Originally recruited for Meredith Brooks' band in the early 80's, long-time Portlander, Jesse Samsel became a rockin' regular on the scene. After paying further dues in the blues-R&B band, Steamy Windows, Jesse earned the touring guitar spot for L.A.-based national R&B singer, Terry Evans. Jesse recorded on Evans' last CD with such luminaries as Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner, and hits the road a few times a year with Evans for U.S., Canadian, European and Asian concerts. The Jesse Samsel Band's debut release in 1998, Play Watcha Feel [MP3, "Angry Suspicion"], got considerable FM radio play, and made it into the Top 10 Northwest Music chart. The band won "Best New Act" from the Cascade Blues Association's Muddy Awards in 1997, and Jesse was also nominated for "Best Electric Guitarist". Last October, he said farewell to his famously popular Tuesday night jam at the Cascade Tavern in Vancouver after ten years. Jesse's dynamic guitar chops, smart songwriting, and easygoing personality have won him a loyal following locally.
Considered a blues-rock guitar virtuoso by his peers, Robbie Laws became one with his guitar in high school--eating off it, sleeping with it, and playing it constantly. Robbie was runner up at a Seattle "Guitar God" Contest where contestants emulated their heros--Robbie's was Jimi Hendrix. Later turning to blues, his big hero was Albert Collins. As fate would have it, Robbie ended up in a motel room right across from him. Robbie's ever-present guitar caught Collins' eye, and the two chatted, shortly leading to an impromptu unplugged jam. Later, Collins was quoted as saying, "That Robbie Laws...he's a white Buddy Guy." Robbie went on to form the popular Delta Haze with fellow chopmeister, Alan Hagar and bassist Scott White, garnering nominations from the Cascade Blues Association Muddy Awards for "Best New Act". Robbie's next project was Robbie Laws & The Urban All-Stars who won "Best New Act", and the next year "Best Contemporary Blues Band", and "Best Northwest Recording" for Midnight Rain. Robbie's next band also won awards from the CBA, and Robbie has captured "Best Electric Guitarist" for two years in a row from the CBA's Muddy Awards. As word spread, Robbie ended up with a U.S. tour. Currently Robbie teaches, and performs with Jim Mesi and Kenny Blue Ray as the Strat Daddies. He also plays in a trio, Synergy, with drummer Don Schultz, as well as hosts a blues jam session at Hopper's Sunday nights.
Born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, J.R. Sims found a long and winding road to Portland. After paying his dues in Ft. Lauderdale with one of the most popular blues-rock outfits in his 20's, J.R. decided to make a move to Texas after hearing the rumours and the music coming out of there. He landed in Austin, but found it a hard nut to crack as a non-native, but ended up finding connections to a New York recording studio needing session musicians. After a short stint, it was back to Texas--Houston this time where J.R. was successful putting together a band and surviving for over seven years. During a fateful trip to Montana to see his family in 1990, J.R. met Mike Kindred, former keyboardist for Stevie Ray Vaughan's Triple Threat who co-wrote SRV's hit, Cold Shot with W.C. Clark. Kindred was impressed with J.R. and invited him back to Texas. Now it was a different ballgame with J.R. regularly playing upscale clubs such as Austin's Antone's and the Continental Club. He recorded on Kindred's Bleedin' Fool album. After six years, it was time to move on, so J.R. once again journeyed home to Montana only to meet Tim "Too Slim" Langford, who sold him on the Northwest blues scene, and in particular, the Portland scene. J.R. moved here in 1998, and has a steady gig with his band, the Texas Special.
One of the most well-known of Portland's blues celebrities, Lloyd Jones, has finally broken into national recognition with his recent recording contract with Blind Pig Records, who released Lloyd's latest CD, Love Gotcha last year. Digging a quarter-century back into Portland's musical past, we find that Lloyd was a member of legendary Brown Sugar band, that spawned harmonica great Paul deLay and guitarslinger Jim Mesi. Lloyd formed his own band, The Lloyd Jones Struggle in the 80's and tirelessly toured the region performing an increasingly identifiable brand of R&B-tinged blues. Utilizing a double-sax horn section and B-3 organ to compliment Lloyd's biting guitar attack and soulful vocals, The Struggle became one of Portland's most popular bands. His Audioquest label release, Trouble Monkey, caught the attention of celebrities, with Robert Cray claiming, "If you want to hear something really good, check out Lloyd Jones out of Portland." Also, blues great Joe Louis Walker recorded one of Lloyd's tunes. Lloyd has consistently won Muddy Awards, and was inducted into the Muddy Hall Of Fame in 1996, and once again won "Best R&B Act" in 1999.
