December 09 General Membership Meeting

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Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland
Wednesday, December 2nd, 7:00 pm
FREE ~ ALL AGES WELCOME

Opening Acoustic Set: Steve Rodin & Da Good Guys
Second Electric Set: Woodbrain

Important Reminder: The December Membership Meeting is the night we hold elections to decide who will lead the Cascade Blues Association for the following year. Positions being voted on include President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Membership Secretary. Please remember to bring your up-to-date membership card to receive a ballot. [Candidate bios and intros.]

For our December meeting, we’re going to open with a little larger set than you may be used to seeing. Not simply a solo or duo performer, but a quartet. Steve Rodin returns to perform at our meeting for the first time in a few years and he is bringing in his friends, known as Da Good Guys. Made up of Rodin on guitar along with guitarists Tony Lahaina (who also plays harmonica) and Alberto Pomar, plus percussionist Paul Love. This past summer the band released their latest CD, Independent Man, featuring eleven original songs by Steve. Expect to hear many of these as well as great acoustic flavored rock, blues and folk favorites. With Da Good Guys, there’s always a level of energy that keeps the crowd involved.

The second set of the night will present one of the most popular bands in the Portland area, Woodbrain. Led by guitarist Joe McMurrian on guitar/banjo/vocals, the group includes harmonica ace David Lipkind, bassist Jason Hnol and world-renowned drummer Jimi Bott. This last year saw them signed to Yellow Dog Records and their first national release Swimming In Turpentine came out in July. An extremely innovative band with an approach all their own; they have taken the classic sounds of the Delta and interpreted it in their own manner. An infectious, hynoptic blast of energy that continues to bring in new fans with every performance.

Of course, between sets will do our standard ticket give-aways and announce up-coming events for December. We’ll also have a multi-CD raffle and before the night is over, we will announce your new Board Officers. Come out and make your voice heard for your leadership and to enjoy a spectacular night of blues and friends.

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Additional Information

CD Reviews

"Real Good Friend"

D’Mar & Gill

Airtight Productions

Real Good Friend is quite an unique release from the Mississippi-based duet D’Mar & Gill, taking a new direction of their own on acoustic blues that has its base not only in Delta styles but African percussion rhythms as well. Both D’Mar (Derrick Martin) and Chris Gill bring strong backgrounds between them; Martin having worked alongside Little Richard, Bobby Rush and Big Jack Johnson and Gill learning first-hand from Bentonia legend Jack Owens and leading his own popular band The Sole Shakers. And they know how to bring a lot of sound out of just a guitar and drums. It’s raw material they offer, but it cuts to the bone.

The song selection is almost completely their own originals, save for one lone cover of the Willie Dixon standard “My Babe.” But they take that song on in their own direction that really becomes something new altogether with a strong drum backbeat and a somewhat call & response approach. There is really quite a variety of angles that the pair take on throughout the recording. “Mississippi Honey” is a pleasant ballad, “Tore Down” brings a moody guitar and vocal approach that brings Bentonia’s master Skip James to mind, “Harmony Street” offers a bit of a jazzy feel and “Crawfish Boogie” is a sweet little double entendre number with a bit of kazoo emphasis. The disc closes out with a romping instrumental, “International Blues Stomp,” with Gill’s exquisite slide guitar layered over the steady playing of D’Mar’s drums.

This is an act that you can picture playing on a street corner on a Saturday afternoon with a large crowd gathering to listen in. It’s a refreshing bluesy disc that proves you do not need a full band to deliver a full sound. Enjoyable start to finish and well worth giving a listen too.

Total Time: 40:48

Runnin’ Wild Blues / My Babe / Real Good Friend / Maybe Baby / Crawfish Boogie / Harmony Street / Two More Days / Tore Down / Mississippi Honey / International Blues Stomp

Reviewed by Greg Johnson

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