selfe & The Tornadoes Team Up For Show At Duff’s Garage: Oct 24th

Delta Groove Records is one of the foremost blues labels today and two of their biggest recent success stories are teaming up for a fantastic night at Duff’s Garage, 1635 SE 7th, on Thursday, October 24th as part of a short Northwest tour that will also see them appearing in Walla Walla and Seattle.

Sugaray Rayford (photo by Alejandro Rodriguez)

Sugaray Rayford (photo by Alejandro Rodriguez)

When Sugaray Rayford belts out a song, you not only hear it, you feel it. The excitement in the room is palpable when he takes the stage; he is a superb vocalist and entertainer. His dynamic voice is large just like the man. With his old school vocal style, echoes of Muddy Waters, Otis Redding and Teddy Pendergrass can be heard. At 6’5″ he is a big man, but he moves with grace and energy. His fluid dance steps will remind you of the Legendary James Brown.

Kevin Selfe has been electrifying audiences nationwide since breaking into the blues scene Read more

Ilwaco Blues and Seafood

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Robin Gibson Blues Band

Robin Gibson Blues Band

The Ilwaco Blues and Seafood event returns for their 2013 version which may just be the strongest line-up yet in the event’s history. Happening Friday, August 16th and Saturday, August 17th at the Port of Ilwaco in Ilwaco, Washington.

The Robin Gibson Band with featured guest Kenny “Blue” Ray will open up the festival on Friday night followed by the North Coast Blues Band and our famous All Star Jam with the Heartbreakers, featuring a terrific line up of the Northwest’s premier female blues singers including Lucy Hammond, Rae Gordon, Lady A, Lady Kat True Blue, Maggie Kitson and Mary McPage.

Saturday night kicks off with Muddy Award Hall of Famers Kevin Selfe & the Tornadoes. He’ll be followed by The Strange Tones, who will be bringing the Volcano Vixens along to help blow the roof off. The original NW Boogie Cat, Norman Sylvester, is back by popular Read more

BANDSTAND

The Strange Tones

Hello Everybody,

Well summer’s in full swing, and it’s so nice to be playing and seeing friends in the great outdoors! We have such a variety of fun summer shows, from Pioneer Square to Willamette Park to Ilwaco Blues Fest, to name a few, and it’s always great to have a wider audience join our beloved usual suspects!

And when not gigging, we’ve also been spending a lot of time underground in the volcano, working on our top secret recording sessions. In fact, we just finished wrapping up the project and have sent it out for CD production!

And we have BIG NEWS: We’ve found the perfect location, and set the date for the official CD release! It’s going to be on Friday, September 20, at the Bossanova Ballroom. Located a few blocks from the Melody Ballroom, this historic Portland venue has been beautifully Read more

Kevin Selfe

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Long Walk Home
Delta Groove

Jump ahead two months. Kevin & The Tornadoes had just completed a stellar set at the Waterfront Blues Festival featuring many of the same cats from the new album on stage with them. I was sitting in the VIP area with Tornadoes bassist Allen Markel and his wife Lisa Mann as I noticed Kevin across the way in conversation with Delta Groove boss Randy Chortkoff. Kevin soon walked over with a grin on his face. “You just got signed, didn’t you?” I asked him. He didn’t need to say anything. By the way his face lit up even more I knew he had. And why not? A good portion of those appearing on the album, like Mitch Kashmar, Gene Taylor, Doug James and even Tornadoes drummer Jimi Bott had all been on Delta Groove releases in the past. It was a natural fit with its traditional blues flavored by with a little West Coast flair.

 The album, Long Walk Home, is by far the finest moment in Kevin Selfe’s songwriting abilities yet. The guest artists are a nice touch, but in reality it is the core group of The Tornadoes, Kevin with Allen and Jimi, that make this all come to life. The tracks are filled with gritty down home guitar work that takes you to the swamp or to the back alleys and even a little resonator thrown in for good measure. You can sense the Louisiana bayou come through on something like “Midnight Creeper” or “Too Much Voodoo.” You can feel the impact of Elmore James and Hound Dog Taylor on the slide piece “Put Me Back In Jail.” The pulsations of “Duct Tape On My Soul” and “Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool” delivers prime Kevin Selfe creations that have been primed for some time in his live performances. And his writing also makes you wonder about his luck with the opposite sex as he relates tales of the woman who breaks up after having him pack her things and moving her into a new home (“first you broke my back, then you broke my heart”) on “Moving Day Blues,” the “Dancing Girl” who shakes it with all those guys right in front of him while he plays, a little bit too provocative for his taste, and the girl who shows up after he’s been waiting for her to come home all night long whose clothes aren’t on just right and she’s “Walking Funny.” The stories are first class and blues through and through.

