Gary also did the paintings which frame all of the stages, including these at the A&E stage.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Festival Postermaker
For the past few years, Gary Houston of Voodoo Catbox has made the festival posters. They're always distinctive, and he makes them the old fashioned way, silk screening.
Gary also did the paintings which frame all of the stages, including these at the A&E stage.
Gary also did the paintings which frame all of the stages, including these at the A&E stage.
Speaking of Ron Rogers
Here he is at his booth, next door to the Festival store, and standing in front of the piece that is on the Festival tabloid schedule, which was also the cover of last Friday's Oregonian A&E section.
Ron is known for his coffins of dead blues and soul musicians. I have his James Booker coffin on my living room wall.
This piece is being made into a poster and will be introduced for sale at this year's Bite of Oregon, August 10-12 here at the waterfront.
Ron is known for his coffins of dead blues and soul musicians. I have his James Booker coffin on my living room wall.
This piece is being made into a poster and will be introduced for sale at this year's Bite of Oregon, August 10-12 here at the waterfront.
Delmark Finally Gets His Due
As singer/guitarist Delmark Goldfarb was tuning up, behind him was a big surprise. For the past 20 years there have been multiple people claming to have started the Blues Festival. Delmark is one of them. When the first "Rose City Blues Festival" was over in 1987, lawsuits were flying and bad blood generated that endured these two decades.
Just before Delmark started performing, Greg Johnson (here) and Terry Odor stepped up and gave him an award from the Cascade Blues Association giving Delmark credit for starting the Blues Festival.
Delmark was visibly moved.
Delmark with Terry Odor (a fellow blogger). Delmark, Music Millennium's Terry Currier and artist/producer/musician Ron Rogers have released a CD from the Rose City Blues Festival LP that was released in 1988. They've added tracks from Paul deLay and John Lee Hooker which were not on the LP.
Just before Delmark started performing, Greg Johnson (here) and Terry Odor stepped up and gave him an award from the Cascade Blues Association giving Delmark credit for starting the Blues Festival.
Delmark was visibly moved.
Delmark with Terry Odor (a fellow blogger). Delmark, Music Millennium's Terry Currier and artist/producer/musician Ron Rogers have released a CD from the Rose City Blues Festival LP that was released in 1988. They've added tracks from Paul deLay and John Lee Hooker which were not on the LP.
Schmoozing
Fiona Boyes seems to be everywhere. And yes, the rumour is true, she is moving to Portland. Seems as though former Paul deLay bassist Dave Kahl has had a lot to do with it. Welcome, Fiona! A very good addtion.
Nobody gives enough credit to the people who keep the show moving. Getting bands in and out, setting up gear, making sure the sound is right and generally taking care of business. This is Bill, who manages the North End stage.
Nobody gives enough credit to the people who keep the show moving. Getting bands in and out, setting up gear, making sure the sound is right and generally taking care of business. This is Bill, who manages the North End stage.
Mary Flower and Avon(?)
Before Mary Flower, who always amazes with her fingerpicking and singing did a workshop on blues styles, she chatted with Terry Currier, owner of Music Millennium and one of the truly great people in Portland's music scene.
And then it was on the blues. She did a medley of Mississippi John Hurt tunes which, as she pointed out, actually fit more in the "Piedmont Blues" catagory, although MJ wasn't from the Piedmont area. They just didn't have a Piedmont Blues designation when the ole smiler was around.
Del Ray with Steve James prettied up the A&E stage. Turns out Steve was old friends with Portland artist Ron Rogers (see above) when they played music together in Austin. Steve is also friends with Fred Stern, the Rainbow Maker.
This is the most puzzling booth at the festival. Avon. Yeah, Avon. I walked by it and heard Techno coming out of the booth. Not that I have anything against Techno, but at a blues festival? As you can see, folks weren't beating down the doors to get in.
And then it was on the blues. She did a medley of Mississippi John Hurt tunes which, as she pointed out, actually fit more in the "Piedmont Blues" catagory, although MJ wasn't from the Piedmont area. They just didn't have a Piedmont Blues designation when the ole smiler was around.
Del Ray with Steve James prettied up the A&E stage. Turns out Steve was old friends with Portland artist Ron Rogers (see above) when they played music together in Austin. Steve is also friends with Fred Stern, the Rainbow Maker.
This is the most puzzling booth at the festival. Avon. Yeah, Avon. I walked by it and heard Techno coming out of the booth. Not that I have anything against Techno, but at a blues festival? As you can see, folks weren't beating down the doors to get in.
Early July 5
As I said when I was introducing Eric Hatcher and the Worker Bees, "The early bird gets the best seat in the house." Btw...the Hatcher band is a nice mix of old and young. Their pianist Mario Carboni is somebody to watch out for. He's got a New Orleans thing that's exellent.
When I was walking around just after opening, I stopped and talked with Loretta Harrison at her Praline booth. NOTE: it's pronounced PRAW-line, not PRAY-line. If you stop by say it that way or you'll sound like one of those people who say Are-a-GONNN. You would'nt want that, would you.
