Board Spotlight – Brad Bleidt

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Board Spotlight – Brad Bleidt

photo by Retrojive Creative

Brad joined the CBA Board in January of 2018 at the encouragement of a fellow musician and CBA Board member he was playing with at the time. His natural interest in the musical aspects of the CBA expanded to include the financial and regulatory infrastructure of the organization.

His MBA in nonprofit management placed Brad in a key role to introduce several major infrastructure improvements.
These include:

  • Placement of director and officer insurance.
  • Improving accounting practices and hiring third-party accounting/bookkeeping services.
  • Implementing compliance processes to satisfy federal and state filing requirements.
  • Revising the bylaws to reflect 2018 electronic communication standards.

More musical projects include:

  • 2019 Muddy Awards PowerPoint presentation, music augmentations and execution.
  • Creating and co-chairing the 2020 Performance Venue Project with the Portland Parks and Recreation Department.
  • Creating and co-chairing the 2021 Venue Cosponsorship Initiative.

He is a performing keyboardist currently playing with the Beacon Street Titans and the music director at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church.

Current projects Include:

  • The lead role for the newly formed CBA Planning Committee.
  • Project manager for the upcoming board elections for the 2022 service year.

Artistic Statement

“True inspiration is rare.

“It requires consistent creative and experimental practice for it to make its appearance. My creative focus is the embodiment of this practice consistency and spans four decades:  music, visual arts, literary expression, and business development.

All represent the focal points of my creative development and are uniquely interwoven to produce abstractions from my life’s experiences and solutions. A musical performance, a painting, a business consultation, and a written creation all are born out of equal passion and the mosaic of their interaction depicts humanity and a wide range of spiritual and ethical expression.”

Board Update November 2021

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Board Update December 2021

Board Update November 2021

by Shelley Garrett

Mini Muddy Awards, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3

We are very excited to bring this event back for 2021 as the “Mini Muddys.” We are lucky to have secured a location that is centrally located, COVID friendly and no cost to us. (Note: The Alberta Rose is already locked in for 2022!)

Music sets by the Ben Rice All-Stars and Rae Gordon’s “Original Music Hour.” Celebrity presenters include Mary Flower, Arietta Ward and Terry Currier. Read the event write-up for a list of this year’s nominees and complete details! Tickets are available now

Officer Elections

While all positions are up for election, there is a critical need for president, vice president and membership director.

If you are interested, please send an email with your “Intent to Run” noting the position you are running for to Brad Bleidt at cascadebluesstaff@gmail.com

by 11:59 p.m. Nov. 10. Brad will be communicating more information soon!

Planning Subcommittee

Brad Bleidt led the first brainstorming meeting in mid-October, then presented the mission statement and priorities to the full board, which approved them. See below:

MISSION STATEMENT:
A nonprofit organization committed to the promotion and preservation of all varieties of blues, Americana, and roots music.

SUBCOMMITTEES:

  1. BluesNotes (chair: TBD) Randy, Anni, John Taylor
  2. Media/Communication Strategy (chair: Nolan) Marie, Brad
  3. Diversity (chair: Marie) Robert, JP Peterson, Larhonda Steele, Wendy Schumer
  4. Quarterly Events (chair: Robert)
  5. Partnerships & Venue Development (chair: Brad) Marie, Shelley
  6. Survey (chair: Nolan) Marie
  7. Grant Writing/Revenue Generation (chair: Brad) Marie, Randy
  8. Acquisition & Assets Priorities (chair: Brad)
  9. By-Laws (chair: Brad), Marie
  10. Institutional Knowledge (chair: tabled until after officer elections)

The committees are forming now, so if you are interested in joining the conversation and guiding the direction of the CBA, please reach out to the lead (Brad Bleidt) or send an email to cascadebluesstaff@gmail.com

CBA co-sponsored shows at the Lovejoy Rooftop at Botanist

The next CBA co-sponsored show at Lovejoy Rooftop at Botanist will be in December (music TBD). When Brad and Marie approached JP Peterson and we all met to brainstorm in June, the initial plan was for the CBA to cosponsor one event a quarter. CBA members and the blues community have done such a great job of supporting this effort, that we are striving to plan one show a month!

