CBA General InfoThis Is Your Cascade Blues Association- 2007 Update - |
by Rick Hall
This is our annual updated version of the article we run in the BluesNotes (our monthly print publication) at the beginning of each year. It is an important article because we constantly get so many inquiries about who we are and why we are here, from both new and old members alike. We feel it is pertinent to feature this information once a year. Our growth in activities and our increase in membership warrant this informational article.
Note: If you've read this information before, or you think you know all about the Cascade Blues Association, go ahead and check out the other cool stuff available here on our site, or go to the Blues Calendar to make plans for who you're going to go and see this month. However, if you're new to the CBA or you just want to refresh your understanding of this organization, read on. It's all here!
As we now are into our 21st year of existence as a meaningful and contributing part of the Blues scene in Portland, the State of Oregon and Southwest Washington, I am once again reminded of how incredible a Blues haven this is! It doesn't take a lot to notice that. A quick glance at the calendar page in the BluesNotes simply states the quantity of its existence. A night or two at a chosen Blues venue around town yields the quality of its presence!
Listening to the local bands that performed at last year's Waterfront Blues Festival showed positive proof of what we get to see and hear almost any night of the week here. It's truly remarkable! You would be hard pressed to find any town the size of Portland (and the surrounding areas) that serve up as much outstanding Blues and Blues related music. In fact, it challenges, in my view, most major metropolitan cities in North America! We should really enjoy the opportunity we have living in this bounty of Blues. We are living in one of the finest Blues hideaways in the world.
The Cascade Blues Association has continued to grow along with the lively Blues scene here in Portland. It's been a journey marked with trials, mistakes and misadventures which the organization has built upon, making course corrections, adjustments, alterations and refinements. Taking negative situations and turning them into positive learning experiences. But the journey has also been filled with steady growth and success, gratification and the satisfaction of knowing the Blues continues to be alive and well here. It takes perseverance over time; it takes a commitment to goals and objectives; it takes sweat! In 2003, the CBA received the highest recognition attainable for its efforts, as the Memphis-based Blues Foundation awarded the organization with the Keeping the Blues Alive Award as the Blues Organization of the Year worldwide!
The CBA is the positive example of this process and we will have completed 17 years to date of supporting the Blues. The CBA has grown from a small organization of 20 - 30 concerned Blues enthusiasts (in December 1986), into one of the most viable Blues organizations in the country. We receive most of the newsletters put out by other Blues associations and societies and it's not hard to tell where we stand! Again this year, at the Waterfront Blues Festival, a continually prevalent remark by national performers is what a strong, solid Blues organization the Cascade Blues Association is! In their travels across the country, the national Blues artists come into contact with all the organizations. It's a great tribute when they take time to single out the CBA. You have to be proud of that!
We have recruited many new members over the last year and we continue to grow. With that in mind, it's time to "toot our own horn" again. It's time to take a look at who we are and why we're here. This update answers a lot of questions and concerns about a number of facets of the organization.
The Cascade Blues Association is in existence to support, promote, and preserve the Blues and Blues-related music by bringing together a group of people with a common bond: a love of the music.
Here are some facts not many people seem to know about this dynamic organization. The Cascade Blues Association is a non-profit organization [501 (c) (3)]. It exists because of the hard work of volunteers. These dedicated volunteers do it simply because they love Blues music and want to see it sustained as an art form. It is the same reason any person joins an organization like the CBA, except these people are more involved and somehow find the time to give to their cause.
The membership consists of musicians, promoters, and most of all, a variety of individuals from outside the music industry; all with that common interest: the Blues!
The CBA is the city's "Ambassador Of The Blues" all year long! It has built a strong association over its 21-year existence. The organization has expanded to over 1,300 members, making it one of the largest Blues organizations in the country, if not the world!
PHOTO |
The
CBA Board of Directors for 2007: Left to right: Greg Johnson (President), Dimas Diaz (Treasurer), Terry Odor (Vice President), Ken Condit (Membership Secretary). |
The Association is governed by an active Board Of Directors (BOD). They meet twice a month to take care of the business necessary to keep an organization this large and involved running efficiently. The Board consists of five officers who are elected for the upcoming year (the terms starting on January 1st) in December by the general membership at the monthly membership meeting, and currently five At-Large members elected by the five membership elected officers. This is done at the beginning of July to create a "transitional lag" in case all or a great number of positions are changed at once. It enables business to continue without considerable interruption. These positions are all "working positions!" Each Board member has a job to handle or a committee to chair, such as: The CBA Picnic, The Muddy Awards or the Scholarship Fund.
