
Jose Ramirez – Here I Come
Jose Ramirez
Here I Come
Blind Racoon
Reviewed by John Taylor
Costa Rican native Jose Ramirez, the second-place finisher at the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, has brewed a wicked concoction of straight-ahead…

Johnny Burgin – No Border Blues
Johnny Burgin
No Border Blues
Delmark Records
Review by Greg Johnson
If you take a look at the touring itinerary that Johnny Burgin carries on a yearly basis it surely shows what a road dog he really is. Whether touring with well-known…

2020 Journey to Memphis Cancelled
2020 Journey to Memphis Postponed
This is a message that we were truly hoping that we wouldn’t have to announce, but for the first time in over twenty years, the Cascade Blues Association will be cancelling our Journey to Memphis competition…

2021 Best Self-Produced CD Competition Entries Now Being Accepted
2021 Best Self-Produced CD Competition
Entries Now Being Accepted
Since 2005, The Blues Foundation has annually held a competition to recognize excellence in independent blues recordings. The Best Self-Produced CD competition is open to affiliated…

General Membership Meeting Cancelled August 2020
General Membership Meeting Cancelled
August 2020
As we approach another month in this time of Covid-19, we do not seem any closer to being able to have a live membership meeting. Portland still sits in phase one, with phase two not allowing…

Performance Venue Project – Progress Report
Performance Venue Project
Progress Report 7/28/20
The shutdown of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected musicians and venues particularly hard. As we re-open the economy we can see independent music venues struggling; some…

Ramblings On My Mind August 2020
Ramblings on My Mind August 2020
Greg Johnson, Cascade Blues Association President
It has been a strange long year with seemingly no end in sight at this point as to when we’ll be able to visit our favorite venues to enjoy live blues, or…

Gerald McClendon – Can’t Nobody Stop Me Now
Gerald McClendon
Can’t Nobody Stop Me Now
Delta Roots Records
by Greg Johnson
Chicago vocalist Gerald McClendon releases his latest disc, Can’t Nobody Stop Me Now, offering a dozen original tracks that blend everything you can possibly…

Johnny Rawls – Live In Europe
Johnny Rawls
Live In Europe
Continental Records Services
Review by Greg Johnson
If you’re new to the field of soul blues, then it’s time for you to sit up and take notice. Going directly to Johnny Rawls may be one of the best options…

July General Meeting Cancelled
July General Meeting Cancelled
We had hoped for better news this month, but Covid-19 continues to change our plans on a regular basis as of late. With the current postponement of the reopening of Multnomah County, the effects will also alter…