Wednesday, July 11 – 7:00 pm
Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24th Ave, Portland
Members always Free – Non-Members $5.00
(Members please show your current cards at the door)
First Acoustic Set – Mojo Holler
Second Electric Set – Hudson Rocket Band

Please make note that this month’s meeting will be the second Wednesday of the month due to the Waterfront Blues Festival and 4th of July holiday occurring the week before.

Attending the monthly Cascade Blues Association’s membership meeting following several days at the Waterfront Blues Festival is certainly a statement for true blues fans. You know, those who just can’t get enough of the great music. It’s also fun to get back together after catching our breaths to talk about the fun we had and preparation for so much more coming up over the summer.

Opening the evening will be blues newlyweds Missi & John Baker, better known as Mojo Holler. Mojo Holler weaves threads from mountain ranges to the Mississippi Delta into a tapestry of indie alt-folk music. Mister Baker channels innate genius through lap steel, slide, and dobro. Missi is a genuine Appalachian ‘Mountain Mama’ whose vocals bring burning intensity to each song. The pair were lauded by South by Southwest founder Louis Black, who called them the ‘godchildren of Mississippi Fred McDowell.” Bass guitarist Eric Shirazi lends an infectious, funky groove to mix that takes the group to a higher plane.

Formed in 2012 as a duo, they released their debut album, Where Black Ravens Flew, in late 2014, and were tapped to showcase at South By Southwest in 2016. The late Lisa Lepine, a Portland legend in music promotion, said of their mission: “They weave their dark, modern spirituals from shared roots in magic, ‘mericana, and metaphysics. Mister Baker, like Robert Johnson before him, may have made a deal with the devil — channelling an innate genius through lap steel, slide and dobro. Missi’s earthy voice brings burning intensity to each song. Picture them sitting knee-to-knee on a Southern Delta, watching the dark moon rise and singing from their eternal souls.”

Following our break between sets, where we will be making announcements and holding our free ticket drawing, we will be having the Hudson Rocket Band take over to get the house jumping for the second set. Hudsons’ guidance has taken the band to many fantastic festivals and performances. The band followed him to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, five years at the Waterfront Blues Festival, eight years at the Blues By The Sea Festival, Oregon GI Blues, The Bite of Portland, Rock Cut Blues Festival, Sunbanks Music Festival and headlining the Southern Oregon Blues Festival, to name a few. The band has followed him to countless benefits, local clubs and venues of all kinds.

The founding members, (Tommy Lister, Art Viloria, Ken Johnson, Leon Holder & Richie Bean), set the stage for all who followed. As it goes with bands, there have been many personnel changes over the years. The Hudson Rocket Band has performed alongside such greats as Mel Solomon, Paul DeLay, Lloyd Jones, Jim Mesi, Franco Paletta, Robbie Laws, Rae Gordon, Ellen Whyte, Candye Kane, Eric “Two Scoops” More, Kid Lopez, Sonny James and Little Joe Washington. The band has had the pleasure of playing with so many great performers over the years, they all cannot be named.
Hudson (always the missing member) finds a way to get the message to just the right people when it is time. Through his uncanny and extraordinary efforts, some of Portland Oregon’s finest talent has come together in The Hudson Rocket Band. With the current lineup of Cliff Ashmon on harmonica and vocals, Mickie Will on bass and vocals, Gary Jaskowiak on keyboards, Paul Johnson on guitar and vocals and Bill Dutkovik on drums, The Hudson Rocket Band has solidified its membership with a true “Blue” direction, leaving our fans wanting more wherever we go! Like Cliff always says, “Too Much Fun!”

Wednesday, June 6 – 7:00 pm
Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24^th Ave., Portland
Member always Free – Non-members $5.00
(Members please show your current cards at the door)
Opening set – Bayou Boyz
Second set – Arrogant Bastards

Summer is quickly approaching and that means that there will be a lot of music happening throughout the region over the next few months. From festivals to touring acts hitting the venues and our local artists performing in parks and fairs, there is always something going on all summer long in Portland. And of course, even during the summer months, you know that you’ll always find some of the best blues entertainment happening at the Cascade Blues Association monthly membership meetings.

