What’s on Tap for January’s General Membership Meeting . . .

Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24th Ave, Portland
Wednesday, January 3 – 7:00 pm
Members always Free – Non-Members $5.00
(Members please show your current cards at the door)
Opening Acoustic Set – Lee Blake
Second Electric Set – Ty Curtis

If you want to experience a tasty bit of great blues music to start out the new year, there will be no better opportunity than you’ll find at Catfish Lou’s on the first Wednesday for the Cascade Blues Association’s monthly general meeting. Two acts will be presented that have held long-time status amongst the very best of the region and you can catch them both in the same place for what is surely to be a dynamic night of music.

Opening the evening will be Mississippi Lee Blake. This expressive vocalist and sensational guitarist has been performing around the Portland area since the late 1980s, working as a solo musician and with groups such as The Rockin’ Razorbacks, The Snake Charmers, and The Lee Blake Band. For the meeting, Blake will be appearing as a solo artist, working his steel bodied resonator and slide guitars. A bluesman at heart, he can also deliver offerings of R&B, roots, and retro-style rock, both covers and original music, with a specialty of bringing people to the dance floor even with his acoustic playing. It has been a little more than five years since Blake last performed at a CBA meeting — way too long for us to host one of Portland’s true blues legends.

Over the past few years, the Ty Curtis Band has built a following not only around his home-state of Oregon, but for the past couple years in his second, adopted home in Austin, Texas. While visiting over the past month, Curtis asked to perform at the CBA monthly meeting and we’re more than happy to oblige. Along with the explosive rhythm section of drummer Jerry Jacques and bassist Tony Valdez, Curtis and his incendiary guitar work and over the top vocals bring a ton of excitement every time they take a stage. Accolades follow this young bluesman who has been a local mainstay for more than a decade; a second place showing at the 2009 International Blues Challenge and seven CBA Muddy Awards including a 2017 recognition for regional blues act of the year. Aside from his guitar prowess and singing, Curtis is a gifted songwriter who can turn up the heat on blistering rocking blues or tear at your heartstrings with emotional ballads.
This is a not to miss meeting, so you know that you’re going to want to show up early to find a seat and good view of the stage. Pick up your free drawing ticket as you enter the venue for your chance to win prizes, or purchase a ticket or even a few of our $1.00 a chance raffle to win a multi-CD package. January and 2018 is going to start the blues year off right at the CBA meeting.