Degrees of separation, count them. Six. Yea!

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My connection to Thursday's Blues Music Awards in Memphis may seem tenuous. Nevertheless, I claim it, wholeheartedly as a lover of the blues. Here we go. Sunday, April 7, at the end of my most music-filled day in Portland (Portland Art Museum's Members Gospel Brunch, Patrick Lamb's matinee concert at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall), I stopped in at the Blue Diamond for the Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes Blues Jam. More live music. Yea! What a good idea that turned out to be! Great music, and I got to take a few photos. I wish I knew everyone's names, but I don't, doggone it. UPDATE: Just found out that the musician on the far right is Allen Markel.

Fast forward to April 20 and the Concert for Sandy Relief at the Keller Auditorium. Curtis Salgado and his band opened for Aaron Neville. For me, that show could be put on one of those Ground-Hog-Day-repeats. My goodness, but that was fine, fine, fine. Stay with me, now. Thanks to being a Facebook friend of Kevin (on guitar on the left in these photos), I found out that Curtis Salgado had won the B. B. King Entertainer of the Year Award. So, there's my somewhat tenuous connection to the Blues Music Awards held in Memphos May 9. Salgado also won Soul Blues Album for "Soul Shot," and Soul Blues Male Artist.

Now, back to being at the Blue Diamond on April 7 and those few photos. When I finally got around to uploading them to Flickr today, lo and behold, there with Kevin Selfe on guitar and other musicians stood Curtis Salgado's guitar player! I recognized him from the April 20 concert--I had a front row seat practically right in front of him. Wow!
 

Me - Blue Diamond - Kevin Selfe - Vyasa Dodson - Curtis Salgado - Blues Music Awards!
 

In the middle, Vyasa Dodson, Curtis Salgado's guitar player. On the left, Kevin Selfe, a right fine musician. And I'm sorry that I don't know the saxophone player's name.

Hugh Laurie and the Copper Bottom Band, June 1, 2012, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, downtown Portland

The marquee connected to the iconic Portland sign says it all. Here's what Laurie's Web site had to say about the tour:

Hugh Laurie will take the music from his critically acclaimed debut album Let Them Talk on the road for a run of select dates on the West Coast. The 10-show tour will kick off on May 22 in San Diego and include stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland before concluding on June 4 in Seattle. 

This marks Laurie’s first U.S. tour, following up on two heralded performances last year at The Mint in Los Angeles and the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco.

Laurie will be on vocals and piano and will be joined onstage by The Copper Bottom Band, featuring a cast of renowned musicians including Jay Bellerose (drums), Kevin Breit (guitars), Vincent Henry (horns), David Piltch (bass), and Patrick Warren (keyboard/accordion).
 

Laurie alternated from playing the piano and singing from there, just playing the piano, or just singing at the mic at center stage. The music performed ranged from "Unchain My Heart" to "St. James Infirmary" to "You Don't Know My Mind" to "Suwannee River" to "Tipitina." Made me wish for younger knees and feet and the opportunity to stand up and dance the night away. The man played and/or sang for a couple of hours without a break, then took a bow and came back to do, I think it was, two more songs for an encore. As far as I'm concerned, Laurie was a great big piece of cake which certainly makes the Copper Bottom Band the perfect icing on said piece of cake.
 

After the show, someone offered to take our photo--that's Sharon in the middle of her twin daughters and me on the left. Smiles all around after a most satisfying evening of entertainment and live music.

Shooting "Leverage" at the Schnitz, downtown

Could you be this laid back high above busy SW Broadway in downtown Portland?


See what I mean by high above Broadway? He's waiting until his next move, ensconced on a crane in front of the building where I've been to see Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain, the Beatles tribute band 1964, and Sting. Here's a bit about the building:
The beautifully restored Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall opened in 1984, and was originally the Portland Public Theatre, built in 1928. The Italian Rococo Revival architecture was said to be the national showcase of Rapp & Rapp, renowned Chicago theatre architects. Visitors are greeted by a 65 foot high “Portland” sign above the Broadway Marquee, which contains approximately 6,000 theatrical lights. You can read more from Wikipedia about the Schnitz at the link in the caption below.


These two lights are trained on the lobby of the venerable building, what many consider to be the anchor of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The Portland sign has 5 foot tall neon letters.

"Leverage," seen on TNT, has filmed all around downtown for its second and third seasons. All I've ever managed to see are equipment trucks, cast trailers, and lights on cranes. I've never been to Boston, but Portland is standing in for Boston on this series.

09-09-09

Please scroll down to see today's dahlia, Zorro, from Swan Island Dahlias.

In honor of today's release of The Beatles Rock Band, I give you the Portland sign and the marquee at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland.


Am I ever happy that I got myself a ticket for this one! I sat on the front row of the balcony, so tickled when one of them said we could take all of the photos we wanted! I only had my Nikon Coolpix, but I snapped away as the entire crowd sang along. Bliss!


Today's dahlia, Zorro. Facts from Swan Island Dahlias--Bloom: 11" Dark Red, Bush: 4'

What do you think inspired the name of this ceiling's texture?

I took this photo inside the auditorium at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall while standing in the balcony. I got to see where I'll be sitting in March when I attend "1964 ... the Tribute," right on the front row of the balcony. I think that's just fine for someone who kept putting off getting a ticket. Hooray!

Here's closeup to help you guess.

A chandelier had to be moved.

When the building was restored in 1984 and renamed the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, this chandelier hanging in the lobby had to moved. I heard the explanation of why when I took the free tour on Jan. 24, but I cannot remember exactly what he said, doggone it. So, when I take the tour guide training and find out the reason, I'll let you know. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photo.