Loretta is from New Orleans and has had a booth at Jazzfest for twenty years. Her motto: Not just a creamy, chunky, delicous piece of candy, but a piece of New Orleans. Here website is here.
When I was walking around just after opening, I stopped and talked with Loretta Harrison at her Praline booth. NOTE: it's pronounced PRAW-line, not PRAY-line. If you stop by say it that way or you'll sound like one of those people who say Are-a-GONNN. You would'nt want that, would you.
Loretta is from New Orleans and has had a booth at Jazzfest for twenty years. Her motto: Not just a creamy, chunky, delicous piece of candy, but a piece of New Orleans. Here website is here.
Dis Dat or D'Udda---July 4
I don't know if it was Peter Dammann's idea to have John Boutte sing the SS Banner before the fireworks, but it was pure genius. Anybody who heard it will never hear that tune the same way again.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
John Boutte
Spelbinding, electric, inspiring, political and full of soul.
He's the concience of New Orleans. Wait, let me put that another way, he's the voice of New Orleans reminding the concience of America (what's left of it) that the current government has abandoned an entire city and left it in ruins.
He reprised the version of Randy Newman's "Louisiana" as he did at 2006's New Orleans Jazzfest in which he changed the lyrics from "Six feet of water in Evangeline" to "Six feet of water in the lower nine." As he continued to sing the song and bring the lyrics up to date, people openly wept in the audience.
He was the highlight of the day.
The Hot 8 Brass Band
When I introduced them, I said that they knew how to put the word party in the word party! I wasn't kidding. New Orleans' Hot 8 shifted gears for the whole festival!
Their style rough and tumble and very street. More Rebirth than Dirty Dozen.
....and the crowd danced and danced and danced.
After Norman....
This is Fiona Boyes. If you haven't heard about her, you will. She's from Australia and is one tough cookie on stage. Nominated for "Best Contrmporary Blues Album" in what used to be the WC Handy Awards in Memphis, there are rumours that she may be moving to Portland!
She's already hooked up with a pretty good band, including former members of Paul deLay's last band, Peter Damman on guitar and Dave Kahl on bass.
.....and Fiona knows who to choose on keys...the one and only Janice Scroggins.
Nice Start!
That's Fred Stern's Rainbow Over the Willamette. In close cooperation with the Portland Fire Bureau and one of their fireboats, around 5pm, when Fred calculated the sun would be in the best position, the boat unleashed 32,000 gallons per minute of river water and you see the result!
Fred came to Portland from Las Cruzes, NM to make this rainbow. Read more about it in Monday's post.
As the crowd got huge...
...Boogie Cat Norman Sylvester Boogied down.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Just added
Just when it looked like Ron Rogers was going to be shut out of this year's festival, he's not. The artist,who's work was on the cover of last Friday's A&E section of the O will display his famous coffins of blues and soul musicians in a booth next to (or near) Gary Houston's. Gary does the Blues Festival poster every year...he does a lot of posters, and he does them the old fashioned silk-screen way.
It's nice that the two of them will be neighbors.
It's nice that the two of them will be neighbors.
Tuesday Night's Blues Cruise
As somebody said last night, "We got three decks of pure pleasure."
I said that when I was introducing Lurrie Bell and it was true. On the cruise which official opened the 2007 Waterfront Blues Festival the bottom deck of the Portland Spirit had New Orleans' John Boutte and Salem's Mark Lemhouse. On the second deck was Portland's The Insomniacs and Chicago's Lurrie Bell with Pinetop Perkins. On the top deck was New Orleans' Hot 8 Brass Band.
Hard to know where to go.
I stuck with the Hot 8 most of the time because since very few New Orleans bands come through Portland anymore, I am like a dry sponge ready for some OF IT this week.
The Hot 8 look like they just stepped off the streets of the 9th Ward or Treme and they sound like it too. Like a lot of NO brass bands, they play familiar soul and funk wit the mawchin beat. The whole deck was dancing. Paul Ronan who has done a NO radio show on KPSU for years (although he's currently taking a break) was resplendent in white on white on white including a white fedora.
Peter Damman DID make it on the cruise, although he didn't play.
Toward the end of the cruise, I went to the bottom deck where John Boutte had the people there spellbound with his unique soulful singing, accompanied by a fantastic guitarist. Most of the crowd may have been upstairs with Lurrie Bell, but the last half hour with Boutte who sings like no other (except maybe Sam Cooke)made the cruise for me...except the dancing part with the Hot 8.
Look for him today at the festival.
Boutte kept on singing as the boat pulled up to the dock and folks started lining up to get off. His last two songs were "You Haven't Done Nothing" which he sang with justifiable anger, dedicated to those responsible for the continuing tradgedy in NO. He ended with a wonderful inspiring Mahalia Jackson tune which sent us off the boat, if not sanctified, very inspired.
I'm off to take Fred Stern the Rainbow Maker to a meeting with the Fire Department out on NW Front where they keep the fireboat.
I said that when I was introducing Lurrie Bell and it was true. On the cruise which official opened the 2007 Waterfront Blues Festival the bottom deck of the Portland Spirit had New Orleans' John Boutte and Salem's Mark Lemhouse. On the second deck was Portland's The Insomniacs and Chicago's Lurrie Bell with Pinetop Perkins. On the top deck was New Orleans' Hot 8 Brass Band.
