2016 Journey To Memphis Begins At The Rose Room In June

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Have you ever wondered just what kind of attention participating in the International Blues Challenge can draw? Just take a look at this year’s Blues Music Awards. Four acts who have participated in the IBC combined to win six of the awards handed out this year: Lisa Mann, Cedric Burnside, Mr Sipp, and the biggest winner of the year, Victor Wainwright, who took home the BB King Entertainer of the Year and Best Band honors. Aside from those four, these former IBC acts also received nominations: Fiona Boyes, Karen Lovely, Brandon Santini, Jarekus Singleton, Sugaray Rayford, and Jason Ricci. All received international attention through their appearances at the IBC.

But, to perform at the IBC, all acts are required to go through regional competitions held by affiliated members of The Blues Foundation, such as the Cascade Blues Association. So, for the seventeenth year, the CBA will be holding the Journey to Memphis competition to select our representatives in Memphis next January.

The applications are in, the dates confirmed, and the sets have been scheduled for the opening nights of this year’s Journey to Memphis. This is going to be one of the largest fields ever to participate in our competition. Nineteen acts will appear in twenty minute sets, ten each night, on Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4. The Rose Room, 8102 NE Killingsworth, will host the event, and admission each night is $10.00, which is the base for our prizes for the overall winning acts. Four acts, the two highest scoring from each night, will move on to the Waterfront Blues Festival on Monday, July 4, on the Front Porch Stage.

This year’s entries are:

Friday, June 3:
7:00 – Joanne Broh Band
7:30 – William “Froggy” Hyland
8:00 – Julie Amici
8:30 – CD Woodbury Band
9:00 – David Brothers
9:30 – The England Trio
10:00 – Beacon Street Titans
10:30 – Tim O’Connor
11:00 – JT Wise Band
11:30 – Ben Rice Band

Saturday, June 4:
7:30 – Franco Paletta Band
8:00 – Timothy James
8:30 – The Thunder Brothers
9 :00 – Rogue Rage Duo
9:30 – Randy Morrison’s Party Bus
10:00 – Eric “Sugar” Larsen Group
10:30 – David Pinsky
11:00 – Holfar Blue
11:30 – Rae Gordon & The Backseat Drivers

Please note: schedule times are subject to change. We have had acts drop out prior to the event in the past, which can cause rearrangement of set times and dates. We will keep you informed of any changes on our Facebook page.

What’s on Tap for June’s General Membership Meeting …

Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland
Wednesday, June 1, 7:00 pm
Members always Free – Non-members $3.00
Opening acoustic set – Froggy
Second electric set – JT Wise Band

Here comes the summer, and we’re all ready for lots of great music playing around town — both indoors and outside. There are always many choices in Portland when it comes to music and the blues are always right out there in front. The best way to kick off every month has long been the Cascade Blues Association’s monthly membership meeting. That has been true going on thirty years and we have no thoughts of letting up on that.

Froggy - photo by Greg JohnsonThis month we’re going to be bringing yet another out of town artist to the meeting: William “Froggy” Hyland. “Froggy” is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Albany, working on his fourth studio CD. He is the host of one of the longest running blues jams in Oregon and an innovative tour de force.

He recently took part in Bill Rhoades’ Harmonica Summit and is a past International Blues Challenge semi-finalist and runner-up of the Kings of Beale Street competition with the Vicki Stevens Band in Memphis. Froggy will also be taking part again in this year’s Journey To Memphis competition again and you’ll be able to witness a preview of his set at this month’s meeting.

It’ll be “Lappie Night” for “Lonesome Solo Froggy” at the meeting as he will be utilizing his steel guitar. And don’t be surprised if some of the friends from the Harmonica Summit drop by to pair up with Froggy. And he states, “It’ll never be just like this again!”

JT Wise Band - press photoThe second set of the night will feature another of this year’s Journey To Memphis contestants, the JT Wise Band. JT Wise is an electric guitarist and songwriter from Portland, Oregon with a  distinctive style and tone creating a signature sound. His musical influences read like a Clapton Crossroads Festival with the full spectrum of guitar from Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Vince Gill, Robben Ford, and a touch of Garcia and Betts.

JT along with his wife and the band’s bassist Margaret are the principle songwriters and their music is anchored in the blues, but also blend rock and Americana styles. The current line up has been together for three years, filled out with long-time veteran musicians Jim Stein on guitar and and Ken Woodside on drums. Together the band plays good time music and enjoy singing and harmonizing. They are tight, rhythmic and adventuresome and have been known to stretch out on a song in the tradition of the great jam bands taking the song where ever it may lead.

Remember, if you’re looking to volunteer at the Waterfront Blues Festival for either the Cascade Blues Association merchandise booth or the stage access for the Oregon Food Bank, this will be your last chance at a meeting before the festival to sign up.

Aside from the Waterfront, we’ll pass on information about other great happenings going on this month and will hold our popular free ticket drawings and the winner take all multi-CD package drawing, too. We’ll see you there!