Mardi-Party on the Columbia

’Tis an ill wind that blows no good”

– old Creole proverb

And so it was when Katrina swamped New Orleans, prompting founder/producer Amanda Gresham to move her 2 nd annual Delta Music Experience (DME) riverboat cruise from the ravaged Mississippi to the Columbia River. This gave lucky Pacific NW fans the chance to hear first-class New Orleans blues and zydeco entertainers on a delightful March 17-21 sternwheeler cruise up their own lazy river.

St. Patrick kicks it off

The pre-cruise party at a Portland hotel got off to a roaring start on March 17 with the no-deLay Band (sans Paul) featuring vocalist Linda Hornbuckle doing rousing versions of “Sweet Little Angel” and “Hound Dog”. Next up was newcomer Eden Brent on keyboards with a wonderful salute to Bessie with “Send Me to the ‘Lectric Chair “. (This is the 2nd year DME has sponsored an International Blues Challenge winner.) Then, while munching the traditional King Cake of Mardi Gras, the revelers enjoyed house band Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Orleans Avenue in a jam with Charles Neville on sax& triple-threat Charmaine Neville (vocals, percussion and dance.) Charmaine says she saw 3 of her 4 dogs snapped up by alligators following Katrina. She saved her cat in a picnic basket. She is now physically re-building her home by herself. While onboard, she got a call from FEMA offering her a trailer, which she declined. (As for FEMA in general, don’t get her started.)

Rock & Roll on, Columbia

The next day, a New Orleans band welcomed us onboard the gala Queen of the West. Ann Rabson of the Uppity Blues Women took command of the Paddlewheel Lounge for a boogie-woogie evening. She’s well known for her vocals and pounding piano work, but she surprised us with tasty Piedmont fingerpicking on guitar. (The paddlewheel lounge has a hypnotic view of the giant red paddlewheel, but if you stare at it long enough you get dizzy and sick. Big wheel keeps on turning, stomach keeps on churning?)

Later we were driven into a dance frenzy with the zydeco rhythms of Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, a red-hot band with brass. Like the Nevilles, Chubby was born with music in his blood, and his father still performs. Chubby claims “There ain’t no party like a Chubby party, and a Chubby party don’t stop” but it could stop your heart. Chubby challenged us to taste hot sauce during “Who Stole the Hot Sauce”, and some actually drank the stuff, and even smiled.

Nighthawks stayed for the jam sessions that gave partygoers who play instruments the chance to join with the funky “Trombone Shorty”, Paul delay, Chubby, Charles & Charmaine, Ann and other guest greats.

Teach me tonight

Blues education was included in a comprehensive 3-ring binder entitled “ The Lagniappe” (Creole for bonus gift) every guest found in their cabin. Among the blues organizations DME supports are the Blues Foundation, Tipitinas Foundation, and Pacific NW Blues in the Schools. Workshops and music demos were coordinated by Chip Eagle of Blues Revue and songwriter Hawkeye Herman who played guitar and told the story of the blues. We had many photographers, but none could compare with the historical depth of Dick Waterman who discovered Son House and re-energized his return to performing in the 60s. Dick had wonderful photos and stories about blues performers he has promoted over the years. (Bonnie Raitt credits him for her music career.) He is the author of Between Midnight and Day and The BB King Treasures and is a blues treasure himself.

We learned from the stories of Bob Putignano, winner of the 2003 Keeping The Blues Alive award for Public Radio, and the playing of Doyle Bramhall . Our education even extended to Louisiana cuisine thanks to a chef imported from New Orleans along with his crawfish and spicy sausage. And we learned to dance zydeco style with Debra Seeck.

So what’s to see on the Columbia? We took guided shore excursions to spectacular Multnomah Falls, learned about fish conservation at Bonneville Dam, went through the lovely Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center and the Maritime Museum in Astoria, with its history of the Columbia River bar’s multitude of famous ship wrecks.

Amanda’s birthday party

Amanda Gresham (known to the Nez Perce as “Wounded Toe”) sported an untimely cast following foot surgery. By chance, the cruise coincided with her birthday on 3/20, so the Queen of the West crew and passengers gave her a rousing Happy Birthday, and Chubby gave her a birthday party we will all remember.

Amanda plans to open RoyalbluesGallery.com to display her blues photos and other art. She is very well organized, thanks in part to her parents Barbara Hammerman and Ray Lavine of Gig Harbor’s Wurlitzer Manor fame, and a host of helpful friends.

Next up, the DME Pavilion Stage at Crawfish Fest in New Jersey June 3-4, 2006 featuring Marcia Ball, Rebirth Brass Band, The Bluerunners, Creole Cowboys, Henry Butler, Corey Harris and Papa Mali. For info on future events and riverboat cruises email agresham@deltamusicexperience.com or visit DeltaMusicExperience.com.