PORTLAND BLUES: Portlands Best Unsigned Blues Bands

Portland Blues

Portlands Best Unsigned Blues Bands

© 2007 Tim McAllister (634479581816)

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Ten Portland Blues bands burning up the stage one hot July night

notes

No matter where you travel around the world, you’ll always find one thing consistently. Music performed by people you’ve never heard of before that compares with the best you’ve experienced any place, anywhere. It can be the smallest hole on earth, but as long as they’ve got venues offering live entertainment, there’s surely to be a group of musicians in the area that’ll simply blow your mind.

Portland is no exception; there is a extremely generous helping of musicians of all genres living in the city. But, if you take into consideration the number of incredibly talented blues acts residing within the region; then it just may be an exception after all. You can talk about Chicago, or Memphis, or Austin, or anywhere else for that matter where blues musicians are found in flux. Portland stands amongst them as one of the absolute best. But because the ranks are so numerous, oftentimes some of the most deserving to be heard are sorely overlooked.

These blues artists play in the small venues scattered about the city, in the suburbs, or up and down the I-5 corridor throughout the Willamette Valley. With their own legions of fans following them to wherever they set up for the night. They’re waiting. Waiting for their chance to come. Watching as their peers and venues come and go. But still they pound the stages night after night. Whenever and wherever they have the opportunity to perform. Striving for that brass ring. Waiting for that lucky break where they’ll no longer have to maintain that day job in order to make ends meet. The talent is there. It just needs to be heard.

Blues musicians in Portland have another rare commodity about them; they are all each others’ fans. In a city where it’d be easy to take cut-throat actions to ensure your outfit is obtaining the gigs in the prize venues, some of the biggest supporters found attending the shows are the other musicians themselves. Therefore, it’s not unusual that you find one of Portland’s finest sources for blues information, www.portlandblues.com, operated by a blues musician. One of those many competing for the local stage time. Tim McAllister, better known to audiences as the Papa in Papa Salty pushed the camaraderie a little farther than just his website last spring. Corralling ten of the region’s most exciting up-and-coming blues outfits into The Longhorn, a local roadhouse known for drawing raucous fans just biting at the bit for down-home, party-inspiring blues, to create a live recording showcasing a handful of those unheralded acts that make Portland’s music scene thrive. Over two nights the bands made the club jump. The blues was flowing as freely as the spirits passing from the bar and the feet gliding across the dance floor.

What you hold in your hand (and hopefully you’re listening to on your player) is but a sampling of the fantastic entertainment that occurred over that weekend. Longtime Portland blues favorites such as Robbie Laws with his latest unit Hoodoo Nation, Kinzel & Hyde, and K.G. Jackson can be heard here. There’s blue collar bands such as The Hudson Rocket Band, The Rae Gordon Band, The Stingers and Papa Salty who generally work their tail ragged as duty calls also delivering their goods. Outstanding samplings from down the Willamette Valley, with Eugene’s Brian Chevalier and Corvalis’ Blind Rhino, show that the blues stretches well beyond the city’s confines. Plus the young pups, Hillstomp, who’re driving Portland’s blues tradition in a new direction. Ten groups of performers, all yearning to be heard, all deserving of your attention and recognition.

No matter what your preferred leanings may be when it comes to blues styles, Portland has the answer for all your desires. For some unknown reason this city has taken a path that leads straight down the blues highway. It blends all the best of Chicago, The Delta, Texas, The Piedmont, The West Coast, or whatever region that has played any part in the development of the genre. That highway ended up in The Rose City and we need to pay heed to the unique conglomeration of musicians who have decided to call this town home. As blues lovers we have been blessed. But we need to support these artists. If you like what you’re hearing on this recording, make it a point to visit Portland’s venues and see these artists perform live in person. That support will keep the music flowing and prevent our favorite artists from looking at seemingly brighter futures in cities elsewhere. And it will prevent venues from closing its doors to blues music; as was the case of The Longhorn shortly after these tracks were birthed, seeking an entirely different cliental with performers of a more adult nature.

Ten bands are represented here. Yet it is but a stone’s drop in the Willamette River of the multitudes of exciting blues artists calling the area home. Let this be a primer for your Portland blues induction. Now make it your quest to seek out as many of these and other local blues musicians. It just may be a mission you’ll never want to come to an end.

Enjoy the blues and keep it alive forever!

Greg Johnson
Cascade Blues Association

reviews

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  • Outstanding!!
    author: Carol from Oregon

    Hard to believe these singers and band members are unsigned. Someone is missing the boat on not signing these people to contracts. Rae Gordon has it all and should be sharing it with the world!!

  • Eclectic glimpse into 21st century Portland Blues scene
    author: Betty

    This CD features great music and paints an audial picture of the Portland Blues scene around the year 2000. It's a real wake-up call to the blues labels in the NW.CD really focuses on creative output with great arrangements, singing and playing.

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