Saturday, February 25, 2012

Music picks for Saturday

 Lots going on in the final weekend of the Portland Jazz Festival, including Charlie Hunter at the Crystal Ballroom and Bill Frisell at the Newmark Theater ... other shows too, including some great local jazz talent in venues around town - some for no cover. Check the schedule ... and Oregon Music News coverage here.

The other two shows to remind you about are at the Laurelthirst and Duff's tonight ...I mentioned these earlier this week ...

James Low officially released his new CD, Whiskey Farmer, this week and celebrates it with a CD release show at the Laurelthirst.  The new recording is excellent and long overdue. It's getting attention from Americana radio - especially in Europe (where they seem to have a better appreciation for American roots-based singer/songwriters than we do ... go figure).  The Sumner Brothers and W.C. Beck round out the bill ... 9 pm, $8


At Duff's, Rich Layton & the Troublemakers lead a set of Portland blues and pop musicians on a musical tour through the British Blues Explosion. They'll be doing the tunes that the Brits learned from American blues musicians and gave back to the US, along with their own compositions during the "British Invasion" of the 1960's .... should be big fun at Duff's tonight! ... 9 pm, $10




One more solid choice is the CD release of Myshkin's Ruby Warlblers' The Diamond Lust at the Alberta Rose Theatre ... 8 pm, $15

Great choices ... take your pick!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Shows on the radar this week ...

First is tonight - Casey Neill and the Norway Rats have been doing a Wednesday happy hour residency gig all month at the Laurelthirst ... two more shows to go, and if you haven't caught one yet, you really should try to make it over, as they have been outstanding evenings of music ... 6 pm, no cover

Two shows for the radar on Saturday night ...

James Low and the Western Front have the official CD release show for the new CD, Whiskey Farmer.  The reviews have been glowingly positive, including this one from today's Willamette Week ... 9 pm, $8

My buddy Rich Layton has a very special show in store for folks at Duff's ... so givin' you the heads-up so you don't miss out - this will be very big fun ... here's Rich's description ...


Mick Jagger and Jeff Beck invited to the big blues jam held at the White House last night says it all. The British Invasion bands of the '60s carried the torch for American Blues until we finally realized this stuff was right here in the USA just waiting for us to dig it! Without those young English lads wearing out 45s by Muddy, Wolf and the rest, you have to wonder if there would even be a Friday Freeway Blues, KMHD Blues Palace, Sunday night blues with Bob Anchetta, Cascade Blues Association, and all the other blues institutions we take for granted. Hope some of y'all can join us on Saturday. Maybe we can make it an annual event...

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Mardi Gras options tonight

Just a quick note for you all  ... 

If you're looking for some Mardi Gras music to celebrate the day, check out the Too Loose Cajun Band, Bon Ton Roulet, and the New Iberians at the Alberta Rose tonight ... $15 and doors open at 6 pm - there's a gumbo meal included, too!

Over at Duff's catch the quartet of Lloyd Jones, Dover Weinberg (keys), Warren Rand (sax), and Kelly Dunn, who'll do some special New Orleans flavored tunes ... 9 pm, $3

New York's The Budos Band is in town at Dante's ... should be very funky ... 9 pm, $17

In other music ... you can catch the James Low Western Front at 9 pm at the Alberta Street Pub  ... it's a live web radio broadcast, so you can also stay home and catch it here. BTW, today was the official release of Low's new CD, Whiskey Farmer ...

And remember that Lewi Longmire continues his residency week at Al's Den ... 7 pm, no cover

Friday, February 17, 2012

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
 

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Mardi Gras Ball this Saturday night!

Mardi Gras Ball in Portland Oregon

This isn't a Mardi Gras celebration that involves drunken frat boys, beads, and bare breasts.  I keep getting surprised at what people I talk with  think Mardi Gras is about. They get one right out of three ... there will be beads. But this traditional Mardi Gras ball is about a whole lot more - costumes, live music with four bands, dancing, a "second line" parade, shoebox floats, catered Cajun food, king cake, ... and beads.

The Mysti Krewe of Nimbus is an Oregon Mardi Gras Krewe that is patterned after the classic Louisiana groups that throw balls and parades to celebrate Mardi Gras in the weeks leading up to beginning of the Catholic period of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The long tradition of balls and parades is deeply embedded in the memories and experience of those who have grown up or lived in Louisiana. A number of former residents of the state and their NW friends put together the Krewe last year to throw a very successful ball.  This year's ball, being held this coming Saturday at the Bossanova Ballroom, will be even bigger and better.

I am very honored to be a part of the Krewe and helping to organize the ball. I know the work that has gone into creating the event and know what an absolute blast this is going to be.


So, this is your very special invitation from me to come to the ball! You can wear a costume (the theme this year is the Meter's classic New Orleans tune "They All Ask'd For You"), but that isn't required (though you'll loose your chance to win the costume contest). The Transcendental Brass Band kicks the party off at 7:45 pm with some traditional second line brass band tunes, followed by Atomic Gumbo laying down some classic New Orleans Mardi Gras music ... then the Too Loose Cajun Band will bring the Cajun sounds (with a healthy dose of Zydeco) you'd hear at a Louisiana "country" Mardi Gras ... and finally, Philly's Phunkestra will lay down some soulful funk to keep the dancers moving past midnight.  And there's some outstanding Cajun food included from The Swamp Shack.

