British Blues Explosion Show At Duff’s, Feb 25, 2012
In the early 1960s, while the blues languished in obscurity here in the U.S., teenage guitarists all across England were wearing the grooves out of scratched 45s by Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddley and dozens of American blues artists. The first wave of the British Invasion was not led by The Beatles, but by working class bands that first put their own stamp on classic blues covers, and then tapped the blues idiom for a new generation of original rock ‘n roll.
For many American musicians of a certain age, the inspiration to pick up a guitar and start a band came from hearing the music of The Yardbirds, The Kinks, The Animals and others like them blasting out of malt shop juke boxes, tinny transistor radios and the family sedan. For one night only, Duff’s “Underground” Garage celebrates this British Blues Explosion, inviting some of Portland’s premier blues and rock players to channel their garage band roots and pay tribute to those English lads who kept the blues flame alive until we discovered it was right here all along.
The show will feature music by the likes of Long John Baldry, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, The Animals, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Pretty Things, The Yardbirds, Spencer Davis Group, Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green, Cream, Them and others. An all star line-up of Portland area musicians will be on hand including The Strange Tones, Rich Layton & The Troublemakers, Jim Wallace, Geoff Metz and Greg Georgeson with others yet to be named. It all happens at Duff’s Garage (1635 SE 7th) on Saturday, February 25th starting at 9:00 pm. This is a CBA co-sponsored event, so bring your membership card to receive a $1 discount at the door.
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If you’re a true-blooded fan of authentic Chicago blues, this new release by Tail Dragger and Bob Corritore is right up your alley. Especially if it’s a dark, gritty to the bone alley that you can only find in inner city streets that a blues soundtrack would be most appropriately fitting. This is that soundtrack. With greasy vocals supplied by Tail Dragger that harkens back to your favorite Chicago singers like Howlin’ Wolf or Muddy Waters, they’re frightening and just oozing full of a lifetime of hardships that makes them so real. Backed by his longtime friend (as the title refers) harmonica master Bob Corritore, who may live nowadays in Phoenix, but has never lost that feel for the Windy City’s sound, this is one of the finest Chicago blues recordings to hit the market in years. And since this is a Delta Groove CD, you know that the label has thrown together a fine mesh of sidemen to compliment them every step of the way. And what sidemen! You just would be hard-pressed to find any finer than Kirk Fletcher and Chris James on guitar, Patrick Rynn on bass, Brian Fahey on drums and special guest Henry Gray throwing down fantastic keys and vocals on one track.
