The Ponderosa Stomp began as little more than a backyard party for LSU Medical Center anesthesiologist Ira "Dr. Ike" Padnos to gather some of his favorite musicians from years past — legends and one-hit-wonders alike. Now the Stomp has expanded to take in a music conference, a museum exhibit, and two long nights of performance at the French Quarter House of Blues. Compared with the giant, expansive crowd at Fest, this is a decidedly nerdy affair — a mix of indie-rock types, rock critics, and wizened fans, almost all white, all lusting for the living voices of those lost 45s.But credit Ike — he puts together super-tight bands for his heroes or otherwise gives them room to shine. If you didn't know Little Joe Washington, he rocked hard anyway and sang his guts out, just him and his electric piano. And if you couldn't quite recall the tune, the guy at the next table was there to remind you: " 'Since I Met You Baby,' by Ivory Joe Hunter. Great song." And indeed it was. Dale Hawkins was euphoric on the mainstage, with backing from Elvis Presley guitar god James Burton. Howard Tate's soulful falsetto was as precise and piercing as most singers' midrange.
And then there were the Bo-Keys, a Stax-type instrumental outfit, back for a return visit to the Stomp. Bo-Key Skip Pitts is best known for the guitar work he did on Isaac Hayes's Shaft soundtrack, and once again he dutifully reprised the famous theme, a round-faced, rotund ball of energy, with a beatific smile and a growled speaking voice that split the difference between Howlin' Wolf and Tone Loc.
But it was on the band's other instrumental offerings that he truly rocked, leading fierce, compressed grooves with some of his long-time henchmen, among them the legendary conga player Uganda Roberts. Then he introduced Dennis Coffey, another lost legend of psychedelic guitar. Coffey — in cap and glasses — grimaced and shook as he pounced on those grooves, sending shimmery, skittery runs up and down the fretboard, shaking his wah-wah for all it was worth. My wife yelled in my ear: "A middle-aged white guy who looks like my dentist — shredding!"
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- An icon’s icon
He was Andrew Warhola on his birth certificate.
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With no ado, here are some of the last year’s theatrical highlights.
- Tour de force
Sometimes more is less
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The back of our limo has one of those yellow ribbon decals that say “Support Our Troops” — just above the “Impeach Bush” sticker.
- Portland scene report: October 12, 2007
Be on the lookout for hip-hop releases from Tuff Skull Records, Portland’s nascent indie label aimed toward the boom-bip set.
- Flashbacks, April 21, 2006
These selections, culled from our back files, were compiled by Chris Brook and Jessica McConnell.
- By the horns
If you’ve ever wondered where the people who make those Girls Gone Wild videos find the women to participate in soft-porn video debasement, you’d be far less bewildered watching girl after girl trying to out-skank one another on the bull.
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Locally, Loverless, This Way, and now Highway Jackson are forging a bit of a rock renaissance in Portland.
- On the Racks: June 6
David Lee Roth, AFI, Cheap Trick, Camera Obscura, Elvis Costello, and Live
- Video clips(2)
Broken Flowers, Wedding Crashers, The Gospel, Hustle & Flow , and The Cave.
- Justice
Vice like the magazine or Vice like Miami?
- Less
Topics:
Music Features
, Elvis Presley, Entertainment, Music, More
, Elvis Presley, Entertainment, Music, Isaac Hayes, Dennis Coffey, Less
