Originals soaked in the blues tradition, from Ashland

Bluesdusters is the project of a pair of blues veterans, Johnnie O. (John Nelson) from Chicago via Denver and L.A., and Grif (Leonard Griffie) from L.A. via L.A. These two and their bandmates generally stay away from covers and while they have a blues sound, they have a unique sound, dare we say it... an original sound. They call it American roots music and they know what they are talking about. Go for it, guys!

bluesdusters.com

I-CHELE
& the CIRCLE OF LIGHT

Reggae from Eugene with Vince Black, formerly of Black Uhuru

The drifting rythmns of the reggae sound are hard to find in the land of the big trees, but they are there... or in this case, here. I-Chele has put together a sensuous unit of sound, with Black leading the way. Songmate Julie provides the icing and a large and talented percussion section weave that tropical balance. Everything stays nicely on track. Direct from the Oregon Country Fair and the summer Hempfest.

myspace.com/ichele

Pop and rock with a down under twist

The calls come in at all hours from this band, looking for stops on the American tour. The big cities were booked, now they want something different and why not? Aussie rockers arrive stateside! The CD (which arrives with a return address in Quebec) sounds solid. And these really appear to be vagrants, they have played in Australia, the U.S., Germany, Denmark, England, Spain, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada. Rock vagrants, indeed.

vagrantmusic.com

RUSTICA

Original Americana with a few flights into fantasy

Rustica is Celtic, bluegrass, Latin, old timey, the music of the land. The songwriting is first rate and the musicians can damn well play. The lineup is extraordinary: Guitarist Alan Bowen, whose fingers are hard to see; Mandolinist Christian McKee, a likewise finger flyer; Violinist Tricia Rojas, a soulful Colombian via Queens and Dallas; Bassist Paul Prado, Met fan and deliverer of The Times; and Drummer Les Hutchinson, proving the bottom stability that allows all that fancy flying. This band lights up the Landmark.

rusticamusic.com

STEVE KERIN

In the Professor Longhair tradition from Lafayette, Louisiana

The Great Flood of 2005 sent ripples around the country, musical ripples that left people on our side of the country like Steve Kerin, who plays Louisiana piano and sings and shouts and carries on. The Landmark reminds some of Tipitina's in New Orleans and Steve reminds everybody of the Professor when he trills those trills and rolls that keyboard.

Summit Underground

National attraction, $5 cover
TERRY EVANS BAND

Los Angeles-based soul singer returns for a night of blues originals from deep in the heart

Terry Evans at 66 is long and lean, a lifetime of music flowing in and out as he breaths the air. He likes the Oregon air and is on tour for the fall, bringing his brand of beauty to the friendly confines of the Landmark living room. Evans is one of the foremost session players in Los Angeles, receiving a gold record for his work with John Fogarty. He has also recorded with Ry Cooder, Joan Armatrading, John Lee Hooker, Boz Scaggs, Maria Muldaur, Pops Staples, and many more. He sang lead vocal on the Crossroads movie soundtrack album. And he has several top-rate CDs of his own. It is a privledge to have him in Yachats.

terryevans.com

Reggae and ska with a blast of horns and the rip of rythmn

Formed in 2001, this band practices the variety of tropical beat called heavy dub, driven by horns and powerhouse vocals. In the year and a half since the band last played the Landmark, it has gone from doing weekend shows to becoming a full-time group, playing 200 gigs a year across the Western states. The dance rythmns can have only gotten deeper into the groove for this bunch.

upritedub.com

MICHAEL HURLEY

Folk singer for 40 years, from Greenwich Village to Astoria

He was drawn from Pennsylvania to New York City as a young man by the magic of the 1960s. He wrote songs for the Holy Modal Rounders, for Jesse Colin Young and for the album Have Moicy, famed for its lack of fame. (It was listed as one of the Top 20 LPs of the 1970s by Rolling Stone.) Hurley has delivered obscure albums at a fairly regular rate, two records for Rounder in the early 1980s, then (according to the unofficial bio) more releases in1984, 1988, 1995, and 1999. Michael will be joined by our resident Rounder, Robin Remaily.

michaelhurley

Electric blues and funk duo

Nola and Dave, a pair of veteran musicans adrift in Oregon, stumbled onto each other a couple of years ago in a Roseburg CD store and have been playing together since, making music of the blues and funk persuasion. Boice has been singing all her life and Braulick is a 30-year veteran of rock and blues bands. The duo promises covers and originals.

nolaboice

Eugene rockers bring a mix of Texas blues and originals

Tight rock, original writing, a taste of Texas - here's another of the up and coming Eugene bands from an alt scene that continues to thrive. Jason Anderson can play the guitar, he drew plenty of hoots and hollers during his debut at the Landmark and will no doubt pull forth a few more this time. Blue Moon Society is Jason Anderson, vocals and lead guitar, Dan Pacheco, drums and vocals, and Brian Beck, bass and vocals.

bluemoonsociety.com

Americana from the heart; from bluegrass to blues

The Rounder tradition stems from Peter Stamfel and the seminal '60s old-timey band, The Holy Modal Rounders. It was brought West and has strolled along over the years, living and breathing in live performances. Lynn Conover and Lowell John bring together the hills and the city - the essential blend that defined the Rounder approach.

wweek.com
sundazed

HOOKAH STEW

John Michael Young can play them all -- and does: funk, blues and rock

Some performers of the electric guitar stay outside the instrument; others, like the leader of Hookah Stew, go inside. John Michael Young formed this band 10 years ago and gave it a crash course of Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Aquarium Release and the Five Fingers of Funk. Some Stevie Wonder and a lot of Hendrix has rounded the sound in the past few years. Just ask him and he'll probably be able to play it.

garageband.com/-
artist/hookahstew

Sizzling' blues guitar from a young man on his way up

In the four years 20-year old Jake Blair has played at the Landmark we've had the pleasure of watching the development of guitar sizzle at its cleanest. Jake is a juke box of things he's heard, things he's experienced through the sound and things he can spit back with his own slash and drive. He's settled into this three-piece band, where distractions few and the riffs just roll on.

portlandblues.com/band.-
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