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CBA Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Gala Event

Article by Ken Condit, CBA BluesNotes October 2006 Photos by Greg Johnson

    On October 14^th, the walls of the recently renovated Wonder Ballroom in NE Portland will be resonating with the sounds of great Blues as the CBA commemorates its 20^th Anniversary in grand fashion. Fans of this vibrant and evolving American art form will enjoy a broad range of music as they are treated to live performances by extraordinary musicians from near and far. The headliner for the show will be the influential, Chicago Blues guitarist Jody Williams, who has ended a nearly 30-year hiatus from music with a rousing comeback. Williams will be backed by a relatively recent addition to the Portland music scene, the creative and raucous Rose City Kings. This combination of experience and youthful energy is bound to produce some entertaining results.
     The 20^th Anniversary show will also feature the veteran talents of Portland-based acts The Norman Sylvester Band and The DK4. It is fitting for these two Bands to be appearing at this concert since in some ways their musical growth has paralleled and been intertwined with the growth of the CBA and modern Blues in Portland. Both Norman Sylvester and D. K. Stewart, after enjoying successes in other musical endeavors, decided to venture forth and start their own bands in 1985, the year before the CBA was established. As these performers and their bands have developed over the last 20-plus years, they have become major cultural fixtures in the area just as the CBA has become an important fixture in its supporting role for the Blues community. Yes, this celebration will offer a tasty evening of Blues and related musical styles featuring excellent musicianship and showmanship, flavored with a blend of youthful exuberance and time-tested skills. And what better place to enjoy such historically significant music than in a 1914 vintage building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
     For those who are inclined to get up and shake it to the enticing rhythms, seating will be arranged to include a spacious dance floor. In addition to the musical attractions, the CBA will also be conducting a silent auction of donated items to help raise funds for the cause. So you may want to bring both your dancing shoes and your checkbooks to fully partake in the festivities.
     Jody Williams helped shape the sound of Chicago Blues during the 1950s and ‘60s as a sought-after session guitarist. He moved to Chicago from Alabama as a young child and hung out with Bo Diddley as a youngster while the two were developing their own unique talents. Jody began playing professionally in 1951 and quickly became a mainstay at Chess Records and other Chicago studios. He recorded some of his own original material under different monikers, but became better known for his contributions to the recordings of such luminaries as Howlin’ Wolf, Billy Boy Arnold, Otis Spann, and, of course, Bo Diddley. Anyone familiar with the guitar licks laid down on such classic tunes as “Evil,” “I Was Fooled,” “Five Spot,” and “Who Do You Love” are familiar with the impressive contributions of Jody Williams.
     Like so many talented performers in this competitive society, Williams decided that a steady, decent-paying job was preferable to the frustrations and uncertainties of the professional musician’s life. He stashed his Gibson away and went to work at Xerox for almost three decades before deciding the give the Blues another try. He had gone to see Robert Lockwood, Jr. at a club in 1999 and soon after broke out some of his old recordings to give them a listen. Apparently, what he heard caught his fancy because he decided to start performing and recording again. Williams returned to the music world with the same creative spirit and musical aptitude that gained him a strong reputation as a Chicago Blues guitarist and in a few years has released two highly-acclaimed CDs.
     In 2002, Williams released Return of A Legend, which garnered him a Handy Award, and he followed it up with You Left Me In The Dark in 2004. Both sets feature the distinctive, jazz-tinged guitar techniques on which he built his reputation 40 to 50 years before, along with strong vocals and plenty of original material to prove that Williams was not simply a talented session guitarist. Of course, anybody who can bring in the likes of Lonnie Brooks, Robert Lockwood, Jr. and Billy Boy Arnold to help on the recordings is definitely a force in the Blues world.
     The Rose City Kings (RCK) hit the Portland scene in 2003 with all the serenity and finesse of a winter storm barreling out of the Gulf of Alaska. Their high-energy approach to Blues and roots music caught the attention of local Blues fans and the group quickly developed a strong following. They received a CBA Muddy Award as “Best New Act” in 2003 and won the CBA’s Journey-To-Memphis challenge the following year. The experience in Memphis helped fuel the band’s desire to grow and they have continued to focus on developing their own unique style. In less than four years they have released three successful CDs, including the 2005 release Holler Out For More, and lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Dan Berkery says he has plenty of original material for another recording.
                                             In addition to Dan on vocals and guitar, the lineup that RCK will bring to the Wonder Ballroom features the man from Montana Jeff Simonson on keyboard; Texan Roger E. on drums; Ron “The Quiet King” Camacho on bass; and Kolvane on lead guitar and vocals. This is certainly an able lineup to back Williams and the cultural differences between the Chicago Blues giant and the upstart RCK ought to add a little more spice to the mix.
