News Release

Portland Community Media to broadcast workshops from 2007 festival
April 23 to June 29, 2008

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Each week, Portland Community Media will broadcast a performance from the 2007 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival's FedEx Freight Workshop Stage. Tune in to learn about the blues, from history, to photography to blues guitar.

Workshops are broadcast on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. on channel 22, Fridays, 7 p.m. on channel 11 and Sundays, 9 p.m. on channel 23.

Broadcasts begin April 23 and continue until the week before the 2008 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival.

The Festival's FedEx Workshop Stage was managed by Ray Varner and staffed by personnel from Ethos Music Center, a Portland non-profit  dedicated to the promotion of music and music-based education for youth in underserved communities. Ethos staff also filmed and edited the programs in this televised series.

Schedule:

Fiona Boyes, Australia's premier blues woman, teaches blues fans about blues guitar.
9 a.m., Wednesday, April 23, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, April 25, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, April 27, channel 23

Hawkeye Herman, considered one of the nation’s foremost blues performers and educators teaches the history of the blues.
9 a.m., Wednesday, April 30, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, May 2, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, May 4, channel 23

Reggie Houston, local blues musician and master saxophone player, leads a blues workshop.
9 a.m., Wednesday, May 7, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, May 9, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, May 11, channel 23

Jeffrey Broussard & the Creole Cowboys lead a Zydeco accordion and fiddle workshop.
9 a.m., Wednesday, May 14, channel 22
7 a.m. Friday, May 16, channel 11
9 p.m. Sunday, May 18, channel 23

Dick Waterman, blues historian and photographer, takes blues fans on a fascinating journey of blues history through his photographs and stories of blues legends.
9 a.m., Wednesday, May 21, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, May 23, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, May 25, channel 23

Nathan James & Ben Hernandez, winners of last year's International Blues Challenge in Memphis in the solo/acoustic category, will teach blues fans to “Get Down with Home-Made Instruments.”
9 a.m., Wednesday, May 28, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, May 30, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, June 1, channel 23

Tony Coleman, former B.B. King drummer, teaches blues fans "The Groove," focusing on drums and bass — the parts of the band that create the drive and momentum.
9 a.m., Wednesday, June 4, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, June 6, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, June 8, channel 23

The Texas Horns, one of the most sought-after horn sections in the world, teach blues fans about "Brass in the Blues."
9 a.m., Wednesday, June 11, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, June 13, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, June 15, channel 23

Lurrie Bell, son of the late harmonica legend Carey Bell, presents a workshop on blues guitar. Bell has been hailed in his own right as “perhaps the most talented blues guitarist of his generation.”
9 a.m., Wednesday, June 18, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, June 20, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, June 22, channel 23

Mary Flower, described as “one of the best blues-based singer-songwriters working today,” teaches "The Essence of Ragtime Guitar."
9 a.m., Wednesday, June 22, channel 22
7 a.m., Friday, June 27, channel 11
9 p.m., Sunday, June 29, channel 23

Ethos' name is derived from the ancient Greek "Doctrine of Ethos" that held that music can change your thoughts, moods, and actions.  In light of the numerous studies that demonstrate the tremendous benefits of music education, Ethos believes that every child should have the opportunity to make music. Ethos was established in 1998 in direct response to budget cuts that limited music education in public schools. www.ethos-inc.org