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Photo by Norm Eder

12/20/2024

Portland bass legend talks about Bobby Rush

By Rob Shoemaker // The long-time  bass player in Norman Sylvester's band went to see Bobby Rush at Jack London. His impressions.

This was actually a FB post from Rob who has been playing bass with Norman Sylvester since dinosaurs ruled the earth. It's always interesting to hear what a musician says about another musician. That's why we're always happy when Darka Dusty and Shoehorn write for us.

Verbatim: 

Double date night Friday the 13th. Sylvesters and the Shoes went to the Jack London to hear Bobby Rush.

Wonderful show. I am so used to hearing him with his ultra funky southern soul blues band, but his solo act was way cool in a slightly different way. Heavy on the humor, many more straight up classic blues standards, crammed into rapid fire medleys with reworked lyrics and funkyfized riffs.

Without a band, he played the low strings of his electrified acoustic guitar like a bass player, while driving a mix of Robert Johnson/ Jimi Hendrix licks over a hard stomped foot drum beat. He took extravagant liberties with the rhythm, and managed to make deep grooves that never threatened to turn sloppy.

The show made me reminisce about the late great KBOO disc jockey George Page, whose show introduced me to the Bobby Rush world when I moved to Portland in 1977. I was surprised to learn from George that I had known Bobby’s songs for ten years or so, without ever knowing who or where they came from. Lots of familiar faces in the audience; plenty of musicians and genuine blues music fans.

Just a great night of entertainment that will stay burned in my memory. Photo by Norm Eder.

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