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Feature Articles:
Lee Oskar: Celebrating 30
Years in Music
Passing the Torch: Music
Education Pays it Forward
Blues Festival Reviews
and more!
O C: L Ok Wp B F
P M B
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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Celebrating 23 Years of Blues1989 - 2013
O BVol. XXV, Number X
Pb Wg B SAg E E S ([email protected])
S M MPgC J W (@j.m)Avg Mm K ([email protected])P P Pbg Cmp
.ppbgmp.m
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C Pp: P B, m M Bg, M B, MWb, Rb H, Zb, B B
C P: L Ok Wp B F M BThe Bluesletter welcomes stories and photos from WBS members! Features, columns and
reviews are due by the 5th of each month in the following formats: plain text or Microsoft
Word. Graphics must be in high-res 300 dpi .pdf, jpg, or .tiff formats. We encourage
submissions. I bm g m (.g., p, v, ,x m) bm pb B, WB.g b, m m bm; , bm g m b WBS, p pb. W v g . TB m pb Wg B S. T WBS pb v p xp T B b v.
WBS 2013
M ST Wg B S p gz pp pm, pv, v b m m. A mmbp $25 v, $35 p, $40 v mmbp. T Wg B S x-xmp p gz x-b. T Wg B S T B F Mmp, .
Wg B SP.O. Bx 70604 - S, WA 98127
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Self-Produced CD Notice 24
25
Passing the Torch at Centrum 26
Taste of Music 28
Tips for Professional Musicians 28
Blues for Food 30
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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4
By Amy Sassenberg
Theres a popular theory that says
there are only really six degrees
of separation between any two
individuals: that everything andeveryone in the world can be
linked by less than six steps or
connections.
Lee Oskar may very well be
one of those rare examples of
only one degree of separation
between him and most of the
modern world. If you happen to
be a person who doesnt enjoy
music, there may be two degrees.
If you live in Washington, youre
back to one.
He seems to be everywhere
these days: festivals, art shows,workshops. When I hear myself
trying to explain the things Im
excited about, says Oskar, I
realize Im an ambitious person.
Ambitious may be an
understatement. To think of
Lee Oskar as just a harmonica
player is to think of an apple
as just a pie lling. He is such
a diverse and gifted man that
whole industries and businesses
have been built around him. His
name is a trademark. Lee Oskar
Harmonicas is celebrating its
30th anniversary. If you dont
own one you probably know
someone who does.
Oskar plays and tours with
the popular Lowrider Band
and his own group Lee Oskar
and Friends. His paintings are
featured at art shows, festivals
and now on wine labels. Hum a
few bars of the song Low Rider
or Cisco Kid, and even people
who think they dont know who
he is get that instant look of
recognition and nod, Oh yeah!
Those are melodies created and
popularized by the multicultural
band, WAR, of which Oskar was
a founding member in 1969.
Those horn lines were recorded
with the late Charles Miller on
sax and Oskar on harmonica,
helping to create that signature
sound. Three more of the key
members of the Low Rider Band
were with Oskar in the early years
of WAR. Guitarist Howard Scott
and drummer Harold Brown
had a band called the Creators
in Long Beach, CA. in the early
1960s. Brown recounts how he
met Oskar a few years later, at
a place called The Ragdoll in
North Hollywood in the spring
of 69.This little skinny guycomes over and asks, Can I
play harmonica with you? We
played some blues, some African
rhythms and then we went into
this long jam, and next thing we
know, people are dancing on the
tables! The drummer still talks
with excitement about what a
magical experience that rst
night was.
Oskar agrees. Barely old enough
to play in a club, he went to
hear the band with Eric Burdon
and got up to play with the
guys who would become hisfriends and collaborators for
the next 44 years. Oskar laughs
that hes known Brown, Scott
and bass player B.B. Dickerson
for decades, Ive known them
longer even than my ex-wives!
They had their rst hit, Spill the
Wine as Eric Burdon & WAR,
and recorded two albums. The
collaboration was benecial to
all concerned. Burdon segued
back to his solo career and WAR
continued on as a successful
entity on its own, with Oskar on
harmonica, recording more hits
like, Slippin In To Darkness, The
World Is A Ghetto and Why Cant
We Be Friends.
The songs he helped create are
part of the collective history
and vocabulary of American
Music. And though hes Danish,
there is something so American,
so manifest destiny about Lee
Oskar. He came to this country
on a ship, with nothing, and lived
on the streets. Someone dropped
him off at the corner of Haight
and Ashbury in San Francisco.
He says he thought California
was just like a big city, and that
L.A and San Francisco were
basically just down the road from
each other.
No More War
There is still a band called WAR,
with one original member that
tours and plays those same
songs. That band, trademarked
and managed by Jerry Goldstein,
is the one allowed to use the
name. Oskar says he doesnt
like to give too much energy to
the legal issues that have created
this confusing situation, holding
up a peace sign, smiling and
saying No more war. Peace.But his frustration is obvious.
He describes the current lineup
of WAR as homogenized,
polished, squeaky clean. Its
the opposite of a jam band. Its
a total contradiction of what we
stood for.
He says the branding itself has a
huge value. Because we dont
call ourselves the three-letter
word, people come up to me and
say, I love your music. When
are you going to get the band
back together? Well, we ARE
together. Its hard for people tounderstand.
Lee says it goes deeper than
just being misunderstood.
There were seven people,
he explains. (Charles Miller
and Thomas Papa Dee Allen
have passed.) We grew and
developed together. Its not just
the composition, its the sound.
In the Lowrider Band, we have
so many connections.
Oskar, who also acted as art
director for the WAR albums,
cannot use the band name
or the art. He says he could
do a seminar on trademarks,
copyrights and how to structure a
platform of intellectual property.
Packaging is very important.
People judge packages. Now, if I
re-release music, I dont have the
rights to the image that people
associate with it. They need to
feel they are getting a similar
product. It can be confusing.
Listeners are catching on
anyway. People are coming
from out of everywhere with old
albums for me to sign. We have
a lot of fans. At the Westport
Blues Festival, where Oskar
recently performed, a sixty
something grandmother was
dancing next to two tween girls
in tie-dye Lee Oskar shirts. We
have a different name, but were
feeling its our time, that people
will know its us, Oskar says.
Continued on next pag\e.
Lee Here Now...
Top Two: Lee Oskar at Work
Middle: Eric Burdon and WAR
Bottom: The Lowrider Band
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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The fans are there for good reason. The Lowrider
Band does it for love. We are playing from the
heart, Oskar says. We have amazing chemistry
between us. We dont rehearse. Were a jam band.
We kick ass when we play music. Every time its
different but always in the zone. Its just magic.
Oskars overall philosophy is simple Anything
good has got to be jammed. You have to be
vulnerable; to let yourself experience things. Its
like reciting a poem over and over again, he says,
of artists who constantly repeat themselves. Ifyou just get up and repeat a poem, youre keeping
yourself in a rut, afraid to learn in a safe zone.
You cant be good if youre afraid to be scared,
says Oskar. Harmonica player Andy Koch says,
When I watch him play, I can see hes totally
in the moment. A Lee Oskar performance is a
dynamic, living, thriving, thing of its own. He
utilizes his entire being, rocking back and forth,
twisting his torso from side-to side, beads of sweat
draping his face. You can almost witness the music
rippling through his muscle ber, grooving down
his throat through his chest, vibrating through his
hips and lifting his knees, like hes stepping through
each note. Its almost alarming how completely
in motion he is. Dont be afraid to not be in totalcontrol, says Oskar.
As much as hes experiencing the moment, its
also clear to anyone whos watching that he knows
exactly what hes doing. You get the feeling he
is hyper-aware of everything, taking it all in and
making rapid decisions every second so that when
you ask him something he doesnt have to think, he
already knows.
or Lee Oskar & Friends, he surrounds himself
with superior musicians capable of subtlety,
improvisation and keeping up with him. Guitarist
Tim Lerch says that Oskar can be precise and
exacting and its made him a more creative and
responsible player. Its helpful for me because hesso specic. I cant just phone it in. Ive got to be
on my game. Its good to have a leader who knows
what he wants. Once you give him what he wants,
you have a great deal of freedom to play within
those parameters, explains Lerch. By being clear,
he creates a sense of freedom in the band.
Oskar explains, If you are going to take a road
trip, then you plan a few places where you want
to go and then you just let it happen. Perhaps he
knows the terrain so well, he doesnt have to think
about where to go, but rather how to nd new roads
and explore new ways. As a master improviser, he
inspires others. Lerch echoes Oskars philosophy
about performing. Were not playing note-for-note
copies of records, Lerch says. Were taking the
basic grooves and melodies and allowing them to
become something new every time we play.
