Are you singing the Health Care blues? You’re not alone. Millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans have been singing for years. The President and Congress sang all last year, and the Supreme Court joined in this month. But other people are singing as well… Norman Sylvester is singing, and so is the Lloyd Jones Struggle. LaRhonda Steel, Jim Mesi, and Sonny Hess are all singing, and for just one night it might be a good thing. The Inner City Blues Festival Reunion “Healing the Health Care Blues” show, benefitting Single Payer Health Care, is coming to the Melody Ballroom on April 14th, and you can be there too…
The Inner City Blues Festival has deep roots in Portland. It started as the “Jam for Jesse”, a fundraiser for Jesse Jackson’s 1988 run for president. The first venue was the Royal Esquire Club on NE Alberta, and for the next 15 years the Festival hit the hottest blues venues in Portland… Texas II, Shango’s, Crystal Ballroom, Melody Ballroom and more. And the players! Blues enthusiasts could savor the sounds of Jim Mesi, Lloyd Jones, Norman Sylvester, Paulette Davis, Linda Hornbuckle, Duffy Bishop, Lilly Wilde, Janice Scroggins… the royalty of Northwest Blues turned out year after year to support a range of community causes. But time takes its toll on even the best events, and the Inner City Blues Festival closed its doors in 2003.
If there’s a bright side to the national health care debate it’s that it has inspired people to take action on behalf of single payer health care. It certainly struck a chord with the blues community in Portland. Writing for the Jazz Society of Oregon, Lynn Darroch explains “Musicians are used to playing benefits for colleagues with medical needs and no health insurance. But this time, they’re being proactive — they’re playing a benefit concert for a movement that’s designed to get them all covered. If the campaign for single payer health care in Oregon succeeds, musicians should never have to play a fund-raiser for an ailing colleague again.” Norman Sylvester, also speaking to the Jazz Society, said “It’s a humanitarian movement to advocate for change. Musicians basically try to stay neutral as far as politics go, but health care is a humanitarian thing. Everybody has to have a health care program. Where is the money for health care going to come from for a musician who has to haul his equipment across town, play four hours, and gets $300 for the whole band? Health care is this astronomical iceberg, and we’re on the Titanic now.” Norman’s putting his music where his mouth is with a theme song he wrote for the movement called “HealthCare Blues”, and of course he’ll be headlining the show in April.
With healthcare providing the impetus, the Inner City Blues Festival is returning to the spotlight after a seven year hiatus, and we want you to be a part. “Healing the Health Care Blues”, the Inner City Blues Festival Reunion, hits the stage Saturday, April 14, from 7:00 pm to midnight at the Melody Ballroom. Proceeds from your $15 ticket will go to the Oregon Single Payer Health Care Campaign, and you can pick up tickets for yourself and all your friends at Music Millennium, Geneva’s Shear Perfection, Reflections Coffee and Bookstore, and Pattie’s Home Plate Cafe.
Single payer benefits everyone, and it needs everyone’s help to work. KPOJ Radio, Portland Jobs with Justice, Physicians for a National Health Program, Health Care for All Oregon, Mad as Hell Doctors, and Tom Dwyer Automotive Services are stepping up to sponsor this event. What will you do?
Inner City Blues Festival Reunion – Schedule
Saturday, April 14, 7:00 pm to midnight, at the Melody Ballroom.
6:00 pm — acoustic blues by guitarist Steve Cheseborough
7:00 — Lenanne Sylvester-Miller & Janice Scroggins: “Tribute to Lady Day”
7:40 — Single Payer Health Care introduction
7:55 — Lloyd Jones Struggle Band
8:55 — Chatta Addy’s African Drumming Procession
9:20 — Mad as Hell Doctors
9:30 — Norman Sylvester Band with vocalists LaRhonda Steele, Sarah Billings & Peter Moss
10:30 — Shoehorn “Tap-dancing Sax player”
11:00 — “All Star Blues Jam” including Sonny Hess, Bill Rhoads, Jim Mesi, Lloyd Allen, Richard Arnold, and Seth and Nico Cordova-Wind
Celebrity Announcers: Paul “Mayor of North East” Knauls and Renee Mitchell.