Artichoke Music Collaboration

Brad, Marie and Shelley met with Artichoke Executive Director Bob Howard. Topics included planning co-sponsored shows at the Artichoke Café, potential board meeting space and/or storage space at their location, and opportunities for CBA member musicians to teach classes or hold workshops there.

Nolan Johnson

Please welcome new at-large member Nolan Johnson! We will have his bio in the December post.

Sugar Roots IBC Fundraiser

Mark your calendars for an IBC fundraiser, Nov. 27 at the Garages. Sugar Roots is going to be the CBA representative at the IBC in Memphis in January, and they estimate their expenses at around $12,000. Come out and support them if you can! More details in the event write-up.

Holiday Party

“Save the Date:” Dec. 12 at the Moose Lodge, 16411 NE Halsey. Anni Piper has scheduled the music (Nikki Jones, Billy D & the Hoodoos, James Ortega Y Los Demon Drivers, Fenix Project).

Jeanette Aglipay started working on the silent auction, and YES members are asked to bring DESSERT! More details to come next month!

Michael Bean- RIP

The entire CBA Board sends its heartfelt condolences to Michelle, Morgan and Matthew. Michael and Michelle have supported the CBA in so many ways.

Chris Hamann Celebration of Life

Please note that this event has been postponed.

Blues for Slim Lively — A Benefit for Greg Johnson, Oct. 17

Close to 50 volunteers were needed to make this event a success! The CBA volunteer team, Richard LaChapelle, Belinda Clark and Jeanette Aglipay sent many emails and made many phone calls to fill all the shifts. This event went off without a hitch and raised money for Greg and Cherie. I noticed Cherie was out shopping for a van to accommodate Greg for transport to PT, doctor appointments, etc. A big thank-you to all the CBA members who signed up, showed up and got the job done!

From Shelley

On a personal note, I want to thank all of you for the supportive emails, Facebook comments, calls and messages this year as we kept the CBA running (and thriving) without Greg.  It means a lot!

Chris Daniels, Hazel Miller, Dana Marsh & Friends – What We Did

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Chris Daniels Hazel Miller Dana Marsh & Friends

Chris Daniels, Hazel Miller, Dana Marsh & Friends

What We Did
Moon Voyage Records

Review by John Taylor

You know most of these songs, but you don’t know them like this.

“What We Did,” an album born of a virtual concert to ease the isolation of the pandemic and to raise money for Inner City Health in Colorado, grew to be something no one, including the performers, quite expected.

Chris Daniels, Hazel Miller, Dana Marsh and their friends recorded two live sets — five songs in July 2020 and five more in October 2020 — with no overdubs. Miller took the lead on vocals, Marsh covered the keyboards and Daniels added acoustic and electric guitars.

The result is a masterpiece of musical versatility that feels like a group of friends gathering around a piano for an evening of smiles and singalongs.

Daniels remembers it like this in the liner notes: “When we heard it, we sat back and started laughing because it was so much fun and Hazel said, “Look at what we did!”

The trio — with the help of Todd Park Mohr, Victor Wooten, Sam Bush, Kenny Passarelli, Greg Garrison, Christian Teele, Tom Capek, Mark Oblinger and Linda Lawson – slips effortlessly out of tight blues and into some easy-listening classics.

Not everybody can slide from songs like “Down Home Blues,” “Stealin’ Candy” or the Albert King blues standard “Born Under a Bad Sign” into feel-good favorites like “Cheek to Cheek,” “What a Wonderful World” and “You’ve Got a Friend.”

These folks can, though – and they make it look easy. (They even take a little side trip to “Kansas City” at one point.)

Northwesterners might not be as familiar with Daniels, but he and his seven-piece outfit, The Kings, have been around since 1984 and are enshrined in the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.

It’s easy to see why.

It’s as flawless as any polished studio album around, and its genuineness feels like a nice, warm blanket to get you through a cold, lonely night.

This is good medicine for a nation that’s been suffering with the COVID crisis for nearly two years. It’s hip, happy and hopeful.

