Tonight was no exception as he made fun of keyboard player, Jim Pugh’s hat as part of the introduction to “ Won’t Be Coming Home,” a new song off his 2012 release, Nothin’ But Love. Cray’s stage demeanor is always lighthearted, to counterbalance the negative subject matter of his compositions. Sam Cooke’s “Bring It Home To Me,” brought out Cray’s signature vocals and guitar, as he gave tribute to one of the first and most famous gospel crossover artists to emerge from the golden age of gospel.
He switched to a large 12 string acoustic guitar to play Pete Seeger’s “Going To The Country,” and then switched guitars again to play, “Been Away So Long.” McMurrian concluded his 40 minute set by telling the audience that in 1986 he discovered the patron saint of the blues, Robert Johnson, playing 2 of his songs, including the “Last Fair Deal.”Īfter a short break to get the stage set up, Robert Cray came out at 9:00 PM singing the blues about relational infidelity and other subjects.
McMurrian sang about his family coming from the hills of Oklahoma as his fingers delicately danced with banjo strings as a snappy melody filled the auditorium. The next tune he played was “Get Inside the House,” something that his mother, like all mothers tell their children at some time, he explained in introduction.Īfter he concluded “East Virginia Blues,” he talked about how his Grandfather was born in California, after his family was run out of Oklahoma for running whiskey, while he traded his guitar for a banjo. “I want to do one that I wrote,” he announced, in introduction to “Home of My Own,” as he played with a delicate expertise that reached into the soul, and touched the heart of the spirit! He talked about the way that stolen guitars turn up in pawn shops, where you might purchase one that was owned by a famous person without even knowing it. McMurrian switched instruments nearly every song, from acoustic and resonator guitars, to banjo. He wore a plaid shirt and Stetson hat and his appearance and demeanor reminded me of Bruce Springsteen, during his Nebraska period. He picked up an acoustic guitar and began with “Drop Down Mama,” as he worked the strings, until they passionately sang out. McMurrian is currently based in Portland, and is a songwriting guitarist who plays a Delta Blues/Roots style, with influences from Robert Johnson, Skip James and Sun House to Jimi Hendrix, Leo Kotke and Chris Whitley. The show started promptly at 8:00 PM when Joe McMurrian walked onto the stage and sat in a chair that was strategically placed center stage, in front of the Robert Cray band’s equipment. Tonight it was a sold out show with standing room only, augmenting the capacity to nearly 900. The Aladdin theater, in Portland, Oregon is one of those venues that’s the perfect size for an intimate concert, with only 600 seats, including the balcony.
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