June 2017 - Page 4 of 5 - Cascade Blues Association

Beth Hart

Fire on the Floor
Provogue

Beth Hart has the goods to mix genres with relative ease and does so superbly. Her latest recording Fire on the Floor does just this as she can flow from the jazzy approach of the opening number “Jazz Man” to the soulful “Let’s Get Together” to funky “Baby Shot Me Down” to downright bluesy with “Fat Man” or the slow bonus track “Tell Her You Belong To Me” (featuring guest Jeff Beck on guitar). Her words are packed full of emotion. There is no mistaking the mood in her lyrics when she is feeling angry, joyful, or hurt. And with Fire on the Floor there is a lot of hurt going on. From being in love with somebody who loves someone else (“Woman You’ve Been Dreaming Of”) to the despair of being alone (“Good Day To Cry” or “No Place Like Home”). She bares it all, and in her vocal range and natural gift for phrasing her words Hart has very few peers.

The album was produced by Oliver Leiber and Hart is joined by an outstanding cast of musicians: guitar masters Waddy Wachtel, Michael Landau, and Dean Parks; Rick Marotta on drums; bassist Brian Allen; and keyboardists Jim Cox and Ivan Neville. It is a sensational follow-up to her previous disc Better Than Home that she stresses taxed her emotionally as the producer of that album Michael Stevens was suffering from terminal cancer during its creation. Seeking recovery from the emotional pain that had taken its toll, she immediately returned to the studio for Fire on the Floor and has again delivered an album of exceptional force.

Fire On The Floor is one of those albums that sounds great from the very beginning. It finds you thinking during every song, well that can’t be beat. But then the next one tops that. And the next one sfter that yet again. And again. This is an album filled with memorable moments. Her words are brought to life with the passion she delivers. If you’ve seen her perform, this is exactly what you’d expect. Animated and honest, Beth Hart is on top of her game once again.

Jazz Man / Love Gangster / Coca Cola / Let’s Get Together / Love Is A Lie / Fat Man / Fire On The Floor / Woman You’ve Been Dreaming Of / Baby Shot Me Down / Good Day To Cry / Picture In A Frame / No Place Like Home / Tell Her You Belong To Me

Micki Free

CD Review

Tattoo Burn-Redux
Mysterium Blues Records

The original album Tattoo Burn was a European release from 2012 that offered ten tracks, including two Hendrix covers, one live that was an exceptionally long performance. For the most part that album had its highlights, but treaded a little too thin. Luckily, Micki Free has gone back and remixed the disc, adding newer songs that make it much more complete overall. Thus the the title, Tattoo Burn-Redux. And the result is worth hearing as what was once an overlooked release now sounds like a number of tracks that could be essentials for blues-rock.

Micki Free is an extremely vicious guitarist who can bite with the best of rockers yet can bring a spell-binding slow blues to perfection. He is no stranger to the music world, though. Best known for his time with the popular bands Shalamar and Crown of Thorns, he is a winner of both a Grammy Award (for his work on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack) and five Native American Music Awards (he is of Cherokee-Comanche mixed heritage).

Free claims that his influences are from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, Tommy Bolin, Carlos Santana, and Jimmy Page, so you know that this is very much going to be rocking blues recording. And that is exactly what you’re getting here. Hard-hitting fret work, and if that is to your liking, you will be very much pleased . That mode is exceptionally displayed throughout the disc with stellar originals, he gives a very tasty reading of Jimi Hendrix number (not from the original release) “Hey Baby (The New Rising Sun).” Even his holiday tune “Five Minutes Till Christmas” has a burning guitar shuffle going on that makes it a good listen even when it’s not that time of year.

Strong lyrics accompany his guitar work. On “Tattoo Burn” he talks about how much in love he was when he had her name placed on his arm, but that loved turned bad and now that tattoo burns. Perhaps it’s the same woman that his mama told him to stay away from, but he didn’t listen and now he finds himself “Six Feet Down In The Blues” since she left him, a searing slow blues that drives that sadness home.

There is plenty of help from guests, including The Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, Mark “Muggy Doo” Leach (Buddy Miles Express), Cindy Blackman-Santana (Lenny Kravitz), and former Shalamar bandmate Howard Hewett who provides vocals on the funky gospel-inflected track “God Is On The Phone.” And despite the star power, this is a group of musicians that works tightly and doesn’t have one overshadow anybody else, though Free is clearly the center focus as he should be.

Micki Free has dealt a lot of different musical hands over the years with a great deal of success, but he has found a true winning formula with the blues. Tattoo Burn-Redux is a very surprising and exciting album that contains a lot of appeal that now cries to be heard. Perhaps instead of “redux” it could have been called “resurrection,” because the album has new life generated and is a masterful piece of work.

