Cascade Blues Music Reviews

Live From Portland Saturday Market

Various Local Artists

Music Review Reprint from the
February, 2002 BluesNotes
By Ken Condit

Guitar Rag
Party Goin' On
Down Home Blues
Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes
So Close, Too Soon, Not Yet
Betty & Dupree
Honey Bee
You Rock My Soul
5-10-15 Hours
Goin' South
Table For One

The famed Portland Saturday Market has become a fixture in the local culture by providing an outlet for Northwest artisans to show off their creations. So it is indeed fitting for Portland Saturday Market to also offer some of Portland's premier Blues artists an opportunity to strut their stuff. The 2001 Roots and Blues Heritage Festival held last August provided just such an opportunity and this live recording captures many of the highlights from that one-day show.

Released by the Portland Saturday Market as a benefit for the Epilepsy Foundation of Oregon, the CD features an excellent mix of Blues styles. Included here are the acoustic guitar wizardry of Terry Robb, the traditional Country Blues sounds of Kinzel & Hyde, the Jazz-influenced Blues created by Ellen Whyte & Reflex Blue, and classic Rhythm and Blues from Norman Sylvester and Linda Hornbuckle.

The recording begins with Terry Robb exhibiting his considerable slide guitar skills in the lively traditional Blues number, "Guitar Rag", and he is featured later performing his version of Muddy Waters' classic, "Honey Bee". Acoustic Blues lovers will also enjoy the inclusion of three tracks by Kinzel & Hyde, one of Portland's leading traditional Acoustic Blues acts. LynnAnn Hyde breaks out the concertina on the traditional Blues tune, "Betty and Dupree", while Stu Kinzel shows off his mastery of the slide guitar on the Country Blues number, "Goin' South". For a more recent selection, the duo performs the Country-tinged Taj Mahal composition, "Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes".

As a contrast to the Acoustic Blues, the CD features two original songs from Ellen Whyte & Reflex Blue which appear on their latest release, "Standing At The Sunrise ". These tracks include the raucous jump Swing number, "So Close, Too Soon, Not Yet", with standout guitar and piano work complementing Whyte's vocals, and the slow Jazz-flavored Blues tune, "Table For One".

The "Boogie Cat", Norman Sylvester, and his all-star band contribute two original songs, the R&B composition, "Party Goin' On", featuring excellent piano playing from Janice Scroggins, and the funky, "You Rock My Soul". Linda Hornbuckle's tracks include solid versions of the R&B standards, "Down Home Blues" and "5-10-15 Hours".

This release presents a well-rounded sampling of some of the best talent Portland's Blues scene has to offer and serves as an excellent sequel to the "2000 Portland Saturday Market Acoustic Festival CD".