41st Annual Good in the Hood Multicultural Festival Goes Virtual!  June 26-27

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41st Annual Good in the Hood

41st Annual Good in the Hood
Multicultural Festival Goes Virtual!
June 26-27

One of the longest running festivals in Portland goes virtual this year.  The event is being live streamed from 3-7 p.m. each day.

Get updated information and register for the free live stream here:

https://www.goodnthehood.org/2021-festival.html

If you sign up before June 10, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win prizes — wine tasting for four, tickets to a private concert, a bike, T-shirts and more.

Here is a video from Norman Sylvester, who has been a part of this from the beginning.

Greg Johnson Health Update

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Greg Johnson Health Update

Greg Johnson Health Update

As you may know, Greg Johnson had a stroke right after completing his first chemo treatment the last week of May. Greg will be in the hospital at Providence St. Vincent in Portland, then be transferred to a care facility before starting a rehabilitation program.  After the rehab is complete, Greg will be reevaluated for the restart of his cancer treatment.

This is devastating news for his wife Cherie, his family and friends, the CBA and of course the greater Pacific NW Blues Community.

If you are in a position to help financially, please donate to the Go Fund Me https://gofund.me/19a001b2

*Save the date for the first music fundraiser planned for Saturday July 17th, at the Mulino Blues Festival.

Waterfront Blues Festival July 2-5, 2021

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Waterfront Blues Festival July 2-5, 2021

Waterfront Blues Festival July 2-5, 2021

It’s getting closer!

With safety at the forefront of planning, the festival is moving less than a mile “Upriver” to The Lot at Zidell Yards, Portland’s premier socially-distanced, outdoor performance venue, located in the South Waterfront neighborhood. Each day of the festival will include two separately ticketed shows, featuring several performances from amazing local, regional and national artists.

Tickets go on sale June 1 at 10 AM!  

Tickets for each show will be $75 GA & $100 VIP per person, with seating pods sold as 2, 4, and 6-person groups. Seating pods will be clearly marked and socially-distanced with at least 6 feet between each pod. Each pod will come furnished with chairs and a side table. Your pod will become your festival home where you are free to dance, sip on a cold beverage, and enjoy the music.

Each day of the festival will include two separately ticketed shows — an Afternoon Show from 12-4 PM and an Evening Show from 6-10 PM. There are no multi-day passes available this year.

If you have additional questions, please call Ticket Tomato at 1-800-820-9884 between 10 AM – 5 PM PST, Monday through Friday.

http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com/tickets/

Can’t make it to Portland this summer? The festival is coming to you this July 4th weekend as we have FREE radio and livestream options for the 2021 Waterfront Blues Festival ‘Upriver.’ Here are the ways you can enjoy every show at home:

  • July 2-5 from 12-4 PM: Tune into KBOO on 90.7 FM or stream online at kboo.fm
  • July 2-5 from 6-10 PM: Watch the concert live at waterfrontbluesfest.com

To read and listen to this year’s performers use this link

http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com/2021lineup/

Ramblings on My Mind June 2021

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Ramblings on My Mind August 2021

Ramblings on My Mind June 2021

by Shelley Garrett, CBA VP

Hello, everyone!

There’s a lot of news to share this month as summer heats up!

The 2021 version of the Waterfront Blues Festival “Upriver,” July 2-5, has been announced, and tickets are on sale to the general public as of June 1. It’s a very diverse lineup that has me excited to find new bands and collaborations to love as well as revisiting some old favorites. Be sure to get the most updated information here: http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com/

With COVID restrictions and space restraints, the CBA may not be able to have a merchandise booth this year. We normally have the BluesNotes to hand out, but we no longer have the funds to do a print version. Plan B: We are hoping to have a special edition of a Festival Flyer to let everyone know about the CBA and the local blues community. In the past, this event has garnered our highest membership signups, so we will be including a reminder for people to sign up! Once we have firmed things up, we will probably be looking for advertisers and sponsorships. Watch our Facebook group for updates.

CBA members are sponsoring two acts this year:

Johnny Rawls is a soul-blues legend. In fact, the term “soul blues” was invented to describe his music. With a career spanning more than 50 years, he’s done it all. He’s an internationally recognized recording artist, music producer and songwriter who tours extensively throughout North America and overseas.

