Organized by performance day and time
Friday August 15, 2025
NW Women R & B 3:30-4:45
NW WOMEN RHYTHM & BLUES
The Northwest Women Rhythm & Blues group performs specialty shows produced by Sonny Hess since the early ’80s. These unique shows are comprised of the top female performers in the region and exposes newly found talent to the Portland blues scene. Names you might recognize like Lisa Mann,
Ellen Whyte, Rae Gordon, and Lady True Blue got their start in the area with Northwest Women Rhythm
& Blues — women who have gone on to win multiple awards locally, regionally, and nationally. Each
show is different and brings its own certain magic that you won’t want to miss!
This performance will include the following talent:
Sonny Hess: known far and wide for her sensual guitar playing, songwriting gifts and soulful vocals, this
local blues legend has been firing up shows around the Northwest for over four decades. She was the
first woman to be nominated in a male dominated field for Best Lead Guitar.
Joanne Broh: A column of energy, known for her powerful, soulful voice. A dynamic blend of smokin’
blues and R&B with a splash of Funk, Joanne will get you dancing and wanting more. An original song
“Wicked Cool” making it to eighteen on the Blues Charts. Playing all over the NW with the area’s top
musicians. Winner Female Blues Vocalist Rainey Day Blues Society, Soul Blues Band 2021 Rainy Day
Blues Society.
Claudia Paige : Claudia has a very eclectic drumming style, incorporating hand drums from around the
world into her drum kit. Raised on swampy funky blues and a love for music from around the world, Claudia weaves together world fusion rhythms, with a funky groove in her “solid in the pocket” feel to the music. She has played with premier musical artists of the 21st century, including Jerry Garcia, Linda Perry, Bonnie Raitt, Bo Diddley, and many more. Lisa Mann Two-time Blues Music award winning artist, Lisa Mann hails from Portland, OR. Her influences run the gamut, from lown down blues sisters Etta james and Koko Taylor, to
singer=songwriters like Bonnie Raitt and R&B belters like Little Milton.
Ellen Whyte: is a well known performer in the Pacific Northwest. She is an Oregon Music Hall of Fame
inductee and three-time Grammy Award nominated singer, songwriter and guitarist. Continuously
impressing audiences, she is one of the few who can sing blues, pop and jazz with the passion, skill and
authenticity that keeps fans coming back for more.
Rae Gordon: Numerous awards for her blues and heartfelt soaring vocals, hard driving energy like a
freight train. She serves up a delicious stew of grit with a side of soul and gospel.
Sonny Hess
971-322-5853
2023 Lifetime Achievement Recipient Cascade Blues Assoc.
2023 Best Event of the Year NW Women R&B
http://www.sonnyhess.com
http://www.nwwomenblues.com
Herded Catz 5:15-6:30
Steve Frost – Singer, Songwriter Entertainer Producer Engineer
Steve has been bringing music to the stage since the early seventies – professionally since 1975. Working music full time, Steve has opened for The Drifters, Pat Travers and Dokken, and currently plays venues across the Long Beach Peninsula.
Mark Storch
Dee Sense – Bass player with the Riptide Band from Spokane, WA
Dave Gager – Drums/Vocals : has recorded and performed with a host of regional, national and world-class musicians since the early 80’s, dividing his time between studio sessions and live performances, and has gained a reputation as an in-demand session player.
Polly O’Keary & the Rhythm Method 7:00-8:15
https://www.pollyokeary.com/bio.html
Taylor Newville & The Riders 8:45-10:00
My music roots began in Portland, Oregon at the age of six. Ukulele was my start and then I moved on to guitar. I was fortunate to be a student of Ethos, School of Rock, and
Rock & Roll Camp for Girls. I fell in love with playing the guitar and playing the blues. Recently I was a finalist for The Journey to Memphis Blues competition at the 2023
Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been nominated for the 2023 and 2024 Cascade Blues Association Muddy Awards-Celebrating the Best in the NW Blues: for Best New Artist 2023/2024, Contemporary Blues Act, and Performance of the Year- Sail on Sisters / Waterfront Blues Festival 2024 in Portland, Oregon. In 2023, I was also able to produce two CDs with my originals and will have another CD coming out this summer! Life is so good when I can play the blues! Check out my music on Spotify, Apple music, and Amazon music.
Saturday August 16, 2025
Beacon Street Titans 12:45-2:15
www.beaconstreettitans.com
The Beacon Street Titans, a jump blues band from Portland, Oregon, is making waves with a genre-spanning mix of retro originals and covers. With seven talented members, their performances are packed with catchy rhythms, tight arrangements, and a varied playlist that keeps their audience on its toes.
The Titans burst onto the Portland scene in 2013 nominated as Best New Act by the Cascade Blues Association and have been finalists in the Journey to Memphis contest three times, in 2015, 2016, with success in 2024. This lively group knows how to get the crowd moving and keep the energy high.
