New Music to Note-September 2021

Here’s a list of new music received at the CBA office, purchased personally, or listened to this past month of note:

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite – No Mercy In This Land (ANTI- Records)
Bettye LaVette – Things Have Changed (Verve)
Breezy Rodio – Sometimes The Blues Got Me (Delmark)
David Vest – David Vest (Cordova Bay Records)
Marcia Ball – Shine Bright (Alligator Records)
Peter V Blues Train – Running Out Of Time (Self Produced)
Sue Foley – The Ice Queen (Stoney Plain Records)
Teresa James and The Rhythm Tramps – Here In Babylon (Jesi-Lu Records)
Tim Woods – Human Race (Self Produced)
Victor Wainwright and The Train – Victor Wainwright and The Train (Ruf Records)

Brother Yusef

Brother YusefBrother Yusef has been described as a master solo guitarist, as well as a uniquely passionate vocalist. His performances are as raw and honest as the genre has ever aspired to be. Honing his style over thirty years, Yusef calls his multifaceted musical approach , “Fattback Blues” — a rich mix of Delta , Chicago, and Texas blues alongside a hard driving Louisiana stomp. It combines “traditional” fingerpicking and slide guitar playing with the contemporary feel of urban blues, rock and funk, using his right hand thumb to beat out a percussive bass-line and shuffle, while the index finger plays rhythm and lead lines, creating a full band sound with a solo guitar. If you love the grit of grinding passionate blues you’ll love Brother Yusef; he’s absolutely a stand-out talent by any measure. If you stand still while listening to his performance, check into a hospital— you’ve flat lined!

Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24th, welcomes Brother Yusef on Friday, May 18 for a 9:00 pm show. Tickets are $7.00 in advance through Tickettomato.com or $10.00 at the door day of show.

Hunter & The Dirty Jacks

Hunter & The Dirty JacksHunter & The Dirty Jacks play “California-Crafted Rock & Roll” – like 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. Jambandsonline describes their live performances as “dazzling musical reviewers both nationally and internationally with its uncompromising energy and theatrical dominance befitting of a band that follows the legacy of the Rolling Stones and the Black Crowes.”

The band will be taking the stage at the White Eagle Saloon, 836 N Russell Street, on Sunday, May 27,for a 7:00 pm appearance. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Cascadetickets.com for 8.00, or at the door day of show for $10.00 21 & over only.  The Dodgy Mountain Men open the show.

James Hunter

James Hunter has certainly paid his dues. Over the span of 30 years, he’s worked on the railway, busked in the streets of London, provided backup vocals and guitar for Van Morrison, played clubs and theaters all over the world, written scores of original songs, and recorded some of the most original and honest rhythm & soul albums of the last two decades. He’s recognized with nominations for a GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Blues Album and an American Music Award for Best New/Emerging Artist and has been called the United Kingdom’s greatest soul singer by Mojo magazine.

James Hunter will be appearing at The Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. on Saturday, May 26, for an 8:00 pm show open to all ages. Tickets are $25.00 and can be purchased in advance at Ticketfly.com.

Acoustic Guitar Summit Christmas

Acoustic Guitar SummitGrammy Award winners Doug Smith and Mark Hanson along with Oregon Music Hall of Fame member Terry Robb make up the Acoustic Guitar Summit – one of the region’s most accomplished musical groups. Performing together for over 20 years, the three bring a diverse musical journey to the stage with their impressive fingerstyle guitar and unique versions of classic favorites, Blues, Jazz, and Hawaiian slack key. Their wide-ranging, genre crossing repertoire rejoices in the rhythm and power of the instrument.

Acoustic Guitar Summit only performs a handful of shows every year, so it is always going to fill whatever venue they appear in. They will be returning to the Walters Cultural Arts center, 527 East Main Street in Hillsboro on Friday, May 18 for 7:30 pm show. This is open to all ages, with advance tickets available for $18.00 at Brownpapertickets.com, or at the door day of show for $22.00.

Booker T Jones

With a career spanning five decades, one can easily argue that Booker T. Jones set the cast for modern soul music and is largely responsible for its rise and enduring popularity.  On classic Stax hits such as “Green Onions,” “Hang ‘Em High,” “Time Is Tight,” and “Melting Pot,” Booker T. & the M.G.’s expanded soul music’s boundaries while distilling it to its essence. He then injected it into the nation’s bloodstream.

Jones has received many awards and accolades throughout the years, including induction into both the Rock & Roll and Musicians Halls of Fame, a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and four GRAMMY Awards. He’s currently touring in support of his latest release, Sound The Alarm — fortunately he’s scheduled two Oregon shows.

On Friday, May 4, he will be appearing at the Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta Street, in Portland for a 8:00 pm show. This event is open to all ages with tickets available at albertarosetheatre.com for $45.00 general admission or $65.00 preferred seating (first five rows in center section). Day of show admission is $55.00.