Andy Koch shakes his head in admiration. Lee,
even with everything, he says, still has that re
to play. Its just in him. It seems always to have
been there, according to Michael Shrieve, original
drummer for Santana. Oskar had been living on the
streets of San Francisco when they met by chance at
a dance in Redwood City around 1967.
There was a guy there playing harmonica,
Shrieve says. And he was unbelievable. I stuck
around and introduced myself. I asked Lee, Where
do you live? And he replied, Nowhere. So Shriev
took him to where he lived with his parents. Th
next morning we had traditional Sunday breakfas
My dad made bacon and eggs. I introduced him
to my family and he was really grateful. He sai
Id like to show my appreciation, and pulled out
harmonica and blew my familys mind.
Oskar has other stories of kindnesses that befell him
as a young man, lessons he learned, and gratitud
he feels even now. He speaks of Dick Clark wit
reverence and becomes very animated whe
describing the man and his manner.
For Now, Dick Clark
Oskar seems to have gleaned much of his lif
philosophy from the most iconic non-musicia
in the music business. One of the nicest peop
I ever met in my life, Oskar says of Clark. A
incredible human being. He had no airs. No matte
what status you had, everyone got time with him
Oskar watched and learned. He would retur
phone calls the same day and would tell me, Neve
procrastinate, If you dont take care of it toda
youre gonna have to do twice as much tomorrow.
Dick Clark was a mentor in business, as a huma
being and as a professional, Oskar shares. He waattentive and hands on. But it never stopped him
from being personable.
When I started, he knew Hendrix, Morrison, all o
them. Oskar found himself in a room with som
of the same very famous company. I was a y o
the wall. I thought, Ive got a special opportunity t
participate and nobody knows me. But Dick Clar
talked to me. Here were all these big superstars an
personalities in the room, but Dick Clark talked t
me. I was important.
Oskar has never forgotten the way that made him
feel. It seems impossible now to chat with anyon
in the local music community and not hear a stor
of how Lee Oskar approached them, mentorethem, made them feel special. According to Ba
Player Tom Jones, Oskar sought out bandleade
Stacy Jones in Memphis and invited her along to
workshop he was giving, telling the class they coul
probably expect Stacy might teach it in the future
Andy Koch tells a story about playing onstage i
Westport. One of the harmonicas I had was at an
I can see Lees looking at me. There was a vendo
at the blues festival and he went and paid full reta
price for another harmonica and ran it over to m
and said,
Here. Take this. The third hole is at.
Hes a great soul, says harmonica player Ja
Mabin. He describes Oskar as one of his heroes fo
what hes done for the harmonica and for what h
does for people. He heard of a blind harmonic
player who had all his harps ripped off. Lee sen
him a whole new set. Later, he did the same fo
Mabin.
What are you doing right now?
Jim McLaughlin, now a world champion harmonic
player, tells a story that illustrates
Oskars commitment to making time for everyone
As a young man in the 1970s,
Continued on Page
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6
Washington Blues Society
Proud Recipient of a 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive Award from Te Blues Foundation
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7/32
ee Oskar, Continued from Page 5
McLaughlin drove from Arlington to Seattle to see WAR
nd meet Oskar.
When he arrived at Peaches Records, some of the band
members were there, but not Oskar. He drove home
eeply disappointed. But he called the hotel later and to
is surprise he got through to Oskar. He told him how
d driven to meet him earlier and how he wished they
ouldve met. He says Oskar asked him, Well, what
re you doing right now? To which McLaughlin replied,
Just hanging at my house. He says Oskar asked toome over and then talked harmonicas with McLaughlin
or much of the night.
I had only been playing for a couple years, I was not
ood at all! McLaughlin, says.
Guitar player David Bray tells how, after a brief
onversation with Oskar, he was stunned when his
on received in the mail an autographed Lee Oskar
Harmonica engraved with his sons name. Almost
veryone interviewed for this story gave heartfelt
stimony of Oskars generosity with his time, money
nd energy.
skar talks thoughtfully about the struggle to remain
private person while also embracing the fans. Theyonnect with something youve done. Youre lucky if
ou have people supporting you. If they say hello, and
oure going to the toilet, you cant just blow them off.
You have to be sensitive. If you dont have the t ime, you
ave to know how to deal with it.
skar makes it clear that the most important component
n the arts is people. If I lived on an island alone, would
ever even play music or paint?
That need to connect is so important. Its not just
ou being acknowledged as an artist, but the artist
cknowledging the people.
n addition to being a musician, Oskar has always been a
isual artist. In recent years hes begun painting dramaticlhouettes and sunsets. Though the colors are often
ibrant, the scenes are restful.
He speaks about the process and likens it to other areas
f his life. Constantly my style changes. I go wherever
takes me, just like music. I dont even know what Im
ainting when I start.
reams We Share
His art has brought many new connections, including
ocal lavender farms and a winery, Wind Rose Cellars.
his years Sequim Lavender Festival used an Oskar
ainting for the ofcial festival image. Oskar says 100%
f the prots from that image, along with a percentage
f his Giclee prints, and some wine labels, are beingonated to charities, one of which Oskar is extremely
assionate about, the cancer research at Kirklands
vergreen Hospital.
skars friend, Steve White, recently succumbed to
hroat cancer. White played guitar, harmonica and sang.
skar says he was like a one-man band, and looked
orward to meeting up with him at yearly trade shows in
rankfurt and Southern California.
skar says the radiation he endured zapped everything.
He could never sing or play harmonica again. That hit
me really hard. A week later, Oskar was introduced
to another musician who had recently overcome stage-
four throat cancer. So Oskar actually went to talk to
an oncologist about this special kind of software and
procedure he says they perform at Evergreen, allowing
them to pinpoint cancer cells more accurately. He relates
how the doctor told him it is so expensive, that even if
he gave everything he owned, he wouldnt be able to pay
for one persons therapy. Oskar said he felt helpless. His
friend, like many musicians, didnt have insurance. I
couldnt help him. But, he says, I had these paintings,
which wont be enough, but I can talk about it. I can
promote awareness. I can tell people about this great
thing they are doing in Kirkland at Evergreen.
Oskar calls the entity that provides proceeds for charity,
Dreams We Share, Which is tting because the proceeds
go to important things we care about, he says. The only
real truth is in how you care.
So maybe you dont own a Lee Oskar Harmonica, but
you went to the lavender festival or just admired the
artwork on a yer or a bottle of wine. You see? Only one
degree of separation.
For all his success in business and the arts, Lee Oskar
is an everyman, which suits him. Jay Mabin says he is
a hero for making the harmonica an instrument of the
people. Oskar himself says his goal is to make it more
accessible to more people, more musicians and to morestyles of music. He is doing this by creating different
harmonicas for different styles of playing, and including
a quick guide with every harmonica purchase, and giving
workshops around the country.
Its a system, he says. The type of harmonica music
you usually hear is between campre songs and Chicago
Blues. But I manufacture four different kinds. You
can use harmonica on any kind of music, from reggae
to ska to Latin to African. In celebration of the 30th
Anniversary of Lee Oskar Harmonicas, Oskar is making
time to promote the system to musicians. Its more
intuitive, he says. They can play on the diatonic and
incorporate the harmonica into many types of music.
Koch says hes a Lee Oskar preferred player. Theyrethe only harps I found that stand up. I play hard. Theother ones they dont last. And Im a recycle kind ofguy so I like that you can rebuild them. Lee Oskar
Harmonicas offer replacement reed plates as well as aharmonica repair kit. Koch also explains the difference
in keys. Some keys are naturally high and some arenaturally low. He makes ones that are low if its naturallyhigh.
Harmonica player Neal Fallen says it creates the
availability of a higher or lower octave.
It gives you a wider spectrum.
Vision without execution is hallucination. Thomas
Edison
Harold Brown keeps bringing up a quote and recalls that
all those years ago
Oskar would say, I want to make my own harmonica.
He says, Lee had a dream. Oskar says that dream was
born out of a need for a good working harmonica. He
began playing at age 6 when he received one as a gift
for his birthday and never tired of it. But when he began
playing professionally he would get frustrated when they
stopped playing correctly. He says after he began playing
with Eric Burdon & WAR, the demands of playing on
that level every night exhausted most of his instruments.
Maybe one of 10 harmonicas would hold up. The lack
of quality and availability of the harmonicas he coul
purchase at that time was the driving force behin
wanting to create his own.