For June, we have a real treat in store for you. For the past few years, prior to the closing of Blackwell’s, the Bayou Boyz had become a staple for Sunday night blues. Despite the venue’s departure, it did not mean the end of the band. In fact, there weekly calendar doubled up as not only are they appearing on Sunday nights at their new home at Spirits, but also on Monday nights at Mekong Bistro.

With a name like Bayou Boyz you just know that they’re going to bring you some swampy Louisiana goodness to the musical front. And they’re always at the top of their game, bringing happy faces and happy dancers.

The band will feature for this show Louisiana’s own Steve Kerin on the keys, drummer and master soulful vocalist Brian Foxworth, guitar slinger Dan Berkery and Dave Kahl handling those fierce rhythms on the bass. These are all Muddy Award winners and some of the absolute best players in Portland, making this set one not to miss.

The second set will feature a newer band making their CBA debut performance, the Arrogant Bastards, who came together in early 2017 with a desire to create and perform music that is raw, exciting and entertaining. Primarily blues based, they’ve put together a group of players that have clicked from the very beginning with  backgrounds as diverse as the songs they play.

Paul (Rhythm Guitar and Lead Vocals) brings that gritty, swampy, soulful sound of the Gulf Coast, Mike (Lead Guitar and Vocals) has the hard driving blues of Texas and New York rock and roll. John (Bass Guitar) holds down the bottom end with a flash of Motown R&B and a splash of West Coast free spirit. Brad (Keyboards) sprinkles in his East Coast and Southern jazz influenced runs and James (Drums) drives the beat forward with the funkiness reminiscent of the Minneapolis sound.

They are guaranteeing that they will make you want to tap your toes, stomp your feet and get up ‘n’ shake it, as only a funky blues band can do and will not disappoint.

Remember, Catfish Lou’s fills up quickly for the meetings, so get there early enough for the best seats, have some Southern cooking, and don’t forget those drawing tickets at the door for your chance to take home some great prizes. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday, May 2 – 7:00 pm
Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24^th Ave., Portland
Members always Free – Non-members $5.00
(Members please show your current cards at the door)
Opening Acoustic Set – Bill Coones Swing & Standards Jazz Band
Second Electric Set – Lee Blake Band

First up will be the Bill Coones Swing & Standards Jazz Band. Don’t let the name fool you, these guys know the blues like the back of their hand and will be bringing a set of sophisticated selections covering a variety of tunes, not just your everyday boogie beat.

The band is led by Bill Coones on upright bass and vocals, who has worked in Portland for decades playing with such renowned acts as Pete Karnes, Tom McFarland, Dan Perz, Larry Adair and Janice Scroggins. Bill’s way of presenting the romantic side of the Standards uniquely his own and is a real crowd pleaser in his soulful delivery of classic tunes from Broadway Shows and the Jazz and Blues scene Drummer Duncan Branom is a graduate of the Advanced School of Contemporary Music and has played alongside some of the biggest names in jazz history, including Leroy Vinegar, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, Barney Kessell and many, many more. The third member of the band is Dave Howell on piano, who in fact is a multi-instrumentalist who studied in Cleveland before moving to the West Coast where he has worked in a number of bands covering styles as diverse as jazz, blues, funk, bebop, big band, and Afrocuban.

For the second set of the night we will see the Lee Blake Trio. Lee has been a familiar performer at our meetings over the years, including an opening set back in January where he filled in for a last minute cancellation. But he has performed mostly as a solo act at the meetings and has been requesting a band slot for some time. We want to oblige him for his patience in waiting for his chance by welcoming the band this month.

Mississippi Lee Blake is an expressive vocalist and sensational guitarist who has been performing around the Portland area since the late 1980s, as both  a solo musician and with groups such as The Rockin’ Razorbacks, The Snake Charmers and The Lee Blake Band. A true bluesman at heart, he can also deliver offerings of R&B, roots and retro-style rock, both covers and original music. Joining Lee will be Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductee J. Michael Kearsey on bass. Also a former member of The Rockin’ Razorbacks, Michael has worked with many acts in many stylings over the years including UPEPO and The Brothers of the Baladi, as well as his own radio show, producing various artists and creating his own discs. Rounding out the trio is drummer Guy Maxwell, another long-time Portland music vet whose career goes back to work with acts like Diamond Hill and alongside Terry Robb in Two Lane Blacktop back in the 80s. Guy has worked with Lee over the years and also runs and teaches at his own drum studio in town.