Now considered a city father of Portland music, Steve Bradley, has made a lifelong career of performing entertaining, high-quality rock & roll for 35 years all within the city limits. Proud to call himself a "local yokel", the sleepy-eyed Bradley is a dependably good time with a droll wit and versatile and impressive guitar chops. He got his start back in 1965, forming a duo with Turtle Vandemarr--a tradition that exists to this day. From there it was U.S. Cadenza the popular Portland hippie band in the late 60's, and the Firemen ("We were really loud. I still have a headache"). Then came Sleazy Pieces--a band whose local popularity was legendary. After a short solo outing, Bradley joined Hank Rasco's band, recording classic Bradley material on the LP, Missed Trains. City favorites, Badly Bradley existed for nearly five years until the bandleader thing got tedious, and Steve jumped over to Jim Mesi's band for most of the 90's. His trio with Jon Koonce, Los Lost, is his current project with the aforementioned Turtle & Bradley Duo. Steve recorded his latest CD in 1998, Words, Wires & Wang. Of late, Steve has been "heavy into" surf guitar, so bring your board and towel--we're gonna get wet!
A juvenile So-Cal transplant in '73, Jeff Barnes rounded up his first guitar, a Gibson SG, at the tender age of 18, for eighty bucks from the late great Captain Whizeagle's music store, formerly in downtown Portland. Jeff went to work, learning the craft and ended up playing in Top 40 bands touring every Western state throughout the 80's. This included a stint with Jesse Samsel in a glam-rock outfit. As Jeff says, "It was Spandex, mascara, big hair, the whole 9 yards...and, oops, did I get any lipstick on ya?" As the 90's mercifully rolled around, Jeff was in demand, performing with Jimmy Lloyd Rea & The Switchmasters, Bad Luck & Trouble, the Duffy Bishop Band, Ellen Whyte, Curtis Salgado, and Mel Solomon. Jeff organized a very successful all-star jam in Lake Oswego at the Gemini Pub in '96 with Boyd Martin, Ellen Whyte and Jake Rose, as well as a series of shows with Paul deLay and Curtis Salgado. Currently Jeff has his own band, Bad Boys, and as for the rest of it Jeff says, "I'm a Computer Sciences student during the day, musician by night. I'm a SWM that's H/W proportionate with no STD's that likes candlelight dinners, long walks on the beach, and midget mud wrestling." Jeff and I will be joined by Mickey Will on bass and vocals.
Hailing from Salem, Oregon, Garry Meziere has been a mainstay in Ellen Whyte's Reflex Blue band for many years. Able to fire off rapid fire volleys of notes as well as effectively delivering the nuances of subtler dynamics, Garry is truly a "musician's musician" guitarist. Garry helped Reflex Blue to their Cascade Blues Association Muddy Awards in 1997 and 1998, with "Best Northwest Recording" and "Best Contemporary Blues Band" respectively. Garry and his songwriting can be heard on the two Reflex Blue releases, Different Point of Blue", and Here and Gone. Ellen adds her firey vocal style to the proceedings, and is joined by Reflex Blue's bassist, Sonny Boyardee.
Arriving in Portland at the tender age of 16, Sonny Hess started out living the blues as a homeless street urchin. With the help of a few angels, however, Sonny and an electric guitar hooked up. One of her first gigs was with the Blues Sisters back in the 80's, led by the infamous Margo Tufo. Sonny paid her dues in that band and garnered some notoriety as a guitarslinger. Her next step up was with Paulette Davis and the Power Band around 1989. The band went on to win the one and only Portland Music Association "Crystal Award" for "Best R&B Act" in 1991, and the band was nominated for two years running for Best R&B Band for the Cascade Blues Association's Muddy Awards. Sonny also had a couple of side projects, one notably with Ellen Whyte. They called themselves Jane Doe and played mostly acoustic gigs and festivals for several years. Tragedy struck with the traffic death of Paulette in 1998, robbing the Northwest of one of its most entertaining and kind-hearted performers. Sonny continued on, however, with the Power Band, and picked up a couple of clubs as booking agent. Sonny's dynamic "free-for-all" style is full of surprises, and her energy and stage presence is highly entertaining.