Later, when he was touring and began to research th
manufacturing aspect, he went to Japan. From his hote
room one day he heard an amazing sound and followe
it to the door of an elderly man playing a harmonica. I
was there he learned of the Tombo family and bega
developing a relationship with them. They put out th
rst Lee Oskar labeled product in 1983.
Theyve had ve generations of family makinharmonicas, Oskar says. They are very devote
to musical instruments. Their quality control is lik
nowhere else. He is excited that they have been i
business together for 30 years and have the top sellin
major diatonic harmonica. I feel honoredwith m
ideas and ambitionto be connected with what theyv
established.
You only have a handful of notes, so where you plac
them is everything. ~Andy Koch
Of Lees playing, Brown says, American harmonic
players, they hear those ats and slurs. Lee has th
European background: Beethoven, Bach. He hear
melody. He plays with clarity. He has pitch. He hits th
notes!
Jim McLaughlin says the music Oskar makes on th
harmonica is far from ordinary. Its a whole differen
style than anyone I know. He has wonderful tone.
Jeff Nicely says about Oskar, The music he made wit
WAR, as an aspiring harmonica player, he was one
those harmonica players I was looking up to.
Lee Oskar has approached his life like a jam session
Hes done his homework.
Hes prepared. Hes collaborative. Hes passionat
Aware. In the moment. He knows how to let go and ge
in the zone without losing his sense of direction.
Hes there because he wants to be. He places notes wit
purpose.
Its a continuum, not a repeat. We never played th
same way twice, Oskar says. What I did was what
did, and what Im doing is what Im doing. And wit
the end of that statement he turns and talks intently t
the warehouse guys about how they designed the cart o
which theyre placing his paintings. He talks with th
same tone and intensity with which he converses wit
a fan, or a friend or a reporter, without regard for the
status. No airs.
He turns back and speaks again of painting and music.
I was to play music, play every bar, I would be useles
Thats work. Oskar says that art loses its meaninwithout the conditions of how you feel. And you ge
the sense that he is always feeling a great deal. Im int
everything that I do, says Oskar. Im always growin
and changing. And that is probably the only thing tha
wont change, until the jam ends.
Find out more at leeoskar.com and lowriderband.com
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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8
Joe Louis Walker has won a number of Blues Music
Awards, played on a number of Grammy -winning
records by B.B. King and James Cotton, and this year,
he was inducted in the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame.
I had the good fortune to talk to Joe Louis Walker at this
years Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland,
Oregon. He was one of the festivals 120 blues acts. He
was the lone performer at the pre-festival media event,
and it made sense to me that this Alligator recording artist
was before the cameras and reporters to advertise this
annual event in a big way. As a result, local TV stations
and print media made Joe Louis Walker the story. On
July 4th, Joe did a workshop in front of an audience, and
about one hour later, he appeared on the main stage in
front of thousands and thousands of blues fans.
In between those two public events, I had an opportunity
have a conversation with him. Walker and I exchanged
emails, and as a result, we knew a little bit about each
other. When we met, his rst were: So, youre the
writer, right?
I was attered. I pressed play on my recorder, which
captured this conversation with an amazing musician and
an amazing blues man.
RH: I know that growing up in the Bay Area during
the 1960s, and the church, inuenced you. I also know
that Willie Dixon said that you should nd your own
sound. How did those inuences growing up help lead
to your own sound?
JLW: Well, I played Gospel music. I didnt think I was
going to be a professional musician or be well known
or anything like that. I just sang and played because all
my cousins were musicians. My ve cousins and I had a
family band. We would play for motorcycle events and
for teenager sock hops and stuff like that. So, you know,
it was the background I had. It was all the inuences
I had that when I decided to become a professional
musician,it was sort of like making a stew, they sort of
came to the top, and I was fortunate because that is what
it was that made differentiated me from a lot of other
guys.
RH: You said once that you feel the inuence of MichaelBloomeld in your music. Can you expand on that?
JLW: Because Michael was very versatile. He played
with Bob Dylan on Like a Rollin Stone, he played
with Sunnyland Slim, he played with Al Cooper on
Supersession,but he was really known for one of the
most transformational blues bands, the Paul Buttereld
Blues Band. So, Michael was very versatile and that is
what I got from it. He could play all kinds of stuff.
RH: You have done a lot of things that are one the
borderline between different genres, like blues and rock
or blues and gospel. What do you foresee next in terms
of trying some new things?
JLW: At some point I am going to make a country record.
Thats one of my projects in the future. With some of my
friends Im also talking about making a big band record,
like Count Basie and bluesy. I was going to go Mali
last year to do a record with African musicians but the
political climate got kind of strange, so that got put off.
RH: You mentioned blues and country. What do you
think are some of the common roots between them?
JLW: Well, blues and country are cousins. Its just
all about subject matter. George Jones is as unique as
Howlin Wolf, Merle Haggard is as unique as Muddy
Waters, Willie Nelson is as unique as someone like BB
King, you know, its all the same thing, coming from the
same fountain.
RH: Blues and Gospel have a lot in common but what is
different besides subject matter?
JLW: When you are singing Blues you are singin for
your baby, when you are singin Gospel you are singin
for God.
RH: So if you change the word baby to god or god to
baby you have changed from Blues to Gospel or back
again?
JLW: Almost. There are other qualities too. I think
Gospel is mostly quartets, groups, and a Gospel group
will teach you how to sing, they teach you your range for
your voice and how to project your voice, its a provingground. I think that is unique to Gospel.
RH: Ok. You mentioned some things about other cultures.
What other cultures are you really curious about?
JLW: I lived in France for three years. I like a lot of
African music... a lot of Algerian. Like I said, I am a fan
of good music.
Interviewers note: During the workshop, Joe Louis
Walker said something that I hear Mark Riley say time
after time: there are two kinds of music: good music
and bad music. These bluesmen are right.
RH: When you talked yesterday, I was struck by how
deep in the soul the music is. When you write songs whatare you trying to say to people on a deep emotional level?
JLW: Every song is different. It depends on what
the subject matter is it could be out of the Bible,
or relationships, or something my father told me, or
grandmother told me, or that man over there. It all
depends on exactly what I am doing.
RH: Do you often start with lyrics rst, music rst, or
does it matter?
JLW: It doesnt matter.
RH: So there is no certain pattern?
JLW: I dont believe so. For me, there isnt.
RH: In interviews I often ask guitar players, sing
band leaders what makes a good rhythm sectio
do you think?
JLW: Well, obviously, musicianship. I think you
like-minded soul in whatever it is you are trying to
me personally, because I play so many different
has to be someone who is versatile, somebody w
an open mind, and somebody who has chops, so
who can keep up. In a perfect world somebody w
bring something different out of me and can add
I am trying to do. If you have to be on the ro
someone you have to be able to get along on t
too.
RH: Your schedule is pretty busy. You are in a
city every day. So, you dont plan on slowing
seems like, right?
JLW: No, I think playing music keeps you yo
least its that way for me.
RH: So being on the road doesnt tire you out?
JLW: Well, you know, get used to it, as much as y
RH: It doesnt physically wear on you too much
JLW: I think it wears on everybody. Especially tr
now days where you y around, and there is s
airport security.
RH: I guess families adjust?
JLW: I have been a musician my whole life and
are grown now. My daughter sings with me som
We schedule things together: were going to
together in September. They grew up with this.
RH: When you are not playing music, what do y
to do?
JLW: Nothin.
We laughed a little together , and I turned
recorder for a while. Shortly after our conve
Joe Louis Walker got up on stage in front of thand thousands of blues fans, and had them all ye
more when he was done. After more than 25
perhaps more awards than any contemporary blu
this Blues Foundation Hall of Famer has a lot
store. Whether its world music from Mali or Al
country inspired by Merle Haggard, or tried and t
bucket blues, I look forward to what Joe Louis
will be doing next. One things for sure: it wi
his exceptional versatility, rst-class musicians
considerable singing and guitar-playing talents.
Talking with a BluesLegend: Joe Louis Walker
Interview by Robert Horn (Photo on next page by Tim and Michelle B
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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October 2013 Blues Bash
Tuesday, th
Red Crane Restaurant
16716 Aurora Ave NorthShoreline, WA 98133
(206) 546-4444
Acoustic 7PM
Electric 8 PM
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10
Setting the Record StraightRemembering Curley Cooke
By Roy Brown
Maybe the beautiful early summer Saturday is what kept
people away. For whatever reasons, the crowd at the
2013 Washington Blues Societys annual awards show
this past June 22nd
was smaller than I can remember.Maybe people just liked the Triple Door better than the
Kirkland Performing Arts Center. No matter, for the
many, many blues fans that didnt go missed another
great Best of the Blues show (BB Awards).