The party is a bargain at $25 per person if you buy them online ... they'll be $30 at the door.

Hope to see ya there!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Quick Thursday picks ...

Thanks to Marychris for posting earlier this week (though for those of you who follow the blog via email or Facebook, I've got to figure out how you'll know there's a post up - but there's a tech solution, I know ... just need to take a few minutes to figure out a good system.) ....

Anyway ... I digress from the matter at hand -- music tonight.  Just a couple to note -

Excellent East Coast folkie at the Alberta Rose tonight - John Gorka ... a relentless tourer and festival crowd favorite, Gorka is a very good one ... 8 pm, $15

It's a very good night at the Laurelthirst with Lewi Longmire's happy hour show (6 pm, no cover), followed by Kathryn Claire and the Don of Division Street (9:30 pm, $??)

Fine show at Jimmy Mak's with Bobby Broom and the Deep Blue Organ Trio ... check out the story at Oregon Music News ... 8 pm, $12

Speaking of Oregon Music News, they are working with local video company, Stumptown Bliss, to record and stream in-store performances from Music Millennium ... here's one they did last week with Laura Gibson ... very cool! Go to the Stumptown Bliss site and check out their gallery for samples of local shows they've recorded too. Good stuff!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Only one thing this week...

WILCO!!! - oh OK and Drunken Prayer at Millennium on Tuesday at 6 pm and Laurelthirst on Wednesday and Secret Society on Friday...guess Morgan can't really quit Portland quite yet...also Jayhawks (Rockchalk!) at Roseland on Tuesday...I loved that the ad for Roseland in Friday's paper had the ad for Kansas show right next to Jayhawks show...synchronicity...

Friday, February 3, 2012

Friday early music

It's my favorite happy hour night of the month ... and tough to choose where to go!

The James Low Western Front is at the Laurelthirst ... check out this review of James' new CD, Whiskey Farmer, that has it's official release later this month. The CD is garnering all kinds of great attention at Americana music sites ... especially in Europe (often seems they know and appreciate our music a lot better than we do) ...

The Secret Society hosts the "gypsy jazz" of Swing Papillion  ...

And at the Hawthorne Theater Pub, it's Wendy & The Lost Boys for some jammy, rootsy acoustic tunes ...

A little later catch Rich Layton & The Troublemakers doing their monthly gig at Vino Vixens ... 8 pm, $5


Or ... Devin Phillips at The Blue Monk ... 8 pm, $5

Jumping in...

I'll jump in here with a couple of other notes...I have to post that my housemate's band "Wizard Boots" is playing the Tiger Bar tonight...I can't describe a genre...but you know, he's my housemate...Saturday Lost Lander will be doing a CD release party for their CD "Drrt" - Matt Sheehy is one of the best songwriters in town and they have a great melodic sound with a backbeat.  Morgan Greer will return this month to preview his new CD, starting with an instore at Music Millennium on the 7th and a few dates around town in the weeks to follow...he tells me he's moved out of Portland, but we can't seem to totally get rid of him.....

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Two great Thursday shows to consider

OK, I'm back ...

Just so ya know, I'm in the midst of planning a two-month working trip to New Orleans that's coming up fast ... it's part of what has me short on time these days and posting less ...details, details, details ...

But I would be shirking my self-appointed responsibilities if I didn't tell you about two excellent touring shows tonight  ...

At the Aladdin is billed as "Soul Salvation" with the very dynamic one-two punch of Ruthie Foster and Paul Thorn. Though many might consider both blues artists, that is hardly accurate as both are serious songwriters who dig deep into their music and cultural roots for inspiration. They both have the church and gospel music in their background that gets reflected in their sound - but for both that sound incorporates American roots music ranging through blues, folk, soul, and rock. Both Ruthie and Paul have both scored huge audience response at the Waterfront Blues Festival (in fact I hope each gets a chance to play it again this year). Both possess incredible stage presence that makes for an extremely connected audience experience. The award-winning Ruthie is touring behind her just-released, New Orleans-recorded CD, Let It Burn (supported by some of NO's finest) .... Paul is an extraordinary storyteller who can "find brilliance buried in shadows, darkness in daylight, poetry in the mundane, and truth in the brutal beauties of life." ...and he has a killer band! This tour pairing makes a lot of sense, as each has an audience that will really appreciate both ... If you know Ruthie or Paul, or even if you're not familiar with them, I highly recommend this one!  ... 8 pm, $20

It's ironic that less than a mile away at Duff's Garage, two of the best songsters traveling around this country are also playing. The multi-talented blues musician, composer, writer, actor, and director Guy Davis, and our very own Lauren Sheehan will dive into a range of American roots music, with a focus on acoustic blues. It's hard to believe there's two shows like this to choose from tonight, but make your pick. It's a special night ... 7 pm, $15

Looking to get a slightly earlier start to your evening?  I'd check out Laura Gibson at 6 pm at Music Millennium .... her excellent new CD, La Grande, has its release party tomorrow night at Mississippi Studios, but this is a chance to catch a few tunes, pick up the CD, and say hi. BTW, Laura added a 6:30 pm show Friday night, as the 9 pm show sold out quickly.