What’s on Tap for October’s General Membership Meeting …
Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24th Avenue, Portland
Wednesday, October 4, 7:00 pm
Members Always Free – Non-Members $5.00 (Members please show your current cards at the door)
Opening Acoustic Set – Julie Amici
Second Electric Set – Thunder Brothers
October is here and we’ve been having a fun time at Catfish Lou’s for our monthly meetings despite the high temperatures that have been occurring in Portland the past couple months. The room has been packed with members and friends, with a full service bar and good food. We cannot thank the venue for opening their doors to us and for the assistance of Ed Neumann and Marty Henninger for lending their equipment to make the transition at the end of the night to the jam flow easy. Also, bit props to James “Coach” Hurley for stepping in at the last minute to supply us with needed microphones and stands last month and for watching over the PA.
The CBA is dedicated to bringing exciting local artists to perform at monthly meetings and this month we’re proud to bring two very popular acts that are previous Muddy Award nominees/winners and likely to receive notice again in this year’s awards.
Opening the night will be Julie Amici, our Journey to Memphis solo/duo act winners for this year who will be traveling to Memphis to represent us in the International Blues Challenge. Vocalist Julie Yanko and bass player Dean Mueller have received a pair of Muddy nominations the past two years, best new act in 2015 and traditional blues act in 2016. The band derives its name from the combination of Julie first name and Amici, the original name of Dean’s father. Much like the name is a melding of the two, the music is much the same, combining Julie’s country roots and childhood dreams of singing jazz, with Dean’s deeply rooted blues foundation. This past spring the duo released their first recording, Yellow Roses.
Julie’s strong yet sweet voice is reminiscent of the 50’s when female singers ruled the world of music, a time when jazz and blues co-mingled at the height of popular culture. Her repertoire combines the jazz of Billie Holiday with the soul of Nina Simone and the sophisticated country of Patsy Cline. Dean’s bass playing is rooted in the blues chops he earned playing with some of the finest blues legends in America and touring with the award winning international act, The Insomniacs.
The pairing of a vocalist and upright acoustic bass is a magical combination that leaves nowhere to hide. It is a setting reserved for the most qualified artists, a mingling that Julie Yanko and Dean Mueller bring together with unexpected delight, and that will be in showcased fully at the meeting.
The second set of the night will present the Thunder Brothers, recipients of the 2016 best new act at the Muddy Awards. 
This all-star grouping was first formed to participate in the 2016 Journey to Memphis and has developed into one of the most powerful and sought-after acts on the local scene today. The musicians had played with each other off and on over the years, but when they brought their talents together it was like magic. Everything struck perfectly.
The band features the twin guitars of Michael Quinby and Doug Rowell, who both provide lead vocals and songwriting skills. Both have been members of numerous bands over the years in some of the area’s best acts and first starting working together in the Karen Lovely Band a couple years back, where they also joined bassist Timmer Blakely, another long-time veteran of the Portland band scene. Rounding out the quartet is one of the finest drummers in the region, Edwin Coleman III. Any doubts about this band, all you need to do is to take a look at each of their lengthy resumes. Or better yet, just listen to them on stage together. They recently released a stellar four-track eponymous-titled EP, which is a wonderful showcase of the group’s sound.
Please join us at Catfish Lou’s for the monthly meeting. You just may be winner with our free ticket drawing or take a chance to win the multi-CD package for the month for only $1.00 a chance. But just by attending, you’re already a winner as you will be amongst friends listening to some of the best blues in town. We hope to see you this month, and every month!
