Red Bird CD Release Show Set for The Lake Theater

Red Bird CD Release

Red Bird CD ReleaseBre Gregg has been a regular on the Portland music scene for years, but her interest in many genres may well have confused you. Though she has performed blues, soul, jazz, roots, and Americana, her signature powerhouse vocals, both technically superb and raw and unconfined are what she’s best known for. But now, after years of searching, she has found her own sound…and it’s good.

Red Bird is a partnership between Bre and incredible guitar player, Dan Gildea. Bre and Dan write the music, which features vocals and guitar, delivering a myriad of different genres in one funky, beautiful and soul-filled package. Sounding a bit like if Bonnie Raitt, Joss Stone, and Tom Waits decided to write together, they deliver a rich pallet of emotion and sound. Backed by groove masters, Jeff Langston on bass and Charlie Doggett on drums, they create a sound you can’t help but feel.

Red Bird will be appearing at The Lake Theater & Café, 106 N State Street, Lake Oswego, on Monday, October 15. They will be debuting music from their first recording called All My Love. Show time is 7:00 pm, with tickets available at laketheatercafe.com, general admission at $15.00 and VIP tables for four closest to the stage at $80.00.

Aladdin Theater to Host 12th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Concert

13th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

12th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame Induction CeremonyThe 12th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame (OMHOF) Induction & Concert will be held on Saturday, October 13 at 7:00 pm at the Aladdin Theater. This year’s class of honorees include artists Andy Stokes, Monti Amundson, Ural Thomas, Dover Weinberg. Freak Mountain Ramblers, The Rats, and Dan Eccles. Also recognized for their work in the industry are Dennis Carter of Falcon Studios and The Last Hurrah’s Peter & Michael Mott. Portugal, The Man will also be awarded the Artist of the Year and the album of the Year for their release Woodstock.

The concert will feature performances by The Kingsmen, Monti Amundson Trio and Ural Thomas and the Pain.  Tony Starlight will MC the event which will feature a live auction of autographed guitars including: Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Adam Ant and Echo & the Bunnymen. Proceeds from this event help support our music education, scholarship programs, and inductions.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketfly.com and the Aladdin Theater box office. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. VIP tickets, which include prime seating, collectable laminated pass, a Gary Houston limited edition hand pulled signed and numbered poster plus entrance to the catered after-induction party with the inductees, musicians and other VIPs, are $100 in advance or $110 at the door. The Aladdin Theater is located at 3017 SE Milwaukie Avenue.

The Oregon Music Hall of Fame (OMHOF) is a non-profit organization (501 c3) whose main purpose is to promote and preserve the musical arts of the state of Oregon. The Oregon Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to the development, revitalization, invention and expansion of music education in Oregon’s public and private educational institutions. So far this year they have produced music education programs in Oregon public schools without music programs that have served over 5000 students and have also gave away four $2500 scholarships to high school seniors that were going on to further their music education at a higher level.

Sugaray Rayford – One of the Blues Biggest Stars, Schedules Oregon Performances

Sugaray Rayford

Sugaray RayfordWhen Sugaray belts out a song, you not only hear it, you feel it. The excitement in the room is palpable when he takes the stage; he is a superb vocalist and entertainer. His dynamic voice is large just like the man. With his old school vocal style, echoes of Muddy Waters, Otis Redding and Teddy Pendergrass can be heard. At 6’5” he is a big man, but he moves with grace and energy. His fluid dance steps will remind you of the Legendary James Brown.

Sugaray has fronted his own Sugaray Rayford Band since 2010, currently made up of world-class musicians who tour extensively internationally: Gino Matteo on guitar, Drake “Munkihaid” Shining on keyboards, Allen Markel on bass, Lavell Jones on drums, and Allan Walker on sax. Ralph Carter is Suga’s writing partner, joining the band on bass for live gigs on occasion, and Jade Bennett performs back up vocals on many projects.

Sugaray was nominated for 4 awards for the 39th Annual Blues Music Awards in 2018: Soul Blues Album – The World That We Live In, Soul Blues Male Artist, Instrumentalist – Vocals, and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year.