     The connection between Williams and RCK is not some fluke coincidence that might make for an entertaining anecdote. Rather it is the consequence of Berkery’s interest in and dedication to the history of the Blues along with sound management. Dan’s historical interests have led him to take regular pilgrimages to Chicago to visit and clean up the grave sites of numerous Blues legends who are buried in the area. As he was heading off on one of those treks, band associate Rose Allen called him and suggested he contact Jody Williams. Rose had met Williams on a prior occasion and had a contact number.
     Dan was well acquainted with Williams’ influence on 1950s’ Chicago Blues and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to contact the living legend. He was invited over for a brief visit that turned into a four-hour stay and dinner. The two connected almost immediately and the vivid, first-hand recollections that Williams related about the early days of Chicago Blues made quite an impression. As Dan puts it, Williams is the “real deal and there aren’t that many of those left.” Since their initial visit, the two have talked regularly on the phone with the calls routinely turning into extended conversations. Now the RCK gang is getting the opportunity to back a Blues legend for a series of shows in the Northwest. For Dan, just being able to introduce Williams up onto stage each time will be a thrill in and of itself.
     The CBA is proud to have Norman Sylvester, a.k.a. The Boogie Cat, also join us for the 20^th Anniversary show. Norman’s performance of his own brand of Blues, R&B and funk at the show will be part of his own comeback as he works to get back into the groove following his recuperation from major hip surgery on August 2. Joining him onstage will likely be his talented 5-piece ensemble consisting of vocal stylist Gretchen Mitchell; drummer Jolie "The Groove Machine" Clausen; keyboard genius Frankie “The Funkmaster” Redding; and Rob Shoemaker on bass.
     Norman Sylvester holds the distinction of being part of the first act to perform at a CBA meeting in early 1987. He was joined that night by the aforementioned Rob Shoemaker, as well as by the Godfather of Portland Blues Bill Rhoades. The newly-formed CBA had decided entertainment was needed at the meetings to encourage attendance and these three artists were just the trio to start this enduring CBA tradition. Norman also got in on the ground floor with another lasting Portland Blues tradition when in 1987 his band performed at the first Rose City Festival, later to become the Waterfront Blues Festival.
     The first CBA meeting was just one of many appearance’s by Norman’s band at CBA events as the group in its various forms has remained a stalwart member of the Portland Blues community since its inception. His band has released three CDs, the latest being A Family Affair (2003), and Norman has appeared on several others, including a live recording from that first Rose City Festival in 1987.
     The title A Family Affair pretty much sums up Norman’s view of his musical career. He considers artists with whom he has had lasting associations such as Frankie, Rob, LaRhonda Steele, Janice Scroggins, Peter Moss and many others to be members of an extended family. And he takes special pride in having his own daughter Lenanne perform with him, which she does on A Family Affair.
     Rounding out the entertainment for the 20^th Anniversary show is another group that we are proud to have join in the festivities. The DK4 consists of a collaborative effort among four more members of Portland’s extraordinary collection of gifted musicians. When D. K. Stewart, a CBA Muddy Award Hall of Fame member, is joined onstage by guitarist Peter Dammann, drummer Carlton Jackson & bassist Don Campbell, Blues fans have no trouble enjoying and appreciating the creative talents of an experienced and versatile group of artists. Whether they are performing straight-ahead Blues and boogies or delving into New Orleans-flavored funk or jazz, these musicians can improvise and explore the limits of the music with the best of them.
                                                D. K. Stewart was classically trained on piano as a youngster. But, fortunately for music fans, early on he developed a lasting interest in Blues and jazz. Although D. K. is a Portland native, he primarily grew up in Eugene and hung out with the likes of Curtis Salgado and the seemingly ever-present Bill Rhoades. Curtis and Bill, among others, introduced D. K. to new influences and advanced his interest in writing and performing the Blues. D. K., along with Curtis, was a member of the influential, Eugene-based band The Nighthawks and later joined The Paul DeLay Band. In 1985, D. K. left Delay along with Don Campbell to form The D. K. Stewart Trio and since then D. K. has put together various other incarnations of his own band. In 2004, The DK4 released the Blues-dominated CD In The House. This set, the fourth overall recording by D. K., is a powerful expression of the talents that this quartet has developed.
     Northwest Blues fans recognize Peter Dammann as the longtime lead guitarist for The Paul DeLay Band. He also keeps busy serving as DeLay’s manager and as talent coordinator for the Waterfront Blues Festival. The prodigious percussion skills of Portland native Carlton Jackson have offered him opportunities to play with numerous Blues, Jazz and pop music artists. He also contributes to the cause as a music teacher. Don Campbell also started his musical career in Eugene with his own band The Bluestones before hooking up with Paul DeLay and others. He not only contributes to the DK4 with his steady bass runs, but also contributes his writing and publicist skills.
     All in all the event should be another outstanding Portland Blues party to remember. Musicians with wide-ranging backgrounds will be bringing together their individual styles to provide an entertaining musical experience. We hope throngs of music lovers will recognize the rare opportunity this show presents and will join us for a grand 20^th Anniversary celebration.