Hey there, everybody … I’ve got the Garage Sale Blues this weekend … really weighed down with helping to get this massive effort off the ground, so this is gonna be the shortest & sweetest Pat’s Picks ever. Read ‘em and weep! Or…go out and hear some live blues.

Friday night: Lee Blake Band at the Candlelight – Lee doesn’t play out often enough, so take this opportunity to hear him along with his great bandmates (check out Lee and the band on Show #17 and Show #14).

Saturday night: Jim Mesi & Ed Neumann at Halibut’s – Jim plays as a duo with Ed, his keyboardist. These two guys are top-tier musical talents, and this intimate setting should make for some tasty moments. Hear Jim and the full band on Show #7 and Show #12.

That’s it for Pat’s Picks this week – now get out there and keep the blues alive!

Greetings, everybody! As I type this, I’m in Victoria, B.C., sitting behind the wheel of my car in the lineup for the Blackball ferry to Port Angeles, Washington. I was up here for the week helping my brother put on a triple-bill blues extravaganza featuring Paul Oscher, Lurrie Bell and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne. Man, was that a great show. Getting to meet the performers was a real thrill, and having Paul and Kenny play my digital piano was icing on the cake. And to wrap it all up with a Portland tie-in – former Portlander David Vest (Paul deLay Band), now a Victoria resident who’s been teaming up with Kenny and D.K. Stewart for their “Piano-Rama” dates, was in attendance! Not only that, but when Kenny was in the middle of an absolutely cookin’ boogie-woogie number, he called David up out of the crowd to join him! David sidled in on the right hand, Kenny gradually shifted out of the way completely, David took one or two choruses by himself, then Kenny wedged himself back in on the right, David gradually edged out, and then it was Kenny again. Seamless and just killingly good.

I probably have a few more stories from the evening’s festivities, but for now it looks like the ferry’s about to board and I’m gonna lose my Wi-Fi. So tonight (Friday), go to Monty’s in Beaverton and hear the under-heard and brilliant Kenny Lavitz, or getcha some Nawlins grease with the New Iberians at O’Connor’s in Multnomah Village. Saturday night I recommend the Ty Curtis Band at the Cascade Bar & Grill, or if you don’t mind the drive to Forest Grove, head to McMenamins Grand Lodge and hear the expert acoustic stylings of Mary Flower.

That’s it for Pat’s Picks this week – now get out there and keep the blues alive!

Happy Friday, everybody. I’m in a hurry, so let’s dig right into my recommendations for your weekend blues listening.

Tonight (Friday), you have the rare opportunity to welcome a new venue to the local blues scene. The Refectory, at 1618 NE 122nd Ave. (near Halsey), has been flirting with blues content here and there for a while, but they’re now considering doing the blues thing full-time. They’re kicking off their new direction tonight by featuring the sizzling blues/rockabilly sounds of the Strange Tones. This is one of those few bands with a real signature sound, due in equal measures to the fiery guitar soloing of Guitar Julie and Suburban Slim, as well as the excellent vocal work of those two frontpersons. Anchored by Andy Strange on bass and J.D. Huge on the drums, it makes for a formidable musical juggernaut – you can get a taste of the Strange Tones in shows 2, 4, 14, 23 and 30. Head out to the Refectory tonight and show them they made the right decision in featuring blues music! They need to see people filling those seats and having a good time….you can do that, can’t you? Sure – I knew you could.

Well, Saturday night holds some fine possibilities, but my vote goes to blues piano master D.K. Stewart, who has recently resumed his occasional duo thing with the formidable guitarist Jay “Bird” Koder. They’re calling themselves “Bird Stew” (…get it?), and they’re playing at the Cascade Bar & Grill Saturday night. I predict they will kill…these are two incredible talents, friends. You can hear D.K. on Show #1 and Show #21, among others.

Today’s a special day – it’s the birthday of my very first crush, Mary Helen. I was in the 7th grade and she was…oblivious. Where is she now? Search me. But as a barometer of my overzealous obsession, to this day I still remember her birthday and think about her every year. Y’know what? She probably hates the blues. Yeah, I’m better off without her. That’s the ticket.

So…are you feeling the need to soothe your blues? Well, this Friday night you can do that and do some good at the same time. The Cascade Blues Association is hosting a fundraising concert at the Melody Ballroom, and the slate features an All-Star band of teen blues performers, blues educator and performer Michael “Hawkeye” Herman, and the headlining Sean Carney Band. For more info, go here.