On Thursday, October 18, the Sugaray Rayford Band will be in Sisters, Oregon appearing at The Belfry, 302 E. Main Street at 8:00 PM.

Then on Friday, October 19, the band heads into Portland for an evening at the No Vacancy Lounge, 235 SW 1st Ave.

Please contact the venues for admission information.

Band Together II – A Fundraiser for Disaster Relief Slated for Mekong Bistro

Band Together II - A Fundraiser for Mekong Bistro

Band Together II - A FundraiserOver the past year we have seen a number of tragedies strike many people, including a number of blues musicians. Disasters such as fires, snow storms, and other unforeseen events have caused several to lose gigs and hit them square in the pocket book when it comes to making ends meet financially. Last year, Marlena Martinson put together the event Band Together at The Spare Room that brought an all-star cast to raise funds for into a fund to assist blues artists affected by such circumstances in the future.

The cause is a worthy one, and because of its importance Band Together II has been scheduled for Sunday, November 4 at Mekong Bistro, from noon to 7:00 pm. Already scheduled to appear will be Lisa Mann, Peter Dammann, and Michael Osborn. Please watch for more information to be forthcoming, including artists participating in the event.

Gospel Blues

Gospel Blues

at West Hills Covenant Church Friday, October 26 and Maranatha Church Saturday, October 27

Gospel BluesThe new musical Gospel Blues, with music by Janice Scroggins and Dave Fleschner and story by Wayne Harrel, will take the stage this October 26-27 in Portland. Performers include Alonzo Chadwick, Saeeda Wright, and Jelani Greenidge (soloists in the Oregon Symphony Orchestra’s annual Gospel Christmas concerts), plus Vicki Stevens, Hillarie Hunt, and more.

The story’s set in 1968 Memphis, where sanitation worker and aspiring gospel singer Clarence Emmerson and his quartet have a chance to perform at a rally led by the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., but Dr. King’s assassination leads gospel-only Clarence to sing the blues for the first time in his life…and he’s transformed.

The two-hour musical will be presented as a staged reading (think radio drama/concert), 7:30pm in Portland on Friday, October 26 at West Hills Covenant Church (5815 SW Gillcrest Court) and Saturday, October 27 at Maranatha Church (4222 NE 12th Avenue).

Tickets and information available at gospelbluesmusical.org.

Canadian Blues Guitar Hero Matt Anderson

Roots Rising - Matt Andersen

Canadian bluesman Matt Anderson has already made quite the name for himself winning the solo/duo competition in the International Blues Challenge in 2010, a European Blues Award for best solo artist in 2013 and numerous Maple Awards and Juno Awards (Canada’s own Blues Music Awards and Grammy equivalents respectively). Anderson is a stirringly soulful singer with powerful songs and a live band that cooks on stage, as captured on his most recent recording, Live at Olympic Hall.

Matt Anderson will return to Portland for one night at Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Avenue, on Tuesday, September 25, at 8:00 pm. 21 & over only. Tickets are $16.50 advance at Ticketfly.com or $20.00 at the door.

 

Dave Mason and Steve Cropper Together, Rock & Soul Revue

Classic rock fans will be in for a truly memorable evening of timeless music and endless hits, as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitar greats Dave Mason and Steve Cropper will be hitting the road together for the first time in their careers. The Rock & Soul Revue tour that will be landing in Portland’s Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark Street, on Thursday, September 20.

The Rock & Soul Revue show will feature Mason and Cropper performing their greatest hits and personal favorites. While some songs will be performed solo by each, most of the songs will be together, backed by Dave Mason’s longtime touring band. Fans can expect to hear such well-known Mason hits and affiliated songs as “All Along the Watchtower,” “Only You Know and I Know,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “Every Woman,” “We Just Disagree” and the ever-so-popular rock anthem, “Feelin’ Alright,” along with such Cropper classics as “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “Green Onions,” “In the Midnight Hour,” “Knock on Wood” and maybe even a little “Soul Man.” What a show!