There is a tremendous amount to do throughout the year. It takes dedication and time to be a CBA Board Member, but there's the satisfaction of knowing you've given something back to something you love so much!
Your current Board consists of Greg Johnson, President. He coordinates the monthly general membership meetings and the Board Of Directors' meetings, as well as a host of other CBA activities; Terry Odor, Vice President, who works closely with the President in assisting with his duties; Ken Condit, Membership Secretary; Marc Taylor, Secretary; and Dimas Diaz, Treasurer. The At-Large Board Members are: Linda Clark, Shelley Swaffer, Katie Burum, Allan Carter, LynnAnn Hyde (Blues In The Schools Chairperson), David Moore and Stephanie Diaz.
In addition to their specific elected jobs and committee or event chairperson assignments, the Board Members also help with the distribution of the BluesNotes and work on many of the special events the CBA produces or co-sponsors.
The current CBA membership dues are $22 per year ($38 for a family). There are many benefits in joining the CBA. First and foremost is the satisfaction in knowing you are supporting this truly original American art form of Blues music financially. Then there is the CBA monthly newsletter, the BluesNotes. Its comprehensive Calendar Page (with venues and band listings for each night of the entire month) is highly sought after by clubgoers and dancers who love Blues music as their source of entertainment. Some of the local radio stations even use the BluesNotes Calendar on their shows. The BluesNotes (which is delivered to members' homes each month) contains pertinent info for Blues fans (take a peek if you haven't).
A membership qualifies you for discounts to CBA co-sponsored events (usually $1, sometimes $2, off the door when you present your current CBA membership card). There were well over 30 CBA co-sponsored events during 2004 alone!
Each month the CBA holds a free General Membership Meeting which is open to the public of all ages (yes, you can bring the family). Don't let the word "meeting" scare you away. This is really a musical "get-together" (remember, most of the business is taken care of by the elected Board Of Directors and volunteers). The meeting, if you will, is a chance to hear new local and regional talent and regroupings of established acts and bands. It gives the members and guests a chance to preview a band at an early hour. It also gives the bands a chance to showcase their talents to Blues fans who may like what they see and hear and want to come to future gigs.
The meetings are held from 7 to 9 pm and take place at the Melody Ballroom (downstairs at 615 SE Alder St.) the first Wednesday of each month. The meetings consist of two bands or groups playing a 45 - 50 minute set each. Between the sets, a few short announcements are made followed by what's become a bonanza of giveaways (tickets to concerts and shows, as well as cassettes, CDs and T-shirts). It's always fun! Check out the box entitled "General Membership Meeting" in the upper right-hand corner on the front page of the BluesNotes each month for details on the monthly meetings.
Other annual membership events include a family summer Membership Picnic and a family CBA Holiday Party.
Each member also has the privilege of nominating and voting for the CBA's nationally-acclaimed Muddy Awards. This gives you the chance to say who you like in the field of Blues music and have your voice counted!
The CBA boasts over 50 "Supporting Members" now. This premium class of membership consists of Blues fans who contribute something extra by joining the CBA at varying levels beginning at $140 and ranging up to $5000. The additional contribution is valuable added income which helps greatly in defraying some of the operational costs of running an organization of this size. A Supporting Member receives a special CBA VIP pin, a special membership certificate, recognition in the BluesNotes for being a Supporting Member, plus some membership levels include discounted advertising in the BluesNotes. (Our advertising rates are available here)
Note: There are now several different levels of sponsorship available to choose from — click here to check them out and see which level best fits your interests and your desire to support the CBA.
Education is also an important goal of the CBA. We run a Blues In The Schools (BITS) program with the goal of making blues and roots music presentations and performances available to all elementary, middle and high school campuses in the Portland metropolitan area. The program is administered by the CBA BIS Committee, which is chaired by At-Large Board Member LynnAnn Hyde. Volunteers for the Committee and to help with events are currently being sought. If you're interested in participating, contact the CBA at 503-223-1850.
