The CBA and Artichoke Music
Present 2021 Journey to Memphis Sept. 11

A fundraiser – your tickets and donations help the winner get to Memphis!

Saturday, Sept. 11 — Doors at 1 p.m. Program at 1:20 p.m. Tickets at Eventbrite are $20 per person. There is also the option to make a donation on the ticket site.  There will be limited seating capacity and no entry during set performance … acts will be using the video recording for promotion.

*** PLEASE NOTE THAT THE VENUE WILL REQUIRE PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION OR NEGATIVE COVID TEST WITHIN PRIOR 48 HOURS TO ENTER ***

The International Blues Challenge (IBC) represents the worldwide search for blues bands and solo/duo blues performers ready for the international stage, yet just needing that extra big break. Each affiliated blues society of the Blues Foundation has the right to send an act or acts to represent its organization at the IBC.

The Cascade Blues Association has two acts competing this year. Because there is only one act in each category, they will compete with each other. Each act will perform a 25-minute set that will be judged according to an established set of criteria by which all competing musicians are evaluated throughout the five days of the IBC.

The first act, JME, will perform at 1:30 p.m.

Sugar Roots, featuring Chad Rupp, will perform at 2:45 p.m.

The scores will then be tabulated, and the winner announced at approximately 3:45 p.m.

For those who are not able to join us in person, each set will be livestreamed separately from the Artichoke Music Facebook Page. The announcement will be livestreamed from the Cascade Blues Association Facebook page. Donations to the fundraising efforts can be made directly on the ticket site.

JME

JME is stylized blues and post-modern jazz for the next roaring ’20s. This duo combines decades of musical experience exploring the vast genres of rock, blues and jazz.

Anybody who has been active in Portland’s blues scene will be familiar with Jenny Moriarty’s powerful and expressive vocals as she has performed with many of Portland’s more prominent musicians. JME provides Jenny perhaps her most versatile and expressive vehicle where she can truly display her performance abilities and musicality.

The instrumental aspects of JME are anchored by Brad Bleidt on piano. Brad’s primary piano focus is providing a rich imaginative harmonic interpretation to Jenny’s varied repertoire while injecting complementary solos to round out the ensemble’s stylizing.

Jenny and Brad are active in Portland’s music venues with other projects such as JME Jazz, Bedazzled, the Beacon Street Titans and The Mystic Mama Band.

 

Sugar Roots, featuring Chad Rupp

Sugar Roots, featuring Chad Rupp, is a Portland-based blues band formed by multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Chad Rupp, guitarist Jason “JT” Thomas, keyboardist Sam Gendler, bassist Timmer Blakely and drummer Chandler Bowerman.

This band was forged from the roots of Portland’s uniquely prodigious local blues scene with three Portland natives and two extremely talented transplants who appreciate the legacy of Portland’s musical history and the amazing musicians that have provided a lasting tradition of blues performance. Sugar Roots draws on inspiration from Portland greats like Curtis Salgado, Lloyd Jones, Jim Mesi, Paul deLay, DK Stewart and Norman Sylvester, along with their supporting bandmates.

The band takes its name as a nod to popular local blues band, Brown Sugar, a pioneering staple of Portland’s live music scene. Frontman Chad Rupp said this about the band forming: “Really, the band came together because we had been playing together regularly pre-pandemic for a few years at a popular local jam session, The 1-4-5 Blues Jam Party, and we were having a great time! Sam Gendler and Chandler Bowerman brought their experience and mojo from the LA and Illinois scenes combined with veteran local and national act musicians, Timmer Blakely and Jason “JT” Thomas. This group really became a tight and organic unit for me to work with. When we looked at the chemistry we had, we decided that we should be recording and gigging together more! These guys have made it possible for me to stretch out on stage leading to some fun and powerful performances for me, personally!”

We are all looking forward to bringing our best to the stage as we approach the Cascade Blues Association’s Journey to Memphis and the possibility of representing Portland’s live blues legacy at the International Blues Challenge in 2022! Sugar Roots will be releasing an album of originals on Oct. 3, with some sneak peeks via social media! Please visit our Facebook page for news and events. And support live music and the blues, wherever you are!