The band is also enhanced by the sensational horn parts arranged by Joe McCarthy. Some of these pieces have long been in Kevin’s songbook, like “Moving Day Blues” and “Walking Funny.” But they take on even more life with the brass added, courtesy of Chris Mercer, Brad Ulrich, Peter Moss, Doug James and McCarthy. Mitch Kashmar’s harp on “Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool” has that same impact, as does the keyboard work by Steve Kerin and Dover Weinberg in their appearances on the disc.

This is an album sure to be counted as one of the best Northwest releases of the year, and perhaps even amongst the best everywhere. Kevin Selfe & The Tornadoes work endlessly throughout the region all year long; but with Long Walk Home I predict we’re going to see a lot less of the guys as they will be in demand far outside of the area once people get the taste of this release. Excellent is only a mild term when describing this masterful work. Bravo Kevin Selfe!

Total Time: 50:09

Duct Tape On My Soul / Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool / Moving Day Blues / Last Crossroad / Dancing Girl / Midnight Creeper / Walking Funny / Too Much Voodoo / Second Box On The Left / The Blues Is My Home / Put Me Back In Jail

Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes February 24

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Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes February 24

Hi everybody! So, I have some really big news to share with you this month…we have signed a recording deal with world renown blues label, Delta Groove! The new CD entitled Long Walk Home is set to be released worldwide on February 19 and features 11 songs, all originals. Lots of incredible musicians on it including my band mates Jimi Bott and Allen Markel, Mitch Kashmar, Gene Taylor, Doug James, Joe McCarthy, Brad Ulrich, Steve Kerin, Chris Mercer, and Dover Weinberg. So very excited and honored to be a part of the Delta Groove family! I wanted to say thanks to Jimi and Allen, and all the musicians for putting in many hours of hard work and effort that went into making this happen. And also wanted to say thanks to Randy Chortkoff of Delta Groove for believing in me and giving us this opportunity! For more information about the CD and about the band and upcoming schedules, please feel free to visit www.deltagrooveproductions.com or www.kevinselfe.com

And speaking of upcoming schedules, now since we have the CD coming out, we’ve got to have a big party! On Sunday, February 24, we will have a CD release party at Duff’s Garage in SE Portland from 7-10pm. In addition to Jimi, Allen, and me, many musicians from the recording will be joining us on stage including Mitch Kashmar, Joe McCarthy, Brad Ulrich, Steve Kerin, Chris Mercer, and Dover Weinberg. Cover for the show is $12, and since it is a CBA co-sponsored show, members can get a $1 discount at the door.

This month marks six years since I packed up everything I owned and moved from Virginia to Portland without knowing a soul. Since then, I have made lifelong friends, experienced happiness inside and outside of music, grown both as a musician and as a person, have become part of a loving blues community. I can’t thank you all enough for welcoming me, accepting me, and showing your support over these six years. I am, and will be, forever grateful. Thank you all!

Kevin Selfe Celebrates Debut CD on Delta Groove

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Kevin Selfe Celebrates Debut CD
on Delta Groove
with Release Party at Duff’s Garage – Feb 24

Cascade Blues Association Hall of Fame member Kevin Selfe is set to release his debut recording on world renowned blues label, Delta Groove. The CD, entitled Long Walk Home, includes 11 original compositions demonstrating Selfe’s musical depth and diversity with forays into West Coast, Texas, Chicago and Delta blues. Long Walk Home features longtime Tornadoes bandmates Jimi Bott on drums (formerly with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Rod Piazza) and Allen Markel on bass, with guest appearances by veteran blues and roots musicians including Delta Groove labelmate Mitch Kashmar on harmonica, Gene Taylor (The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Blasters, Canned Heat) on piano, Doug James (Roomful of Blues, Jimmie Vaughan) on baritone sax, Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Brad Ulrich on baritone sax, Chris Mercer (John Mayall, Freddie King, Paul deLay Band) on tenor sax, Steve Kerin on piano, and Dover Weinberg on organ.

A CD release party for Long Walk Home will be held on Sunday, February 24th at Duff’s Garage at 1635 SE 7th Ave in Portland from 7-10PM. An all-star cast of artists from the recording will be on hand for the show including Tornadoes Jimi Bott and Allen Markel, Mitch Kashmar, Joe McCarthy, Chris Mercer, Brad Ulrich, Steve Kerin, and Dover Weinberg. Cover for the show is $12 and this is a CBA co-sponsored event with members receiving a $1 discount when presenting their current membership card at the door.