Award-Winning Rising Blues Star Nick Schnebelen

Nick Schnebelen

Nick SchnebelenKansas City’s Nick Schnebelen is becoming one of the fastest rising blues starts today.  The Seattle Post-Intelligencer states that Schnebelen offers “[e]chos of the blues like Freddie King, Buddy Guy . . . Nick Schnebelen’s world-class guitar playing leads the way.” As a founding member of the award winning & popular family band Trampled Under Foot, Nick made a name for himself as an exceptional guitarist and performer. The band won the International Blues Challenge in 2008 with Nick taking home the coveted Albert King Award for best guitarist in the competition. The band went on to win two Blues Music Awards in 2014 for best band and album of the year.  Following the break-up of the family band, Nick Schnebelen has found high success with his solo outfit, touring world-wide, featuring Nick’s raw blues energy guitar and vocals and backed by the rock solid rhythm section of Cliff Moore on bass and Adam Hagerman on drums.

Touring in support of his latest release, Live In Kansas City, the Nick Schnebelen is bringing excitement across the country with their dynamic performances. Nick Schnebelen will be coming to the Portland area for a night at The Lake Theater & Café on Monday, August 28 at 7:00 pm. Tickets for this show can be purchased at Laketheatercafe.com for $15.00. The Lake Theater is located at 106 N State Street in Lake Oswego.

 

 

 

JJ Thames – The Mississippi Blues Diva, Visits The Birk

JJ Thames

JJ ThamesIt’s clear that soul-blues is her calling. At age 30, JJ Thames stage presence and vocal delivery are more reminiscent of singers from the golden era of the art form than they are of most blues belters on the scene today. Her delivery is never rushed, and her ability to express deep emotion is on par with someone twice her age as she delivers everything from down-home juke joint stylings to full-blown torch songs, all containing messages of positive affirmation. Both classically and jazz trained, JJ began performing at the tender age of 9 years old and became a blues-shouting banshee by the time she was just 18 years old. She cut her teeth after moving down to Jackson, MS, where she performed with the celebrated “Chitlin’ Circuit” superstars such as Marvin Sease.

Thames’ live shows are the stuff of legend. Part revival meeting and sexual celebration, Thames will deliver a Mississippi juke joint-tongue-in-cheek blues tune or a soul ballad. She honors the bold blues women of the past with both feet firmly planted in the now. With her heart on her sleeve, she belts, growls, shouts, croons, and moans from a place deep within her soul that harkens back to the days of Chess, Bluebird, and Stax Records. She uses music as therapy and often writes from her own life story, and chooses material with positive affirmations that leave the audience feeling healed and exhilarated.

Touring in support of her latest release, Raw Sugar, JJ Thames returns to Oregon following her strong performance at the Waterfront Blues Festival for one show only at The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202, BIrkenfeld. Happening on Tuesday, August 29, this show is open to all ages and starts at 7:30 pm. Advance tickets can be purchased through TicketTomato.com for $10.00, $13.00 at the door.

21st Annual Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival in Joseph, Or

Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival

 Bronze, Blues & Brews FestivalThe Bronze Blues & Brews festival celebrates its 21st year, August 11 & 12, with a unique musical experience in an unbelievable setting. Taking place in Joseph City Park in downtown Joseph, Oregon, some of the best regional and international acts will be on hand

The “Friday Night Showcase” begins at 6:00 pm on August 11 with Rae Gordon and The Backseat Drivers.  Many of the headlining musicians scheduled for Saturday often join in for an improvised jam that you shouldn’t miss!

The main festival begins Saturday August 12 at noon and ends at 10pm. Leading off is Brody Busters’ One Man Band, followed through the day by Australian bassist Anni Piper, guitar wizard Albert Castiglia with the Portland All Stars, Blues Music Award winning pianist Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots, and culminates with harmonicist Sugar Ray and the Bluetones.

Stunning bronze sculptures by Parks Bronze and 20-plus taps of NW microbrews are also featured along with a selection of good eating provided by our vendors. We are family friendly with kids under 11 free. Don’t miss seeing our great new park playground.

If you need lodging please book early to ensure a place. Free ‘dry-camping’ area is available close to the event and free shuttle services are available. Tickets are $35 advance through Friday evening, $40 at the gate. Please visit www.bronzebluesbrews.com for full event, lodging, ticket, and other information.

