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BluesNotes Online
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Steamin' Stan will blow you away with his harmonica sound
By Laurie Morrisey
Being relatively new to the Portland Blues scene, you may not have heard of Steamin’ Stan Ruffo and his harmonica skills, but you will. Stan is a native Californian, but he left that land in search of a more healthy lifestyle in 2009. “I wanted cleaner air, less crime, more music, and to be a little closer to nature. So far, so good!” Stan says. Their loss is our gain.
But growing up in Southern California is where he was when he became interested in singing and playing music. He says he was about ten when he started taking sax lessons. Shortly thereafter he was playing clarinet in the school orchestra. “Though I didn't expect I would play professionally, I always wanted to play music.”
“I got involved in music in school, and I got in a couple of garage bands during that time. My first paying gig, (I consider getting paid as putting one in the window of professionalism), was a girl's 16th birthday party in 1986. My little blues band played for a couple of hours, (and we had the time of our life). Then the Dad came over and gave me a wad of money...My very first thought was YES...I need to do this again, and again, and again...Well, here it is 2012, and I'm still blessed with the opportunity to play music,” Stan said.
Since that time he has spent most of his life working in the music industry. “I’ve shared ticket billing with B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Eddie Money, and done pre-concert parties for Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I've played in just about every kind of setting imaginable—from Popsicle stands and department stores, to festivals and concert stages.”
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Randy Oxford
By Kathy Rankin
The holidays are behind us, but this year was different--Randy Oxford had Thanksgiving eve off for the first time in 30 years. According to Randy it’s not easy to stay home when you are booked all over the world.
So how does a musician stay so busy and find such talented people? Randy replies, “Up until the last two years, I was hosting weekly jams in Tacoma and Seattle for ten years straight. This gave me the opportunity to meet and hear so many great musicians and find out who was available. I met all of my band members through my jam sessions.” Jada Amy is the featured vocalist and she also contributes to the band’s original material. Jho Blenis is one of their guitarists/vocalists and songwriters. Richard Sabol is the drummer. Farko Dosumov is the bass player and Manuel Morais is their newest member who brings high energy guitar/vocals and song writing to the mix.
The band members agree that “playing in the Randy Oxford Band has been a very positive and growing experience--making music together has been a magical experience and we are all like family. We have our ups and downs, but we have fantastic perks taking us to many diverse places to perform for the fans. We truly love what we do and each of us has something beautiful to contribute--to add color to the music and the notes!”
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A Few Memories of Hubert Sumlin
By Greg Johnson
As I am sure is true with so many people who love the blues and had the opportunity to have the privilege of meeting or knowing Hubert Sumlin, my heart is so heavy with his passing. One of the most influential guitarists of his time, he touched the soul of modern music with his playing. Credited by a who’s who of blues and rock performers as the inspiration behind their own styles, from Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards and just about every person who ever picked up a guitar. His years working alongside Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters and a brilliant career as a solo musician, ensure his legacy will outlive us all.
I had the good fortune to know Hubert Sumlin over the years. I cannot recall the first time I ever saw him play, there were so many performances over time, but he charmed me every time not just with his talent, but because he was such a kind and giving individual.
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Puddletown Blues, Vol. 1 Nominated for [2012] Portland Music Award
The Cascade Blues Association’s 25th anniversary CD, Puddletown Blues, Vol. 1 has been nominated by the Portland Music Awards for Compilation Album of the Year. It is the only blues release to receive this recognition in the awards five year history.
Other blues artists also receiving nominations for the 2012 Portland Music Awards include, Curtis Salgado for the Legends Award, Mary Flower for Best Female Artist, Lauren Sheehan for Outstanding Achievement in Folk Music, Peter Dammann for Outstanding Achievement in Talent Buying for his work with the Waterfront Blues Festival and The Strange Tones for Best Live Performance. The acts nominated this year for Outstanding Achievement in Blues are: Bill Rhoades & The Party Kings, Kevin Selfe & The Tornadoes, Lisa Mann & Her Really Good Band, The Norman Sylvester Band and The Robbie Laws Band. Congratulations and good luck to all.
The Portland Music Awards will be held at The Crystal Ballroom (1332 W Burnside) on Sunday, January 22nd at 7:00 pm. This is an all ages event. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 day of show. There will be celebrity presenters and several acts performing, including last year’s recipient for blues achievement, The Robbie Laws Band.
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Little Drummerboy brings rootsy music to the Pacific Northwest
By Laurie Morrisey
Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum.. No, not that Drummerboy--the other one--from the Pacific Northwest. You’ve seen him at local gigs and at many CBA events, but he actually hails from the Seattle area. He’s also known as Jeff Hayes, but most people call him Drummerboy.
“I’ve never lived in the beautiful Rose City, but I spend so much time here performing that a lot of people think that I do. That’s ok with me too. I LOVE Portland and its people.
I was born in Renton, Washington. Aside from five years on the eastern side of Washington State, I’ve lived in the Seattle area all my life” he said. “I run into people all the time who tell me that it’s unusual to meet someone who lives in Seattle that was actually born here. I hope that’s true because the last thing that I want to be is usual.” And usual is not a word that comes to mind when I think of Drummerboy.
A professional musician for the past 11 years, Drummerboy says his first play-for-pay gig was a New Years Eve thing in the lounge of a Mexican Restaurant. It wasn’t pretty, but no one got hurt so it was a success.
“I ALWAYS wanted to perform professionally, but I thought that it would either be behind a turntable as a radio station DJ or as an engineer in a recording studio. The vocational counselor at my high school asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I told her that I wanted to be in the music industry. Her sage advice was to ‘get a ride to LA’ and hang out at studios.”
He says music has always played a big part in his life. “My childhood wasn’t always pretty and music was one of my escapes.”
Aside from his musical aspirations, Jeff also has a full time day job as a Captain in the Seattle Fire Department. “I’ve been a firefighter for 29 years. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished in my career as a firefighter and it gives me a feeling of worth in this world.
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Pianist Georg Schroeter and harmonica player Marc Breitfelder made history this past February, as they became the first Europeans to win the International Blues Challenge. Representing the Baltic Blues Society in Northern Germany, they took the title competing against approximately 100 solo/duo acts from around the world. Their most recent release, Live At BluesBaltica . . . On The Way To Memphis, captures their live performance to perfection. Though this recording is not only the pair, as it also includes David Herzel playing behind them on drums, they are at their peak here.