But this isnt about the ifs, ands or buts that have
been dissected by the clearly-concerned Washington
Blues Society Board of Directors. They will be dealt
with long and often til the problem is on its way to reso-
lution.
This is about the waning moments of the show. The last
award was the most important in my book. While ev-
eryone wants to know what band is the new best kid
on the block, clearly being inducted to the Washington
Blues Society Hall of Fame is of lasting and historicalsignicance for the inductee as well as the blues society.
Our membership voted to give the award this year, quite
correctly in my opinion, to James Curley Cooke. It
was pretty late in the show, and I noticed that everyone
was ready to go home. When Curleys name was an-
nounced, President Eric Steiner accepted the award and
said it would be passed on to the family. No one was
there to accept the award on behalf of Curley.
I wasnt, and I am not, angry. But, as Curleys name was
announced, people were ling out into the sunshine as if
election to our Hall of Fame wasnt really all that impor-
tant. If I could have thought a little faster on my feet, I
would have gladly jumped up and accepted the award.
Curley was my friend. Seeing his induction into our Hall
of Fame was somewhat tarnished by fans beginning toleave, and by no one standing up for Curley to receive
this posthumous award. The whole thing makes me sad.
Curley and I knew each other for eight or nine years,
talking on the phone from time to time, always talking
after gigs, talking at the Blues in the Schools board meet-
ings for the year I served on that board. Sadly, Curley
had health issues which took his musical genius away
from us long before his time.
Curleys attitude, while ebbing and owing just like the
rest of ours, was upbeat and positive a lot of the time. I
wondered out loud with him once, how he could keep on
moving forward when he had the complete taste of suc-
cess in the music business, making lots of money, tour-
ing the world, having groupies attempting to grab a little
piece of a star wherever he went so long ago. He was a
founding member of the Steve Miller Band, and whilehe joked that those gold records in his living room were
just like some guys old bowling trophies, I could still
see that spark in his eye that those days were very, very
special for him.
Curleys response was eye opening into Curleys take on
his life.
He said basically that most people who make it in life,
however that is dened, get there when they are old and
have diminished capacity to enjoy it. In the music busi-
ness, the vast majority of players never taste success at
all; they simply resign themselves to playing local gigs
for small amounts of money regardless of how much tal-
ent they have and for the appreciation they nd at home.
He told me he was the luckiest guy in the world becausehe had it all when he was young and could take full ad-
vantage of what was set before him, and take advantage
he did. Curley said that what other talented musicians
strive for their whole lives and most never attain, he
found at a time in his life when he could enjoy it most.
So, there was nothing left for him to prove.
I think that is what made him humble as a musician dur-
ing those eight or nine years that we were friends.
Back at the blues societys award show at the Kirkland
Performing Arts Center this past June, I just wished I
could have been fast enough in my brain to send a sig-
nal to my feet to get up on stage on Curleys behalf and
honor my friends memory.
I really would have appreciating sharing this little piece
of James Curley Cooke with my extended blues fam-
ily. It saddens me that I wasnt, but I am grateful that I
have the opportunity to share this remembrance of my
friend with Bluesletter readers.
We are fortunate enough to have a plethora of premier
guitarists who live here in our blues community.
Just a few of the names that make up that elite list are
Rod Cook, Mark Riley, Nick Vigarino, Henry Cooper,
Tom T-Boy Boyle and Billy Stapleton. Each of these
bluesmen have rightfully been honored by Washington
Blues Society members, their peers, and youth.
However, riding on the top of that list, in my opin
James Curley Cooke.
I remember him one day singing about wanting
guitar player in heaven. He got his wish. Perhap
importantly, Curley now he does it from the pers
of an elite group of players: his fellow members
Washington Blues Societys Hall of Fame.
Curley Cooke in a promotional photo from D
Cookin with Rod Cook - Photo Courtesy
Blues Boss
Honoring the Memor
and Contributions o
James Curley Cook
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1
Otter Blues Debuts as the
New Seattle Blues Label!At the July meeting of the Washington Blues Society
at the Red Crane in Shoreline, owner Mike Bortz
announced the creation of Otter Blues, a new blues-
specic record label to support blues artists of the Pacic
Northwest.
Otter Blues is afliated with multi-genre label River
Otter Records (www.riverotterrecords.com), but unlike
ts cousin, is dedicated to blues specically, and has
begun its search for outstanding blues artists in the
Pacic Northwest.
Otter Blues has partnered with The Hive Recording
Studio (www.thehiverecordingstudio.com) and serves as
a one stop shop for all artists seeking superior recording
quality and a comfortable, creative, and satisfying studio
experience. Working together, Otter Blues and The
Hive Recording Studio can facilitate recording, editing,
mixing, and mastering of an artists work, as well as CD
and online distribution of their music. The partnership
offers an affordable and seamless progression from the
rst drumbeat to the CD release party.
Through this partnership, Otter Blues and The Hive
are pushing forward with the design for a brand new
recording studio space on the shores of Angle Lake in
SeaTac, with an opening date projected for early summer
of 2014.
While already up and running, Otter Blues is currently
focusing on the design and construction of the new
studio. Once The Hive and Otter Blues complete the
move to their new space, projected for the summer of
2014, the search for northwest blues talent will intensify.
Otter Blues owner Mike Bortz (www.bortz.aero) is an
aeronautical engineer who has retired from both Boeing
and the Federal Aviation Administration, and is still ac-
tive in the aerospace industry as a regulatory consultant.
Regarding the differences between his lifelong career
and his blues musical endeavor, Mike says, Im an en-
gineer, not a musician, but the music is in me and Igotta
get it out somehow. Blues is my passion; I want this mu-
sic to last forever and feel a need to contribute. The Otter
Blues label is how I intend to accomplish that.
Mike Bortzs future career path will be in the Seattle
music scene. With such passion for blues, Mikes dream
s to support and promote the blues, and make Otter
Blues the hub for blues artists throughout the Pacic
Northwest. He says, I want Otter Blues to be the Seattle
blues label, I expect the label to survive and thrive, so I
can enjoy my nal career bathed in my kinda music.
The staff at The Hive Recording Studio are excited and
eager to help Mike achieve success. Owner Robert Fox,
Marketing Director Christine Conway, and Recording
Engineer Chris Pyle all have a passion for music, and
work diligently to ensure the highest standard of quality
and service for all clients. For information and booking,
visit www.thehiverecordingstudio.com or call 206-249-
9842.
Speaking about Otter Blues partnership with The Hive
Recording Studio, and plans for the future, Bortz re -
marked, I see an incredible opportunity to support our
blues community by joining forces with The Hive Re-
cording Studio and the Washington Blues Society. Were
very serious about this. It may take awhile, but it will
happen.
(Left to Right): Washington Blues Society President Eric Steiner, The Hive Recording Studios Bob Fox, Ofceof Film and Music Director James Keblas and Otter Blues Records Mike Bortz
(Photo by Paul Steiner)
Please see Our CD Reviews This Issue:Lady A How Did I Get Here (Masterlan Music)
Brian Lee and the Orbiters In Orbit (Open Century Music)
Walter Trout & His Band Luthers Blues (Provogue)
Trampled Under Foot (Telarc)
Randy Scott (Favored Nations)
Jim Allchin (Sandy Key Music)
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Congratulations to our 2013 Washington
Blues Society Rafe Winners!The Washington Blues Society would like to thank each member and guest who supported our 2013 rafe, and we congratulate the winners listed below. The tickets were
at the Taste of Music in Snohomish, Washington, on August18th from the Main Stage in historic downtown Snohomish.