The Blues Music Awards, Blues Blast Awards, Living Blues Critics Poll Awards and the W. C. Handy Awards have all acknowledged Johnny with multiple awards and nominations, including Soul Blues Album of the Year and Soul Blues Artist of the Year. Johnny is honored to be mentioned on two markers along the Mississippi Blues Trail.

Hosting Johnny for this return WBF engagement will be a cadre of Rose City all-stars, several of whom backed Rawls previously not only at Waterfront in 2019 but also on gigs in the Mississippi Delta: Ben Rice, guitar; Dave Fleschner, keys; Dave Melyan, drums; Lisa Mann, bass; and Devin Phillips, sax. Hear Johnny at http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com/2021-additional-artists/johnnyrawls/

Tony Coleman’s Three Kings Portland-based Tony Coleman is one of the most revered blues drummers in the world today. During his illustrious career, he has toured the world with Otis Clay, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Albert Collins, Etta James, Freddie King, James Cotton, Katie Webster, Z.Z. Hill, O.V. Wright, Buddy Guy, and BB King, with whom he performed and recorded for 29 years until BB’s death in 2015.

Joining Coleman on this tribute is an impressive lineup of the region’s blues all-stars. Contributing Three Kings-inspired guitar work will be Mike Osborn (longtime guitarist with John Lee Hooker), Peter Dammann (Paul deLay, Linda Hornbuckle, Solomon Burke), and Franck ‘Paris Slim’ Goldwasser (Charlie Musselwhite, Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin). For Goldwasser, who lived and performed in the Portland area for several years before relocating a few years ago to California, this will be a final U.S. appearance before moving back to Germany.

Louis Pain is featured on organ (Paul deLay, Mel Brown, Linda Hornbuckle), and John Mazzocco on bass (John Lee Hooker, Paul deLay, Curtis Salgado). Leading the tight horn section is British expatriate saxophonist, Chris Mercer, who in addition to his work with John Mayall, Billy Ocean, Bryan Ferry and Dr. John, toured with Freddie King and recorded on some of the Texas guitarist’s seminal hits of the 1970s.

Members, please check your June email blast for an opportunity to win a “seating pod!”

We WILL hold the Journey to Memphis competition this year. Members should look for a special email the first week of June with all of the details — and please note: there are changes!

Please welcome Robert Evans to the CBA Board of Directors as an at-large member.  Read about Robert in the announcement from Secretary Marie Walters in the member email blast.

The Virtual BMAs (Blues Music Awards) will be live streamed in June. Marie has all of the details on how to buy tickets. Check this out in the “features” section.

Save these dates—these are all planned to be in-person events! See the calendar for lineups!

July 16th Blues Night at the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival

July 17th Mulino Blues Festival-Benefit for Greg Johnson

August 27-28th Peninsula Rhythm & Blues Festival

There is a real possibility of having in-person meetings soon!

We are always looking for more volunteers to help with the Blues Notes, especially if you can do at least one CD review a month.

A reminder that CBA President Greg Johnson will have a long road to recovery both from cancer, and now from a severe stroke. If you are able to help, the GoFundMe link is https://gofund.me/19a001b2

Save the Date – The International Blues Challenge #37

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Save the Date - The International Blues Challenge #37

Save the Date
The International Blues Challenge #37
Live & In-Person!

The International Blues Challenge represents the worldwide search for blues bands and solo/duo blues performers who are ready for the international stage and may just need an extra big break.

Each affiliated Blues Society of The Blues Foundation has the right to send a band and solo/duo musician(s) to represent its organization at the IBC.  You’ve just read that the CBA is planning to move ahead with the Journey to Memphis competition later this year in anticipation of sending our best to Memphis next January.

IBC #37 is scheduled to take place along Beale Street Jan. 18-22, 2022. Tickets, hotel reservations and more will open this October. Stay tuned for updates as more information is released!

Watch Highlights from the 2020 International Blues Challenge here:

Bob Corritore – Spider in My Stew

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Bob Corritore - Spider in My Stew - VizzTone

Bob Corritore

Spider in My Stew
VizzTone

Review by Randy Murphy

Blues impresario Bob Corritore’s newest release, “Spider in My Stew,” is a rousing collection of (mostly) definitive, old-school Chicago blues interpreted by an impressive roll call of musical talent.  Lurrie Bell, Alabama Mike, John Primer, Johnny Rawls (whom the CBA will sponsor at this year’s Waterfront Blues Festival), Shy Perry, Oscar Wilson, Diana Greenleaf, Francine Reed, Willie Buck, and Sugaray Rayford all supply impressive vocal performances. Several tunes deserve special attention.