Yes that IS Jim Mesi playing the guitar part on the original version of the song "Secret Agent Man"! Jim has been a cornerstone of the Pacific Northwest music scene for some years. Originally from Portland, Mesi was one of the founding members of Brown Sugar, the original rhythm and blues band from the Pacific Northwest, and a seminal influence on the Northwest blues scene. Brown Sugar spawned the Paul deLay Band--for which Jim was the lead guitarist and featured soloist for several years--and The Lloyd Jones Struggle. But Mesi hasn't confined his talents to just the local scene. He has toured and played with many nationally renowned acts, including B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, Albert Collins, Big Walter Horton, Johnny Otis, John Hammond, Mary Wells, and a host of other top entertainers. Inducted into the Cascade Blues Association's "Hall of Fame" in 1995 for winning a Muddy Award for three times, Jim is one of the ultimate rulers of Portland blues guitarslingers, earning the colorful nickname, "The Italian Chainsaw." Never one to be tied down to a particular genre, however, Jim's versatility is legendary, with forays into Dick Dale-style surf guitar, Wes Montgomery-style jazz, and Duke Robbilard-style swing. Jim will be accompanied by bassist Jim Solberg, and the two Jimmies should have plenty of tricks up their sleeve for the drummer...Jim and his band hold down the Wednesday night slot at The Tillicum in Portland.
"If you wanted to pick Portland's all-time rock 'n' roll hero, there's a compelling argument to be made for Jon Koonce as Rose City rocker nonpareil. Best-known for his long-running band Johnny & the Distractions, Koonce ruled the Portland club scene during what probably was its biggest, healthiest, wildest days, during the late '70s and early '80s. Despite the failure of Koonce's attempts to break into the big time (with two albums on A&M Records), he remained a central figure here, leading later versions of the Distractions and, for the past several years, his stripped-down, rootsy combo the Gas Hogs. The Jon Koonce era of Portland rock ended late this summer, though, when Koonce packed his bags and headed to Nashville. Joining a small but thriving community of Portland expatriates (Caryl Mack, Scott Parker, John Bunzow, Denny Bixby, etc.), he's been talking to publishers in pursuit of a songwriting contract."--Marty Hughley, The Oregonian. Besides the Distractions and his current band, the Gas Hogs, Jon has also lead the roots rock outfit, Mystery Train. Jon has returned from Nashville, and is continuing to rock it up in several eager Portland venues. For his Guitarslinger Tuesday, he'll be joined by long-time friend and bassist, Joey Casemeer. [Jon Koonce @ Amazon]
One of the most durable of Portland blues greats. Lee Blake's gravely voice and poignant guitar attack make him a regular on the regional blues scene. Lee has played the gamut of venues up and down the I-5 corridor for over 30 years, from huge festivals to his share of holes in the wall. Usually performing in a blues-rock power trio format, Lee has also been joined by horn sections and keyboard players for the "big gigs." Favoring early rock and blues classics from Jimmy Reed to T-Bone Walker to James Brown, Lee also does an eerily uncanny take on Wolfman Jack, using it to great effect during shows. His friendly, outgoing manner and jolly presence, further endear him to local audiences.
"Aaron states that his guitar influences are legends like Albert King and Ronnie Earl, as well as two of his favorite local axe-handlers, Doug Rowell, and 10-time CBA "Muddy Award" winner, Robbie Laws. On the vocal side, Johnny likes the big, bold vocals of Bluesmen like Kim Wilson, Sugar Ray (Norcia) and Darrell Nulisch. Their influences are very apparent in the material the band performs. They've "gone to school" on the talents of these stalwarts of the Blues, but they still maintain their own identity and originality when they take the stage. This is a band that is truly very tight and very professional."--Rick Hall, BluesNotes. This unusual father and son team has taken the Portland blues scene by storm over the past year, fulfilling a niche in the Thunderbirds territory that no one is doing. Aaron got his start at jam sessions before he was even 21, and under the tutelage of Robbie Laws, quickly realized considerable inherent talent. Now developing into a serious national contender, Aaron is a true up and comer, and thoroughly entertaining.
One of the great additions to the Portland blues scene is Chicago Grant--who is actually from Chicago...born and raised there. He honed his considerable chops in the dingy, rough, but soulful clubs of the Southside, even at one time snagging a gig with John Kay and Steppenwolf. At some point, though, Chicago decided to opt for a change, and he picked Portland. Despite a thriving furnace repair business, Chicago always manages to make room for his music, and the man can play. Obviously influenced by Hendrix, Buddy Guy and Albert Collins, Chicago has a unique style that is a rockin' blend of traditional and modern blues tricks, with a firey, psychedelic edge, very entertaining to hear and watch. Right off the bat, after moving to Portland, Chicago put together his own band, and made quite an impact when he performed at a Cascade Blues Association meeting several years ago. But, the demands of the Portland blues music scene, required more of a bandleader than Chicago could give, and he understandably opted to join up with the already-established Chuck Adkins' Easy Money Band, who'll be backing this fine guitarist for this gig.
GEOFF ACHISON
STU KINZEL with Lynn Ann Hyde
SUBURBAN SLIM with Li'l Lynne
STEVE "MIDNIGHT" ANDERSON with Laura Petch
GUITAR SLIM (Seattle's Pat Chase)
PAT MCCLUSKEY
WILLIE SCANDLYN
BACK