“There is no blues band performing today as different as HowellDevine—nor as delightful.”  ~ Lee Hildebrand, Living Blues Magazine/SF Chronicle

Triple threat talent, Joshua Howell (guitar, harmonica, vocals) and percussion savant, Pete Devine (drums, washboard), plus veteran upright bassist, Joe Kyle Jr. deftly mix Delta/Country Blues with wildly syncopated rhythms to create a rollicking present-day sound rooted in early blues. HowellDevine breaks from the norm, providing rich and complex textures integral to the music rather than simple backing for a soloist. The result is a sound which stands in stark contrast to the typical blues heard in bars these days and would more likely be shaking the floors of a Southern juke joint some 70 years ago.

Catfish Lou’s, 6540 SW Fallbrook Pl., Beaverton. Friday, September 20. 9:00 pm. No cover.

Americana and roots singer-songwriter Jackie Greene is a jack-of-all-trades and an artist who can croon over soulful piano ballads as much as he can shred a bluesy guitar solo. Since the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album ‘Gone Wanderin’’, Greene has built an enduring audience through a relentless touring schedule with the likes of BB King, Mark Knopfler, Susan Tedeschi, and Taj Mahal. He played lead guitar with The Black Crowes on their 2013 world tour, recorded and toured with Trigger Hippy (his supergroup with Joan Osborne) and in the last four years performed over 300 shows of his own, all while continuing to record and release his solo work.

Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. Saturday, September 28. 8:00 pm. $20.00 advance at Ticketfly.com, $25.00 day of show. All ages.

“Limiting myself to a genre has never really been my thing,” explains Pokey LaFarge. “I’m most purely a rambler. I’m traveling the world all the time, and my songs have been directly influenced by my travels.” Though he was raised on a healthy diet of blues, bluegrass, ragtime, Western swing, and old-time country — and though he has consistently demonstrated a decided affinity for pre-1950s menswear — the Illinois native is by no means a throwback or a museum piece. Timelessness, and refined good taste, is LaFarge’s raison d’être, and his influences are as multi-hued and wide-ranging as the rhythms that buoy his starkly poetic songs — rhythms that are steeped in the very essence of jazz.

Opening the show will be Jack Klatt is a songwriter and finger-style guitarist based in Minneapolis. His unique sound rides the fine line between blues and country music. He has proven to be a tried and true purveyor of American music traditions.

Doug Fir Lounge,  830 E Burnside St. Sunday, September 22. 9:00 pm. Tickets are $20.00 – $25.00 at Eventbrite.com. 21 & over.

The California Honeydrops don’t just hold concerts — they throw parties. Drawing on diverse musical influences from Bay Area R&B, funk, Southern soul, Delta blues, and New Orleans second-line, the Honeydrops bring vibrant energy and infectious dance-party vibes to their live shows. They’ve taken the party all over the world: on their nine European tours, to featured slots at such premiere festivals as Monterey Jazz, High Sierra, and the Waterfront Blues Festival. Whether in those high-profile performances or in more intimate venues where the band itself can leave the stage and get down on the dance floor, the California Honeydrops’ shared vision and purpose remain: to make the audience dance and sing.

Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St. Wednesday, September 18. 8:00 pm. $20.00 advance at Ticketfly.com, $24.00 day of show. 21 & over.

Photo by Erik Kabik

“Hot Tuna is a Psychedelic-Blues Institution” – Rolling Stone Magazine

After growing up together in the Washington, DC area, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady formed Hot Tuna as a side project while playing with Jefferson Airplane. They’re each well-honed and powerful performers, and always find a groove born of their years of experience and mutual inspiration. With their acoustic and electric blues sound, no duo has more consistently led American music for the last fifty years than these Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Guitarist and vocalist, Jorma Kaukonen is a highly respected interpreter of roots music, blues, Americana, and popular rock-and-roll, while Jack Casady is virtually unparalleled as a unique, electric-bass icon of popular music.

Opening the night will be American and blues master David Bromberg whose musical journey has spanned more than fifty years. A multiple instrumentalist, Bromberg learned the blues from masters like Reverend Gary Davis and has performed with greats like Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Jerry Garcia.

Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St. Saturday, September 14. 8:00 pm. $49.50 at Ticketfly.com, $55.00 day of show. 21 & over.