Chicago-Influenced Delta Juke Joint Blues

10 MP3 Songs
BLUES: Chicago Style, BLUES: Electric Blues

Show all album songs: Bad News Songs


Details:
Portland, Oregon, is known for its traditional, somewhat laid-back blues scene. In early 2005, Eric Hatcher & The Worker Bees formed with a bold goal in mind: energize Portland's blues scene.

Since then, the Bees have jumped and juked blues throughout the northwest. Eric Hatcher & The Worker Bees play Chicago-style electric blues, both originals and favorites, and they have received acclaim for performances at the Florence Blues and Brews Festival, Portland Waterfront Blues Festival, and tens of other concert venues. They have filled blues clubs the Trails End, Mock Crest, and Landmark, and are always repeatedly rehired. Blues and jazz station KMHD airs their recordings. A brief visit to Mississippi Studios in late 2005 led to more extensive recording dates in 2007, and the release of their first all-original CD, Bad News.

Talented vocalist and blazing guitarist Eric Hatcher leads the band [slide, electric, and acoustic guitars, vocals]. Eric has been honing his craft in the Portland area for over a decade. The Worker Bees veteran rhythm section is comprised of: high-energy harp player Larry Oxley [harp, vocals], a Portland native whose blistering performances bring audiences to their feet, whooping and cheering. Cody Christopherson [drums, percussion], a.k.a. Squirrel Man, of The Dalles, a solid and energetic timekeeper; Mario Carboni [keyboards] from Beaverton, playing wicked stride and rolling New Orleans-style piano and organ; and Rick Mazzotta [bass, vocals] a dedicated bluesman hailing from Connecticut.

Their rhythms are infectious, and their high-energy live shows are uniquely suited to heating-up blues clubs. Eric Hatcher & The Worker Bees love the blues, and audiences love their performances in return. Check them out.