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Looking Back
At The 15th Annual
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Looking Back
At The 15th Annual
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The
2002 Annual Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival (WFBF) reached its goal of an
estimated $300,000 and exceeded the food donation goal with an estimated
115,000 pounds collected this year. The Empty Bowls project alone, coordinated
by the Oregon Potters Association, raised more than $21,200.
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This year's outstanding talent drew record crowds to Tom McCall Waterfront Park between Wednesday, July 3rd and Sunday, July 7th. The attendance over the five days this year was estimated at 120,000 people.
The 15th Annual Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival is presented by Miller Genuine Draft with major support from Co-Op Network Credit Unions, First Tech, Clark County School Employees, State Employees, Portland Teachers and Wood Products credit unions, Household, The Oregonian A&E and KINK FM 102. The festival was nurtured and supported on-site by more than 1,100 volunteers and was simulcast by KBOO 90.7 Community Radio. Supporting sponsors and partners included Champion Mortgage, Snapple, Frito Lay, OregonLive.com, Tully's Coffee, Chrysler Showcase, 7-Up, Yoshida Sauces, Dreyer's Ice Cream, Talking Rain Water, Seeds of Change, Morning Star Farms, Sprint PCS, The Guitar Center, The Cascade Blues Association, The RiverPlace Hotel, The Marriott City Center Hotel, Music Millennium, Allegro Drums, NW Film Center, Airport Limousine, American Airlines, Day Wireless Systems, and Europa Communications. Additional supporters included Oregon Potters Association, Karolyn March, and Cascade Zydeco Association.
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All of the Festival's proceeds benefit the Oregon Food Bank's work to eliminate hunger and its root causes in Oregon and Clark County, Washington.
With a great cause, generous sponsors and a wonderful lineup of talent, the 2002 WFBF was another rousing success again this year! With the Festival running five days and with over 80 acts, there was Blues and Blues related music for every taste.
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The WFBF is always "the place to be" over the Fourth of July weekend in Portland for Blues fans and music fans alike. And with three stages and the continual music format, there was a bonanza of music to listen to and a lot of fun and entertainment for all! The addition of the third stage, The Oregonian A&E Front Porch Stage, located away from the other two stages north of the Hawthorne Bridge in 1999, has proven to be a marvelous addition to this extraordinary Festival It offers acoustic acts, workshops, jams and additional Blues acts in a comfortable, more intimate setting for viewing and listening. Many of the best things that happen at the WFBF happen on the Front Porch Stage. This year, there were several jams and guest appearances which were nothing short of outstanding on the Festival's third stage, like The Fourth of July's Festival Jam which consisted of some of the very finest Blues talent at the Festival. That jam included Phil Guy, W.C. Clark, Kenny Neal and Paul deLay all on stage at the same time in an incredible Blues Jam that lasted well into the Fireworks display. These guys were smokin' as the fireworks were exploding in the air over the Willamette River. A once in a lifetime affair, for sure!
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And Bill Rhoades' Harmonica Blow-Off was a true Festival highlight on the Front Porch Stage with Gary Primich, Paul deLay, Kenny Neal and his father Raful Neal, all performing excellent sets of fantastic Chicago Blues. The climax of the Harp Blow-Off was a rousing set by two of Portland's favorite sons, Paul deLay & Curtis Salgado together, setting the stage ablaze with killer harmonica licks "all Blues and nothing but greasy, low-down Blues" in that set! Junior Watson's & Jimmy Vivino's Guitar Workshops were also lots of fun (up close & personal) on the A&E Stage.
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There was a lot of positive feedback about the A&E Front Porch Stage from the happy music fans this year. The Cascade Blues Association had the honor of hosting the stage, and CBA Board Member LeEtta Clark had the task of coordinating the backstage area and pulled it off with a superb effort. The vibes on the Front Porch Stage were electric, but yet relaxing and comfortable; no attitudes here. Jim Miller, the A&E Stage Manager, is a gem! He really is in tune with all that's going on, yet makes everyone feel welcome. He knows how to be a stage manager and it really shows in the positive way his stage is run!
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This year the North Stage had its special highlights too with Duke Robillard's fantastic set of music with "Living Blues Legend" Jimmy "T-99" Nelson shouting the Blues to an approving crowd of Blues fans. And there was a great set of Blues by Kenny Neal and Family, featuring his daughter, his nephew and his father Raful. Closing the North Stage's run of music for this year's Festival was a biting set of rollicking Louisiana Blues by Marcia Ball which was nothing short of brilliant. "T-99" Nelson sat in with Marcia as he stayed around the Festival for the entire duration. The North Stage's Manager, Bill Phillips, like Jim Miller on the A&E Stage, is another pro that really knows how to run an event and deal with the bands, the stage guests and the press all in a very positive and forthright manner. Hats off to Bill!
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There are so many highlights at a five-day affair like this, it's futile to try to mention them all. If you were there you had your favorites. If you weren't, you should have been, because you really missed a magnificent event and all for a good cause too! Included on this page are a few photos by CBA President Greg Johnson for you to reflect upon. They show just a small part of the non-stop action that took place at this year's Festival - Check them out! It's fun to reminisce. (More photos from the Festival can be seen here.)
Thanks to Talent Coordinator Peter Dammann, Festival Coordinator Clay Fuller, and the entire Oregon Food Bank for inviting the Cascade Blues Association to be a part of this year's WFBF. We had a very successful booth and signed up or renewed many members, as well as selling a lot of our CBA merchandise. Every dollar we make at our booth goes right back into the Blues community to promote, support and preserve the Blues and Blues-related music!
Rick Hall,
BluesNotes Editor
A very special thank you is extended to all for volunteering and supporting quality Blues Music at The Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon over the Fourth of July week. It's your volunteerism that made this event successful! Sponsors and co-sponsors alike rely on volunteers to insure the continuation of our history of hosting world-class quality Blues Music events throughout each season. When volunteering, you are a representative of many organizations that help aid the needy and support Blues Music! Through your positive actions, the Portland area and all who attend will be proud to support our future events to come. You are all to be commended for a job well done, and we thank you!
Amy Allen,
CBA Board of Directors
© 2002 Cascade Blues Association