It's hard to believe that a year has come and gone already. Last March, the Cascade Blues Association introduced to the City of Portland an exciting new Blues event called The Willamette Delta Showcase. A mini-festival created with the idea of bringing to town top-named Blues acts that for one reason or another had been bypassing the Rose City on their West Coast tours. Focusing mainly on musicians who may never have played in Portland, have not been through the city for a number of years or those who are simply deserving of greater attention, the idea struck home and even garnered a nomination for "Blues Event Of The Year" in the "Muddy Award" balloting. Pretty impressive when you consider the show was pieced together by a group of individuals who had never attempted to produce a major Blues show beforehand.

That first show set a standard for the Willamette Delta Showcase. The three sets of music presented were all of the utmost showmanship which held the audience in its sway. Headlined by the effervescent performance of Smokey Wilson's biting guitar and gravelly vocals; shouldered by the W.C. Handy-winning duet of Paul Rishell & Annie Raines; and the mesmerizing solo art of Hans Olson on the guitar and rack harmonica, it was certainly an event that left a few hearts pounding a little faster by the end of the night.

It was also the desire of the Willamette Delta Showcase Committee to succeed in three aspects during the initial event: Stage a first-class show, give the audience their money's worth, and make the artists themselves most comfortable and excited about performing for us. From the performers, both verbally and written, we know we came through with the latter, and, judging from the audience's response, we believe we also delivered on the first two.

It takes a lot of effort and work to piece together a show of this stature. Almost immediately following the close of the first Willamette Delta Showcase, thoughts were already spinning for the next one. Over the ensuing months, numerous (and I mean numerous!) artists were contacted. The response was almost completely overwhelming by those who wanted to participate, and we even attracted offers from performers who we hadn't solicited in the first place. In the long end of it all, we put together another line-up of world-class musicians that we believe will draw anticipation from our guests for the return of this event for years to come.

With all of that said, let's take a look at this year's extraordinary selection of entertainers. Opening the Second Annual Willamette Delta Showcase will be a sensational young guitarist from Tampa, Florida who'll most assuredly bring the audience to their feet right from the start, Sean Chambers. Hailed by Europe's "Guitarist Magazine" as one of the "50 Greatest Blues Guitarists," Chambers will deliver his brand of hard-hitting Blues-Rock that'll surely bring to mind players like Johnny Winter, Albert King, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Little wonder, as each of these aforementioned artists had their own influence over Chambers as he developed his prowess on the instrument professional career playing lead guitar in a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band. The grouping drew loads of accolades, but playing another artist's material does not leave much room for one to grow in their own right. Thus, after a couple of successful years touring with the Tribute show, Sean left to pursue a future of his own making. His 1998 recording on the Vestige label, "Strong Temptation," verified that he had made the right decision. Praised by some as the strongest debut release since Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Texas Flood," the album is full of the fiery and potent guitar slinging that has defined Chambers' brief career to date. Working in the classic power trio mode should bring the house alive once he hits the stage. Fans in Portland will get a good glimpse at why Sean Chambers is being touted as the next big Blues sensation on the rise.

O.C. Thomas from Portland's Flying Heart Records

After Sean Chambers completes his set, we are proud to introduce a performer that most people may have never heard of. And, he comes from our own backyard. Portland-based label Flying Heart Records released a compilation CD a couple of years back featuring some of the Rose City's finest Blues talent. Opening that CD was the septuagenarian Bluesman, O.C. Thomas, displaying a sure knack for a solo electric guitar performance.

Unless you've been fortunate enough to catch Mr. Thomas playing in his own home, this is most likely the first chance you've ever had to witness him before an audience. His inclusion on Flying Heart's "A Taste Of The Blue Rose" CD shows a strong resemblance to the early solo music of Muddy Waters. Though the Willamette Delta Showcase is designed to bring artists from outside the local area, we felt that this was a rare opportunity to introduce an artist of exceptional caliber that we couldn't pass up. We're hoping that 0.C.'s short set will gain your attention and build the desire to set another talented performer's career in the right direction.

Blues fans in New York and Los Angeles know the special treat that lies with our next performer. Paul Oscher has been amazing crowds coast-to-coast with his solo performances, playing guitar, harmonica and piano as he guides you through a history of modem Blues. In fact, this very show of Mr. Oscher's has recently earned him the recognition as the Blues Performer of the Year in Los Angeles.