First is Shy Perry’s sinewy rendition of “Wang Dang Doodle” that tears off like a bourbon-fueled  and makes this old blues warhorse sound as if it’s brand new — no mean trick. It echoes Koko Taylor’s famous version, ups the ante a bit, and avoids sounding derivative. Next up is a cover of Muddy Water’s “Soon Forgotten” that includes a dazzling mixture of Corritore’s stirring harp, Fred Kaplan’s fertile piano and Willie Buck’s throaty moan. But it’s Mr. Rayford who, as usual, threatens to steal the show. In his “Big Mama’s Soul Food” Sugaray lays out a potent soul-food shuffle accompanied by Corritore lethal Hohner harmonica and Kid Ramos’ rough-hewed guitar licks. It’s tasty and mouthwatering and completely marvelous.

Corritore manages a nice balance of gritty, Chicago-style blues—both old standards and newer, less well-known tunes. The one misstep is Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” which, coming at the end of the recording, seems like an afterthought. The problem’s not with the musicianship, it’s first-rate, or with Francine Reed’s fervent vocals, no. It’s that “I Shall Be Released” simply doesn’t fit in with the texture of the album. Beyond this, though, it’s such an iconic song that any recording will struggle to escape The Band’s definitive version lurking in the background like a specter.

But this is merely a quibble. This is an album that contains some serious musical chops and boatloads of fun. Highly Recommended.

Total Time: 55:20

Tenessee Woman (feat. Oscar Wilson) / Big Mama’s Soul Food (feat. Sugaray Rayford) / Whatcha Gonna Do When Your Baby Leaves You (feat. Alabama Mike) / Don’t Mess With the Messer (feat. Diunna Greenleaf) / Spider in My Stew (feat. Lurrie Bell) / Wang Dang Doodle (feat. Shy Perry) / Drop Anchor (feat. Alabama Mike) / Sleeping With the Blues (feat. Johnny Rawls) / Mama Talk to Your Daughter (feat. John Primer) / Why Am I Treated So Bad (feat. Francine Reed) / Soon Forgotten (feat. Willie Buck) / I Can’t Shake This Feeling (feat. Lurrie Bell) / Look Out (feat. Alabama Mike) / I Shall Be Released (feat. Francine Reed)

Eddie Turner – Change in Me

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Eddie Turner - Change in Me

Eddie Turner

Change in Me
7-14 Productions

Review by John Taylor

The way he delights in stirring up styles and mixing in melodies, you could see Eddie “Devil Boy” Turner as some kind of musical sorcerer. He summons blues and rock songs from the deep past, puts them under his spell, then transforms them at will.

But he leaves their spirits whole as he conjures up new creations of his own.

With “Change in Me,” the fourth solo album from the former member of Otis Taylor’s outfit, Turner breathes his mojo into classics popularized by the likes of Muddy Waters, Lou Reed, Taj Mahal and Jimi Hendrix.

Produced by Turner, Kenny Passarelli and Tim Stroh, the album was recorded in two locations – Leadville, Colorado, and Brooklyn, New York.

Turner’s guitars – sometimes shimmery, sometimes shadowy, often ethereal — guide the album, and he gets some help on vocals from Passarelli and Jessie Lee Thetford. Passarelli also provides bass and keyboards, while Neal Evans plays the Hammond B3. Evans, Dean Oldencott and David Brenowitz team up on drums.

The Cuban-born Turner, who grew up in Chicago and started playing guitar at age 12, has pulled off a magical work here. The expressiveness and versatility of his voice can send chills down your spine, and his effortless guitar work infuses the songs with a subtle sophistication you might not appreciate until your third or fourth listen.

He handles the covers reverently, but experiments with new sounds with the kind of fearless abandon that comes only after years of apprenticeship and practice.

His 10-year run with Otis Taylor – who gave him the “Devil Boy” nickname, reportedly because Turner used to push Taylor’s patience to its limit – is evident on “Change in Me.” But it doesn’t define it.

Turner’s an artist who’s following his own muse and taming his own creative demons.

“Change in Me” is a change for the best. It’s music you’ll definitely want to own – but beware: It might be in your possession, but it will possess you.