Total Time: 52:15

God Is On The Phone / Tattoo Burn / Greens & Barbeque / Six Feet Down In The Blues / There’s A Hole In The Heart Of The Blues / Mojo Black Coffee / Co-Co-Gin / Angels In The Room / Hey Baby (The New Rising Sun) [Remix] / Five Minutes ’til Christmas / Sometimes In Winter

Curtis Salgado The Night’s Biggest Winner at 38th Blues Music Awards

Cascade Blues Note

Local blues icon Curtis Salgado received three nominations for this year’s prestigious Blues Music Awards and walked away with all three, making him the most awarded artist of the night. Salgado received recognition as Soul Blues Artist of the Year, Soul Blues Recording for The Beautiful Lowdown, and Song of the Year for the tune “Walk a Mile In My Blues” from The Beautiful Lowdown album, co-written by David Duncan and Mike Finnigan. Despite not being able to attend while recovering from a recent heart attack and by-pass surgery, Salgado sent a message to The Blues Foundation thanking the members who voted for the awards and congratulating each of the other nominees. The message also drew a laugh as Salgado mentioned that his doctor told him he could no longer have pork ribs, hot links or sweet potatoes which he was sure many were enjoying while visiting Memphis for the show.

Other multiple winners of the night included Joe Bonamassa taking home the Instrumentalist – Guitarist Award and the coveted BB King Entertainer of the Year recognition; Bobby Rush for Album of the Year for Porcupine Meat and Historical Album for Chicken Heads: A 50 Year History of Bobby Rush; and the Tedeschi Trucks Band who were honored with Band of the Year and Rock Blues Album for Let Me Get By. (Susan Tedeschi from the band was also named Contemporary Blues Female Artist).

Local musicians Lisa Mann and Jimi Bott were amongst the performers who played in the sixteen musical sets throughout the event. All in all, given the terrific talent that performed, this was a rare night, likely never to be repeated on stage.

The complete list of the 2017 Blues Music Award winners is:

Acoustic Album: “The Happiest Man in the World,” Eric Bibb

Acoustic Artist: Doug MacLeod

Album: “Porcupine Meat,” Bobby Rush

B.B. King Entertainer: Joe Bonamassa

Band: Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Emerging Artist Album: “Tengo Blues,” Jonn Del Toro Richardson

Contemporary Blues Album: “Bloodline,” Kenny Neal

Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Susan Tedeschi

Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Kenny Neal

Historical: “Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush,” Bobby Rush (Omnivore Recordings)

Instrumentalist-Bass: Biscuit Miller

Instrumentalist-Drums: Cedric Burnside

Instrumentalist-Guitar: Joe Bonamassa

Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Kim Wilson

Instrumentalist-Horn: Terry Hanck

Koko Taylor Award: Diunna Greenleaf

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Victor Wainwright

Rock Blues Album: “Let Me Get By,” Tedeschi Trucks Band

Song: “Walk a Mile in My Blues” written by David Duncan, Curtis Salgado & Mike Finigan and performed by Curtis Salgado

Soul Blues Album: “The Beautiful Lowdown,” Curtis Salgado

Soul Blues Female Artist: Mavis Staples

Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado

Traditional Blues Album: “Can’t Shake This Feeling,” Lurrie Bell

Traditional Blues Male Artist: Bob Margolin

Gary Clark Jr.

CD Review

Live / North America 2016
Warner Brothers

This album was recorded during Clark’s 2016 tour supporting the album The Story of Sunny Boy Slim, so it shouldn’t come as surprise that seven of the tracks included come from that disc. This is Clark’s second live album to date, following the hugely successful 2014 Live double-disc release. This new live album includes a couple tracks that were also featured from that first release, “When My Train Pulls In” and the closing tune “Numb,” but live performances are never the same and it showcases just how stunning this band’s live work actually flows and changes over time.

All of the performances are stellar from Clark and his band that includes King Zapata trading guitars licks, and the rhythm section of drummer Johnny Radelet and bassist Johnny Bradley. There were no overdubs used for this recording, so what you hear here is exactly what you’d get when witnessing a show first-hand. And exactly what that is is an earth-shaking performance, start-to-finish, with this band driving the pace to the edge. A prime example has to be “Shake,” where guest vocalist Leon Bridges, along with saxophonist Jeff Dazey, joins Clark on slide guitar and this number flat out rips it up. Frenetic and spell-binding.

Clark pays heed to those blues artists that have paved the musical path before him with covers of Jimmy Reed’s “Honest I Do” and Elmore James’ “My Baby’s Gone.” But like newer artists, he has been exposed and influenced by modern musicians as well. So it is not surprising to have these guitar pieces come across as extended jams, sounding a bit on the soulful side vocally, perhaps a little psychedelia tossed in or even capturing a bit of grunge taste in their approach. It’s raw, expressive, and hits right to the bone.