We recommend you take two listens and call us in the morning.

And it’s not too late to help the album’s original purpose, by the way. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the endeavor go to Inner City Health, which treats underserved populations in the Denver area. To make a direct donation, visit https://innercityhealth.org

Total Time: 43:50

Takin’ It to the Streets / Born Under a Bad Sign / Cheek to Cheek / I’m Still Lookin’ / Could You Believe / What a Wonderful World / Down Home Blues / Stealin’ Candy / You’ve Got a Friend / Better Days

Tas Cru – Broke Down Busted Up

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Tas Cru

Broke Down Busted Up
Subcat Records

Review by Anni Piper

This is the first acoustic album I have heard from a festival favorite who is known for his electric guitar prowess.

The pandemic affected every aspect of the entertainment industry. Cru has certainly taken inspiration from the isolation, his original compositions coming across as hopeful yet poignant. An artist who won’t be pigeonholed into any particular style, it’s interesting that Cru has chosen a time of modern apocalypse to release a rootsy acoustic album. After all, it’s still possible that we all end up in some kind of “Walking Dead” scenario in which society crumbles and there’s no electricity. So for me, this is a perfectly logical choice.

They say never judge a book by its cover, but this album cover tells me a lot about what I’m about to hear. Cru cradles an attractive acoustic guitar, leaning casually against a rust bucket with a bullet-hole riddled windshield.

The personality-filled performance of Anne Harris highlights many of these tracks. Clearly, she’s been down to Georgia and come back with a golden fiddle. The title track is the most radio friendly, a funky little number that showcases the talents of the entire ensemble.

Speaking of the entire ensemble, Mary Ann Casale co-wrote some of these numbers and is featured on vocal and dulcimer. Dave Liddy on keys, Garry Loiaono on guitar, Andy Hearn on drums, and bassists Mike Lawrence and Bob Purdy all bring their strengths to this recording.

It’s engineered and mixed by Ron Keck, who is also featured as a percussionist on the album. Being no stranger to the studio myself, I have found the engineer often ends up making this specific contribution to the recording. The drums sound so fantastic that I wasn’t surprised to find Keck is a world champion snare player. He’s mixed this recording with the kind of love and care that Grandma mixes into your favorite cookies.

I did most of my listening as I was driving and I deem it a most suitable soundtrack to take your mind off the grind. Tas Cru has delivered an album perfect for cruising.

Total time: 46 minutes

Where Do We Go / Broke Down Busted Up / Turn On the Light / River of Insanity / Be My Strength / All Stays the Same / You’re the Real Deal / Stay Home Blues/ So Damn Hard to Like / Henry / Write Me My Own

Sugar Roots IBC Fundraiser

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Sugar Roots IBC Fundraiser

Sugar Roots IBC Fundraiser
and Turkey Day recovery event

 

Saturday, Nov. 27

Garages Satellite Pub, 4810 SW Western Ave., Beaverton

$12.50 advance-$15 at the door (suggested donation)

 

Raising funds to send The Sugar Roots to Memphis in January 2022 to represent the CBA and the PNW in the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge.

 

Emcee — Rae Gordon

Raffles

Prizes

Sugar Roots Featuring Chad Rupp

Sugar Roots Featuring Chad Rupp is a Portland-based blues band formed by multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Chad Rupp, guitarist Jason “JT” Thomas, keyboardist Sam Gendler, bassist Timmer Blakely and drummer Chandler Bowerman.

This band was forged from the roots of Portland’s uniquely prodigious local blues scene with three Portland natives and two extremely talented transplants who appreciate the legacy of Portland’s musical history and the amazing musicians who have provided a lasting tradition of blues performance. Sugar Roots draws on inspiration from Portland greats like Curtis Salgado, Lloyd Jones, Jim Mesi, Paul deLay, DK Stewart and Norman Sylvester, along with their supporting bandmates.

The band’s name is a nod to a popular local blues band, Brown Sugar, a pioneering staple of Portland’s live music scene.

