Singing the blues in Portland

Sunset, July, 1994 by Christianne Selig

Stumptown's got 'em bad, and that's good

PORTLAND'S GOT those funky, lowdown, my-baby-done-left-me blues. But this tale of woe is music to the ears of local blues fans and musicians. That's because Portland is home to one of the most vibrant blues scenes and probably the largest blues festival in the West.

Some of Portland's blues trailblazers are still club fixtures. Guitarist Jim Mesi has been around since the blues scene emerged in the late '60s, and has toured with B. B. King. Curtis Salgado is the original Blues Brother: John Belushi picked up lyrics and harp licks from Salgado while the late "Saturday Night Live" star filmed Animal House in Eugene. Salgado and Mesi jam with their own bands around town now.

Economic reality helped draw more artists. "You can make a living as a musician in Portland," says blues singer and booking agent Margo Tufo, who left San Francisco for Portland and lower rent. "You still have to pay your dues, but if you're good, Portland will find a place for you." Mesi, whose band is booked six nights a week, adds that there are enough blues-focused clubs to provide musicians with a lot of work. "You're lucky to work weekends in other towns."

Bottom line: Portlanders love the blues. Local blues clubs and bands are heavily backed while national acts of a different musical ilk have trouble filling the big halls. "If you don't play the blues or country you aren't going to make it here," says Tufo. Powell Street Depot stumbled until it changed to a mostly blues format; now it's packed almost every night.

With the Waterfront Blues Festival leading off July 1 through 4, this is a great month to sample the blues Portland-style. The festival, now in its fourth year, draws more than 75,000 people to Tom McCall Waterfront Park for the best in local and national blues entertainment on two stages. About 40 acts are lined up for this year, including Junior Walker & The All-Stars, Elvin Bishop, and Walter Wolfman Washington. Admission is free with a donation of $3 and two cans of food to benefit Oregon Food Bank. For a schedule or other information, call the food bank at (503) 282-0555.

But you can catch a blues show year-round at one of Portland's many clubs dedicated to the blues. Most establishments offer full menus as well as the typical bar fare. Cover charges are low or nonexistent. Dancing is encouraged. Some acts to check out: Curtis Salgado and the Stillettos, Linda Hornbuckle and The No deLay Band, The Lloyd Jones Struggle, Janice Scroggins, Jim Mesi, The Margo Tufo Band, Norman Sylvester.

Bojangles Restaurant and Lounge, 2229 S.E. Hawthorne Boulevard, 233-1201. Local and national blues acts play here six nights a week. The music starts at 9 on weeknights and 9:30 on Saturdays; an early jam begins at 8 on Sundays. Cover charge varies.

Parchman Farm, 1204 S.E. Clay Street, 235-7831. For $1, four nights a week, catch scaled-down versions of local bands at this intimate bar and Italian restaurant. Music starts at 9.

Powell Street Depot, 11140 S.E. Powell Boulevard, 761-4941. Started as the Green Mill in 1924, this may be the oldest roadhouse in the metro area. It features blues four nights a week at no charge.

The Candlelight Cafe and Bar, 2032 S.W. Fifth Avenue, 222-3378. This downtown club has become a blues hub with the launching of its own record label last year. It has no cover charge and features the blues at 10 nightly.

The Dandelion, 1033 N.W. 16th Avenue, 223-0099, has been singing the blues for 20 years, though recently at a new location. Music begins at 9:30 Mondays through Saturdays, 9 Sundays. Cover charge ranges from $3 to $5 weeknights, a little more on weekends.

The Cascade Blues Association's monthly publication, Blues Notes, guides you to all the shows in Portland and surrounding areas. Visit a local music store or nightclub to get a copy, or call 283-3447 to get one by mail.