Tickets for this 21 & over show are available through Ticketfly.com. General admission is $55.00. Special VIP tickets going for $230.00 includes a meet & greet experience: Hang with Dave & Steve: attend Sound Check and meet with them before enjoying a night of terrific music. It’s a real chance to chat, ask the questions you have always wanted to ask, shake hands, take personal photos and have memorabilia signed. There are only a limited number of these and an exclusive VIP laminate/Backstage Pass, 8×10 color photo or a tour booklet plus a merchandise item (array of items will vary depending on availability) are also part of the package.

On Friday, September 21, the pair will be appearing at the McDonald Theatre, 1010 Willamette Street in Eugene, at 8:00 pm. Tickets range from $39.00 to $69.00 at Ticketswest.com. VIP packages are an additional $175.00 and include the same amenities as the Portland show.

The California Honeydrops Bringing a Party-Time Atmosphere to Revolution Hall

California Honeydrops

Party Time With The California HoneydropsThe band has come a long way since vocalist, guitarist, and trumpeter Lech Wierzynkski and drummer Ben Malament started busking in an Oakland subway station. With the additions of Johnny Bones on tenor sax and clarinet, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards and Beau Bradbury on bass, they’ve built a powerful full-band sound drawing on diverse musical influences from Bay Area R&B to funk, Southern soul, Delta blues and New Orleans second-line. All while staying true to the organic, street-level feel of their origins. More like parties than traditional concerts, their shows feature extensive off-stage jamming and crowd interaction. “The whole point is to erase the boundaries between the crowd and us,” Wierzynski says. “We don’t make setlists. We want requests. We want crowd involvement, to make people become a part of the whole thing by dancing along, singing, picking the songs and generally coming out of their shells.”

Anytime The California Honeydrops come to Portland it is a party in the making and will definitely fill the room with jovial fans. They will be returning to town for a performance at Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark Street, on Saturday, September 29 at 8:00 pm. This is a 21 & over show. Tickets are $20.00 advance at Ticketfly.com, $24.00 at the door.

Smooth Hound Smith, Driving, Stripped-Down & Soulful Blues-Rock Duo From Nashville

Smooth Hound Smith is a foot stompin’ American roots duo comprised of “One-Man-Band” Zack Smith (guitars/vocals/foot drums/harmonicas) and Caitlin Doyle (vocals/percussion). Established in 2012, and currently based in East Nashville, TN, they record and perform a varied and unique style of folky, garage-infused rhythm & blues. Using primal foot percussion, complex, fuzzed-out, finger-picked guitar patterns, warbled harmonicas, tasty harmonies and A LOT of tambourine, they are able to create something rugged and visceral- a modern interpretation of early blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll music that harkens back to the traditions of hazy front porch folk songs as well as raucous back-alley juke joints.

Over the past couple years, the duo has been appearing at some of the biggest festivals around the country to rave reviews. They will be coming to Portland on Sunday, September 23 for a show at Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Avenue. Advance tickets can be bought at Ticketfly.com for  $10.00; $12.00 at the door day of show. 21 & over only. Portland’s retro-soul favorites, The Get Ahead, will open the  night.

 

 

Franck “Paris Slim” Goldwasser Back In Town

Paris Slim

Paris SlimGuitarist Frank “Paris Slim” Goldwasser is no stranger to those who’ve been paying attention to the West Coast blues scene over the last two decades. Born in Paris, France in 1960, his initial blues inspiration came from Hound Dog Taylor’s “NATURAL BOOGIE” LP. After working his first professional gig at age 21 supporting visiting U.S. bluesman Sonny Rhodes, Rhodes invited him to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. With the commitment of a true believer, Franck packed his bags and moved to the Bay Area within a year, whereupon he was immediately hired by Troyce Key to play in the house band at Key’s legendary Eli’s Mile High Club in Oakland. Over the ensuing years, Goldwasser has earned a WC Handy Award nomination for his first recording, Blues For Esther, and has played alongside renowned musicians as Jimmy McCracklin, Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, Charlie Musselwhite and The Mannish Boys with whom he received multiple Blues Music Award nominations and wins.

Goldwasser lived in Portland for a few years before returning to California and built up quite the following in the city. On Friday, September 21, he will be returning for a show at Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24th Avenue, at 9:00 pm. Admission for this 21 & over show will be $10.00 at the door.