Here’s what frontman Chad Rupp says about the band’s formation:

“Really, the band came together because we had been playing together regularly pre-pandemic for a few years at a popular local jam session, The 1-4-5 Blues Jam Party, and we were having a great time!

“Sam Gendler and Chandler Bowerman brought their experience and mojo from the LA and Illinois scenes, combined with veteran local and national act musicians Timmer Blakely and Jason “JT” Thomas. This group really became a tight and organic unit for me to work with.

“When we looked at the chemistry we had, we decided that we should be recording and gigging together more! These guys have made it possible for me to stretch out on stage leading to some fun and powerful performances for me, personally!“

New Music to Note – November 2021

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New Music to Note - March 2022

New Music to Note
November 2021

 

Dionne Bennett — “Sugar Hip Ya Ya”

Little G Weevil — “Live Acoustic Session”

Jimmy Haggard — “Warm Me Up”

Zac Harmon — “Long As I Got My Guitar”

Buffalo Nichols — “Buffalo Nichols”

Maskinen för Blues — “Maskinen för Blues”

Ben Levin — “Still Here”

Malayan — “Big Fish”

Corey Harris — “Insurrection Blues”

Big Daddy Wilson — “Hard Time Blues”

Captain Morgan Express — “No Weirdos Please”

Mississippi Sounds — Welcome to the Land

Sue Foley — “Pinky’s Blues”

Malford Milligan & The Southern Aces — “I Was a Witness”

Southern Avenue  — “Be The Love You Want”

 

Key Events – Save the Date November 2021

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Key Events - Save the Date! 2022 May

Key Events — Save the Date!

 

November 2021

11/3 — “Mini” Muddy Awards, Lovejoy Rooftop at Botanist

11/9 — Paul Thorn, Alberta Rose Theatre

11/14 — Los Lobos, Aladdin Theater

11/11 — JJ Grey and Mofro, Crystal Ballroom

11/18 — The Record Company, Roseland Theater

11/20 — JD Simo, Jack London

11/22 — Lukas Nelson & the Promise of the Real, Crystal Ballroom

11/27 — The Sugar Roots IBC Fundraiser, At the Garages

 

December 2021

12/1 — Marc Broussard, Revolution Hall

12/8 & 12/9 — Black Pumas, Roseland Theater

12/12 — CBA Holiday Party, Moose Lodge

12/16 — TBA, Lovejoy Rooftop at Botanist/CBA cosponsor

 

2022

1/21 — Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, Jack London

2/10 — Allen Stone, Roseland Theater

3/23 — Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Revolution Hall

3/24 — Ana Popovic, Alberta Rose Theatre

4/2 & 4/3 — Valerie June, Aladdin Theater

4/21 — Buddy Guy, Tom Hambridge Duo, Revolution Hall

 

 

Thanks to Mike and Debra Penk for adding to and editing this!

 

The 2020-2021 Cascade Blues Association Muddy Award Winners!

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Congratulations to all
the 2020-2021 Cascade Blues Association
Muddy Award Winners!  

2020-2021 CBA Muddy Award

  • Virtual Livestream Performance – Lisa Mann 

  • Virtual Livestream Production – Artichoke Music-CBA Livestream-Gary Furlow 

  • Dance Ambassador – Will Crowe 

  • Best Venue – The Blue Diamond 

  • NW Event of the Year – Bluesmania-Steve Pringle Benefit  

  • Live Performance of the Year – Lloyd Jones Band – Cathedral Park Jazz Festival-Blues Night 

  • Northwest Recording – Rae Gordon Band “Wrong Kind of Love” 

  • National Recording – Lloyd Jones “Tennessee Run” 

  • ‘Paul deLay’ Lifetime Achievement – LaRhonda Steele 

  • ‘George Page’ Back What You Believe In – Greg ‘Slim Lively’ Johnson 

Cascade Blues Association Presents the 2021 Mini Muddy Awards

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the 2021 Mini Muddy Awards

Cascade Blues Association Presents the 2021 ‘Mini’ Muddy Awards

Wednesday November 3rd, 2021
Doors open: 5 pm / Event begins: 6 pm

The Cascade Blues Association presents the ‘Mini’ Muddy Awards, honoring musical achievements from the past two-year period (Sept 1, 2019, through Aug 31, 2021) as awards are handed out recognizing outstanding musicians, venues, recordings, events, and more.