Grand Prize and Top WinnersDale Bennett - Grand Prize, Cabin for Two - October 2013 Legendary Blues Cruise
Paul Kauf Pair of tickets to the 2014 Mount Baker Rhythm and Blues Festival
Barbara Shadoy Pair of Tickets to the Spring Sunbanks FestivalM Dominique Kastle Pair of Tickets to the 2014 Untapped Brews and Blues Festival
Doug Wickre Pair of tickets to the Winthrop 2014 Rhythm and Blues Festival
Dave Girts - Pair of Tickets - Jazz Alley
Papa Ron Meek Pair of Tickets - Jazz Alley
Curtis J Middleton Pair of Tickets to the Highway 99 Blues Club
M Norden Pair of Tickets - Highway 99 Blues ClubJanice Saulewicz One 8G mp3 Player
Liz C One 8G mp3 Player
CD Winners (alphabetical by rst name)Albert Hill
Alison Cook
Alphonso Sampson (2)
AlRosane Cardis
Amanda Buchanan
Amy Sassenberg
Andrea York
Annie Sayers
Arlene Downie
Bill Davis
Billie Hasenwine
Bob Knapp
Bobbi D
Brian Guest
Carolyn Boyle
D Nickels
Darcy Wagner
Dave Mathews
David Odom
Debbie Smith
Delcia Dinnetz
iana Evans
Dolly Richardson (2)
Don Polson
Doug Goodman
Duane Noble
Gary Boardman
Gary Wickham
Gene Hoetlins
George Jordy Sigler
George Thomas
Guy Sparks
Honey Robin Mahaffey
Ivanna Wood
Jan Clayton
Jane Henderson
Jaye Payne
Jayni Petters
Jeannie
Jeff Smith
Jesse James Montana (2)
Jim Harvill
Joane McIntyre/Parker
Joanne Mayhen
Jody Gunn
Joe Engberg
Kathy Andrea
Kathy Jacobson
Kay Miller
Keith Bakke
Kim Pickett
L H Gale III
Laddy Kite
Larry Williams
Laura Swalley
Laveron Vetter
Leo
Liz Caraway
Lloyd Guenther
Lloyd Peterson
Lori McClintock
Marcus Coldsmith
Marie Reddout
Mark Kreiman
Michael Gallory
Michael H
Mike Christianson (2)
Mike Schacht
Myrna Bostwick
Papa Ron Meek
Philip Lane
R J Knapp
Randy Norris
Robert Fox
Robin Knutson
Rocky Pool
Rosanne Cordes
Russell Gee
Sandy Nakano
Scott Allan
Scott Blair
Sheila Cook
Shelly Key
Sherry Malone
Steve Kinney
Susan Bradbury
Ted Dempsey
Terry Wilson
Tim Koschney
Tim Maher
Tony Saulewicz
Tracy Dieno
Tuesday Kimball
Val Cuthbert
Vicki Coe
Vitaliy Momotok
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By John Kriss
What a magnicent Labor Day weekend we had in the
acic Northwest this year. I was blessed to have
pent this long weekend absolutely immersed in some of
he very best blues music played anywhere at any time.
here were incredible performances by some of the most
ifted singers and musicians I have ever heard in all my
ears of seeing as many of the greats and the near-greatst venues all over the USA. This sunny weekend began
or me early on Friday at the four-day Freedom Fest on
ust east of Everett on Ebey Island at the home of Jim
Harpman McLaughlin and his lovely wife, Donna
Marie. These hosts continue to have the welcome mat
lways ready for all their blues bands friends and the
ver-increasing number of dedicated blues fans.
heir kindness, generosity and love is shared with
veryone who attends this annual blues event. It is
rovided absolutely free by the McLaughlins. The
ands and the fans always contribute enough to cover
ms and Donnas costs to put on this fantastic event
ach year. Jim and Donna make each person feel like a
art of their ever-increasing family of fans, musicians,
writers and singers from not only our state and theacic Northwest, but from the rest of the states, Canada
nd from as far away as Japan and Australia.
his years festival featured over 40 bands, including
lutopia, Rich Chapman, The High Council, Moon
addy, the Cindy Lang Band, Road Dogz, Cavernous
Grove, Simply Shameless, Ryan LaPlante, Red Hill, the
abulous Fatback featuring N.W. legend Fat James,
ichard Allen, Lou Echeverri, Southern Comfort,
eggie Miles, Gary Bs Blues Church, Blues Junkies,
Vaughn Jensen, The WIRED! Band, GFB, Tom and
ll Hudon, Scratch Daddy, 44th Street Blues Band,
own Hall Brawl, Mary McPage, the incredible Nick
Vigarinos Back Porch Stomp. Add to his line-up the
ndlessly energetic Jim McLaughlin and Breadline, the
uperbly talented harmonica cool-cats: Jim Filisko, Grantermondy and Kim Field, the Alley Katz, Unbound,
.D. Woodbury, the outrageously fun R.J.Knapp and
he Honey Robin Band, Sleep Til Noon, Dakota Bob
eaturing the multi-talented Andy Badd Dog Koch
who did a hilarious tribute to the Harpman in a song
bout the joys of being a bald-headed stud); Big City;
replacement band made up of dozens of players who
adnt had an opportunity to perform accompanying Jim
n a rocking hour-long set; Letters from Trafc; a jam
y a dozen musicians that featured the overwhelmingly
alented vocalist Suzie Chrysler; the fabulous funky soul
f bluesman Mack Daddy; John Congo and the 88s, Phil
onahue; Steve Currier; and the nal evening ending
with a totally rockin performance by the fabulously fun
lues Playground.
ach of these bands and individuals play just for the love
hey have for the music, the fans there, and especially for
m and Donna. After four days of peaceful harmony and
unning performances by each of these talented bands
nd these gifted individual performers, several of the
musicians wanted to keep on rockin, so they assembled
n the beautiful ferryboat docked on the water just around
he corner from the McLaughlin property for a late night
am that went beyond the stroke of midnight. This late
ight jam was highlighted by Mack Daddy tearing it up
n his guitar that inspired the fabulous Suzie Chrysler to
mprovise a song about Freedom Fest in an you just had
o be there moment that was another of those absolutely
pecial happenings that lled this magical weekend.
Every person I saw leaving this island haven (and
Saturdays Blues for Food Benet) had such satised
smiles on their faces as they headed back to their
everyday lives after a full weekend of incredible music
and song. It is without a doubt as close to the atmosphere
of peace, love and the overwhelmingly positive energy
that was generated all those years ago at the original
Woodstock festival because I was able to see, hear and
actually feel that again for myself all weekend.
I did take a break on Saturday from the Freedom Fests
feast of food and song to travel south to Seattle because
I couldnt miss the another magnicent show from noon
until 9:00 PM - Blues for Food Benet at Magnuson
Park. It was another simply fantastic annual show put
on by that always energetic rocker, the Reverend
Deb Rock, and we are so very fortunate to have the
forever funny and outrageously entertaining Billy Roy
Danger Stoops as the MC each year. As usual, Billy
did simply a great job of introducing the bands, telling
whoppers, narrating some of his hilarious tall tales and
supplying interesting background information about the
benet and about the performers. He informed the fans
that even though he had left his moonshine at home this
year, he was still going to have a great time anyway. He
even took the time to bake his own special pecan pie
as his annual contribution to the pie auction that is such
a delicious part of this yearly fund-raiser. Those pies
draw an incredible number of bids for donations to help
provide necessities for the less fortunate ones in our
community. Billy thanked all of this years contributors
of so many mouth-watering desserts.
The music began with a rollicking 11-song acoustic set
by KENOVA, comprised of: the Rectiers/Junkyard
Janes Billy Stoops, the always amazing Nick Vigarino
of Backporch Stomp and the superbly talented Chris
Hambone Wilson, who created the name for the band
from a clever acronym made up of Billys KEN-tucky,
Nicks O-hio and his own V-irgini-A roots They
even have their own KENOVA theme song written by
Hambone. All of us have to hope that these three highly
inspired/inspiring writers, vocalists, and guitarists will
have a KENOVA CD for us to enjoy as soon as possible.
Having seen these showmen perform numerous times I
am always amazed that no two shows are ever the same
because they simply have an unending playlist of not
only acoustic songs, but outrageous rockers too. This
great beginning was followed by a rockin 11-song
set by the T-Town Aces. The next band to play was
Polly OKeary and the Rhythm Method in a 10-song
set featuring Paulys sensational vocals and her non-
stop dancing at the mic performance. She is so much
fun to listen to and to watch as she never stops moving.
Her superb set was followed by the rollicking fun of a
super-charged 12-song set by the energetic Carly Taylor
and Zydeco Trouble, which was preceded by a ve-
song set for zydeco dance lessons given to a very large
contingent of smiling, laughing audience participants,who absolutely loved this bands ragin Cajun set. Next
up was the soulful Delgado Brothers featuring that
forever young Pacic Northwest legend, Patti Allen.
Patti has been stunning ever since I rst saw her when I
was in high school in 1965. She still looks and sounds
like she did back in the day. This extraordinary day
came to an even more extraordinary end as the fabulous
Fatback featuring Pacic Northwest legend Fat James
and the outrageous Johnny Brewer brought the show to a
close in a superb 11-song set.
