Sugaray Rayford Band, Big Man With A Big Voice, Back At The Birk: Sept. 30th

When Sugaray Rayford belts out a song, you not only hear it, you feel it. His command of a stage brings palpable excitement to the audience; he is a superb vocalist and entertainer, a fact that has been proven with two consecutive Blues Music Award nominations for the BB King Entertainer of the year. Just like the man, his dynamic voice is large. His old-school vocal style, echoes Muddy Waters, Otis Redding, and Teddy Pendergrass, and at six-foot-five, Rayford is a big man who moves with grace and energy. His fluid dance steps will remind you of the Legendary James Brown.

Sugaray Rayford (photo by Alejandro Rodriguez)

Sugaray Rayford (photo by Alejandro Rodriguez)

Over the years Sugaray has fronted bands such as Urban Gypsies, International Blues Challenge second place winners Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz, and The Mannish Boys. He’s also fronted his own Sugaray Rayford Band since 2010. This band is currently made up of world-class musicians. Ralph Carter on bass who is also his writing partner, Gino Matteo on guitar, Leo Dombecki on keyboards, Lavelle Jones on drums, Allan Walker on sax, and Gary Bivona on trumpet.

The Sugaray Rayford Band will be heading back to Oregon for a show at one of their most favorite venues, The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202, Birkenfeld. The show will take place on Friday, September 30, starting at 7:30 pm. Tickets for Sugaray are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 day of show.

Portland Blues Cruise To Help Journey To Memphis Winners Get To The IBC: Oct. 8th

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What can be better than a day on the Portland Spirit, floating along the Willamette River, dancing and listening to the sounds of some of our region’s finest blues musicians? This October you’ll have the opportunity to experience three decks of gut-crunching, soul-lifting blues and also help raise funds to send the Cascade Blues Association’s Journey To Memphis winners to Tennessee to compete in the International Blues Challenge in late January/early February.

The Portland Blues Cruise was the brainchild of Rae Gordon while she was searching for a way to raise funds for her band’s trip to the IBC several years ago, and it was so popular and successful that it’s carried on now to its third year. Rae and her band, The Backseat Drivers, will once again be representing the CBA in Memphis, so they’ll be working the main stage on the middle deck of The Portland Spirit. Solo winner David Pinsky and Youth Showcase entry Timothy James will be featured on the top acoustic deck. Also helping out will be former CBA IBC artists Franco Paletta, Blues Music Award winner Lisa Mann, and other special guests who will be sure to add to the fun.

The Portland Spirit will be decked out in a Memphis theme, including food that can be purchased on board. This year’s Portland Blues Cruise will depart on Saturday, October 8, from Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 750 SW Front Avenue, at 3:00 pm. Boarding gates will open at 2:30 pm. Tickets are now on sale through Tickettomato.com for $25.00. Admission will be $30.00 on site, but best to buy in advance as this event will more than likely sell out.

(Please Note: For those folks who are planning on attending the Oregon Music Hall of Fame show that same night, you’ll have time to do both! The Portland Spirit will return and unload at 5:00 pm, giving ample time to head off to the Aladdin Theatre).

2016 Oregon Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies and Concert: Oct. 8th

On Saturday, October 8, the Oregon Music Hall of Fame will present a special evening celebrating this year’s honor roll inductees. The class of 2016 Duffy Bishop (photo by Greg Johnson)includes prominent musicians and industry members Pete Krebs, Fernando, Brian Berg, Paul Brainard, Tim Ellis, Bart Day, Dave Cutter, the band Sleater-Kinney, plus one of the Northwest’s most favorite blues artists, Duffy Bishop.

Duffy Bishop will also be performing at the concert, as will Three Leg Torso and a set with Fernando and guests Pete Krebs and Paul Brainard. The night will be emceed by Tony Starlight.

The Oregon Music Hall of Fame event begins at 7:00 pm and will be held at the Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Avenue. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Ticketfly.com for $25.00 advance, or $30.00 at the door day of show. There are also a limited number of $100.00 Gold Circle reserved seats in prime center location available through Ticketfly.com only (these will sell out so order as soon as possible).

