Ah, at last ... Curtis Salgado is onstage, greeting the enthusiastic crowd. For sure he looked every bit of his 54 years. But when he put the harmonica to his lips, age evaporated in blistering riffs. And as he unleashed his trademark raw emotional vocals, he was stronger, surer, better than ever before!

From him and a wailing guitar, gutbucket bass, versatile keyboards and mind-boggling drums, we heard everything from authentic old blues to r&b, soul, rock, a couple of his own oldies with amazing new rhythms courtesy of an incredible drummer and a poignant tune titled 20 Years of BB King to be out on a cd in June. (Listen to another great piece below, from the current cd, Soul Activated.)

As always I sat in the back of the room, a better vantage for watching the people and the proceedings. At this gig with the whole room and stage in front of me and the entrance door on the side I hearkened back to my days/nights as a publicist, writer and musician's lady in the Portland music scene. Another life to be sure -- I wrote about it in my First Book of Oregon Jazz, Rock & All Sorts of Music:

For the players of music, the writers of and about music, the presenters of music the subject of music virtually never leaves the conscious mind. It is a presence as pervasive as another person sharing our days and nights. It wakes us up; puts us to sleep; intrudes into conversations with outsiders; gets in the way of some relationships; cements others; occupies vast time in the doing and the talking about. It turns us into night people, bedding down as the sun comes up and the birds begin to stir; gives us a natural high; sometimes becomes a downer; leads us into risk and experimentation, challenging ourselves. It closes out the ugly realities of the world; tempts us with alcohol, drugs and sundry compulsions. It opens doors in our minds, makes all things possible. Once music has gotten under our skin there's no kicking the habit. We must have it. The tune, the lyrics, the beat become the addiction. But what a wonderful addiction!

Played: 12 | Download | Duration: 00:02:31