San Francisco’s Dennis Johnson is one of the virtuoso slide guitar players performing today. Guitar World Magazine calls him a “slide guitar master.” A self-taught guitarist as a teen, he discovered the music of Robert Johnson, Roy Rogers, and Norton Buffalo and was hooked on the blues. With a deep passion for rhythm forms his […]
Here’s a list of new music received at the CBA office, purchased personally, or listened to this past month of note: Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite – No Mercy In This Land (ANTI- Records) Bettye LaVette – Things Have Changed (Verve) Breezy Rodio – Sometimes The Blues Got Me (Delmark) David Vest – David Vest […]
Brother Yusef has been described as a master solo guitarist, as well as a uniquely passionate vocalist. His performances are as raw and honest as the genre has ever aspired to be. Honing his style over thirty years, Yusef calls his multifaceted musical approach , “Fattback Blues” — a rich mix of Delta , Chicago, […]
Hunter & The Dirty Jacks play “California-Crafted Rock & Roll” – like smoky whiskey with phosphorescent ice cubes in a blues-tinted glass. Led by frontman Hunter Ackerman and flanked by guitar players Carmelo Bonaventura and Jon Siembieda, with Aaron Barnes grooving the bottom end on bass and Brian Lara keeping the rootsy tribal beats, this […]
James Hunter has certainly paid his dues. Over the span of 30 years, he’s worked on the railway, busked in the streets of London, provided backup vocals and guitar for Van Morrison, played clubs and theaters all over the world, written scores of original songs, and recorded some of the most original and honest rhythm […]
Grammy Award winners Doug Smith and Mark Hanson along with Oregon Music Hall of Fame member Terry Robb make up the Acoustic Guitar Summit – one of the region’s most accomplished musical groups. Performing together for over 20 years, the three bring a diverse musical journey to the stage with their impressive fingerstyle guitar and […]
With a career spanning five decades, one can easily argue that Booker T. Jones set the cast for modern soul music and is largely responsible for its rise and enduring popularity. On classic Stax hits such as “Green Onions,” “Hang ‘Em High,” “Time Is Tight,” and “Melting Pot,” Booker T. & the M.G.’s expanded soul […]
The 2018 Cascade Blues Association Journey To Memphis competition will take place at Mekong Bistro, 8200 NE Siskiyou Street, Portland over the weekend of Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. Fifteen acts will face off for the right to represent the Cascade Blues Association and the region at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis, […]
Bayou Boyz, Soul Cookin’, and More Things have changed a lot over the last year, the last few months, and even weeks. There have been health and living issues, but everything is on track and getting better. The loss of Blackwell’s caused us to regroup and rethink a lot of things that we’ve taken for […]
David Vest Cordova Bay Records When you look for the definition of cool you’re likely going to find a reference to David Vest. His approach to the piano is second to none. With stylings that can channel the likes of Mose Allison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy “T-99” Nelson, or Sun Ra, he is the full […]