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About St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current | View Entire Issue (July 10, 2015)
Email: reviewnewspaper@gmail.com * Mail: PO Box 83068, Port. OR 97283 * Web: www.stjohnsreview.com * Phone: 503-283-5086 The St. Johns Review * #14 - JULY 10, 2015 * Page 3 Cathedral Park Jazz Festival F R I D A Y J U L Y 5:00 - 5:45 & 6:10 - 7:10 Ben Rice Ben Rice has been leaving huge impressions on audienc- es around the Northwest and winning awards for his vocals and guitar playing for the last seven years. In 2014 at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee he left the audience speechless with a raw emotional delivery of his version of “Key To The Highway.” His second consecu- tive trip to the International Blues Challenge fi nals in 2015, with Lucy Hammond, he delivered an elegant performance that highlighted his voice, writing, and guitar playing. After that performance he was given the St. Blues Guitarist award for best guitarist in the solo/duo competition at the 2015 In- ternational Blues Challenge. His debut on the internation- al stage in 2014 was a landmark step forward in his career from being a regional act playing primarily around the NW to a national and international touring artist. Captivating au- diences and presenting himself as someone who has a lot of depth in the various soundscapes of American music. Ben is gaining fans all over the world who love his playing, sing- ing, songs, and stage performance. 7:40 - 8:50 Ben Rice on one of his unique guitars His original music blends Soul, Delta-Blues, Rockabilly, Jazz, and Funk into a Roots Stew. In- LaRhonda Steele LaRhonda Steele began her musical jour- ney in Jones, Oklahoma at age 13 singing her fi rst solo in church one Sunday morning. The journey continued to Portland, Or- egon and is an amazing legacy of musical experiences for which she is ever awed and grateful. Over the years she has enjoyed working with local, national and international artists: Curtis Sal- gado, Norman Sylvester, Linda Hornbuckle, Janice Scroggins, Paul Delay, Obo Addy and Thara Memory. She has had the pleasure of recoding with Obo Addy, Janice Scroggins, Norman Sylvester and Ken DaRouchie. Performing at the Lincoln Cen- ter with Obo Addy in 2005 and her yearly appearances at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festivals are just a couple of the highlights of her career. She said Oregon is a perfect place to have and raise a family. She and her husband Mark are raising two daughters and love living and working in Portland. LaRhonda currently enjoys working with her own band The 17 LaRhonda Steele Band in which Mark is the keyboardist and co-producer of their collaboration “Artistic Differences.” The CD features 12 original songs written and co-written by the duo. “My Soul’s Song” is her latest record- ing that feature a few of her gospel favorites Returning to her Gospel roots, LaRhonda is the choir director for the Portland Interfaith Gospel Choir, whose mission is to employ Black Gospel Music to spread the message of Love, Equality and Cooperation to the community and world. She is Music Director for Unity West Linn and performs with “The Group” founded by Jan- ice Marie Scroggins Ever thankful for the support she has received from the musi- cal community and her fans, her legacy of the love of music will continue on as the Irresistible Soul Music of LaRhonda Steele. 9:15 - 10:30 Dover Weinberg Quartet Dover Weinberg , is on a brief layover from a world-wide tour with the Robert Cray Band, and will light up the stage with a cast of award-winning musicians in a Guitar Masters Finale featuring Lloyd Jones, Norman Sylvester, Michael Os- born, Jay “Bird” Koder and Ben Rice, as well as a young master in a four-generation tribute to 35 years of music in the park. Weinberg is a remarkably talented keyboardist who has proven his mettle by playing with a long list of Blues notables - not only local luminaries like Duffy Bishop, Paul deLay, Ellen Whyte, Jim Mesi and Lloyd Jones, but also all-time greats like Al- bert Collins, Otis Rush, Big Walter Horton, Charlie Musselwhite, Sonny Rhodes and Phillip Walker. Weinberge jokes, “Some people say, ‘You can’t hold a job!’ “They call me the Blues Slut because I’ve played with everybody.” This Friday Night lineup is a MUST SEE! Welcome to the 2015 FREE Cathedral Park Jazz Festival Food - Beer Garden - Entertainment and of course GREAT MUSIC for three days! fl uenced heavily by his parents record collection from Al Green to Alice Cooper, Teddy Pender- grass to Marshall Tucker. Ben at a young age began investigating into Blues and its history. Starting with B.B. King and going through the various regions and time peri- ods, he is inspired and infl uenced by historical fi gures like Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred Mc- Dowell, Robert Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, and Skip James to name a few. Ben spent his college years studying Jazz Guitar at the Uni- versity of Oregon as well as clas- sical music, playing in the Celt- ic Folk ensemble and Mariachi group on campus. He has been well versed in a lot of musical styles that all contribute to the unique sound of his originals. As a performer Ben looks to the greats for inspiration, always striving to connect with the audi- ence through his music and sto- ries. He also has an interesting arsenal of guitars playing reso- phonic guitars and homemade cigar box guitars. More important than the visual appeal, Ben has an amazing way of making these guitars sound, often bringing au- diences to tears with his slide playing. Ben Rice has been a growing talent in the NW, winning awards for his singing, guitar work, writing, and performing and is stepping into the national and in- ternational scene using his vast infl uences of American music to fuel his music and performance.