Third Annual Blues In The Gorge & Acoustic Blues Masters Concert: Oct 2nd

This fall, aspiring musicians from around the country will gather for a five-day blues guitar camp to hone their skills and immerse themselves in the music. This year’s instructors include four of the world’s finest acoustic blues musicians: Ernie Hawkins (Pittsburgh), Steve James (Seattle), Suzy Thompson (Berkeley), and the camp’s artistic director (Portland’s own) Mary Flower. The event is held in the Columbia River Gorge at the beautiful Menucha Retreat Center in Corbett, OR, September 30 through October 2 . Due to the limited number of students accepted each year (only 46), this camp sells out quickly. All attending will receive intimate, close at hand classes, lectures, and a student concert.

maryFlower-LGjpg-855x500Mary Flower is a multiple Muddy Award recipient and Blues Music Award nominee who has also competed in the National Fingerpicking Championship. Steve James is considered one of the finest bottleneck slide players and storytellers in the blues scene. Ernie Hawkins is an internationally renowned virtuoso who plays and sings blues, ragtime, and gospel in the early 1900’s east coast Piedmont and Texas steel-string flattop fingerpicking styles. Suzy Thompson is a master of the blues violin and a powerful vocalist in the style of Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith and is remarkably able to sing and play fiddle at the same time.

Following the workshop in the Gorge, the four instructors will appear in a special concert at The Secret Society Ballroom in Portland on Sunday, October 2. The Acoustic Blues Masters concert is open to the public and begins at 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance for this show at Ticketfly.com for $25.00. Those wearing a Blues in the Gorge T-shirt will receive $5.00 off at the door. This is a 21 & over event. The Secret Society Ballroom is located at 116 NE Russell. This is a Cascade Blues Association co-sponsored event, so make sure to show your current membership card at the door to receive a $2.00 discount on admission. (Sorry, only one discount can be used, either the CBA or the Gorge T-Shirt)

For more information on the workshop and event, go to http://menucha.org/programs/blues.

The Lake Theater & Café Welcomes A.J. Croce – Aug. 1st

AJ CroceFrom his debut as a jazz-influenced, blues-based artist to his evolution into a pop music iconoclast, singer-songwriter A.J. Croce has traveled a circuitous musical road. The son of legendary singer-songwriter Jim Croce, A.J.’s career began with at age eighteen opening for B.B. King. In the span of a twenty-plus-year career, A.J. has headlined festivals, concerts, and major listening venues worldwide. He has performed on shows including Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Austin City Limits, Good Morning America, E!, and CNN, and he has shared the stage with an innumerable list of eclectic artists from Willie Nelson to Ray Charles, Bela Fleck to James Brown, Lyle Lovett to Morphine, and Rod Stewart to Ben Harper. An ivory-searing New Orleans piano style established an essential juju, but his exploratory pop gems revealed a spectrum of influences from art rock to Americana and beyond. As the late Allen Toussaint described Croce: “It is a pleasure to witness triple uniqueness: pianist, songwriter, singer and at such a level. Who does he sound like? The answer is himself: AJ Croce.”

On Monday, August 1, A.J. Croce will be appearing at The Lake Theater & Café, 106 N State Street in Lake Oswego. Tickets for this 7:00 pm show are $20.00 and are available in advance through the venue’s website, Laketheatercafe.com.

CBA Member Picnic – August 7th

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cba-picnicIt’s time for one of the most anticipated events of the year — the annual Cascade Blues Association members picnic. Taking place on Sunday, August 7th, it is open to CBA members and their families only, and is one of the best perks of belonging to the CBA.  What does that mean? Who can come? FAMILY= 2 adults and up to 3 children under 18 living at the same address.  Additional “family” will be subject to a $5.00 entry fee.

Not a member or your membership has expired? Not to worry. You can join or renew at the picnic.

The picnic will return again to Tomahawk Moorage at Columbia Crossings on Hayden Island, 515 NE Tomahawk Island Drive, Portland, and will run from noon until 6:00 pm.

