Greg Johnson / CBA President I hear it all the time. The blues are dying. Bunk! Though it may seem like there are fewer venues and a lot less media attention, the blues as a genre is definitely not on the verge of collapse. It may not look the same as it did twenty, thirty, […]
The Cascade Blues Association is joining the twenty-first century — for the first time we will conduct the Muddy Awards nominations and final voting online. This will allow us to verify that only one vote is received per email address and will also make it easier for us to automatically tally the returns within a […]
Devestatin’ Rhythm Ark-O-Matic Even if David Vest were not the articulate songwriter that he is, his piano playing would still be able to tell stories that’d capture your attention. His expressive boogie style just has a way of its own to speak of the greatest tall tales you may have ever heard, but everything he […]
By Laurie Morrisey Picture a Portland, Oregon Christmas when a child was 11…“Under the tree, wrapped in white tissue paper and tied with a red ribbon was a long cardboard box containing a guitar bought from the local department store for $13.97. The strings were so far off the frets it took a pair of vice […]
I first became acquainted with Roger “Hurricane” Wilson through online blues discussion boards nearly twenty years ago. Through these conversations I knew him as a touring musician and not much else at the time. Not too long down the road we had the opportunity to meet face to face at the International Blues Challenge. Roger […]
On an overcast, humid afternoon at the Waterfront Blues Festival, the Cascade Blues Association held its 17th annual Journey To Memphis finals. In early June, eighteen bands began the competition to select the Cascade Blues Association’s representative for the International Blues Challenge next January in Memphis. The Rose Room hosted two hard-fought evenings of music […]
Last month we lost Dave Miller, who was known by many around the Portland blues scene. Dave’s business card said “Brewing the Blues since ’62.” In grade school and high school Dave played Dixieland jazz on trombone with his brother Fred on clarinet and their band teacher on cornet. Dave went to a congressional page […]
Here’s a list of new music received at the CBA office or purchased personally this past month that should be noted: AG Weinberger – Mighty Business (Bigfoot Records) Chase Walker Band – Not Quite Legal (Revved Up Records) David Vest – Devestation Rhythm ( Ark-O-Matic) Kalo – Dear John, (Self Produced) Markey Blue – The […]
I Surrender Self Produced When I reviewed Gabriel Cox’s debut album a couple years ago, the first thing I said that you’re going to notice is that this man can sing. Does that bear repeating? Cox is a natural singer whose voice is filled with so much soul and emotion that it can make you […]
Since 2005, The Blues Foundation has held an annual competition to recognize excellence in independent blues recordings. The Best Self-Produced CD competition allows affiliated blues societies from around the world to submit one entry each, preferably selected by a regional competition. The Cascade Blues Association has taken part in this event since its inception, including […]