Blues Performances Highlight Tualatin Crawfish Festival

Tualatin Crawfish Festival

Tualatin Crawfish FestivalThe annual Tualatin Crawfish Festival is the largest event that takes place in Tualatin, and it’s filled with lots of attractions from carnival rides, food, beer, and wine booths, games, an eating contest featuring watermelon and, of course, crawfish; multiple races including a 5k and a half marathon, and great musical performances. Celebrating 66 years, the event will take place at Tualatin Community Park on Friday, August 4 and Saturday, August 5.
Friday night’s music will feature the classic rock of Dance Hall Days, but Saturday is filled with blues from four of the best local acts in Oregon. At 10:00 am, Lisa Mann will hit the stage, followed by Norman Sylvester at 1:15 pm, Ty Curtis at 4:00 pm, and closing out the festival stage will be Curtis Salgado at 7:30 pm.
Admission is free on Friday and a bargain at $5.00 on Saturday, with kids 12 and under free. Go to www.htcraceseries/event/crawfish-crawl.com for more information.

Hope you’re ready for a great summer Member event!!!

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Annual CBA Member Concert

The First Annual CBA Member Concert@the Crossings on August 6th should be a fantastic way to spend a lovely summer day.
WHERE: Columbia Crossings located at 515 N. E. Tomahawk Island Drive
WHEN: August 6 12PM – 5PM
WHO: Members Only. A Family membership consists of 2 adult and 2 children living in the same household.
LINEUP: Terry Robb, Billy Dee & The Hoodoos, Tracy Fordice Band, Franco Paletta & The Stingers, and The Thunder Brothers
By now you should all be aware of the new format for this event. As in past years, we will offer limited beer, wine, sodas, and water on site. Dan from Dano’s Dogs will be offering food for sale. Mimicking the local Concerts in the Park format members will need to bring their own food to the event. We want to thank those members who have expressed understanding the reason for this change. We are aware that some members aren’t too pleased with this change and honestly we all feel somewhat disappointed that it has had to be modified this way. Basically it boils down to finances and people power. This is the most expensive event for us to host and we just do not have the funds. But even more difficult is the setup, preparation and tear down for this. As you know – we consistently ask for volunteers and we just don’t get enough help to continue to keep the format that we have done in the past. The 5 person board is stretched too thin. That being said – there is nothing stopping any of the members to step up and organize their own pot luck experience. If someone wants to organize and be responsible for setting up a pot luck – feel free to contact Wendy Schumer – she can send out a notice in the email blast. You can reach Wendy here: cascadebluescalendar@gmail.com.
As in past years – this is a MEMBERS ONLY event. A family membership permits 2 adults and 2 children living in the same household. There will be a charge for additional children. CBA membership will be available for purchase at the event. So bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic basket and join us for a fabulous day of good friends and some killer blues.

Terry Currier Day Proclaimed In Portland, August 12

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Terry Currier Day

Terry Currier DayMayor Ted Wheeler issued a Proclamation designating August 12, 2017, as “Terry Currier Day” throughout the City of Portland. The official announcement was made on July 4th at the Waterfront Blues Festival, prior to a set of music by Duffy Bishop.
As the Proclamation notes: “Terry Currier, owner of Portland, Oregon’s long-serving, independent, and iconic Music Millennium record store for over thirty years has provided tireless, unrivaled support and assistance to all facets of the renowned and well-established Portland music community, including musicians, venues and events…. Ted Wheeler proclaims August 12th to Terry Currier Day in Portland and encourages all residents to observe this day.”
Currier’s list of accomplishments is a long one. He began his career in 1972 as a clerk then buyer then district manager for DJ’s Sound City in the Northwest and Hawaii. He joined the Music Millennium staff in 1984 as a manager and bought the business in 1996. As the store flourished and rode the waves of format changes and economic upheaval, Currier ran Burnside Records and co-founded Burnside Distribution, a company that has helped thousands of musicians nationwide to reach a broader public. Away from the store, he has served on the boards of Cascade Blues Association, Portland Jazz Festival, and the Grammy’s Pacific Northwest Chapter of NARAS, Coalition of Independent Music Stores, and co-founded the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2003. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.
Terry Currier has supported all genres of music or 40 years and even brought the phrase “Keep Portland Weird” to Oregon. Last month the national Music Business Association presented its prestigious Independent Spirit Award to longtime member Terry Currier in Nashville, and now, on August 12th the City of Portland will honor him as well.
The Cascade Blues Association is honored to have a long-time friend in Terry Currier. He has been a part of the organization since the beginning. One of our longest and most important and loyal supporters, a recipient of two Back What You Believe In Muddy Awards and an inductee into the Cascade Blues Association Lifetime Achievement. We congratulate Terry on an honor more than deserved!