Every Labor Day weekend is also host Seattle Centers
Bumbershoot arts festival, so I had a choice to make:
Do I spend the big bucks to attend an event that has a
few big name bands that draw huge crowds of too often
obnoxiously loud and rude fans or head back north to
attend a special event with an atmosphere that is bes
described by Elvis Costello when he sang: Whats so
funny about peace, love and understanding ? I didn
hesitate for a second because I immediately headed north
with a smile on my face as I left the horrendous Seattle
trafc far behind. And I did not regret my choice for even
an instant because a friend of mine later told me that Eric
Burdon and then the Zombies were worth seeing, but thecrowds were too large and as rude as they usually were
when so many young people and even some wiser
ones, who should know better, have the mistaken idea
that their loud screaming all during a show is something
the rest of us likes to hear. The fans really are there
for the performer and not to hear so many loud boors
interrupt the performer with their caterwauling. In my
opinion, too many spectators, especially too many young
female fans, think they are an essential part of the show
when anyone with any common sense and any sense
of etiquette claps politely, whistles a bit and may even
scream, but only after the performer is nished. They
are also always politely attentive and silent during an
artists performance. A strictly blues audience is alway
that way and it makes it so much nicer for both the fans
and the performer.
Personally, I think that it is time for us, the silent majority
to voice our displeasure with this kind of obnoxious
ignorant misbehavior and require those in charge o
the event to do something about it. Thats why I so
seldom will buy a live album because it is so common
for the songs to be marred by background screaming
and talking by these ill-mannered, misinformed
miscreants. As a teacher for over thirty years I am
simply amazed at the lack of manners displayed by
so many of our students/fans nowadays, who too
often lack even the bare essentials of everyday
common courtesy and decency.
And, with that nal rant, I now must carefully and
quietly step off my soap box and get back to wor
supporting the blues in our magnicent state.
My Labor Day 2013 was a musically memorable
one, thanks to the McLaughlins Freedom Fest and
Deb Rocks Blues for Food.
Labor Day Blues: A Great Weekend of Blues Music!
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14
LIVE BLUES ON 9/10:
Blues Bashat the Red Crane
By Robert Horn, Photos by Blues Boss
On September 10th, the world was a pretty heavy place:
it was one day before the anniversary of September 11th
and the President addressed the nation about his plans torespond to the situation in Syria. Just minutes after the
President spoke in Washington, D.C., the world seemed
more perfect in the other Washington at the Red Crane
in Shoreline when Andy Bad Dog Koch and Red
House played at our all-ages Blues Bash.
While it was a warm and sunny day outside in Shoreline,
it was near-capacity at the Red Crane inside when Andy
Baddog Koch put his metal slide up against the strings
of his guitar and started the events acoustic musical
therapy. The rst song was Breakfast Burrito, and
many of us were ordering supper. Andys next song
sounded at rst like it may be Hurts Me Too, but it
was actually Sittin on Top of The World. That is how
we felt when the dinner plates came. You dont have to
be Eric Two-Scoops Moore to think of music and foodat the same time.
About music: the vocals and slide worked great
together, and when Andy added the harmonica, I like
it even more.
His rendition of Iko Iko was so different it was hard
to recognize. It was a blues, and not a Zydeco, version.
The uniqueness of the style was there in Little Red
Rooster, also: a slower, sultry, and sexier version of the
classic song about a barnyard rooster with a slow claw
and approach to various types of barnyard activitiues
with the hens.
Andy did some other classic, downhome front porch
renditions of Back Door Man, and the Canned Heat
version of On the Road Again. He conquered the front
porch and took us from the Mississippi Delta to the
South Side of Chicago by the time he nished his set.
During intermission, blues society president Eric Steiner
asked award-winning blueswoman Stacy Jones to join
him onstage to pass out 10 CDs through the monthly
free rafe.
After the rafe, there was another special musical treat.
I rst learned about Red House a couple years ago atthe Yuppie Tavern, and I also liked their show at the
Mt Baker Blues Festival, too. When they performed, I
heard some audience members debate about whether it
was blues or jazz. There was no debate at the Septem-
ber Blues Bash, because they did a great blues set that
had blues dancers on the oor the whole time and the
crowd cheering in triumphant blues fan celebration of
the healing power of the blues. The world was perfect
at this point.
The three-part harmony of this four-part band is one of
the best I have heard anywhere. The fourth member does
not sing very much, but he is a guitar monster.
Red House features Mark Nofsiger on guitar, Tim Scott
on bass and lead vocals, Jimmy Holden on keyboardsand vocals, and Robin Crane rounds out the band on
drums and vocals. hey started by singing about a penny
going down a wishing well and got to Dr Feelgood
fast enough. Along the way they sang Before You Ac-
cuse Me, and sang the common story of Dont Know
Why I Love You Like I Do. I was very impressed by
the sound of the band together as well as collective and
individual vocals. The guitar playing is Best of the Blues
Award-nomination quality, and this band sure sounds
like it is ready for the big time. This should be a national
act: you cannot only quote me on that, but have me say
it in print, on the air waves, online, or on stage, any-
time. They should be not only return to the Mount Baker
Blues Festival, but also debut at the Safeway Waterfront
Blues Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival,
the Chicago Blues Festival, or the Intergalactic Blues
festival aboard the International Space Station sp
sored by Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos in th
super-secret space-tourism ventures.
News headlines like those about the conict in S
that ran on the day of the Blues Bash reminded
that the world can be a very harsh place. Howe
one night before the anniversary of September 1
last month, the Washington Blues Society brou
blues fans of all ages together at the Red Cran
Shoreline to show that blues music can provide
portunities to connect, reconnect, and heal throug
shared love for blues music.
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B RvNew Blues that you can Use
Randy Scott
Out Of The Blue
Favored Nations
Randy Scott has burst onto the blues scene with hi
release Out of the Blues produced by multi G
winner Pete Anderson and featuring 13 original
Randy Scott was born and raised in Detroit and
to Los Angeles to seek his fortune where he gra
from the Guitar Institute. After years paying his d
became disillusioned with the music industry so
his guitars off and got a job working in the com
industry. Nine years passed and while waiting on a
he wandered into a Guitar Center, the manager hea
play and suggested he enter the annual King of th
competition. Out of 4,000 plus entrants Natio
Scott was one of six entrants who made their w
the nals at the Los Angeles House of the Blu
Scott was declared the winner, becoming Guitar C4th Annual King of the Blues. Out of the Blues
of the outcome of that. Two things that stuck m
from the start were Randys strong and pleasing
and that his guitar playing is very restrained not a
bombast. Sure he can play a lick; but he never ove
Songs like the blues shufe Whiskey From The
with the lyric .drinking whiskey from the bottle
you walked out my door and the contemporary b
Mean Hearted Woman with its laid back solo sta
Dont Call It Love is radio ready and would
alongside the best classic rock. My favorite track
slow burning Cant Quit On You, again the gui
is strong; but not too much so, in fact at times it r
me of Jimmy Page on You Shook Me. From
shufes to rockers to the nal acoustic track Rand
a lot of variety and he plays it all well. Out of this a very strong debut release and I expect to hea
more from Randy Scott in the years to come. M
Kennedy
Brian Lee and the Orbiters
In Orbit
Open Century Music
The Washington Blues Societys 2013 Best Traditional
Blues BB Award winners Brian Lee & the Orbiters
highly anticipated follow up to highly acclaimedIdentity
Theft (2012 BB Awards for Best Blues Album and
Best Songwriter) is here and it lives up to the standard
set by Brians highly acclaimed previous releases. The
Orbiters are Brian Lee lead vocals, harp, guitar, slide
guitar and keys; Steve Yonck lead guitar, Hank Yanda
bass and Russ Kammerer on drums. The dozen selections
onIn Orbit include ve originals mixed in amongst an
interesting selection of covers like Jody Williams Lucky
Lou and Billy Boy Arnolds I Wish You Would. BrianLee is all about variety from Brians multi-instrumental
abilities to the styles of the blues he plays and this makes
In Orbita very interesting and enjoyable release. From
the slide guitar rave up of Shake Your Money Maker
to the harp fueled I Wish You Would or guitar driven
instrumentals Lucky Lou and the slinky original
Playing In The Dark variety is abundant. Pee Wee
Craytons Texas Hop struts and jumps while, one of
the bands favorite cuts to perform, the laid back swampy
original Bucket of Chicken Wings slithers. My favorite
selection is the original Knock It Off which is high
lighted by the sharp guitar and big fat toned blues harp
solos. I giveIn Orbitmy highest recommendation so go
see Brian Lee & the Orbiters live and pick-up a copy.