The Cascade Blues Association will be providing hamburgers, hot dogs, and beverages. The rest is a pot luck. We’re asking members to bring an item to share, so using the first letter of your last name, we are asking you to bring:

A – C: Hot Dishes

D – H:Salads

I – M: Goodies/Desserts

N – Z: Chips, Dips & Veggies

We are also in need of volunteers to help make this year’s picnic a success.  If you can spare a few hours of time for set-up, tear down, check in, raffle sales, or other help please let us know! Send us a message on Facebook or contact us via email at cascadebluescalendar@gmail.com

The CBA is an organization devoted to our love for blues music, so you know we are going to have an all-star line-up highlighting the afternoon. Four great regional bands will be on hand. Here are short bios of each and a tentative schedule:

12:30 – 1:30: Beacon Street Titans Daryl Boggs – Guitars Bill McNamera – Drums Howard McClung – Vocals, Harp, Sax Steve Malski – Bass Tom Ladouceur – Sax John Swecker – Trumpet – we are in for a dancing treat! BST made it to the finals of the CBA Journey to Memphis 2 years running now so they are perfectly suited to kick off the CBA picnic with their lively foot tapping music. Tasty jump blues and swing with just a touch of honey.

1:45-2:45: Gabe Cox, Gabriel Cox is a true songwriter at heart. This multi-talented artist is creating his own fresh, innovative, and quality sound that you will love. His music blends elements of blues, rock, pop, funk, and soul, which comes straight from the heart of the great northwest. He is dedicated to his fans, and always reaches for that one person out there that needs to be inspired. He made headlines with his first album in early 2014, and now he just released his 2nd groundbreaking album June 2016 that is already gaining national attention. Backed by a powerhouse band of all-star musicians, he has a fun, energetic, and truly unique show lined up that you simply can’t miss! He has performed all over the west coast including the Waterfront Blues Festival. His music has been featured on commercial radio, he’s had the privilege to work with many national touring acts, and he was nominated for several prestigious awards from the Cascade Blues Association.

3:00-4:00: Billy D & The Hoodoos is an award winning local blues band. Billy D’s life experience has given him the strength to write his brand of “Bluzy Rock” with a passion that only comes from living it. Heavily influenced by Chicago blues, Rock & Roll, and “Backbeat Roots” music of all types, his songs reflect the tough lessons of his past and show his love for Mother Blues and her first-born, Rock & Roll. Blues influenced roots music with a sexy backbeat!

4:15-5:15: The Thunder Brothers : Michael Quinby-Vox and Guitar Doug Rowell-Vox and Guitar Edwin Coleman III-Drums Timmer Blakely-Vox and Bass – WOW – now that’s a combination perfectly suited to the grand finale of this year’s picnic. The Thunder Brothers have rumbled into the Portland blues scene and are taking it by storm. They were also a finalist this year in the CBA Journey to Memphis completion.  This is a group that has played with others locally and in other configurations, but joined together to compete this year. We are sure to have a blast enjoying their upbeat energy and talent.

We’re looking forward to seeing you all there!

Fiona Boyes’ “Homecoming” Offers A Pair Of Shows

Fiona Boyes - press photo by Brandy Kayzakian-RoweReviewers have described blues guitarist and singer, Fiona Boyes, as a “musical anomaly,” “Bonnie Raitt’s evil twin,” or simply as “scaring the hell” out of them.  She was the first woman and non-American to win the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and blues greats Pinetop Perkins and Hubert Sumlin described her as one of the best female guitar players since Memphis Minnie, which would place her in the running as one of the best guitarists, period. Her career spans over twenty-five years and thirteen recordings, and it has also taken her around the world and earned her multiple award nominations with a range of blues guitar styles that would instinctively lead one to believe had emerged from a musician raised in the Delta or the backstreets of Chicago, rather than from Australia.

Having lived in the Portland area for a year, Fiona Boyes has developed a robust relationship with blues fans and fellow musicians in Oregon, and she will be returning to her adopted second home for a week in August with a couple of highly anticipated shows.

On Monday, August 8, Boyes will be joined by Blues Music Award winning drummer Jimi Bott for an appearance at The Lake Theater & Café. The pair will be featuring music from their upcoming recording Professin’ The Blues due to hit the street in October. Boyes has also been exploring Mississippi style folk art, inspired by the works of Dan Dalton and Stan Street, that ties in with the themes on the new album and will provide the backdrop for her performances. The Lake Theater & Café is located at 106 N State Street in Lake Oswego. Tickets are $15.00 and available at laketheatercafe.com. Show time is 7:00 pm.