Let hear the Titans
http:linktr.ee/beaconstreettitans/
The Beacon Street Titans are a seven-piece jump blues/swing band from Portland Oregon. Since their beginning the Titans have been nominated for best new blues act 2013, and have
been finalists for the Journey to Memphis (JTM) two years in a row 2015/2016 and won the competition in 2024. The progressed to the semi-final round at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn.
Lead Vocals
The band was started by harmonica/saxophone player and singer Howard McClung, who has spent the last 6 years perfecting his sound and gathering some of the region’s best
musicians.
The Rhythm Section
The Titans have an excellent foundation!
Steve Maliszewski delivers driving bass lines and his strong rhythmic sense and melodic nature evidences his pure musicianship. He’s an outstanding singer as well.
Jeff Abbot’s drumming is rock steady, no click track needed.
This cat’s a human metronome with chops to spare.
Bradford Bleidtis one of the areas finest keyboard players,
and it clearly shows in his ability to blend jazz and R&B influences into the jumpin blues sound of
the Titans.
Trey Davis is a Guitar player extraordinaire and rounds out the rhythm section with his jazz
influence and tasty licks he’s the perfect compliment to the jumpin sound of the Titans.
The Horns
Tom Laducer displays an artistic mastery on tenor saxophone. Tom’s ability to weave his jazz
influence throughout the jump blues and swing is invaluable to the overall sound of the Titans.
John Swecker is an outstanding trumpet player, he’s also a terrific arranger who’s skills are invaluable to the group.
Together these seven musicians combine to produce the most infectious and danceable musicthat define the Beacon Street Titans.
Rich Layton and Tough Town 2:45-4:00
Rich Layton & Tough Town are keepers of the flame for American roots music. It’s high-octane swamp rock, country, rockabilly and the honky tonk blues echoing from an East Texas roadhouse. Each set takes audiences for a harmonica-fueled ride from Sun
Studios to Chess Records, and Muscle Shoals to Bakersfield. Rich’s original songs weave his Gulf Coast roots seamlessly into the mix, all delivered with the conviction of firebrand rock and roll preacher determined to save your soul – and his. Together over a decade now, the band has released three albums and performs throughout the Northwest at showcase clubs and festivals. The most recent album “Salvation Road,” on Portland’s Never Lucky Records label, was named a top five
finalist at the 2020 International Blues Challenge. Rich also appears as a special guest with Lyle Lovett & His Large Band each summer when their tour hits the NW and has joined other long-time friends on their Portland tour stops, including Lucinda Williams, Dale Watson, Buckwheat Zydeco (R.I.P.) and many
others.
Website: http://richlayton.us
Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/richlayton.us/
https://www.instagram.com/laytonpdx/
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4vYbgITLpF9FUV8hjtdyfb?si=uETUzP2kTNu76m5e9REP
xA
Video:
Studio performance: https://youtu.be/Uk0oS9we7rY?si=6Wx9l4mqlrSZwfuj
Small club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCQO685i8xk
Mark Hurwitz & Gin Creek. 4:30 – 5:30
The band has received multiple individual and collective “Best of the Blues” award nominations from the Washington Blues Society and performed at many major festivals, including the Sunbanks Festival, Gorge Blues & Brews, and Bite of Seattle.
Norman Sylvester Band with Special Guest Tony Coleman 6:00-7:45
Norman Sylvester is one of the most engaging showmen around the Northwest. Weddings, festivals, corporate parties and club venues all call on his band for spectacular music and entertainment! Influenced from his Southern Baptist early years and the Gospel Quartet his father, Mack Sylvester, toured with (they were as sharp with their fashion as they were in their harmonies), these examples show in Sylvester’s own performance. There is the work for the paycheck and the work for your passion. Norman’s music is most definitely his passion! The Boogie Cat has paid his dues and now he is living his dreams. Sylvester’s daughter. Lenanne, brings the bling with her clear as a bell, soulful lead vocals and perfect familial harmonies.
The new CD release, and I do mean NEW “ ” continues Norman’s legacy. The Norman Sylvester Band performs for clubs, corporate parties, wedding receptions, private parties and all types of music festivals. https://normansylvester.com/
Tony Coleman
While reviewing the Peninsula Blues Festival’s program from 2023 I came across a
write-up on Portland-based Tony Coleman as one of the most revered blues drummers
in the world. Tony Coleman will be returning to the Peninsula Blues Festival on
Saturday, August 16 th .
During his illustrious career he has toured the world with Otis Clay, Bobby Blue Bland,
Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Albert Cotton, Etta James, Freddie King, James Cotton,
Katie Webster, Z.Z. Hill, O.V. Wright, Buddy Guy and BB King, with whom he preformed
and recorded for the 29 years until BB’s death in 2015.
Three of his mentors and former bosses, the pioneering blues guitarist BB King, Albert
King and Freddie King, influenced virtually every rock and blues guitarist of the past six
decades. Coleman is one of the few musicians alive to have toured and/or recorded
with all three of these legendary bluesmen.
Revival Bros Band 8:15-9:30
The Revival Brothers Band pays tribute to the distinctive sounds of the Allman Brothers Band