The CBA offers a scholarship in the amount of $500 to be used at any local community college for continued education in the field of music. This Scholarship was established in January, 1997 in the memory of Christopher James Mesi, who passed away on July 11, 1996 at age 22 months due to health complications stemming from a rare respiratory condition known as "Tracheal Rings." Born to local favorite Blues guitarist Jim Mesi on September 8, 1994, Christopher was a true inspiration to his parents and brought musicians from all over the country together to generously lend their talents toward raising funds for medical expenses. It is the CBA's intent to continue to expand the Christopher Mesi Memorial Music Scholarship awards in the coming years.
From time to time, the CBA sponsors or co-sponsors workshops and seminars about the Blues or playing Blues music. The BluesNotes regularly runs a column entitled "Blues In History" and also runs special educational articles when available.
The CBA is here to promote Blues artists and Blues venues on a national, regional, and most importantly, a local level. This is done mainly through the BluesNotes. The BluesNotes is a newsletter designed and tailored to enhance, inform and include what's happening in and around Portland and the Northwest Blues scene. It generally includes a feature article on a local or regional artist or band. The BluesNotes focuses on the positive happenings of the Blues Community. It doesn't exist to tear down, criticize or to simply run national agendas. The BluesNotes will run record reviews at any level (local, national, etc.) provided the album warrants a positive review. Those reviews are used as "quality" additional material as space is available in the publication. There's so much to cover in this active Blues town! Again, the objective of the CBA is preservation, promotion and support of the music. The BluesNotes is a mechanism to do just that!
The "mechanics" of the Editor's job (computer layout & paste-up) are contracted (independent contractor) and a fee is paid for that portion. An additional fee (commission) is collected for administering the ad revenues of the BluesNotes. The Editor, however, is not an employee of the CBA!
The CBA sells various assorted merchandise (hats, T-shirts, bumper stickers, and the like, with the CBA logo on them) not to make a profit, but to supplement the income necessary to run an organization of this size. The $20 membership fee is not enough to do that alone. The BluesNotes publication raises (through the advertising) only about 80 percent of the revenue necessary to pay the cost of printing and distribution.
The CBA currently has an office which it rents each month, as well as a phone. The sale of CBA merchandise is an important part of the organization. It helps defray the costs of doing business while holding down the membership dues and subsidizes the BluesNotes by helping keep the advertising costs down to the very people we support!
Note: Any funds raised by the CBA go right back into the community to support Blues music!
The CBA maintains an office located in inner Southeast Portland (2020 SE 7th). This office serves several purposes; it's the location of the Board of Directors meetings held twice a month; it serves as storage for the Merchandise Booth stock; but most importantly, it serves as the BluesNotes office. It's used for composition, production and mailing of the BluesNotes and is used only during the production of the newsletter. There is a telephone (503-223-1850), but remember, the people who work on the BluesNotes are volunteers and are in at odd hours. Call and leave a message and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. BluesNotes production is generally between the 10th and 25th of the month. That is the best time to catch the Editor in the office. If you call any other time it may take two, three or even four days to get a return call. However, leave a message and you will get a return call!
IMPORTANT: The only persons authorized to represent the CBA or negotiate on its behalf are those designated by the Board Of Directors! If you want the correct information about any facet of the Cascade Blues Association, please seek out the correct source for that information! It is important that we are not misrepresented by people who only have limited knowledge in the business of running this healthy, vibrant and dedicated organization!
The Waterfront Blues Festival is not a CBA event or co-sponsored event. It is put on by The Oregon Food Bank and is a fundraiser for its organization. The CBA is not involved with the booking for the Festival. The CBA supports the Blues music and the Blues artists who play this event, especially the local artists. We are a Supporting Sponsor of the Festival and have become active in the promotion and publicity of the Festival. We also provide many of the volunteers needed to run the Festival.
All questions, suggestions and comments regarding this event should be directed to The Oregon Food Bank. However, if we can help in any way, we will make every effort to do so! This has grown into a huge event and we are proud to be involved with the Festival!
The Muddy Awards are the CBA's annual achievement awards, given every November at the CBA Monthly Membership Meeting. The "Muddys" are named after the renowned Blues legend, Muddy Waters. It is in his honor that the CBA presents these awards, representing outstanding achievement in the field of Blues music, with emphasis on the local scene. Both the nominations and the winners are selected and voted on by the CBA Membership.
