ROCK THE BLUES NEWS & music review
By Gary Draper
January was a very difficult month for many. The snow, the ice storms, the loss of power, people stuck at home, concerts and shows/events canceled. What a mess! My heart goes out to everyone who was affected in a negative way. Hopefully February will include much less dramatic weather.
I didn’t get out much last month. However, I did go to a Thursday night jam at H.D. Hotspurs in Kent. BADD is the hosting band there on Thursday nights – a very talented trio that plays Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Blues, etc. and they do it very well.
Lynn Sorensen is most noted for playing bass guitar with the Paul Rodgers Band, and as the touring bassist for BAD COMPANY. It always amazes me how Lynn can be performing at London’s Wembley Stadium in front of 1,000’s of people one week, and then he’s back home here playing a small, local venue for a much more intimate crowd the next week. You can tell he really loves to play music and it doesn’t matter to him the size of the crowd, he always gives you 100%. To be so humble with the incredible amount of talent he possesses is truly refreshing in a business where egos often run rampant.
Drummer, Doug McGrew, has been in the Seattle music scene forever. Most musicians know Doug from the many jams he’s hosted throughout the years. He is one of the area’s finest drummers and has shared the stage with many big names.
Jon Memelo is a very talented guitarist and also plays in a busy local cover band called THE POP OFFS. I understand he also owns a music store in Bellingham.
If you want a great time with amazing music, stop by H.D. Hotspurs on any given Thursday night, just north of Willis street on Washington avenue, next to K-Mart, in Kent, WA. You’re sure to see many local musicians sit in on the jams and showcase their own talent.
ROCKTHEBLUES.COM MUSIC REVIEW
RockTheBlues.com is featuring one Rock CD and one Blues CD every month, our way of promoting what we feel is some of the greatest local talent.
“C.D. Woodbury Band” - Sunbanks Live
Our featured February Blues CD is “Sunbanks Live” by the C.D. Woodbury Band.
C.D. Woodbury has performed in Texas Roadhouses and stadiums. He has performed for two U.S. Presidents, foreign dignitaries, and Jimi’s music for the Hendrix family. He has jammed with Jazz legends, international Blues superstars, and has worked with sidemen to Rock & Roll’s biggest acts. Though he has played many styles, he always returns to the Blues and American roots music on his guitar.
In 2009, the C.D. Woodbury Band was formed primarily out of an unrehearsed appearance at the Snohomish Blues Invasion with C.D. and former members of Tim Casey’s back-up band, the Bluescats.
The Bluescats were one of the top acts in the region, and a top selling act in Europe, including edging out Eric Clapton as the #1 Blues act in Belgium somewhere in the mid-2000’s. Chris Kliemann, Don Montana, and Mike Fish are a dynamic, tight rhythm section.
In 2010, the band added sax player and multi-instrumentalist, Mike Marinig, who has added a new dimension to the band’s sound. They recently won the “Best New Band Award” at the Washington Blues Society’s annual Best of the Blues Awards. C.D. won the Electric Guitar Award.
In 2011, the WBS gave C.D. Woodbury the “Electric Guitar Best Of The Blues Award” for the second year in a row. With more festival appearances, radio airplay, and press, the band is gaining attention as rising stars in the NW regional Blues scene.
Band members include:
C.D. Woodbury – Guitar & Vocals
Chris Kliemann – Keys & Vocals
Don Montana – Drums & Vocals
Mike Fish – Bass & Vocals
Mike Marinig – Saxophone, Flute,
Vocals, and Auxiliary Instruments
If you’d like to get more info or purchase this CD, go to: www.cdwoodbury.com/merchandise.
“LUCKY 13” - VIAL 8
The Rock CD that we’d like to bring to your attention this month is “Lucky 13” by Vial 8.
Vial 8 is a mixture of multiple musical genres varying from influences such as, Black Sabbath, Badlands, Iron Maiden, Corrosion Of Conformity, Alice In Chains, Judas Priest, and anything else that ROCKS!
Vial 8 is from Moscow, Idaho and includes Jeff Mack (Vocals, Guitar), Chris Chalmers (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals), Roger Crozier (Bass, Backing Vocals), and Rex Johnson (Drums).
Vial 8 has been playing throughout the northwest with bands like Faster Pussycat, Joan Jett, Divide The Day, The Atomic Outlaws, Windowpane, and many more. Their extensive live experience, studio experience, and writing skills, have made for explosive live shows, and hard driving originals. I’ve seen this band perform several times and always had a great time.
For more info about VIAL 8 and to purchase their CD titled “Lucky 13”, go to www.reverbnation.com/vial8.
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Please keep those Rock and Blues CDs coming. If you’d like your CD to be featured in a future edition of RockTheBlues News, please mail your CD to:
Gary Draper @ Rock The Blues News P.O. Box 47083, Seattle, WA 98146
Unfortuntely, CD’s will not be returned, as they will become the property of RockTheBlues.