Top Blues Acts Headline 20th Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival

Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival

Vancouver Wine & Jazz FestivalThe Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival returns for its twentieth anniversary with a stunning cast of internationally acclaimed GRAMMY-winning jazz and blues musicians, local and regional bands, and high school groups throughout the weekend. The Festival also features 200 wines, fine art, food, and exhibitors. The Festival takes place Friday, August 25 through Sunday, August 27. Held in Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver, WA, it is considered one of the best jazz festivals and the largest festival of its kind in the Northwest. 100% of the proceeds benefit Bravo! Vancouver (aka Bravo! Northwest) a 501c3 nonprofit arts organization.
Among the many artists performing over the three-day event, blues lovers will be delighted by headliners Ruthie Foster (Friday), Shemekia Copeland (Saturday), Ronnie Baker Brooks, and the John Mayall Blues Band (both on Sunday).
Tickets can be purchased for single days or as a three day pass in advance at Vancouverwinejazz.com. Friday tickets are $18.00 advance/$25.00 at the gate. Saturday are $25.00 advance /$35.00 at the gate. And Sunday are $25.00 advance/$30.00 at the gate. Three day passes are available online only for $60.00.
Esther Short Park is located at the corner of 8th & Columbia Streets. Check website for further information and other acts appearing at the festival.

Crooked Eyed Tommy Back In The NW

Southern California-based blues band Crooked Eyed Tommy has been making quite the name for themselves since the release of their well-received 2016 album Butterflies & Snakes, which reached number fifteen on the National Roots Music charts for blues releases. They have participated in the International Blues Challenge, and Ventura County Music Awards declared CET the best blues band in 2015. Led by songwriting guitarist Tommy Marsh, the band continues to thrill audiences not only up and down the West Coast, but across the country too. Tommy’s slide guitar work is fascinating, and he’s joined by brother Paddy on second guitar filling in all the right riffs to offer their audiences a full package of great blues.

Crooked Eyed Tommy will be heading to The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202, in Birkenfeld, Saturday, July 1 for a 7:00 pm show. Joining the band for this night will be special guest Rae Gordon. Admission is $10.00 at the door.

Shari Puorto Band Hitting The Northwest

“Shari melds Susan Tedeschi’s self-taught soul, Bonnie Raitt’s country-rock sweetness and just a touch of Melissa Ethridge’s rasp.” – Monterey Country Weekly

The Shari Puorto Band is a blues/rock/roots outfit with a whole lotta soul that have performed along the coast of California, across the United States, and abroad for many years. This award-winning band knows how to electrify an audiences, bringing an experience that you will not soon forget. “We know how to bring an audience together and allow them to feel something deep within their souls they never knew existed,” explains Puorto. Having worked on stages alongside acts such as Dickey Betts, Johnny Winter, Dave Mason, Robben Ford, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, and others, the band presents a terrific mix of modern blues/rock combined with yesterday’s traditional styles through its “[u]nique and powerful vocals, big guitar, groove-oriented rock & roll with a full dropper of blues coloring.”

On Saturday, July 1, Shari Puorto will be playing the Waterfront Blues Festival for a 2:00 pm set on the First Tech Blues Stage.

Shari Puorto Band will be heading to The Birk, 11139 Hwy. 202 in Birkenfeld, on Sunday, July 2 for a 6:00 pm show. Admission is $10.00 at the door.

On Monday, July 3, the band will head across the river to Billy’s Blues Bar & Grill, 7115 NE Hazel Dell Avenue, in Vancouver, WA. Show time is 7:00 pm.

The band returns to the Waterfront Blues Festival on Tuesday, July 4, for the DME Driftin’ Blues Cruise on the Portland Spirit. Boarding time is 2:00 pm, departing the seawall at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $29.00 and available at TicketTomato.com. Also on the cruise will be JJ Thames & The Violet Revolt, The Thunder Brothers, Worth, and Pinsky & Newton.

Jim Kweskin & Meredith Axelrod — True Folk & Blues Musicians Come Together

Jim Kweskin is probably best known as a singer and bandleader. He also created one of the bedrock guitar styles of the folk revival, adapting the ragtime-blues fingerpicking of artists like Blind Boy Fuller to the more complex chords of pop and jazz. Since his jug-band days, Kweskin has maintained a remarkably consistent musical vision and continues to explore traditional folk and blues with the sophisticated sensibility of a jazz musician combined with the communal simplicity of a folk artist.

Delightfully engaging and unassumingly comic, Meredith Axelrod envisions the limitless potential of early twentieth century music, whether Ragtime, Music Hall, Pop Standard, Boogie Woogie, Tin Pan Alley, String band, Jazz, Country, Blues, or even Jug Band music, and embodies the spirit that brought the music into existence in the first place.  Her vocal style is unusual, probably because she learned to sing by listening to how folks did it a century ago – through the medium of wax cylinders and 78-rpm records.

Both Jim Kweskin and Meredith Axelrod will be performing together at McMenamins White Eagle Saloon on Wednesday, July 12. This rare twin performance in Portland starts at 8:00 pm and is a 21 & over only show. Tickets are $20.00 in advance through CascadeTickets.com or $22.00 at the door. The White Eagle is located at 836 N Russell Street.