Music for the weekend

Lots of good choices around town this weekend ...

Of course there's Saturday night's Mysti Krewe of Nimbus Mardi Gras Ball ... my last post covered this, so I won't go on and on about how wonderful an event this will be with four bands, food from the Swamp Shack, second line parades, costumes, shoebox floats, dancing, and all kinds of fun (wait, I am going on ... sorry!).  Anyway, read the post ... and take a look at what was front page Living section news yesterday!

Today starts the two weekends of the Portland Jazz Festival. Always an incredible schedule of artists playing around town ... and it ranges from free performances to pricey ... but a tremendous experience for music lovers. Some of the coolest events are the interviews that happen at the Art Bar. Check out Oregon Music News' coverage - there's some great previews of key shows. Here's their fine preview article about shows you shouldn't miss. Nice work OMN!  ... and here's a few articles on the festival from the Oregonian.

So choices tonight (Friday) ...
Looking for early music? ... Ron Rogers & The Wailing Wind do their monthly 3rd Friday at the Hawthorne Theater Pub (6 pm, no cover) .... or Honey & the Hamdogs at Duff's Garage (6 pm, $2) .... or Gary Furlow & The Loafers at Mississippi Pizza (6pm, no cover)

Excellent roots music show at the Alberta Rose with Too Slim & the Taildraggers ... good description here:
"American music" veterans Too Slim and the Taildraggers have earned their stripes many times over at blues festivals and barrooms nationwide with a revved-up mix of "down-home blues, funky blues rock, Americana, southern swamp rock, and instrumental guitar music." The band's latest release, Shiver, is up for a Blues Music Association Rock Blues Album of the Year award. The "swampy blues, backporch  picking ... roadhouse two-beats, and old-school rhythm and blues" of Portland roots music treasure Lloyd Jones opens the show.  ... 8 pm, $18

A fine Portland singer/songwriter, Nick Peets, will be at Ford Food & Drink ... 8 pm, no cover

The blues-rockin' Ty Curtis Band is at Vie de Boheme Winery ... 8 pm, $5

CBA's Journey to Memphis winner, Madman Sam, is at Vino Vixens ... 8 pm, $5

The Press Club has Luz Elena Mendoza (of Y La Bamba)  ... 8:30 pm, no cover

... and in a preview/rehearsal for their performances at the Mardi Gras Ball, the Too Loose Cajun Band and Atomic Gumbo will be at Duff's .... 9:30 pm, $??

Saturday
At The Old Church, Lincoln Crockett does a benefit for Grief Watch and the Dougy Center, Portland resources for families and individuals dealing with grief. The show is also a memorial for Josephoenix Crockett, Lincoln and wife Alicia's son who died last year, shortly after childbirth.  Earlier this week, Ryan White of the Oregonian wrote a very touching story about Lincoln and what led to this benefit. Chris Kokesh and Crockett will open the show ... 7 pm, $15



It's the "Winter Blues" Festival at the New Copper Penny with some of Portland's best blues bands - it runs both Saturday and Sunday night ... and will raise money for the Children's Healing Art Project ... $15 per day or $25 for both nights and music goes from 1 pm - 10 pm on Saturday and 1 pm - 9 pm on Sunday.

Lauren Sheehan and Terry Robb play as a duo at the Muddy Rudder ... 8 pm, no cover

Miriams Well is at Plews Brews in St. John's  ... 9 pm, $??

DK Stewart will be at Duff's  ... 9:30 pm, $??

And, And, And  leads a three-band bill at the Doug Fir Lounge ... 9 pm, $8

Sunday
Lewi Longmire begins a week-long residency at Al's Den in the Crystal Hotel ... expect different guests throughout the week ... 7 pm, no cover

It's time for The Country Side of Sunday ... a recurring fun evening at O'Conner's with Jon Koonce, Thad Beckman, Jeff Woodcock, Bob Love International, and Kurtis Piltz ... 7:30 pm, $5

At the Alberta Rose, there's a benefit show - Keys To The Rose: Portland Professional Pianists Piano Purchase Party (say that three times fast!) to purchase a grand piano for the theater. Many of Portland's best pianists and friends will perform  ... 7:30 pm ... sliding donation from $5 to $200 ...

At the Doug Fir, it's billed as "An intimate evening of reading and music" with Husker Du/Sugar frontman Bob Mould. This is a rescheduled show from Novermber ... 9 pm, $18