On Saturday night, Curtis Salgado is at the Trail’s End and I heartily recommend him anytime and anywhere, but…if you’re a local who’s seen Curtis a few times and you’d like to try something different, I’ve got just the ticket. Head to the Cascade Bar & Grill in Vancouver and take in the blues / rock / rockabilly sounds of The Troublemakers. These guys crank out some killer harp-fueled Americana, with Texas native Rich Layton out in front. You can hear the band in Show #3 and Show #22. And in the interest of full disclosure, I’d be recommending them even if I didn’t appear on their latest CD, Chop Shop Pit Stop. So there.

That’s it for Pat’s Picks this week – now get out there and keep the blues alive!

What??! It’s the weekend again?! Yeesh. Well then, here are my suggestions for your live blues listening in PDX-land this Friday and Saturday. Love to get your comments, so keep ‘em coming. Also keep your shirt on, as my mother used to say, for that new show I keep promising. It really is coming.

Tonight, Friday the 26th, you have the opportunity to hear one of my absolute favorite blues vocalists in the Portland metropolitan area, and sadly one of the least-heard at the same time: it’s K.G. Jackson and his band The Shakers, with Dave Mathis. They’re playing at Charlie’s Tavern & Grill at 3315 NE 112th Ave. in Vancouver. (Don’t be scared, now – just close your eyes when you’re crossing that big ol’ river. Unless you’re driving.) Maybe the band’s recent nomination for the “Best New Band” Muddy Award from the Cascade Blues Association will bring them a bit more attention. K.G. (Ken) is a very expressive guitarist along with his standout singing, and his sideman Dave Mathis is a well-renowned harpist in these parts, for good reason. The addition of Ken’s wife Candy on accordion lends a zydeco flair to the band’s style, and my old pal Fred Garner on bass and Julian Brogi on the drums keep things cooking. For a taste of K.G. Jackson’s soulful vocals, check out Show #8 and Show #16.

For Saturday the 27th, we’re gonna stick with that crazy Vancouver vibe and point you toward the Cascade Bar & Grill to hear the moody blues musings (no, not those moody blues!) of the Joe McMurrian Quartet. If you haven’t heard Joe’s work before, he’s got a unique style that defies pigeonholing but never fails to please. Brooding Delta blues, progressive blues, dark and hypnotic fusion…but those are all just words. Check out Joe’s gritty vocals, his singing and biting slide guitar; David Lipkind’s soaring harp; Jason Honl’s melodic bass; and the undeniable propulsion of Jimi Bott (Fabulous Thunderbirds) on the drums. Wanna hear some Joe? Check out Show #3, Show #8 and Show #29. Oh, and while you’re there enjoying the JMQ, look around for the old guy celebrating his birthday. That’ll be CBA Vice-President Terry – buy the man a Geritol.

That’s it for Pat’s Picks this week – now get out there and keep the blues alive!

Okay, okay – I know I haven’t managed to do this every week like I kinda promised, but at least I’m back. There is still definitely a new show on the way….it’s just taking a little longer to pull together than I expected. But in the meantime, here are some suggestions for your live blues listening in the Portland area this weekend. Once again, these are just my opinions; sometimes I’ll stick with the tried and true, and others I’ll try to call your attention to someone who might not be on your radar. If you’re feeling miffed because I didn’t pick your favorite, well, that’s what the comments are for.

Tonight, Friday the 19th, you can cast your vote for old-school blues and R&B by going to hear Norman Sylvester at Clyde’s Prime Rib. Norman’s a Portland treasure and is sure to be in good form – you can hear some of his work in Show #3 and Show #9. If you’d rather hear some stripped-down power-trio blues with a bit of a rock edge, head over to Manila Express and take in Kevin Selfe & The Tornadoes. Kevin’s a recent transplant who hasn’t yet appeared on the ol’ Bluescast, but give us time – you’ll hear him here soon. With the tasty, sure-handed (and footed) Don Shultz on drums and Allen Markel on bass (another transplant!), Kevin’s guitar, voice and harp are well-supported.

On Saturday the 20th, I’m gonna keep it simple and encourage you to go hear the delightful Duffy Bishop at Halibut’s. The woman can do sweet, she can do sassy, she can do down & dirty – and all of it with her husband Chris Carlson supplying tastefully soulful guitar licks for expert punctuation. The rest of the band ain’t exactly hacks either. We’ve heard them in Show #5 and Show #13, among others.

That’s it for Pat’s Picks this week – now get out there and keep the blues alive!