This is more than a glimpse of the direction blues is headed, and like say Stevie Ray Vaughan thirty years-plus ago, this young bluesman is taking us on a carnival ride that we just don’t want to end. Make no mistake, Gary Clark Jr is at the forefront of the pack of today’s blues artists. He’s setting the bar high, and as witnessed on this, and his previous live discs, he is a master on stage at delivering exactly what we’re after. Not to be missed.

Total Time: 1:14:21

Grinder / The Healing / Our Love / Cold Blooded / When My Train Pulls In / Down To Ride / You Saved Me / Shake / Church / Honest I Do / My Baby’s Gone / Numb

MUDDY AWARDS 2018 – Voting

Cascade Blues Announcement, Muddy Awards

We have yet to get through summer but the Muddy Awards nomination and voting activity is on our radar. Be advised that the nomination and voting process will begin in the fall. In preparation for this, we are working hard to ensure it goes much more smoothly than last year. We are all learning as we go.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?

Make sure you have your correct email on file with us. You will need email to participate
Do you know your Membership #? You will need that information as well to participate as only members can vote. In the monthly email blast you receive, your membership # is included at the bottom.
If you don’t know your member number, of course we can provide it. Send an email to membership.secretary@gmail.com
As we go through the year – try to keep in your mind the shows and performers you saw during the year. This will help as we get closer to the nomination process. We all know how memory can get foggy – so keep a list.
Nomination process and Voting will be online only.

Thanks again to our wonderful membership for being patient as we work to improve the process.

Fourth Annual Rally At The Border Blues Fest

Past PDX Blues Event

Oroville, Washington’s Rally at the Border Blues Fest will take place Friday and Saturday, August 25 and 26. The 2017 festival marks the city’s fourth year of attracting music lovers from around the region and beyond to enjoy blues music performed by multiple bands. Music will be performed at indoor venues both Friday and Saturday evenings in addition to the Saturday main stage event outdoors at the city’s Deep Bay Park on the shores of beautiful Lake Osoyoos between noon and 10 PM. In the festival’s established tradition, an All-star Jam Session will take place in town on Saturday after the fest at the park. Once again, the Festival will open at Veranda Beach Resort with our BBQ & Blues at the Beach.

The Festival has scheduled plenty of crowd-pleasing music for 2017. Headlining this year’s line-up will be Portland’s master bluesman Lloyd Jones. The all-star lineup will also feature The Randy Oxford Band, Junkbelly, Laffin’ Bones, Voodoo Church, and Anita Royce & The High Rollers.

Be sure to make your advance reservation. Admission to the event at the Deep Bay Park is $20 in advance at Rallyattheborderbluesfest.org or for $25 the day of the event at the venues. Saturday’s event at Deep Bay Park will have designated areas for those under 21 accompanied by an adult. Food and merchandise, including a beer garden, will be on hand. Attendees must bring their own seating. Shuttle service will be provided between Deep Bay Park and Main Street locations in Oroville. There is vehicle parking approximately 500 feet from the park venue. A range of overnight accommodations is available in and around Oroville from campgrounds to luxury resort cottages. Tent camping may be reserved at Deep Bay Park for a fee of $10 per night.

Ramblings On My Mind – July 2017

Ramblings

Greg Johnson, CBA President

If you look at the history of the world you will recognize that the arts have made a difference to our culture throughout time. Sure, military power may have played a role in developing borders and empires, but empires come and go and borders can change. But the art created by mankind is always remembered and stands the test of time. Be it literature, fine arts, architecture, or music. It will always be there.

It doesn’t have to be on an international level where only countries are noted. America took the creativeness of Europeans and Africans and developed their own signatures in music with the blues, gospel and jazz. It is something that should be celebrated. That goes for individual cities as well. It is what makes living in certain locations desirable. Weather and economy play their role obviously, but music and the arts make life more enjoyable. It gives a city its personality. And sadly so often it is these aspects that are overlooked by those in the power to make it enriched.

Recently for example we have witnessed media outlets that may have forgotten this fact. In Portland there is a huge blues community. It is rich with world-class musicians calling the city home. Yet despite a large fan base, the blues seem to be one of the first musical genres to be dropped from radio stations. In its place we see commercialized programming aimed at younger audiences. And it all sounds the same no matter where you go across the country. The same sounds being played endlessly over and over. Pop drivel that has no local personality and doesn’t bear the historical background behind the music as it has developed over time.

