2010 Journey To Memphis

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Entry Applications Now Being Accepted -- Deadline is March 31st!

This past year was really quite exciting for our Journey To Memphis contestants. First our 2008 winners, the Ty Curtis Band, ended up finishing in second place overall at the International Blues Challenge finals in Memphis, our best showing for the CBA to date. And then our 2009 competition had stellar performances at both the first round at the Cascade Bar & Grill and then at out local finals during the Waterfront Blues Festival with Son Jack Jr. & Michael Wilde being named our solo/duo act and the Karen Lovely Band our overall winner. Not to mention that Karen’s set also won the Muddy Award for performance of the year!!
Applications for entry into the 2010 Cascade Blues Association’s Journey To Memphis competition are now being accepted. If you would like the chance to represent the CBA and our region at The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, in early 2011, this is your first step to take.

    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 a Blues Music Award 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 (or tape), and contact information including address, phone number and e-mail address if available, along with a $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 to select the final four entries to compete at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival on the Front Porch Stage during the 4th of July weekend. 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 2010 Muddy Awards and a cash prize based on the amount of admissions sold during the first round of the competition. Last year was our largest turn-out ever for entries for the Journey To Memphis and we anticipate this year to be even bigger yet.
   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 to Greg Johnson at the CBA monthly meeting at The Melody Ballroom in February or March. All applications must be received postmarked no later than March 31st. so we may have appropriate time to set-up semi-final dates in early June and to promote the acts in the BluesNotes that month.

Update: The first round dates have been set: Friday June 4th and Saturday June 5th at the Cascade Bar & Grill in Vancouver.

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CD Reviews

"Stronger For It"

Janiva Magness

Alligator Records

Janiva Magness’ third release for Alligator is yet another stellar performance by an artist who seems to turn to gold anything she touches as of late. Strong touching you to your soul vocals with flawless backing from some of the finest musicians attainable, Janiva has certainly delivered once again. And to make it even more impressive, she has stretched out to include songwriting to her credentials, co-penning three tracks on this outing, including the number “I Won’t Cry,” which is undoubtedly one of the most amazing songs of her career. Filled with her soul openly bared with past pain, remorse and emotion it is the key song on an album where she lays herself out for everybody to see. Thus the title Stronger For It, because like us all, we do learn from our trials and tribulations and what doesn’t kill us will surely make us stronger.

That theme rolls through all three of the originals she wrote with Dave Darling, who also produced and mixed the album. It is also a common theme with the covers she has chosen, with songs written by the likes of Tom Waits, Shelby Lynne, Matthew Sweet and Ike Turner. No matter what approach on the song selections, she remains true throughout. Whether it is a soulful reading of the Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “I Don’t Want To Do Wrong” or her lone voice opening “Things Left Undone” or her aggressive delivery on “There It Is” where she states she never wanted to hurt a man so bad, Janiva creates a mood full of passion that never lets up on this incredible collection of music.

Of course she has brought her main group of musicians along for the ride. Who better to have on hand than those same individuals who travel with her day after day and go through life’s experiences together. Zack Zunas remains one of the most fiery and crafty guitarists on the scene today, with Jim Alfredson laying down magnificent keys and Matt Teco and Gary Davenport pulsing it all together with their steady rhythm.

It is often stated that one has to live the blues in order to play them correctly. Well Janiva is telling us right out that she has gone through a great deal of suffering recently and it is coming out in full force with Stronger For It. Sorry for the pain she has gone through, but boy howdy did she create an album for the ages here. Stronger For It will be considered yet another master recording in the storied accumulation of Janiva’s career that is continually uprising.

Total Time: 44:17

There It Is / I Won’t Cry / Make It Rain / Whistlin’ In The Dark / I’m Alive / Ragged Company / You Got What You Wanted / I Don’t Want To Do Wrong / Thought I Knew You / Dirty Water / Things Left Undone / Whoop And Holler

Reviewed by Greg Johnson

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