Then on Saturday, May 5, Booker T. Jones will be at The Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall Street, in Bend for a 7:00 pm show. Reserved seating for this show range from $49.50 to $79.00 and can be purchased at towertheatre.org.

2023 Journey to Memphis Finalists

The 2018 Cascade Blues Association Journey To Memphis competition will take place at Mekong Bistro, 8200 NE Siskiyou Street, Portland over the weekend of Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. Fifteen acts will face off for the right to represent the Cascade Blues Association and the region at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN in early 2019. Past CBA acts have fared well in Memphis including Karen Lovely, Ty Curtis, and Rae Gordon each taking home prizes from the finals.

Each act will play 20 minute sets before a group of judges scoring them on blues content, vocals, instrumentation, originality, and stage presence. The top two scoring acts from each day will move onto the finals to held at the Waterfront Blues Festival on July 4 where the overall winner will be determined.

The Journey To Memphis is open to all ages. Admission is $10.00 each day, and those proceeds will be awarded as prize money to help defray some of the cost of traveling to Memphis.

The schedule for this year’s opening round is:

Saturday, May 19:
12:00 -Blue Owens Band
12:35 – David Pinsky
1:10 – Dan Lowe & Skeletal Remains
1:45 – Ben Rice
2:20 – Arrogant Bastards
2:55 -Riven
3:30 -The New Iberians

Sunday, May 20:
1:00 -Fenix Project
1:35 -Rae Gordon & Kivett Bednar
2:10 -Justus Reece
2:45 -Johnny Wheels & The Swamp Donkeys
3:20 -Al & The Bluetones
3:55 – The Lightning Kings
4:30 – The MojoBlasters
5:05 – Mick Schafer Band

Bandstand - Bandstand from Froggy - Bandstand - Lloyd Jones

Bayou Boyz, Soul Cookin’, and More
Things have changed a lot over the last year, the last few months, and even weeks. There have been health and living issues, but everything is on track and getting better. The loss of Blackwell’s caused us to regroup and rethink a lot of things that we’ve taken for granted, though, through the help of a great network of friends and fans, one venue lost has turned into two venues gained.
The month of May finds Soul Cookin’ still doing Wednesdays, 8:30-11:30, and the Bayou Boyz kicking it on Sundays, 5-8:00, at Spirits Pub, 4037 NE Cully Blvd. It’s the perfect replacement, with much of what you loved about Blackwell’s – a roadhouse with a bit of juke joint thrown in – but in a much-improved setting. With a full bar, a menu that’s simple, but varied, at reasonable prices, a covered smoking patio, great sight lines and friendly clientele, Spirits has the makings of a place that’s comfortable enough to call home.
As it has been for the past few years, Soul Cookin’ features Lloyd Jones, Brian Foxworth, and me, David Kahl, with either Dover Weinberg, Steve Kerin, or Louis Pain on keys. The Bayou Boyz, featuring Steve, Brian, and David in a Louisiana-based mashup of musical styles, has gone through two big changes. The first, of course, is the venue, but the bigger one is our guitar-vocalist. World-renowned instrumentalist, Mark Shark, has found demand for teaching to be so high that he had to step away from a full-time commitment to the band. He’ll still pop in occasionally, so there’ll still be some chances to see him with his old band mates. Fortunately, another great player is filling in that slot. Dan Berkery, who you’ve probably seen with the Rose City Kings, Sultans of Slide, Next Waltz, or several other great groups, is the perfect fit, exciting, entertaining, and a great hang.
Rounding things out for off-night entertainment, Mekong Bistro, 8200 NE Siskiyou, may seem an odd choice, but there’s convergence here. What do the Mekong area of Southeast Asia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Portland all have in common? They’re all river deltas, places where life flows, from backwaters and bayous, into larger bodies. They are places where the convergence of cultures makes something greater than the individual parts.
Mondays, 7:30-10:30, the Bayou Boyz puts a different spin on things. Over the past year-and-a-half, folks like Jesse Lee Young, Mark Bowden, Peter Dammann, Hershel Yatovitz, Ty Curtis, and more have brought their talents to the bandstand, expanding the musical range and creating opportunity. Bayou Boyz – Family Style is jamming on that riff, bringing a different featured guest each week. The response has been encouraging enough that things are looking very good for the future here. Speaking of which, AC Porter’s Tuesday nights have found a new home at Mekong Bistro, as well. Running from 7:30-10:30, AC draws on a deep pool of featured guests, backed by a rotation of David Kahl and Timmer Blakely, John Moore, Brian Foxworth, or Jimi Bott. This is about as good as it gets, but it needs your support if it’s going to last. Mekong Bistro has everything you’d want in a dedicated music venue – roomy stage, seating, and dance floor, excellent cuisine, and plenty of parking.
Looking forward, stay tuned for updates on the Waterfront Blues Festival related shows at Hotel Rose, as well as what looks to be a major fundraising event in support of the Creative Community Cooperative Project – here’s a hint: remember the Mayor’s Ball, Artquake, and Neighbor Fair? Some of the best new things come from repurposing the old.
David Kahl