Hard to know where to go.
I stuck with the Hot 8 most of the time because since very few New Orleans bands come through Portland anymore, I am like a dry sponge ready for some OF IT this week.
The Hot 8 look like they just stepped off the streets of the 9th Ward or Treme and they sound like it too. Like a lot of NO brass bands, they play familiar soul and funk wit the mawchin beat. The whole deck was dancing. Paul Ronan who has done a NO radio show on KPSU for years (although he's currently taking a break) was resplendent in white on white on white including a white fedora.
Peter Damman DID make it on the cruise, although he didn't play.
Toward the end of the cruise, I went to the bottom deck where John Boutte had the people there spellbound with his unique soulful singing, accompanied by a fantastic guitarist. Most of the crowd may have been upstairs with Lurrie Bell, but the last half hour with Boutte who sings like no other (except maybe Sam Cooke)made the cruise for me...except the dancing part with the Hot 8.
Look for him today at the festival.
Boutte kept on singing as the boat pulled up to the dock and folks started lining up to get off. His last two songs were "You Haven't Done Nothing" which he sang with justifiable anger, dedicated to those responsible for the continuing tradgedy in NO. He ended with a wonderful inspiring Mahalia Jackson tune which sent us off the boat, if not sanctified, very inspired.
I'm off to take Fred Stern the Rainbow Maker to a meeting with the Fire Department out on NW Front where they keep the fireboat.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Another Festival Blogger / Wither Peter?
Terry Odor (aka Blues Slave) will be working one of the stages at the festival and blogging throughout. Read his blog here.
In other news, Peter Damman, known to most of you as the hot guitar slinger in Paul deLay's band, is known to the rest of us as the man who books all of the music at the festival. You'd never know he's in the middle of the hurricane from his demeanor. He's one cool customer.
The fact that he gets to play with many of the legends who perform at the festival might have something to do with it.
He may or may not be coming on the Cruise tonight. Hope he as the time to do it. Would be nice to get away from the maddness and in front of the awesome talent onboard.
In other news, Peter Damman, known to most of you as the hot guitar slinger in Paul deLay's band, is known to the rest of us as the man who books all of the music at the festival. You'd never know he's in the middle of the hurricane from his demeanor. He's one cool customer.
The fact that he gets to play with many of the legends who perform at the festival might have something to do with it.
He may or may not be coming on the Cruise tonight. Hope he as the time to do it. Would be nice to get away from the maddness and in front of the awesome talent onboard.
Rainbow Maker Rehearses / First Cruise Tonight
Yesterday afternoon, Rainbow Maker Fred Stern sailed south on a Portland Fire Bureau's fireboat from it's dock on NW Front St. to the Blues Festival site and then met with the Portland Harbormaster, Clay Fuller who is the major domo of the Blues Festival and Jean Kempe-Ware the festival's hard-working media relations person.
While KATU's weather man looked on and his videographer's camera rolled, the fireboat shot water high into the air at a rate of 32,000 gallons a minute and made a rainbow. (Don't worry, the water comes from the river and goes back INTO the river!)
Fred will thrill the crowd on Wednesday around 5pm when the fireboat makes its official appearance and the rainbow comes with it.
The Festival cranks up on Wednesday but tonight it's the first Blues Cruise. The Portland Spirit sails at 10:30. It's the 20th Anniversary Kickoff Hoodoo Moon Cruise with John Boutte, The Hot 8 Brass Band, Pinetop Perkins, Lurrie Bell and Oregon's Mark Lemhouse. I'll be on board. Since it gets back to shore at 1:15am. I'll write about it Thursday morning, after some sleep.
Usually, there's non-stop dancing and a lot of beer, etc. I could write later tonight but it might look like this. ahifoklfadfjaofjkaldfenqaiopgbyuafnheoahfoew. See?
While KATU's weather man looked on and his videographer's camera rolled, the fireboat shot water high into the air at a rate of 32,000 gallons a minute and made a rainbow. (Don't worry, the water comes from the river and goes back INTO the river!)
Fred will thrill the crowd on Wednesday around 5pm when the fireboat makes its official appearance and the rainbow comes with it.
The Festival cranks up on Wednesday but tonight it's the first Blues Cruise. The Portland Spirit sails at 10:30. It's the 20th Anniversary Kickoff Hoodoo Moon Cruise with John Boutte, The Hot 8 Brass Band, Pinetop Perkins, Lurrie Bell and Oregon's Mark Lemhouse. I'll be on board. Since it gets back to shore at 1:15am. I'll write about it Thursday morning, after some sleep.
Usually, there's non-stop dancing and a lot of beer, etc. I could write later tonight but it might look like this. ahifoklfadfjaofjkaldfenqaiopgbyuafnheoahfoew. See?
Monday, July 02, 2007
Two stories on this week's Blues Festival
Here's a story of mine on this week's Waterfront Blues Festival. And a related story on Fred Stern the Rainbow Maker who will make a rainbow over the Willamette. All on the new website livepdx.com.
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