This year marks the 18th Annual Muddy Awards. In past years, the CBA officially inducted 14 Blues acts or artists, two venue and one annual Blues event into its honored Muddy Award Hall of Fame. To be inducted into the CBA Muddy Award Hall Of Fame, a nominee must win the award three consecutive years in the same category. A most prestigious feat indeed!
In 1998, in celebration of the first 10 years of the Muddys, each of those first 13 bands or artists inducted contributed one of their performances to the Muddy Waters Tribute CD project. Monies from the sales of this CD go to benefit the CBA's Christopher Mesi Memorial Music Scholarship Fund, and the many other events the CBA promotes each year.
The CBA maintains and administers a Musicians' Relief Fund (MRF) for those musicians truly in need of financial assistance. This program is governed by the Board Of Directors (who follow established guidelines) and is not used to duplicate any local assistance programs already in place. Every request is carefully scrutinized by the Board, and each request is decided on its own merit and is held in strict confidence.
The funds for this program are raised by holding an MRF Auction and through donations.
The CBA's Event Fund has been a big addition to the revenue collected by the organization. The funds are raised through the donation drawings at the CBA general membership meeting and the annual autographed guitar donation drawing done each summer. The money is earmarked for special events sponsored by the CBA or concert events promoted by the organization.
With the increased revenue in this area, look for the CBA to become more involved in trying to encourage Blues acts passing through on their trips up the Interstate 5 corridor to stop here in Portland. We look forward to working with the venues here in town to book quality touring Blues acts, even if we have to help in part financially to make this happen. It certainly doesn't meet our goal of supporting, promoting and preserving the Blues if we can't make sure these touring acts are booked locally so our Membership has an opportunity to see them and they have an opportunity to perform!
This event is designed to bring to Portland those artists who may have never played in our city, haven't been here for a number of years, or who are simply deserving of greater recognition for their career's work. The funding for this event is provided by the CBA's Event Fund and private and corporate donations.
For the past 20-plus years, the Blues Foundation has been hosting the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tennessee, bringing together unsigned bands for the chance of discovery and fame. Affiliated organizations send their representatives to the international competition in January each year.
The Cascade Blues Association hosts the Journey To Memphis Battle Of The Bands to determine its representative — the band who will go on to the IBC competition. The CBA accepts applications from unsigned bands from Oregon and SW Washington that have an interest in traveling to Memphis to take part in the Challenge. Those who enter are reviewed based on categories of talent, Blues content, and originality of their material. Finalists are selected to perform before a panel of judges (selected from a variety of respected media and music personalities). The finalists perform at the Journey To Memphis Battle Of The Bands Showcase at the Waterfront Blues Festival. The winner receives partial financial assistance for the trip to Memphis from the CBA, as well as being the CBA's representative at the IBC. And a guaranteed performance set at the Blues Festival.
The Cascade Blues Association is a quality organization dedicated to "keeping the Blues alive!" We are one of the country's largest and finest Blues organizations, we are proud of our accomplishments in the past and we look forward to the future with anticipation and high expectations! The Christopher Mesi Scholarship Fund, the celebrated Muddy Awards, the CBA Family Picnic, the Holiday Party, the Willamette Delta Showcase, and all of the other CBA co-sponsored events are but a few of the events to look forward to (watch your BluesNotes for each and every one).
The job of the CBA grows greater as it continues to support, promote and preserve Blues music. Every member should wear the CBA logo with a great deal of pride knowing that they are part of this first-class organization. The City of Portland should be proud to have this positive, active and hard working organization in its great community.
The CBA supports the Oregon Food Bank, Raphael House, the Oregon Rainbow Coalition and Ethos, Inc.
If you want to help by becoming a volunteer, or if you want to make a cash donation, call:
The Cascade Blues Association
503-223-1850
or write to:
The
Cascade Blues Association
PO Box 14493
Portland, OR 97293-0493
All members should purchase a CBA bumper sticker ($1 at the CBA Merchandise Booth) or license plate frame ($2 at the booth) and put it on their vehicles. Let everybody know you're a member of the best darn Blues organization going: the Cascade Blues Association. After all, this is your Cascade Blues Association!
© 2007 Cascade Blues Association