Buddy Guy, Macy Gray, Gregg Allman headline annual event

Food Bank hopes lower cost will result in more donations

The Waterfront Blues Festival this year offers a multigenerational lineup across four stages featuring stalwarts like Buddy Guy and Allen Toussaint, classic rockers like Gregg Allman, and younger outfits, including Con Brio and Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds.

Other performers include Portland’s Norman Sylvester, saxophonist Reggie Houston and singer Rae Gordon.

The festival is slightly different this year than in the past. Gone are the more expensive Super Sunday passes festival organizers sold when name acts like Robert Plant closed out the event. This year, you can get in any day for a suggested donation of $10. Organizers note that 40 percent of festival attendees don’t actually make a donation, so they’re hoping to increase the percentage of donor attendees this year.

On that note, for every $10 people pay, Oregon Food Bank, the festival’s owner, can collect and distribute about 40 pounds of food, equivalent to 30 meals for people. Last year, OFB distributed 44.2 million pounds of food to hunger-relief agencies.

Meanwhile, festival organizers also encourage folks to bring in cans of food to be donated to the Oregon Food Bank.

Last year’s festival raised more than $1.11 million through donations at the gate, as well as purchases of special passes and tickets, exceeding the festival’s $1 million goal.

You can learn all about the festival at waterfrontbluesfest.com.

Here’s a look at each day’s shows, but note that there are many more musicians than those listed here.

Thursday, July 2

Three acts this day have roots in the Allman Brothers.

Gregg Allman, who canceled his appearance at last year’s festival, will close out the first night. A founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, who called it quits last year after decades of recording and touring, Allman’s gravelly voice and melodic keyboard playing have graced the airwaves since 1969. Allman’s touring band includes guitarist Scott Sharrard, Peter Levin on keys, drummer Steve Potts, percussionist Marc Quinones, Ron Johnson on bass, and horn players Jay Collins (a Portland native), Art Edmaiston and Marc Franklin.

Allman’s set will be preceded by one from his blues-rockin’ son, Devon Allman, a former member of Honey Tribe as well as Royal Southern Brotherhood. Devon also will join Dad on stage during his set.

In addition to the Allmans, Thursday’s performers include the following:

• Jaimoe’s Jazz Band — Drummer and founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, Jaimoe (Jai Johnny Johnson) also has backed Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Patti LaBelle and many others. His band combines jazz, blues, rock and R&B.

• Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds — This seven-piece band puts a modern spin on classic soul and is led by Arleigh Kincheloe, aka Sister Sparrow, and has earned a reputation for an infectious danceable show.

• Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band — Chubby mixes traditional accordion and washboard Cajun boogie with ‘70s funk, R&B, and swampy twists on classic songs.

• Ural Thomas & the Pain — If Portland can truly be proud of one thing, it’s being home to Ural Thomas, one of the all-time best old-meets-new-school rock and soul performers, whose band has become a favorite of the rug-cutting crowd.

Other performers include the Too Loose Cajun/Zydeco Band, bluesy ragtime and swing-meisters Mary Flower & the BBQ Boys, killer guitarist Scott Pemberton and Australia’s Harper & Midwest Kind, who play harmonica as well as didgeridoo.

Friday July 3

Mardi Gras-inspired madmen Galactic will join Grammy Award-winning R&B/soul singer Macy Gray for what’s sure to be one of the most joyous sets of the entire festival. Meanwhile, other performers this day include Chubby Carrier as well as the following:

• Allen Toussaint — Musician, songwriter and record producer, an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and one of the most influential figures in New Orleans music, Toussaint has produced, written for, arranged, had his songs covered by, and performed with The Judds, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Mac “Dr. John” Rebannack, Aaron and Art Neville, Joe Cocker, The Meters, Glen Campbell, The Band — you get the picture.

• Charmaine Neville — The daughter of Charles Neville of the famed musical family, Charmaine’s band plays blues, funk, jazz and all things in between. Her longtime guitarist Detroit Brooks, and former bandmate, now Portland resident, saxophonist Reggie Houston will share the stage.

• Jelly Bread — This Reno quartet blends alt-rock with soul and funk, dual vocals and dang good storytelling.

Other performers include teenage guitar shredder Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, zydeco royalty Dog Hill Stompers, as well as Corey Ledet & his Zydeco Band.

Meanwhile, Portland’s own Jacob Miller & the Bridge City Crooners will bring ragtime, country-blues and swing jazz while guitarist Ty Curtis will sample turns from his five award-winning CDs he’s released even though he’s a mere 27 years old.

Rounding out the day is G.R.E.S. Grianças de Zumbi (Children of Zumbi) Samba School, of Northeast Portland, comprised of students who use music to explore the experience of the African diaspora.

Saturday, July 4

Dave & Phil Alvin anchor this day’s performances, and will be backed by The Guilty Ones, including Portland son Chris Miller on guitar. The Alvin brothers are probably best known for founding The Blasters, one of our nation’s best underground rock ‘n’ roll bands ever. The siblings reunited to record a tribute to Big Bill Broonzy last year. In addition to the Alvins, make sure to check out:

• The Paladins — One mighty fine blues-rockabilly band, The Paladins were founded by guitarist Dave Gonzalez and double bass player Thomas Yearsley, and after a decade-long hiatus, have reunited to play some dates. They’ve shared the stage with Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Los Lobos.

• Con Brio — Led by Ziek McCarter, Con Brio’s danceable funk draws on Sly & the Family Stone, James Brown, D’Angelo and Prince for inspiration.

Other Independence Day performers include rock ‘n’ soul band Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas, upcoming blues guitarist Jarekus Singleton and Terry “Harmonica” Bean.

Meanwhile, the King Louis Blues Revue features Portland’s own Andy Stokes (who also will sing the national anthem prior to the fireworks), as well as LaRhonda Steele and Lisa Mann. Also on deck are Portland’s Duffy Bishop, “American Idol” soul singing contestant Naomi T, Pin & the Hornits, Thara Memory’s American Music Program, a “Harmonica Blow-off,” and the ever festival friendly Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys.

Sunday, July 5

The festival closes out with the venerable guitarist-singer Buddy Guy, one of the last living links to the great Chicago blues era that spawned Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf and Guy’s late great friend Junior Wells. Guy will share the stage with Quinn Sullivan, a teenage prodigy on guitar and vocals.

In addition to Guy and Sullivan you can hear:

• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy — Combining jazz, swing, Dixieland and big-band, the BBVD play the electronic dance music of an earlier era, except that it’s made by acoustic instruments amplified with electrical wires and stuff.

• Rick Estrin & the Nightcats — Estrin is a sophomoric humorist with a Ph.D. in

harmonica.

Other acts include: guitarist and former John Lee Hooker bandleader Ron Thompson along with singers John Blues Boyd & Wee Willie Walker; the Linda Hornbuckle/Janice Scroggins Old Time Gospel Memorial Show, which honors the memories of two of Portland’s most wonderful performers, both of whom died last year; nine-piece funksters Turkuaz; bluesy rockers Stone Foxes; Israeli guitarist Lazer Lloyd; Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys as well as Corey Ledet & his Zydeco Band; and finally funk-soulster D’Mar who will host a “Drums and More” workshop for kids.

More info

• Festival gates open each day at 10 a.m., at Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park off Southwest Naito Parkway. The Hawthorne Bridge crosses over the festival site.

• For a separate fee, you can take a cruise on the Portland Spirit down the Willamette River, and hear the stars in a more intimate setting.

• The festival also offers after-hours shows July 3 and 4 at the Marriott Hotel across from the site.