This year’s ceremony will include ten categories, including some new ones, that best reflect the modified circumstances that have existed over the past year and a half, and voted on by CBA members in mid-October through an online ballot.

 

2021 CBA Muddy Awards Nominees

Virtual Live Stream Performance-2020-2021

Lisa Mann

Lloyd Jones

Steve Kerin

 

Virtual Live Stream Production-2020-2021

Artichoke Music-CBA Livestream-Gary Furlow

Lisa Mann

Steve Kerin

 

Best Venue-2020-2021

At the Garages

Blue Diamond

Botanist (Lovejoy Rooftop)

 

NW Event of the Year-2020-2021

Bluesmania-Benefit for Steve Pringle-Roseland Theater

Cathedral Park Jazz Festival-Blues Night

Peninsula Rhythm & Blues Festival

 

Live Performance of the Year-2020-2021

Curtis Salgado-Waterfront Blues Festival “Upriver”

Lloyd Jones-Cathedral Park Jazz Festival-Blues Night

Rick Estrin & the Nightcats-Jack London

 

NW Recording -2020-2021

Ben Rice “Shake a Hand”

Lisa Mann “Old Girl”

Rae Gordon Band “Wrong Kind of Love”

 

National Recording of the Year-2020-2021

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram-662

Curtis Salgado Damage Control

Lloyd Jones-Tennessee Run

 

Dance Ambassador-2020-2021

Beth Lucci

Jim Vail

Will Crowe

 

George Page “Back What You Believe In”-2020-2021

BOD vote

 

Paul deLay “Lifetime Achievement”

Coach “Jim Hurley”

La Rhonda Steele

Tom Wendt

 

We have some great celebrity presenters!  Arietta Ward will present the “Paul deLay” Lifetime Achievement Award, Mary Flower will present the new Virtual Livestream Production and Terry Currier the award for “George Page” Back What You Believe In.

Many thanks to Ben Rice and Rae Gordon for assembling great sets of music, and for everyone donating their time and talent to perform!Ben Rice All Stars

Josh Makosky, Anni Piper, Melanie Owen, Pat McDougall, James Thornton, Chris Stone, Chandler Bowerman, Froggy William Hyland

Rae Gordon’s All Original Hour

Lisa Mann, Kivett Bednar, LaRhonda Steele, Jason Thomas, John Bunzow & Denny Bixby, Brady Goss, Ed Pierce

About Botanist
For those unfamiliar with Botanist, we are your thoughtful, intentional home away from home neighborhood destination bar/restaurant located in the heart of the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon. In the local community, we are known for our personalized style of hospitality, creative cocktails, and delectable tapas and entrées.

Offering strictly outdoor seating, Walk Up Stairs to the Rooftop. Pup Friendly (leashed)

Lovejoy Rooftop is the event side of Botanist House

COVID Policy: Strictly outdoor seating

The heater/air exchanger is 1 million BTUs moving the air out of there as efficiently as if the tent sides were open. It was designed by an engineer specifically for Covid.

Mask up!

Please note that our staff has been fully vaccinated from the first available opportunity. Tables are spaced further apart. Masks required upon entry, when not seated at your table, and when interacting with staff – staff is also masked.

Parking

There is ample street parking with many 2-hour meters. Paid street parking ends at 7pm.  There is also a paid lot on Kearney just across the street that can be accessed at 6pm.

Portland Streetcar

Runs on two sides of the block, along NW 14th Ave and also down Lovejoy

As with all the CBA shows at Lovejoy Rooftop, this is a fundraiser for the Elevate Unity Benefit Music Series, supporting local musicians, live music venues and staff.

Tickets at:
https://www.tickettomato.com/…/cba-presents-the-2021…

$15 General / $10 for current CBA Members / $20 at the Door

21 & Over / Tickets are Non-Refundable / Performers subject to change.

 

Seating is limited due to the city and state restrictions. Ticket purchase is suggested to ensure entry.