Thursday night, August 11, Boyes will perform at Vie de Boheme, 1530 SE 7th, in Portland. Joining her will be good friends and three of Portland’s best-loved artists Dave Kahl, Mitch Kashmar and Carlton Jackson. Contact the venue for time and admission price — 503-360-1233.

Devon Allman and Owen Campbell – Twin Bill At The Birk – Aug. 9th

devon-allmanTwo of the blues world’s fast-rising stars, Devon Allman and Owen Campbell, are currently on tour throughout the United States together with a stop at The Birk on Tuesday, August 9.

Devon Allman could have coasted through a career with his surname alone. In the world of rock ‘n roll, being an Allman is like being a Kennedy — you’re born into prestige, but much like Jakob Dylan (son of Bob) or Nora Jones (daughter of Ravi Shankar), Allman has proven hesitant to cash in on his revered heritage. Rather, he’s forged his own path as a blues rocker, forgoing opportunities to piggyback on the success of his famous father, Gregg.

Still the two run in similar circles. Devon has spent the past four years playing with the blues super-group Royal Southern Brotherhood. But lately he has been exploring his own solo work and released his debut recording Ragged & Dirty, a gritty, Chicago blues-influenced release, and taking on the road with his eponymous band.

Ireland’s Argus News hailed Owen Campbell as “possibly one of the best performers to come out of Australia for quite some time, amazing lap steel slide guitar and a songwriting ability that belies his years.” Still in his mid-twenties, Campbell has been playing guitar since he was ten years old, developing his own gravelly blend of blues, roots, soul, and country.

This outstanding double-bill will start with a performance by Campbell at 7:00 pm, with Allman taking the stage at 8:00 pm. Tickets can be found in advance at Tickettomato.com for $20.00. Admission will be $25.00 at the door. The Birk is located at 11139 Hwy 202 in Birkenfeld.

 

Award-Winning Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival Celebrates 20 Years With Outstanding Line-Up

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The Cascade Blues Association Muddy Award winning Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in style with perhaps its strongest line-up ever! Located in Joseph, Oregon at the base of one of “Oregon’s Seven Wonders,” the Wallowa Mountains, this event will bring over twenty micro-brews on tap, Northwest wines, and some of the very best national and regional acts within the unique backdrop of Joseph City Park.

This year’s event will begin Friday, August 12 starting at 6:00 pm, with a jam night hosted by the 2016 International Blues Challenge winning band The Delgado Brothers, alongside Portland’s own harmonica favorite Franco Paletta.

Then on Saturday, August 13, the main festival will get underway at noon, starting with Australian bluesman Owen Campbell. The day will carry on with outstanding sets coming from Devon Allman; the Danielle Nicole Band; Harp Attack featuring Portland’s Mitch Kashmar and Franco Paletta alongside Memphis’ Brandon Santini; guitar master Chris Cain; and closing the night with the Sugaray Rayford Band.

Advance tickets are only $30.00 and can be purchased using PayPal at the event’s website bronzebluesbrews.com. Tickets at the gate will be $35.00 on Saturday. Kids 10 and under are free. Go to the website to check on lodging, camping, complete bios on the artists, and other information about the festival.

Toney Rocks Brings His Progressive Blues-Rock Shows For Two Nights

toney-rocksToney Rocks is an artist who can never be pigeon-holed into one specific style of music. While Rocks has been influenced by pretty much everyone from Curtis Mayfield and Smokey Robinson, to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Bonamassa, he is a unique player who often describes his music as “progressive blues-rock.” Rocks further explains his style this way: “think about if Keb’ Mo’ and Jackson Browne were stuck at Jimi Hendrix’s House” or if we were to “Just imagine if Pink Floyd went blues.” In other words, Rocks music is an intriguing concoction of many influences and styles

Usually performing as a solo musician, Toney Rocks plays both a varied selection of guitars and piano, with a presence that is quite engaging and spell-binding. Touring in support of his most recent release, No Road Too Long, he will be appearing for two shows in Oregon this August.

On Friday, August 12, Toney Rocks will be heading back to The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202, Birkenfeld, for a 7:00 pm show. Admission is $5.00.

Then on Saturday, August 13, he will be stopping in for an appearance at the Calapooia Brewing Company in Albany, located at 140 Hill Street NE at 8:00 pm.