This meeting is sure to be filled with excitement and will bring back memories of past and current Portland music greatness. Don’t miss out and remember by attending you have a chance of winning prizes, so don’t forget to pick up your free drawing ticket at the door. And remember that the acts performing are all playing for free, so feel free to throw something in the tip bucket for them. We’ll see you there!!

The first round of the 2018 Journey To Memphis competition will be held on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20 at Mekong Bistro, 8200 NE Siskiyou Street in Portland. The CBA will hold the event earlier this year to avoid conflict with Rose Festival events and holiday commitments on the weekends of Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. Also, this year’s competition will take place during the afternoon to allow acts to keep already scheduled evening gigs.

This event will determine The Cascade Blues Association’s representative for the International Blues Challenge in early 2019. The highest rated acts from this event will compete in the finals during this summer’s Waterfront Blues Festival.

Applications to compete in the Journey To Memphis must be turned in no later than the April Cascade Blues Association Membership Meeting on Wednesday, April 4. If sent by mail, the application must be postmarked prior to April 4.

Blues acts from Oregon and Washington who have not been nominated for or received a Blues Music Awards are eligible; this applies to all members of bands who may have been nominated – no exceptions. Application fee is $25.00 and all money will go toward prize money for winning acts. You must submit a short intent to compete letter, a band bio, any performer under 21 must be noted, a photo at least 300 dpi, and a sample of your music (full length songs or CDs as we try to set time for radio promotion if possible). Application packets can be turned in on hard copy (paper), disc, or USB thumb-drive.

Set lengths will be determined depending on number of acts submitting applications and set times will be drawn at random.

Due to state-required building updates and improvements, The Garages will be closed until further notice — thus the reason behind the change of venue for the Journey to Memphis competition.

• Wednesday, March 7 – 7:00 pm
• Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24th, Portland
• Members always Free, Non-Members $5.00 (Please show your membership card at the door)
• Opening Acoustic Set – Chris Estes
• Second Electric Set – Dripping Wet

Come out the first Wednesday of the month and enjoy an evening of blues music. The Cascade Blues Association celebrates the diverse collection of musicians in our region each month by presenting two sets of live performances and give-away drawings for our members. It may be called a meeting, but this more about fun and friends than business.

For our first performance of the night, we welcome long-time friend of the CBA Chris Estes. Chris plays both guitar and harmonica and sings his own music, which he says come from straight “outta the blue.” Originally influenced by the British bluesmen when he was younger, it was when he was first introduced through a high school friend that he discovered what he refers to as the “real blues.” This included the music of people like Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Robert Johnson and Sonny Boy Williamson. In fact, he just might tell you that he could very well be the soul partner of Tennesse-based blues legend Sleepy John Estes.

Chris writes and plays from his gut. He says, “It’s a feeling that comes from my emotions and personal experiences.” Something that he has been doing for more than the past 25 years.

Our act for the second set, Dripping Wet may appear to be a new band, having had its first performance just last December, but the core musicians have been playing together for a couple of years, working on harmonies and rhythms in a studio, with their only agenda to make great music. The band has evolved into a genre-spanning groove-machine based on the blues, rhythm and blues, and soul-jazz. As an ensemble they are an eclectic group, and demonstrate a wide variety of musical tastes.

The band features local studio owner Kendra Carpenter on vocals and electric cello; along with Jak Bartels on a vibey-effect driven guitar; two former players from the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies – Brooks Brown on sax/flute/guitar and keyboardist Chris Azorr; and Richard Armida, a Los Angeles transplant and veteran sideman holding down the lower end on electric bass.

The band draws on its deep bench of players with talent and decades of experience to recreate classic songs in new presentations and to develop its own catalog of originals. “The band continues to grow, exponentially,” says bassist Richard Armida. “Every time we perform the band gets better and we share that joy together….it’s a gratifying experience.”

Don’t miss out on another great month of music hosted by the CBA. The perfect spot to meet up with good friends, enjoy a meal and have the chance to win prizes just by attending. We hope to see you there at Catfish Lou’s.