A NW Tribute To Ray Charles
Let The Good Times Roll
This CD infuses the rich sounds of the NW's R&B, Soul, Gospel, jazz, and blues music scene. It will leave you wanting more.
A NW Tribute to Ray Charles was born after the world lost a great treasure in music, the late Ray Charles. Saxophonist Patrick Lamb was inspired to produce a tribute to this musical genius after seeing a nationally televised show featuring many notable national musicians. He was inspired to feature the rich NW music community and the talent it has to offer. This has now become A NW Tribute to Ray Charles.
Saxophonist Patrick Lamb and trumpeter Thara Memory used as their model, ‘O Genio – Live in Brazil,’ a recently discovered film of a Ray Charles concert and rehearsal televised in Sao Paolo in 1963 when Ray, then 33 years old, was in his prime.
The show was originally produced for a one time only performance at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, and it became one of the highlights of the 2005 festival. Bob Ancheta from KINK fm102 comments, “The Ray Charles Tribute was the highlight of the 2005 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, showcasing Portland’s finest talent on one stage.” The Cascade Blues Association awarded the Ray Charles Tribute the 2005 Muddy Award for Best Performance of the Year.
Patrick Lamb was once again inspired by the energy which this performance has generated and decided take The Ray Charles Tribute into the studio to record a CD. In February of 2006 The Ray Charles Tribute recorded, “Let The Good Times Roll” A NW Tribute To Ray Charles.
“Patrick Lamb has brought together the very best of a rich and vibrant Portland music scene,” says Don Campbell, music writer and Portland musician.
“This project has lit the light in people’s eyes, shown us what we can do together and truly highlighted the depth of Portland talent,” says Lamb. “Represented on the disc are the respected stalwarts, the upcoming new talent, the past, the present and some of the future.
The CD features vocalists Andy Stokes, Norman Sylvester, Duffy Bishop, Patrick Lamb, Kristina Michelle, ‘Sweet Baby’ James Benton, Linda Hornbuckle, Lee Garrett, Olivia Warfield, Gretchen Mitchell and Paul deLay; horns Dave Mills, Thara Memory, Stan Bock, Dan Brewster, Reggie Houston, Tim Bryson, Renato Caranto, Steve Cannon and Patrick Lamb; and rhythm Anthony Jones, Gene Houck, Eddie Martinez, Janice Scroggins, D.K. Stewart, Peter Dammann and George Mitchell.
“These musicians pay tribute not only to Brother Ray, but to this community – past, present and future,” says Campbell.
Live performances of “A NW Tribute to Ray Charles” have already headlined four Oregon Food Bank fund-raisers: the 2006 Safeway Waterfront blues Festival; the 2005 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival; BLUES for KATRINA, an all-day concert that raised funds through America’s Second Harvest for Gulf Coast hurricane relief; and the 2005 Oregon Harvest Dinner, a fund-raiser for Oregon Food Bank. In addition the show kicked off the Portland Trail Blazer’s 2005-2006 season, and a fundraiser for Thara Memory’s music education program. The Ray Charles Tribute is now officially part of the symphony Pops series performing at the Arlene Schnitzer concert hall October 6th, 7th, and 8th coming up!
Moods: Type: Tributes