Paul Oscher began his professional career at an early age. While still a teenager, Paul was awarded the coveted seat as the harmonica player in the Muddy Waters Band. His presence there is also of special note, as he became the first non-African American performer to join a major Chicago Blues band fulltime. It also indicates the amount of talent behind Oscher's harpwork, filling a role previously held by such greats as Little Walter, James Cotton, Junior Wells and George "Harmonica" Smith. He would continue in that role off-and-on for the next seven years, and appeared on five albums with the band. Though strictly a harmonica player when he joined the band, he was soon taking pointers on how to play the guitar from Muddy Waters himself. His close relationship with the legendary pianist Otis Spann also brought with it keyboard lessons from perhaps the greatest artist ever to pound the 88s to the Blues.

After leaving the Muddy Waters Band in the early '70s, Paul worked for a number of years in New York City under the pseudonym of Brooklyn Slim. He resurfaced under his own name in the mid-1990s and released a handful of critically acclaimed recordings, including his latest collaboration with former Jimmy Rogers harpman, Steve Guyger. Another recent event found Paul as a featured speaker and performer at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's tribute to Muddy Waters. It is with great anticipation that we present Paul Oscher, a performer which we guarantee you'll remember.

It is certainly a true honor for a festival in its early stages, as is the Willamette Delta Showcase, to feature such an exceptional artist as Hubert Sumlin. A true "living legend", Hubert has been called "the guitar player's guitar player." And, when you glance at the exceptional musicians who have called him an important inspiration in the development of their careers, it weighs that much heavier. Especially when those people number the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Frank Zappa and Stevie Ray Vaughan. And, even our opening performer, Sean Chambers, cites Hubert as a major influence.

Hubert Sumlin began his Blues career while still in his teens working with James Cotton and Howlin' Wolf around Memphis. Wolf moved to Chicago in the early '50s, but he soon summoned the young guitarist to join him. Beginning in 1954, and continuing for the next 23 years, Hubert Sumlin and Howlin' Wolf would collaborate for one of the most important Blues pairings of all time. The recordings they made for Chess include some of that label's biggest singles, including masterpieces such as "Killing Floor" "Hidden Charms," "Little Red Rooster" and "Smokestack Lightnin'."

After the death of Howlin' Wolf in 1976, Sumlin retired from playing music, but he thankfully resurfaced in the mid-'80s and has continued steadily ever since. It may be hard to believe, but with each CD he releases, Sumlin seems to improve every time out. And, recently celebrating his 69th birthday, he doesn't appear ready to stop yet and just may be playing the best guitar of his career.

The Willamette Delta Showcase should also coincide with the release of Hubert Sumlin's newest CD, "Hubert Plays Muddy". A tribute to the works of Muddy Waters, with whom he played a brief tour in 1956. It is an all-star collaboration which includes many highly-touted musicians such as the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Willamette Delta Showcase performers, Paul Oscher and Sean Chambers. Hubert will also be gracing the April issue of Blues Revue Magazine, scheduled to be available at local outlets on March 5th.

This should be another exciting evening of great Blues at the Willamette Delta Showcase. We wish to make this event one that Blues fans anticipate every year as much as they do the Waterfront Blues Festival. It's just the ticket you'll need to warm up after a long, cold winter.

There is absolutely no way we could even attempt to produce a show of this nature without the help of sponsors. The Cascade Blues Association wishes to offer our heartfelt thanks to those who have provided their assistance to make it all possible: The Allen Foundation for Music, KINK Sunday Night Blues, 89.1 KMHD, Music Millennium, A New Leaf Executive Service, Inc.; GuitarCenter.com, DrumOne.com, Flying Heart Records, Butlerini's Catering, plus the generous donations of the following: Jackson Lee, Steve Nassar, Terry Odor & tloMusic and Ray Varner. A big thanks to everybody.

(Anyone interested in helping to sponsor future Willamette Delta Showcases, please contact Greg Johnson at (503) 223-1850 or see the information on our web-page.

The CBA thanks the following Willamette Delta Showcase Sponsors for their support: