Latest LivePDX Music Blog

While wondering what's written in the notebooks Captain Beefheart must have been keeping all these years and listening to his Making Love to a Vampire with a Monkey On My Knee:

Following last week's item about Alan Jones' new jazz club comes word from saxophonist David Valdez that he has taken over booking at Pine Street Bistro. The infamous Craig Marquardo didn't last long there and did absolutely nothing for them.

It wouldn't take David too much to be better but he's making all the right moves. He is integrating the Nu Jazz cats and kittens like Andrew Oliver, (5/3), John Nastos, (5/23), Chris Mosely (5/17) and the all-female all-the-timeQuadraphones sax quartet (4/25). I've been dying to write about them.
Valdez isn't leaving out vets like Dave Frishberg
and Tall Jazz.

At least Valdez knows how to promote. He may have set the world's record for most appearances plugging a new CD with FOUR interviews on KMHD (including my show). He also had at least one on KBOO. Hey, some aggressive promotion is just what the jazz scene needs around here.

News from Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival booker, fine guitarist and cool cat Peter Dammann is mostly awesome. I asked him if he might be trying to get Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (the real Amy Winehouse). He replied, "I've been trying to get them here for three years. Made a big offer. They're going to Europe, then returning and playing the zoo in late July (25th)." Damn.

So far, he's telling me that booked so far are: Charlie Musselwhite, Elvin Bishop, James Hunter, Phoebe Snow; Gulf Coast Guitar slam with Sherman Robertson, Phillip Walker and Andrew Jr. Boy Jones; Canned Heat, Rosie Ledet, Lavay Smith, Classie Ballou.

Also, headlining, a Stax/Memphis soul tribute with Portland Soul Allstars (Louis Pain, Linda Hornbuckle, Laron Steele et al) followed by Isaac Hayes. Dammann says he, "Can't wait to see that rider..."

About two young guitar slingers, Joe Bonamassa, and Carolyn Wonderland, he says, "She's a grittier, more compelling and to my mind more talented version of Susan Tedeschi, from Houston/Austin."

On the Front Porch Stage, he says, "A battle of the 'bones: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, and Fred Wesley w/ Groove Sect (Offbeat award winner for funk band of the year last year); i.e., two of the funkiest trombonists on the planet, back to back on our front porch stage. The purists will insist Fred Wesley (James Brown, Count Basie, Parliament Funkadelic) is no 'blues' artist. But his blues cred and roots are about as deep as it goes: by the time he was 16 Wesley was touring with Ike Turner...."

I may go down to the waterfront and put my blanket down this weekend.

Peter is on his way to Jazzfest in New Orleans at the end of the month, "I'll be on a panel on the "International Festival Market" with organizers from other festivals around the country," he says, "including former Oregonian writer and percussionist Rick Mitchell (Houston International Festival). I'll also be sitting in with Charmaine Neville at Jazz Fest and at Snug Harbor, and have a gig with Reggie Houston at a little club in the 9th ward. And going to Ponderosa Stomp both nights to check out 'Lost Soul Queen' Bettye Harris among many others. And four days of Jazz Fest. Will I make it home in one piece?"

Does it matter? All that and Jazzfest too? Oregon Food Bank is banging on him to write a blog for them. It's a thankless job, Peter.

Cherry Poppin' Daddies have a new album coming out in June but they're playing Saturday night at the Wonder Ballroom. Their new album, Susquehanna is nothing like their big big big big hit. It is a story cycle in several genres. The closest thing to the jump blues that most people know them for (not us) is a dark tune about someone wearing wingtips and diapers. Nice to see Steve Perry's mind expanding (exploding?)

Jay Bozich aka King Fader reminds me that the CPD gig will be, "mixed by yours truly." Don't worry Jay, one of these days the rest of the world will understand what a huge role you've played in Portland's music scene. He has been the silent partner in Dahlia since they formed…and re-formed...but not reformed.

Patrick Lamb has recovered awful fast from that serious car accident. He was back at work playing with his band at the Rose Garden Tuesday night before the Blazers' game and at halftime.

Remember the 3 Leg Torso-fueled award-winning video I blogged about a couple of weeks ago? See it here.

The Terry Robb/Lauren Sheehan duo is a go. I was sitting in the patio of Vivace banging on this computer when it was warm the other day. Lauren was walking by. Don't know how she wasn't tempted by their coffee but she told me they're going to be making some demos and taking gigs.