Due to the Waterfront Blues Festival occurring the first week of July, the Cascade Blues Association General membership Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 11 at The East Portland Eagles Lodge at 7:00 pm. Note that we’re meeting on Thursday, not Wednesday, for July’s meeting only. In August we’ll be back to our regular Wednesday evening schedule.

We’re sure that after a couple days off from the blues festival you’re going to be ready for more music, so come out to The Hawthorne Eagles Lodge for a couple fun sets of blues — it’s the right way to kick off your weekend a day early.

Our good friends David Pinsky and Phil Newton will be driving up from Medford to bring you a traditional acoustic guitar and harmonica performance. Longtime friends David and Phil have been a major part of the Southern Oregon Blues scene for over thirty years and have joined forces as an acoustic/electric duo. David’s propulsive guitar, welded with Phil’s harmonica chops, offer a steady groove reminiscent of the 1960s  Chicago style duets. The two on occasion will also employ a twin harp attack. Both David and Phil bring decades of vocal experience, with David concentrating on his original compositions and Phil interpreting Blues and roots. David and Phil are also past winners of the Journey to Memphis competition and have represented The Cascade Blues Association in Memphis during the International Blues Challenge. Dave has also represented The CBA as a solo performer. They have released two CDs together and are also committed to Blues education and teaching Blues to local kids to keep the Blues alive in the tradition of the great Delta masters.

For the second set, we welcome the Pat Stilwell Band. Formed in 2010, the band is a solid group of journeymen musicians that possess a great musical chemistry. The band is led by Pat Stilwell. Pat has lived in many places across the country, picking up musical flavors from each of his stops along the way, and has fronted a number of bands including the popular Seattle-based band The Cyclones. Since moving to Portland in 2009, he has been making his mark on the local music scene with his innovative guitar work, soulful vocals, and skillfully crafted original songs.  His playing and songwriting reflect a deep connection with the blues, infused with the many influences that have informed his style.  In addition to his skills as a guitarist, Pat is also an accomplished blues violinist.

Band members include keyboardist Michael McGinty. Trained in his youth on trumpet and jazz piano he has performed in rock, soul, and fusion groups from New England to the Virgin Islands. While living in San Diego he worked with renowned vocalist Michelle Lundeen. Now in Portland he has played with various groups including Mr. Misu and Dept. of R&B.

Drummer Doug Adair has paid his dues with just about every genre there is, including rock, blues, funk, and country.  Playing professionally from the 70’s on, and aside from the Pat Stilwell Band he currently performs and fills in with a number of local artists including Kenny Lavitz, Ken Brewer, Rae Gordon, and Ben Rice.

The newest addition to the band Kirk Byant, an in-demand top level bassist who has travelled the globe touring in various high-profiled bands, garnering five Grammy nominations along the way with Bay Area jazz group Second Nature. While living in the bay area, Kirk has performed with a musical who’s who of that region for three decades, with experiences ranging from rock to jazz to blues, and everything in between.

Pat Stilwell is also celebrating the release of his new CD, Tales From The Riverside. Expect to hear new music from the recording and other favorites.

The East Portland Eagles Lodge, 4904 SE Hawthorne St., Thursday, July 11. 7:00 pm. Members are Free, non-members $5.00. All ages welcome.

Welcome to our new home as we move into The East Portland Eagles Lodge. And to start our path in the right direction of offering superb blues performances, we’re delighted to bring two great sets that are guaranteed to set the right pace of things to come.

Starting off will be a magical pairing of John Bunzow and Albert Reda, two highly successful artists with a wealth of history behind them.

It is John Bunzow’s mix of eclectic musical influences – meldling blues, country, rock and even jazz – that have helped establish him as an original artist of heartfelt depth, substance and style. He’s as likely to draw on his love of the music of scuffling barroom bard Tom Waits, as he is the smooth R&B and soul of Marvin Gaye, the iconic folk wisdom of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Ry Cooder or the blues of Albert King.

After beginning his musical career in the Northwest scene playing in popular all-original bands Cowboy Angels and X-Angels for over two decades, John set his sights on songwriter heaven, Nashville. Scoring both a songwriting contract with EMI Nashville/Famous Music and a recording contract with Liberty/Capitol Records, he quickly found his services in big demand with Nashville recording artists and had the opportunity to write for and perform with some of country and rock music’s biggest names.

But as Nashville and country music trends shifted away from salt-of-the-earth working singer-songwriters , Bunzow returned to Portland, Oregon where he continues to hone his sizable talents. He’s found old fans and new ones as he tirelessly tours Northwest nightclubs, concert halls, festival stages, casinos, wineries and resorts playing original cuts and creating music that touches the heart of anybody who’s ever raised a little hell on a Saturday night, or felt the pangs of love gone bad.

Those familiar with the Pacific Northwest music scene need little introduction to Albert Reda. Over the years he has received numerous awards while supporting artists of all stripes playing his bass, piano, and singing.  He has been honored by the Cascade Blues Association 11 Muddy Awards and Hall of Fame status for his basswork.

Reda moved to Portland from San Francisco 25 years ago and has since performed alongside a variety of musicians such as Terry Robb, Duffy Bishop, Lloyd Jones, Bill Rhoades, Robbie Laws, The Shanghai Woolies, John Bunzow and many others. A much in-demand session artist, he has released two solo recordings, continues to play with many of Portland’s finest musicians and singers, and spends his days on his teaching practice, working primarily with students of elementary school age.

The second set of the night brings the Tom Gilberts Band. You will not find a more enthusiastic music lover than Tom Gilberts. It is his passion and obsession. It is from this perspective that he approaches his writing, performance and production – the pure joy of it. A multi-instrumentalist playing guitar, bass (electric and upright) and cello, his music influences and interests are widely varied and have no real bounds. They range from blues, jazz, art rock, avant guard, shoe gaze, pop, blues, rock, country to metal. His guitar focus has been on improvisation, and his influences are myriad. Classically trained, he has performed with the OSU Symphony Orchestra, The Mavens, Sweet Honey Dijpon Jazz Band, Nicole Campbell, and most recently with Franco Paletta & The Stingers.

A board-certified physician specializing in Internal Medicine as a profession, music has also captured his interest, passion and love. He has recorded three albums, with his most recent the critically-acclaime Grit. Joining Tom for his Cascade Blues Association debut will be longtime local jazz ace Wade Kirtley on Hammond B-3, drummer and vocalist Brian Foxworth who is a inductee of both the Oregon Music and Cascade Blues AssociationHall of Fames, and Joe Aloia who holds a master in music and teaches guitar and bass at various schools will be on bass.

The East Portland Eagles Lodge, 4904 SE Hawthorne Blvd. 7:00 pm. Free for CBA members, non-members $5.00. All ages are welcome.