2012 Journey To Memphis

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Entry Applications Now Being Accepted

Hey, all you local musicians, would you like a chance to show what you’ve got to offer to the blues industry in Memphis? Well, it all starts right here with your application to take part in the CBA’s regional competition to select our IBC representatives, the Journey To Memphis.

Applications for entry into the 2012 Cascade Blues Association’s Journey To Memphis competition are now being accepted.

Here’s how to apply:

First and foremost, all applicants must be a current member of the Cascade Blues Association. No act that has either won or has been nominated for The Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards may enter.
Put together a promotional packet including:
- A letter of intent
- Band/Artist biography (including the names and ages of any members under 21 years)
- A photograph for promotional use (must be a minimum of 300 dpi)
- A CD sample of your music (please use full songs as your music may be used to promote the event on local radio)
- Contact information including address, phone number and e-mail address if available
- $20 application fee. This fee will go toward the prize offered by the CBA to help defray travel expenses for the winning act. (Please make checks out to the Cascade Blues Association and note at the bottom “J2M” for our accounting purposes).

Depending on the number of applications received, venues and dates will be scheduled to hold preliminary competitions which determine the final four entries to compete at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival on the Front Porch Stage on the 4th of July. The winning act selected at the Waterfront will have the honor of representing the CBA at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Also included as part of the prize is a guaranteed paid set at the following year’s Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, the opening set at the 2012 Muddy Awards and a cash prize based on the amount of admissions sold during the first round of the competition.

Please send application packets to:

Journey To Memphis
c/o Cascade Blues Association
PO Box 14493
Portland, OR 97293

Or you may deliver your applications at the CBA monthly meeting at The Melody Ballroom. All applications must be received no later than the April 4^th CBA Membership Meeting, so we may have adequate time to set-up semi-final dates in early June and to promote the acts in the BluesNotes that month. Absolutely no late entries will be accepted this year.

All rules used for the Journey To Memphis follow those outlined by The Blues Foundation. These can be found at their website www.blues.org.

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Additional Information

CD Reviews

Seventh Hour

JW-Jones

Solid Blues

One of the most exceptional young blues musicians on the scene today, JW-Jones continues to impress me with each and every new disc he puts out. As a guitarist, he ranks amongst the best with his simplicity, never over played style and he has a voice that is smooth that matches his playing remarkably. Perhaps what I am most thrilled with about Jones is that he can lay down all those familiar sounding riffs when he wants, but he takes his own music in a direction not always sought by most blues performers. Why sound like anybody else going routes others have already traveled? He mixes the traditional with a classic rock tone in a route that maybe the late Sean Costello was leaning toward or as seen by Nick Curran without such a heavy stinging sharpness. It is a soothing and pleasing range he pulls from, but can still push it to the edge when appropriate.

Past recordings by JW-Jones have featured guest musicians to enhance their appeal. People like Junior Watson, Hubert Sumlin and Kim Wilson. But he does not need anybody to take away focus from his talents. For the most part it is solely his own band that lays down all the grooves on Seventh Hour. With his own guitar being the center of it all. As it should be. Every track here sounds fresh and just as the band will sound if they were playing on a stage in front of you. Why shouldn’t it, it was recorded in JW’s own living room by sharp Canadian studio wizard Steve Dawson. Plus all but two songs are originals (Little Milton’s “I’m Tryin’” and Roy Orbison’s “So Long I’m Gone”). The band delivers the goods as well, with precise rhythm laid out by drummer Jeff Asselin and Marc Decho on both upright and electric basses, and pounding up the keys is Jesse Whiteley.

At times JW-Jones come across with a rockabilly feel, a little country, some rock, but it is all first class blues all the way. With his abilities being challenged and surpassed with every recording, JW-Jones should draw us all into his world and happily so. There is a very bright future in store for this Canadian bluesman and he has barely touched on what he will bring to the table. Watch out, this guy is going to shake up the blues world and Seventh Hour is going to help pave that way.

Total Time: 36:43

Ain’t Gonna Beg / Let It Go / In A Song / You Got Caught / All Over Again / Heartbreaker / Do For You / I’m Tryin’ / What Is Real / So Long I’m Gone

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