Hey, everybody – I’m gonna try and start something here, in the spirit of keeping the site fresh even when I’m not posting a brand new episode. Every Friday I’ll be posting my personal recommendations for which blues artists you should make a point of catching in Portland-area clubs that weekend. Remember, these will just be my opinions; sometimes I’ll stick with the tried and true, and others I’ll try to call your attention to someone who might not be on your radar. If you’re feeling miffed because I didn’t pick your favorite, well, that’s what the comments are for. Chime in and let me (and everybody else) know who you think is worth hearing.

Okay, enough preamble. For tonight, Friday the 15th, I’m offering you a choice between the blues-rock power trio format and a somewhat lower-key but still tasty blues approach. If you lean toward the former, go catch Big Monti Amundson at the Cascade Bar & Grill. Monti serves up rough & ready, muscular blues – to get a taste, listen to Show #29 and Show #27. And if you’re in the mood for that more traditional blues feel, head over to Halibut’s for the expert guitar sounds of Rick Welter. Rick’s got impressive chops and a matching résumé that includes stints with Charlie Musselwhite and others. He sings great too!

Moving on to Saturday night the 16th…if you like your blues cross-pollinated with a little roots rock and rockabilly, the place for you is the Candlelight Café & Bar where the Strange Tones will be cranking out their own unique sound, brimming with top-notch guitar soloing from Guitar Julie and Suburban Slim (hear them in shows 2, 4, 14, 23 and 30 hmmm…guess I like ‘em!). On the other hand, if you’re inclined to make it a slightly mellower evening and mix a civilized pinot noir with some acoustic Delta blues, point your vehicle (or yer feet) to Hollywood Wine & Espresso where you’ll enjoy the solo stylings of the accomplished James Clem (samples of James’ work can be heard in shows 19 and 32).

That’s it for Pat’s Picks this week – now get out there and keep the blues alive!

To all of you who have enjoyed PDXBluescast in the past – and to any of you arriving here for the first time – let me say a big hello and thanks for dropping by. I can’t say too much right now, but I’ll just offer this hopefully tantalizing tidbit:

PDXBluescast is BACK!

I know…it’s been way too long, and some of you may have understandably turned your attentions elsewhere, but a few different factors have converged to make this a front-burner thing for me again, and I’m very excited to get back to the important business of hipping all of you to the high-quality blues music that continues to emanate from right here in Puddletown. The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed the ad spaces that now appear on this page, and yes, that’s part of what has made this a more reasonable pursuit for me, but there’s even more to the story.

I’ll have more to say on all of this before long, but for now I just wanted you to know that I’m back and I’ll have a brand-spankin’-new episode for you very soon. Yippee!

Hi, everybody — you still there? I’m sorry it’s been so long since I put out a new show. I actually can’t believe how long it has been, and I can’t really give you an excuse. But I’m happy to say that I plan to release a new episode within the next week, and then it’s my hope to resume a more or less regular schedule. There’s still lots of great blues music being made here, and I’m eager to hip you to it and encourage you to get out there and hear it live.

In the meantime, though, I thought I’d let you know about a very intriguing play being performed this weekend — it’s a readers theatre production of a play about Robert Johnson, entitled San Antonio Sunset. You can catch it this Friday or Saturday night, Jan. 12 or 13, at the Blackfish Gallery, 420 NW 9th Ave. The play explores the three-year relationship between Mr. Johnson and Mr. Stone, the A&R man who’s come to record him. Like the blues itself, says director Mary McDonald-Lewis, “this is a dark tale of desire, luck and lost opportunity.” More than a biography, though, she adds that this is a story about race, “and how it continues to deny the best of us to each other.”

The play is performed at 8:00 pm both nights, and lasts just an hour. For more information, click here to go to the company’s Web site. Could be cool!

Okay…thanks for your patience, dear listeners, and be sure to drop by here again soon. I’ll have a new episode for you within the week.

Hi there…well, I’m back from vacation, but I brought a cold home with me. I think you can kinda hear it in my voice, but just try to pay attention to the music. I should be all better by next week. And it’s great music this time out! A few tastes of Jimi Bott and friends, Alice Stuart, the Eagle Ridin’ Papas and James Clem.

If you’d like to get in touch with me, you can post a comment right here on the blog, send e-mail to the address shown at right, or leave me a voice message at 206-203-3PDX (3739)! If you’re a Portland-area musician and would like your material featured on the show, send me e-mail for instructions on how to get it done. If I love it, I’ll play it!


    41 minutes     |     37.5 MB