New LivePDX Music Blog

Patrick Goes on the Lamb in NOLA, Those Wacky Russians at it Again, Indie Rears Its Defiant Head

While trying to find a way to eliminate the phrase "going forward" from the English language:

Saxophonist/vocalist/band leader Patrick Lamb is taking some of the NW Ray Charles Tribute band to New Orleans for a show at Harrah's March 13-15. The Lamb camp reports, "We are taking 8 vocalists: Olivia Warfield, Duffy Bishop, Andy Stokes, Lee Garrett, Keeshawn Jones and Gretchen Mitchell. Some can't make it. i.e. Norman Sylvester who had hip surgery and we are using a whole band from New Orleans. Patrick is going there to play with Bobby Caldwell. We sent charts a month ago, so they can prep for the show."

It's a damned shame that Harrah's wouldn't increase the budget so that Reggie Houston could go back to his birthplace and play on this gig. He'll be doing some playing at this year's Jazzfest.

They're working to get the whole band booked with three symphonies (not all at the same time).

Jimmy Mak's was sold out for the Lamb/Jeff Lorber show recently. They had Damien Erskine on bass, Reinhold Melz on drums and Marlon McClain on guitar. You can watch some of it below:



Lamb has a lot more videos up here.
File this away: How's this for an inspired collaboration? It hasn't happened yet, but Mary Flower wants Courtney von Drehle to play accordion on the new album she's recording in June.

Sixteen year old keyboardist/saxophonist/anythingelsehepicksup Mac Potts is in a new band Roots Revival Blues. It's another one of those "kid" blues bands that have come out of nowhere and seem to be everywhere. The others in the band are TJ Moor (guitar, vocals, harmonica) and Taylor Eaton (bass) Sam Low (drums).

The total age of the band (5 of them) is 59.

Last year when Mac went to Jazzfest in New Orleans, he got to jam with Harry Conick, Jr. Wonder who he'll sit in with this year?

The ever controversial Portland band The Slants. The headline of their media release reads, "THE SLANTS REJECT CHANCE AT MILLION DOLLAR RECORDING CONTRACT; TURN DOWN BODOG BATTLE-OF-THE-BANDS AND REALITY TV SHOW, REFUSING TO SIGN CONTRACT." (caps theirs)

They said it was too binding. And non-negotiable. Bass player Simon Young is quoted saying, "It is my hope that there aren't band desperate for the publicity that they are willing to gamble their futures for a chance to win a million dollar recording contract. If anyone continues, they better have a pretty good lawyer and a whole lot of luck. We've enjoyed the ride and meeting new bands, but as soon as I saw that contract it was like red flags all over. We're done."
They're still touring with their current album "Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts."

Those wild Russians are up to it again. Their current excuse to party and get you drunk is as follows:

"Each year on March 8th, millions of women and men celebrate International Women's Day all around the world (from Alaska to Zambia). It is an official holiday in many countries including Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia and Vietnam. Traditionally it is a holiday of men (and sometimes women) honoring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers, small gifts and extra attention. The time has come to start celebrating it in the best city to live and party in - Portland, Oregon!
So we decided to start the tradition by throwing a Grand Ball in honor of all our favorite women. For that we got the Fez Ballroom to open it's doors on March 8, Saturday at 9 pm for the Ball.

There will be fresh spring flowers for every girl, love songs from different countries, dances, prizes and surprises. For this wonderful occasion the performers are preparing a very special program. Don't miss Chervona, the local Russian gypsy street band, they've promised to steal your heart with their brand new program "Chervona Amore".

I love those guys.