Print media, and more so online as printed outlets are also becoming something of the past, has not been much better. Local music, other than major events are not being noted as much as huge benefit shows or multi-act events happening somewhere else in the world. Even musical listings of venues or events around town are being cut drastically short or left out altogether. And what does that mean? A lot of people are not going to be aware of shows and events happening in our midst. It means that smaller audiences will show up. Venues will look for other means of grabbing your hard earned dollar or even having to close their doors due to lack of business. Touring acts will look elsewhere and local musicians will have less work and in turn may look to other locations to move to that might be able to offer more.

We need these voices to be heard. We need the media outlets to recognize the wealth and value of music and the arts in this city. We don’t want to sound the same as every other place in the country. Give us our individuality. Give us what makes our community special and unique.

The blues is one such point within Portland. Just look at the audiences at the Waterfront Blues Festival for example. But don’t be fooled, this is not a sound that only happens in early July every year. It is something going on every night of every week of every month. Unless it is silenced by a lack of attention or failure to recognize it.

Bring our music back home and let it be noted for all audiences of all ages. After all, it is a part of our local culture and something to be proud of. It is a part of our history and needs to be preserved. Let our arts be vital. In the long run we will all win when this is accomplished and the livability of community will rise.

Mark your Calendars — First Annual CBA Member Concert @the Crossings slated for August 6th

Cascade Blues Announcement, Cascade Blues Note

The CBA now has a new format for its annual member picnic. Mimicking the local Concerts in the Park style, we will hold the 2017 member concert on August 6 at Columbia Crossings located at 515 N. E. Tomahawk Island Drive. The day will include a line up of terrific blues with Billy Dee & The Hoodoos, Tracy Fordice Band, Franco Paletta & The Stingers, and The Thunder Brothers (watch this space for additional performers).

We will offer limited beer, wine, sodas, and water on site, but you’ll need to bring your own food to the event. Though we’re planning to arrange for food carts, there will be no BBQ pit or food tables. Dano’s Dogs will be offering food for sale and we hope to offer one more food option.

As in past years – this is a MEMBERS ONLY event. A family membership permits 2 adults and 2 children living in the same household. There will be a charge for additional children. CBA membership will be available for purchase at the event. So bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic basket and join us for a fabulous day of good friends and some killer blues.

Thank You Volunteers!!

Cascade Blues Announcement, Cascade Blues Note

The Cascade Blues Association occasionally holds events where it is necessary for extra hands to assist in making sure everything runs smoothly. We want to thank the following individuals for helping us out at the CBA 30, Journey To Memphis, and June Membership Meeting; we couldn’t have successfully held these events without you! Thank you!!

Alan Craig, Annette Young, Bob Smith, Cherie Robbins, Coila Ash, Don Holland, Gary Jaskowiak, J. Lofberg, June Walker, Kathy Kiwala, Ken Johnson, Madeleine Crawford, Mark Van Presentin, Mary Maxson, Miles Holland, Miles Stewart, Phil Messina, Richard LaChapelle, Sandy Forst, Sue Craig, Susan Dishaw, Susan Johnson, Terry Nolan, Tom Rich, Winnie Chapman

An extra huge thanks goes out to the crew who worked backstage at the CBA 30 concert. They’re all professional stage hands who usually are paid to work these events, but all donated their time, some putting in up to twelve-plus hours.

Charles Rowe, James Hurley, Jay Lawhorn, Lydia Salvey, Pat McDougal, Rebecca Rutledge, Steve Gross, Tim Rutter and Wesley Yurovchak.

If we missed anyone, it was an oversight. Please let us know — you are important to us.

I Am The Blues, 2015 Blues Documentary, Slated for Multiple Screenings In Portland Area

Past PDX Blues Event

Embark on a musical pilgrimage — from the swamps of the Louisiana Bayou to the juke joints of the Mississippi Delta and the moonshine-soaked BBQs in the North Mississippi Hill Country. I Am The Blues travels the backroads of the deep south with the blues musicians rooted in the genre’s heyday – many now in their 80s – and still touring the Chitlin’ Circuit. Let 2017 Grammy Award winner Bobby Rush, Barbara Lynn, Henry Gray, Carol Fran, Little Freddie King, Lazy Lester, Bilbo Walker, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, RL Boyce, LC Ulmer, Lil’ Buck Sinegal, and their friends awaken the blues in all of us.

Documentarian and writer Daniel Cross’s I Am The Blues, is coming to the Portland area for several nights of screenings at the following locations (check theater websites for complete run dates).

Saturday, July 1 – Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. (One day only)
Opening on Friday, July 14 – Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main Street, Vancouver, WA
Opening on Friday, July 21 – Liberty Theatre, 315 NE 4^th Avenue, Camas, WA