Fast Rising Blues All-Stars The Sean Carney Band Returns - Apr 9, 2010
Cascade Bar & Grill – Friday, April 9th
Since winning the 2007 International Blues Challenge, the Sean Carney Band has truly been a hot commodity on the tour circuit. Highly in demand across the country and Canada, he also has been making multiple tours to Europe annually with more and more venues seeking his performances every time he visits. The only region he seemingly has not taken a grip on as of yet is the West Coast, particularly the Northwest, where he just has not been booked into too. In fact, the band has only been to Portland twice; once doing multiple sets at the 2007 Waterfront Blues Festival, and headlining the Cascade Blues Association’s Blues in the Schools fundraiser in 2008.
Besides winning the 2007 IBC, Sean was also the recipient at the event of the prestigious Albert King Award for most promising guitarist. Through his career he has worked with many blues luminaries, including Teeny Tucker, Christine Kittrell, Jimmy “T-99” Nelson, Big Joe Duskin, Joe Weaver and Johnnie Bassett. The past three years he has also hosted the annual Blues for a Cure showcases in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, featuring all-star performers like Jimmy Thackery, Hubert Sumlin, Henry Gray, Dave Spector, Candye Kane and fellow IBC winners Trampled Under Foot, Jonn Del Toro Richardson and J.P. Soars, raising money to fight cancer and to help fund The Blues Foundation’s HART fund for blues artists in need.
Joining Sean will be his long-time partner Eric Blume on drums. The band has a revolving door of bass players, all depending on where they’re performing, but for his West Coast tour this time he has recruited Blues Music Award nominee Bill Stuve to helm the spot. Also appearing will be Bay Area harmonica ace Phil Berkowitz, a friend of the band who often makes appearances with the band.
Currently touring in support of their latest release Live Blues On Whyte, recorded at the Labatt’s Blues Festival in Edmonton, Alberta, it captures the band nicely in full stage command. The Sean Carney Band will be returning to the Portland area for a performance at the Cascade Bar & Grill on Friday, April 9th, at 9:00 pm. The show is a CBA co-sponsored event, so make certain you have your current membership card on hand to receive a $1 discount at the door. This is one event you do not want to miss! When people see the Sean Carney Band they quickly become fans and demand for his return as soon as possible. A recent comment from Chicago’s Windy City Blues Society President Dave Madlener after seeing the band for the first time was: “Holy moly! The best decision that I made all season was showing up to see Sean & his crew. These guys kicked Mrs. O’Leary's cow’s ghost ass for starting that fire here in ole Chi- Town.” Quite a heavy compliment coming from a city where they just might know a thing or two about the blues.
Bookmark with:
J.C. Rico had a voice that just oozed soulful blues. His album First Offense clearly showcased that. Raised in Mississippi and spending time in Chicago prior to moving to Oregon gave him the exposure on just how this music should sound right. Opening with the funky backbeat behind his deep, serious voice on “Sign Of The Times” tells you right away that Rico meant business, which also offers a killer bluesy guitar solo. That is followed up by “Old Catfish Song” where he tells a nice story about a catfish who wishes he could travel on the train he hears go by every day. Other outstanding tracks include a cover of Solomon Burke’s “Cry To Me,” the deeply soulful “Never Gonna Change,” punchy horns on “Long Time Gone” and the slow blues piece “I Know Her Too.” At the time of this release J.C. Rico was commanding stages in the area with his band Armed & Dangerous. First Offense featured guest guitarists Lloyd Jones and Jim Mesi into the mix and the disc was a nominee for the Cascade Blues Association’s Muddy Awards for Album of the Year. Unfortunately, J.C. Rico passed away this last year, so having First Offense available again will bring back fond memories of such an outstanding vocalist and entertainer.
Also Reissued by Criminal Records Northwest is the compilation disc of the label’s founder Paul Jones playing drums behind a virtual who’s who of the local scene at the time and many of the label’s premier artists. It opens very strongly with a jumping rockabilly “Baby Let’s Play House” performed by guitarist Steve Bradley. There are so many variations of styles profiled on the disc that it creates such a great dimension that shows the diversity of each vocalist. Curtis Salgado’s reading of “My Soul’s Got A Hole In It” is so smooth it’ll send chills down your back. Jon Koonce takes a somewhat reggae approach on “Island, Island,” while Norman Sylvester gives his traditional funky knowledge on “Criminal Groove,” D.K. Stewart takes us to the bayou on his cover of “Congo Square,” and Joe Dobroe’s stellar guitar playing and deep gravelly voice make “Sitting On Top Of The World” a fun-paced quirky offering. The album closes with the soul-stirring vocals of J.C. Rico on “Walk On Water,” so well done it may bring tears to your eyes. Other fantastic numbers are presented by Lloyd Jones, Mark Dufresne and Lily Wilde. Not a bad track on the disc. Worthy of checking out again to relive those good times.