Malcolm Kennedy
Trampled Under Food
Badlands
Telarc
Kansas City, Missouris Trampled Under Foot is a three
piece band of Schnebelen siblings Nick on guitar and
lead vocals, Danielle on bass and lead vocals and Kris-ondrums. TUF were winners of the 2008 IBC representing
the KCB with Nick also winning the Albert King Gibson
Guitarist Award and since then have only built on that
success. Recent accolades include 2011 and 2012
Band of the Year at the Blues Blast Awards. Badlands
was produced by Tony Braunagel and in addition to
the Schnebelen trio is augmented by the deft keyboard
skills of Mike Finnigan (Phantom Blues Band, Curtis
Salgado and more) rounding out and adding additional
depth to the TUF sound. Danielles power house vocals
are prominently featured starting with the opening track
Bad, Bad Feeling. Interestingly enough as strong as her
vocals are many of my favorite tracks feature Nick on
lead vocals like Dont Want No Woman with the line
dont want no woman to tell me that she cares/ I just
want my woman to show me that she loves me/ It might
be a labor of love with Mikes organ driving and Nicks
guitar solo clearly demonstrating the Albert King Award
was well earned. Danielle puts lush vocals to the slow
paced Mary and Nick comes back with slightly raspy
vocals and rich toned guitar on the title track. Danielle,
Kris and Mike give I Didnt Try a sturdy rhythm to
support he vocals and Nicks guitar. Nick breaks out
the slide some nasty slide for Down To The River
sharing vocals with Danielle and he tears it up on both
vocals and guitar on my favorite cut, the slow grooving
Desperate Heart. This is a song that I feel is destined to
become a classic. Danielle unleashes her full vocal power
for the Father of Soul, James Browns Mans, Mans,
Mans World. TUF put on a fantastic show at the Mt
Backer Rhythm & Blues Festival this summer and with
releases likeBadlands I am certain their star will show
brightly for quite some time into the future. Very highly
recommended. Malcolm Kennedy
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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1
Jim Allchin
Q .E. D
Sandy Key Music
You knew Jim Allchin would be back with plenty of
furious fretwork to satisfy the legions of guitar heads
and tone junkies out there, but his new album Q.E.D also
has a few surprises in the mix of thirteen new tracks of
blues, rock, salsa and jazzy soul. Allchin joined forces
with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Ben Smith
from Heart, tasking him as co-producer and drummer
for the project. Smith takes the reins with gusto taking
charge of the rhythm section by driving each track and
kicking the New York Brass horn section with power.
The album kicks off with the revved up boogie Stop and
Go, then hits with the self deprecating tongue n cheek
shufe Getting Old, both featuring hot solos from
Allchin and keyboardist Brooke Lizotte. While the time
shifting instrumental Chime Blues, feels very Roben
Ford like. Allchin then invites vocalist Mycle Wastman,
who was recently a contestant on NBCs The Voice, tostrut his stuff on the horn driven blues Trust Me, doing
his best Al Green. The calm piano guitar duet Thinking
of You, offers a quiet respite in the albums center before
returning to more house rockin blues. Allchin and Smith
then take the ensemble southward stopping rst in New
Orleans to play some blues for Dixie on the swingin
Come on Home. Then they head to Acapulco for the
Latin rock instrumental No Way Out, dancing until the
albums frenetic amenco nale. - Rick J Bowen
Walter Trout & His Band
Luthers Blues
Provogue
On the closing track of his amazing new album, Luther
Blues, Walter Trout testies to the power and passio
of one of his heroes when he boldly sings, leave you
ego, play the music, love the people, thats the wa
he lived, when Luther played the blues he gave us a
he had to give. This simple sentiment is the guidin
principle behind this stellar tribute album to one of th
more unsung icons of the blues and electric guitar Luthe
Allison. In his twenty ve plus year career Walter Trou
has also become a bit of an icon, forging a reputatio
as a re breathing guitarist after his tenure with Canne
Heat and John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, so he seems th
natural choice to be the one who could take the Alliso
catalog up a few more notches. Trout enlisted produc
Eric Corne to capture the raw, seat of the energy of liv
takes with his crack road band of keyboardist Samm
Avila, bass man Rick Knapp and drummer Micha
Leasure. The quartet blazes through the eleven son
greatest hits collection from Allisons lexicon of har
driving blues and soul burners, taking each to new
heights of pyrotechnic musical orgasms. Trout goes s
completely over the top on Cherry Red Wine, one o
Allisons signature tunes, making it hard to believe suc
gut wrenching vocals are coming from a sixty two yea
old. The band recasts Allisons protest song Big City
over a Voodoo Chile groove giving a nod to Hendri
and Stevie Ray as well with his wailing Stratocaste
The muscular funk of tracks Chicago, and Freedom
is propelled by a rhythm section steaming at mach on
aying out a fusillade of notes, but then turn on a dim
to give a tasteful reading of the gospel infused Ju
As I Am. Trout then trades barbs with Luthers so
Bernard Allison on the turbo charged Texas boogie Low
Down and Dirty. The albums other guest star is a shor
recording of Luther speaking of his lifes philosophy o
wanting to be part of the universe of nature and mak
friends everywhere he went. Luthers Blues succeeds o
many levels as it will no doubt lead many to discover thmusic of Luther Allison as well as showcase the powe
and precision of Walter Trout and his stellar band, wh
deliver what may prove to be the electric blues album o
the year. Rick J. Bowen
ady A
ow Did I Get Here
MasterIan Music
How Did I Get Here the new release from Seattle bluesva Lady A plays like the soundtrack to the biopic
f her colorful life as a woman of song and healer of
ouls. Beginning with the comical intro from producer
nd jack of all trades John Oliver, that sets the stage for
he panorama of blues funk and soul. The rst track is
he slow burning My Kind of Blues, in which Lady A
ses her hyper stylized vocals to declare her intentionsn winning you over while guitarist Dexter Allan rips up
hot lead. She then shifts gears to a sweet emotional
eo soul ballad, How Did I Get Here featuring
utstanding keyboard backing from Paul Robertson, and
aying tribute to her late bass player Gary L. Smith. The
arrative travelogue Moan Instead of Sing, has Lady
recounting her travels to the Delta over top a modern
lues funk gumbo. Oliver along with bass man John
tudamire lay down a fat funk groove as Lady A recounts
he fond memories of her childhood on the Cabbage and
ornbread. The hyped up zydeco track If Mama Aint
appy, is full of re and brings to mind a scene from
musical theater production like Hairspray or Chicago.
ady A co wrote the slinky track 24 Carat Man, with
llow Northwest icon guitarist Teri Wilson, a tune that
ould have easily been a part of Koko Taylor or Ruthrowns repertoire. On the gospel avored barrelhouse
lues Rockin The Roads with DME, Lady A testies
the power of love and music that is the Delta Music
xperience, the unique musical vacation created to bring
eople to Louisiana and The Mississippi Delta. The
bum ends with the special bonus track Future Ex-
uzbun a southern fried boogie recorded at Sun Studios
n Memphis with guitarist Super Chikan Johnson and
rummer Cedric Burnside. The spontaneous energy
lled session must have been a thrill for all involved
nd leaves us with a dream of what could be an amazing
uper group. - Rick J Bowen
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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18
Jonny Lang
- Soul Singer
Faces His
Fears andFollows His
Heart.By Rick J. Bowen
It has been seven years since Jonny Lang released a new
studio album. This year, he has signed a new recording
deal with the Concord Music Group and last month, he
releasedFight For My Soul; the follow up to his Grammy
Award-winning Turn Around in North America. Langhas been working on the release for three years with
producer Tommy Sims, who co-wrote Eric Claptons
Grammy-winning Change the World. The new album
dees categorization by a single genre as it encompasses
pop, rock, R&B gospel and soul. Lang and his seasoned
touring band deliver broad textured arrangements
accompanying his tremendous vocal skills and solid
guitar playing. I spoke to Lang about the new album and
gained some insight into the world of this one-time teen
idol who has grown into a mature artist.
Rick J Bowen: Ive been listening to the new album
Fight For My Soul, its fantastic.
Jonny Lang: Really? Thank you so much.
RB: Its totally surprising, lets talk about that and this
nonstop tour youre on.
JL: Yeah this lifelong tour, with just little two week
breaks between shows. I just got home late last night.
RB: Three years to make this record, holy cow.
JL: Yeah, Some of the stuff on the record was done about
six years ago. Its been quite a process. I mean 80% was
done in the last two three years.
RB: Just done song by song in between tours.
JL: Yeah, exactly , when youre out on the road a lot and
then the little bit of time I have at home I m wanting to
spend that with my family that is relatively new, the kids
are little and I dont want to miss that , so nding time to
record is very challenging. We got some good traction
last couple years and got to block out time close to home
and get the record done.
RB: Where did you do the record?
JL: We did most of it in L.A and for a couple tunes the
basic tracking was done in Nashville.
RB: How did you keep the focus over three years to get
the project done?