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Chad Rupp
People the 1-4-5 Blues Jam Party has been bringing some truly remarkable talent to stage! Please count yourself invited as we continue to bring live music to this great little venue. This jam is about you!!! Bring your instrument and count on having some fun playing blues with friends! The illustrious David Kahl teams with either Gene Ermel or Chandler Bowerman as your rhythm section! You never know who will show! You are so invited! Bring some friends and have a bite with us! 8PM Thursday nights! The Lair, 17720 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie, Oregon, OR 97267-6101.
Chad Rupp

David Vest
Cordova Bay Records

When you look for the definition of cool you’re likely going to find a reference to David Vest. His approach to the piano is second to none. With stylings that can channel the likes of Mose Allison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy “T-99” Nelson, or Sun Ra, he is the full package of entertainment and enlightenment. It is something that he was bred upon over his years pounding keys from Alabama to the Pacific Northwest and various points in between before finally landing in British Columbia.

As evidenced on his latest released, the self-titled David Vest, nobody does boogie piano more consistently or over the top than Vest. There’s definitely a reason why he takes home the prize every year at Canada’s Maple Blues Awards as the country’s finest keyboardist and it is definitely present here. That playing is enhanced by a stellar band consisting of long-time friend and fellow Paul deLay bandmate Peter Dammann along with Tom Bowler on guitars, Ryan Tandy on bass, and former Powder Blues drummer Billy Hicks who also co-produced the disc. And you’re getting the true sound that Vest purveys as the album was all recorded live in the studio first time through with next to no overdubs.

Opening with the moody paced “Some Old Lonesome Day” Vest immediately hypnotically draws you in, followed up with a rockier “Genevieve,” and then a 50s-driven rockabilly number in “Party in the Room Next Door.” There’s a touch of gospel with “Leak in this Old Building” and the band does a fantastic job of covering Billy Grammer’s 1959 country hit “Gotta Travel On” as a lively instrumental. A lot of musical diversity abounds throughout the album that prove that Vest follows in the tradition of the absolute best modern pianists and songwriters. And make no mistake he is one of those himself.

Total Time: 38:49

Some Old Lonesome Day / Genevieve / Party in the Room Next Door / Crocodile / Leak in this Old Building / What’s the Matter Now / Gotta Travel On / Decolonize Yourself / Renoviction Man / Lomax

Bettye LaVette CD Things Have Changed

Things Have Changed
Verve

Bettye LaVette CD Things Have ChangedBettye LaVette has one of the most distinctive voices in music today. Anything she sings is going to come out sounding as if it’s dripping in pure soul. Now, you’d never think of the Bob Dylan’s music, with its complex lyrics and patterns, to be something that a vocalist like LaVette would attempt, though his music has been covered by numerous other singers. But LaVette is open to any and all challenges and her interpretations of Dylan are unique and fresh.

The selections LaVette chose for this tribute recording, Things Have Changed, are not those most artists aim for. Usually people tend to go for the well-known hits from his catalog. But with the exception of “It Ain’t Me Babe” and “The Times They Are A-Changin’” LaVette selects lesser known songs. But these two time-worn tunes are done in a manner that is unrecognizable while still holding onto the impact of the originals. And that is true with all of the pieces on this recording. Dylan has always been regarding as a voice of social issues and protest over time, and that presence is in full strength in LaVette’s reworkings as well.

Produced by Steve Jordan, Bettye LaVette is backed by a more than capable grouping of musicians. Jordan helms the drums and is joined by bassist Pino Palladino, keyboardist Leon Pendarvis and former Dylan guitar player Larry Campbell. Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards and New Orleans’ Trombone Shorty also provide cameos on the disc. But despite the talent of this band, LaVette is never anywhere but out in front of the music as she should be.

Dylan’s music has never sounded more feisty or soulful than it does on Things Have Changed. Bettye LaVette proves that there’s nothing holding this powerhouse vocalist back from doing exactly what she wants. And she does it big fashion once again. Things Have Changed is a first-rate, spectacular release.

Total Time: 58:57

Things Have Changed / It Ain’t Me Babe / Political World / Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight / Seeing The Real You At Last / Mama, You Been On My Mind / Ain’t Talkin’ / The Times They Are A-Changin’ / What was It You Wanted / Emotionally Yours / Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others) / Going, Going, Gone