Part Total Time: 45:36

Change in Me / Dignify Me / My Friend / This Is Your Night / I’m Waiting for My Man-She Caught the Katy / Standing on the Frontline / Another Sign of Weakness / Whoa, Whoa, Whoa / Let My Soul Run Free / Hoochie Koochie Man

The Blue Quarantinos – Phoning It In

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The Blue Quarantinos - Phoning It In

The Blue Quarantinos

Phoning It In
Keeping the Blues Alive Records

Review by Greg Johnson

The Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was created by Joe Bonamassa in an effort to support touring musicians who have been unable to make their livelihood during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The Blue Quarantinos is a trio of renowned artists led by project creator Jimmy Vivino on guitar, bassist Jesse Williams and harmonica player/vocalist Rob Paparozzi. The group put together a collection of a dozen performances of blues covers featuring 20 of the most notable and talented musicians of our time.

Titled “Phoning It In,” this is an album that does not let up from start to finish, with more highlights than water in a bottomless well. Bonamassa appears on a take of Johnny Winter’s “I’m Yours and I’m Hers.” Shemekia Copeland presents a stellar version of her father’s “Down On Bended Knees.” The North Mississippi Allstars showcase slide guitar from Luther Dickinson with second guitar from Vivino and nice harp work by Paparozzi on “Skinny Woman,” originally cut by Sonny Boy Williamson with this number going more toward the RL Burnside recording.

There is not a track not worth listening to, especially with a line-up that also includes the likes of Joe Louis Walker, Bernard Purdie, Dion, John Sebastian, Wayne Baker Brooks and Bob Margolin, among others.

“Phoning It In” is a digital download available at KTBA.org and Amazon; it can also be streamed at Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music. All sales will go directly to musicians to help them return to touring once again.

Total Time: 46:02

Mojo Hand / Hoodoo Man Blues / I’m Yours and I’m Hers / Leaving Trunk / What Is That She Got / Down on Bended Knees / Rockin’ Daddy / Skinny Woman / Mercy / Shake ‘Em on Down / Write Me a Few Lines / Belly Button Window

Tickets on Sale Now for the 42nd Blues Music Awards!

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Tickets on Sale Now for the 42nd Blues Music Awards

Tickets on Sale Now for the 42nd Blues Music Awards!

While everyone hoped this year’s Blues Music Awards might be able to see us gather for a live event, the 2021 BMAs will again be presented virtually on Sunday, June 6, starting at 2 p.m. Pacific time.

The Blues Foundation has partnered with Mandolin to provide a high quality, enhanced viewing experience. Host Big Llou brings the party to celebrate outstanding achievements of blues musicians across 25 categories, and he’ll also bring out several blues artists for surprise appearances. Of course, a solemn tribute will be paid to the many artists who sadly passed this last year.

Tickets to the livestream of the virtual BMAs begin at just $20 for one entry to the event. The VIP package for $50 will allow you to join the VIP Blues Lounge sponsored by Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise for Art Tipaldi’s lively backstage conversation with five of your favorite blues stars. Early purchasers are eligible to receive a “Taste of Memphis” box of treats.

More information can be found HERE [https://boxoffice.mandolin.com/collections/42nd-blues-music-awards]

 

 

 

 

June 2021 New Music to Note

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New Music to Note-September 2021

June 2021 New Music to Note

There is so much good music out there. To help sort through it, we recommend starting here.

  • Bob Corritore & Friends – Spider In My Stew (VizzTone)
  • Clint Morgan – Troublemaker (Lost Cause Records)
  • Crystal Thomas – Now Dig This (Dialtone Records)
  • EG Kight – The Trio Sessions (Blue South Records)
  • Guy Davis – Be Ready When I Call You (MC Records)
  • JP Williams Blues Band – JP & Ekat (Self Release)
  • Michael Houlberg – A Gentle Dance EP (Self Release)
  • Mick Fleetwood & Friends – Celebrate The Music Of Peter Green and The Early Years Of Fleetwood Mac (BMG)
  • Misty Blues – None More Blue (Self Release)
  • Reverend Freakchild – Supramundane Blues (Treated & Released)
  • Rob Stone – Trio In Tokyo (Blue Heart)
  • Robert Finley – Sharecropper’s Son (Easy Eye Sound)
  • Steve Cropper – Fire It Up (Provogue)
  • The Black Keys – Delta Kream (Nonesuch)
  • The Blue Quarantinos – Phoning It In (Keeping the Blues Alive)
  • Tomislav Goluban – Express Connection (Blue Heart)
  • Tommy Z – Plug In & Play (South Blossom Records)