JL: Having and innate sense of where I wanted to go with
it helped. And if youve got this vision, a bunch of time
can go by and you can return to it and know what context
to put it in.
RB: And Tommy Simmons helped drive that bus.
JL: Tommy is one of my heroes. Besides being
everything that he is musically his solo project was one
most inspiring things to me in my whole life. Getting to
make a record with him has been a dream of mine for
fteen years or so. I met him thirteen years ago and we
hung out together and wrote, but had never done a record
together. It is a dream come true.
RB: Obviously he is one of the inuences for this record,
who else inuenced the record because it has such a
broad sound and covers many genres.
JL: With each record I have become less afraid to be
myself. I guess what I mean is that Ive been afraid to
do what is naturally coming out of me because a lot of
the time its not just guitar centered and most denitely
never blues. I tried to ease into this, but I gured on this
record Im not gonna be laying on death bed saying to
myself im sure am glad I never did that record I wanted
to. I just let the songs and the writing go where they
wanted and they dictated the direction of it.
RB: This is deantly not a guitar slinger record, its youbeing a soul singer and doing your own Al Green, Keith
Sweat, Stevie Wonder thing. Is that were you feel your
going with your music and career?
JL: You mentioning me with those guys is pretty wrong.
(Laughs) Thank you anyway.
RB: Well the vocals are front and center on this album.
JL: Yeah they are and it is decidedly more about the
songs. The vocal is the center piece of the song and its
deantly more about the singing than the guitar playing.
In fact we made an effort to try and create more space for
guitar solos and lead guitar parts. and tried to do it in a
way that didnt sound forced. That is a part of me I dont
want to just totally ditch that.
RB: There are some monster solos on there. Dont get
me wrong.
JL: Instead of it being a song buil t around the guitar solo
its the other way around.
RB: Blues, Gospel, Soul its all in there do you think
this record is gonna open up a new audience for you at
the risk of losing the old. Its a bit of a departure are you
ready for that?
JL: I hope that everybody loves it. (laughs) I know that
isnt going to be the case. Truly I tried not to think about
that .I just wanted to make the best music I knew how
to make, and then hopefully because of that people
would enjoy it. I love golf so Ill make a golf analogy. I
hear guys talk about when they think about winning the
tournament is when they start screwing up. When they
just concentrate on making the shot, in the moment and
go shot by shot and then you can pile a bunch of good
shots together and youve won the tournament. That was
the approach with this one.
RB: That totally makes sense.
JL: There is gonna be people who wanted that blues
record and who are gonna be totally hacked off Ill be
getting some emails. But you know you gotta grow up.
Everybody grows and some people grow in different
directions.
RB: How does a kid from Fargo, North Dakota tu
a soul singer like you?
JL: I grew up with my parents listening to a
Motown records. I was always singing along to
guys, and girls, so Ive got that music hard wired in
I ve spent a long ,long time studying soulful mu
artists, not just Motown and what you would co
soul music, but like James Taylor and a lot of di
folk artists and I feel like there is a thread th
through all of those people. Its just honesty. They
plugged into the same thing.
RB: Singing from your soul, that is reected in t
track Fight For My Soul, a very intense song,
story is that?
JL: I remember the day I started writing that, I h
image of this young girl in my head that grew u
certain situation and she is only gonna turn out on
She going to be a product of that environment an
is nothing she can do about it. It got me thinking
what we all are really. We can only do what we se
done when we are kids.
RB: You being a parent now must make you re
that and see the world differently now.
JL: Exactly .Man, I am a hundred times more patie
I used to be. Its been a good thing. I started th
about myself and how I grew a certain way. And a
point I was given the opportunity to challenge
things that I thought were always just true for ever
Really they were only true for me. And you sort
becoming your own person. So the song Fight F
Soul is about that, and who are you. There is som
in there that is trying to shape their own outcom
how much do you listen to that voice that is l
you. And how much do you just stay where yo
whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. How
good things do you take with you, how many bad
all of that it adds up to this struggle. I guess that
the song is about.
RB: No wonder you made it the title track. It does
more intense than that.
JL: I feel like it sums up where I am in my life.
RB: Then the beautiful love song Ill Always Be
is that for?
JL: The song Ill Always Be, is a little bit of m
of how god sees us. The song is sung from the p
view of God. Put in terms of this guy who is a com
and concert master and there is this woman, who
been in love with forever, and she leads him on
non committal, and he is desperate to win her lov
that guy in the song as God looking at us. Not jus
a guy and a girl.
RB: A much bigger love story. We miss those
without the liner notes. Thanks for the back groun
JL: Its fun to let people interpret it themselves
you get a great chance of a song helping someo
becoming relevant to them .doing that thing that
can do for us sometimes. Helping us out of a tou
and being a blessing somehow.
RB: Isnt that our job as writers and artists?
Continued no p
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
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A.H.L. (206) 935-4592R A & L Exp, R A Z (206) 369-8114AKz (425) 273-4172Av B (206) 994-9413A Uk (206) 355-5952Bb Gmp (425) 483-2835BkG N (425) 931-8084Bk P B (425) 299-0468Bk S (425) 330-0702B Dg B S (360) 733-7464B B (253) 884-6308B S B B (360) 731-1975Nm B & Fk (206) 722-6551Bk Rv B (206) 396-1563Bk P (425) 327-0018B A (360) 701-6490B 55 (206) 216-0554B H (206) 440-7867B D M (206) 328-0662B Pg (425) 359-3755B Rmp p://.bmp.m(T) B S (206) 979-0666B B (253) 945-7441B P (206) 755-0766/ 206-547-1772B B & Kgb 206-276-6600Bmp K (253) 223-4333, (360) 259-1545B B B (206) 361-9625C B & Fp (509) 325-3016
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T G
Attention Blues
alent: Please sendyour updated contact
information by the
10th of the month to
calendar@wablues.
org. Tank you!
7/27/2019 Bluesletter October 2013
20/32
20
Blues CalendarNote: Please conrm with each venue the start time
and price. We also apologize in advance for any errors
as we depend on musicians and venues to send in their
information and sometimes, changes happen after wego to press.
Tuesday, October 1
Jazz Alley The Yellowjackets
Wednesday, October 2
Bakes Place, Bellevue Bill Englehart/Rod Cook duo
6PM
Highway 99 Blues Club The Soul of John Black 8PM
Jazz Alley The Yellowjackets
88 Keys Blues on Tap 8PM
Kent Senior Center Bubbles Blues w/Norm Bellas
12:30PM
Pike Place Bar and Grill John Stephan Band 6PM
The Triple Door - Wed/October 2 Earshot Jazz Festi-
val: John Scoelds Uberjam 7 & 9:30 PM
Elliot Bay Pizza & Pub, Mill Creek James Bernhard
7PM
Thursday, October 3
Highway 99 Blues Club Brian Lee & the Orbiters
8PM
Jazz Alley Karrin Allyson
Salmon Bay Eagles - Dr Z & The M.D.s 8PM
Bakes Place, Bellevue The Side Project Trio 7PM
Friday, October 4
Bakes Place, Bellevue Rod Cook & Toast 8PM
Highway 99 Blues Club Curtis Hammond Band 8PM
Jazz Alley Karrin Allyson
Dogghouse, Mt Vernon Black River Blues 9PM
Elmers Pub, Burien Moon Daddy Band
13 Moons at the Swinomish Casino & Lodge, AnacortesMia Vermillion solo 6PM
The Conway Muse Mia Vermillion/Kevin Sutton Duo
-9PM
Saturday, October 5
Highway 99 Blues Club Franco Paletta & the Stingers
w/ Steve Kerin 8PM
Jazz Alley Karrin Allyson
Salmon Bay Eagles - Roy Kay Trio 8PM
Issaquah Salmon Days - John Stephan Band 1:15 PM,
The Fabulous Roof Shakers 3PM
Enumclaw Music and Arts Festival Mia Vermillion
2PM, Palmer Junction 3:30PM
13 Moons at the Swinomish Casino & Lodge, Anacortes
Mia Vermillion solo 6PM
Bakes Place, Bellevue Doctorfunk 8PM
Sunday, October 6
Jazz Alley Karrin Allyson
Johnnys Dock,Tacoma Little Bill trio 5PM
The Triple Door - Earshot Jazz Festival with Vinicus
Cantuaria 7:30 PM
Bakes Place, Bellevue Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto
7PM
The Central Club, Kirkland, Gin Creek: 8:00pm
Monday, October 7
Kent Senior Center Koffee Klach w/Norm Bellas
The Triple Door Bob Schneider and Gabriel Kelly
Tuesday, October 8
Re