Rae Gordon Band - Better Than I Was (2017)

2019-12-10T15:43:24Z

Rae Gordon Band - Better Than I Was (2017)


01. Better Than I Was
02. Elbow Grease
03. Holding Back The Tears
04. Hurry Bone
05. Ain't Gonna Wait
06. I Don't Believe You
07. Someday Is Too Late
08. You Coulda Fooled Me
09. Standing On The Edge
10. Dreams To Remember

Rae Gordon - vocals
Kivett Bednar - guitar, vocals
Joseph Conrad - bass
Scott franklin - saxophone
Allan Kalik - trumpet
Pat McDougall - keyboards
Ed Pierce - drums

After a head-turning third-place finish in February 2017 at the International Blues Challenge – their set at the finals in Memphis’ Orpheum Theater “had the audience up on their feet stomping and clapping with appreciation,” (Blues Blast Magazine) – the Rae Gordon Band knew expectations would be high for their next CD. The previous releases, Blue Lemonade (2013) and Dirty Flowers (2015), were well-received and picked up some awards, but Rae and her band felt there was now extra pressure to deliver something worthy of all the buzz they’d built in Memphis.

“Our seven-piece band has this huge impact in a live setting,” Rae says. “The horns, the heavy-grooving rhythm section, the gritty guitar tone – together they just pack a punch that people really respond to. I felt like the challenge was to make a record that would let people feel that impact.” Gordon put her head together with musical director/keyboardist Pat McDougall, taking several of her raw lyrical and melody sketches and developing them into finished songs. The title song, “Better Than I Was,” reflects Rae’s own continuing journey of self-improvement and boasts guest appearances by renowned Portland soul singer LaRhonda Steele and Houston transplant Rich Layton on harmonica.

The album features six Gordon/McDougall compositions, three by McDougall including the rollicking roadhouse number “Standing On The Edge,” and closes with the Otis Redding classic “Dreams To Remember.” It was Rae’s arresting performance of “Dreams” at the International Blues Challenge that brought tears to the eyes of competition judge Walter Trout, who was so taken with Rae that he had her join him onstage for a song when he played in Portland a few weeks later. “The way people came out of their seats in Memphis for ‘Dreams To Remember,’ we just knew it needed to go on the record so everyone could have the same experience,” producer and guitarist Kivett Bednar recalls. “Between Rae’s incredible vocals and Scott Franklin’s killer sax solo, I feel like we nailed it.”

The initial response to Better Than I Was has been resoundingly positive; when the band launched the album with a crowd-pleasing set at Portland’s high-profile Waterfront Blues Festival, longtime and brand-new fans alike snapped up every copy on hand. An early favorite for many listeners is the uptempo cooker “Elbow Grease,” a callback to the sassy, female-driven, horn-punctuated soul records of yesteryear that fills the dance floor in a heartbeat. Other standout tunes include the funked-up and organ-spiced “I Don’t Believe You,” the jump blues of “Hurry Bone,” the lighthearted love-gone-nope of “You Coulda Fooled Me” and the minor-key torch ballad “Holding Back The Tears,” featuring a searing guitar solo from Kivett Bednar.

The Rae Gordon Band is currently playing dates in support of Better Than I Was, including the Waterfront Blues Festival, Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival, Bronze Blues & Brews Festival, Big Blues Bender and others. Rae Gordon is a three-time recipient of the Cascade Blues Association’s Muddy Award for Best Female Vocalist, and the band was recently named Best Blues Artist in a reader poll by Portland’s Willamette Week. ---bluesfestivalguide.com

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Rae Gordon Band - Dirty Flowers (2015)

2016-02-14T17:07:01Z

Rae Gordon Band - Dirty Flowers (2015)


01. Misissippi Mud (6:01)
02. Mother Earth (7:00)
03. Old John Doe (4:00)
04. Just A Dog (5:38)
05. Heads Or Tails (4:33)
06. Leave It On The Shelf (4:01)
07. Last Dance (2:55)
08. Dirty Flowers (4:05)
09. Pools Of Pain (4:15)
10. Two Steps (4:52)
11. Too Much Sugar (8:50)

Rae Gordon - Vocals
Gaddis Cavenah – Guitar,Vocals
Joseph Conrad - Bass
Ben Partain - Keys
Scott Franklin - Sax
Ed Pierce – Drums

The Rae Gordon Band brings together award winning and nominated musicians and is fronted by 2013 Muddy Award Winner for Best Female Vocalist (Cascade Blues Association). They have played the big and little stages of northwest’s favorite clubs, dance floors and festivals helping to mold their signature sound that spans from a danceable get up and groove to a haunting slide tone that will make you want to find a back porch and sit a spell. Rae enjoys playing intimate venues where she can connect one on one with people in the audience to large festivals where she can connect with a whole community.

Their much awaited recent CD release of original tunes, which was produced and co-written with RGB guitar player Gaddis Cavenah called “Blue Lemonade” debuted in 2013 to a sold out venue and rave reviews. It highlights Gordon’s extensive range and ability to move effortlessly from soul to blues infused gospel. In July of 2013, it hit the Billboard Charts for Blues at number 10 and held that spot for 2 weeks. The CD was recently nominated as Best NW Recording by the Cascade Blues Association and is being sent as a contender for the best self produced recording by the Blues Association.

“They have struck pay dirt in bringing out the beauty of Rae’s vocal abilities”…“Listening to the disc leaves no question on why she is a perennial nominee for female vocalist in the Cascade Blues Association’s Muddy Awards” “Blue Lemonade is a deeply accomplished work with superb original songwriting that stands up to the best releases of recent years anywhere”…Greg Johnson, President of the Cascade Blues Association.

Rae Gordon Band performances are not only a show, but a celebration, as Gordon follows the policy that a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met…yet. “Add equal parts of Janis Joplin’s pain, Aretha Franklin’s soul and Grace Slick’s power; mix them thoroughly, and add a big gob of gooey molasses and you have Rae Gordon’s voice” … Positively Entertainment and Dining ---raegordon.com

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