Blues Dance Eclectic with Ben Rice Live! Saturday April 6th

DANCE WITH AWARD-WINNING LIVE BLUES MUSIC This very special edition of Blues Dance Eclectic will feature none other than the Cascade Blues Association's 2018 Muddy Awards DOUBLE WINNER of (1) Best Contemporary Blues Act AND (2) Best Male Vocalist... Ben Rice! "He gets it..." - LLoyd Jones Blues Dance Eclectic is Portland's longest-running monthly blues dance! PortlandDanceEclectic.com Held every 1st Saturday of the month, it features a variety of dance music, but especially blues! This dance is sponsored by www.PortlandBlues.com where you can subscribe for free tickets to other live blues dances around town! "His music is deeply rooted in traditional blues, yet at the same time fiercely original. His guitar playing earns labels like "fearless," "inventive" and "powerful," and he routinely brings audiences to their feet with his stunning and emotionally honest vocal delivery. Ben is as much home fronting his electric blues band as he is captivating a crowd solo with nothing but his voice and his resonator guitar." - www.BenRiceLive.com Saturday April 6th 7:30pm - 8:00pm FREE blues dance beginner's lesson 8:00pm - 11:30pm $12 blues dance Norse Hall (Upper Floor) 111 NE 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97232 BEN RICE Ben Rice has been leaving huge impressions on audiences around the Northwest and winning awards for his vocals and guitar playing for the last seven years. In 2014 at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, he left the audience speechless with a raw emotional delivery of his version of “Key To The Highway.” On his second consecutive trip to the International Blues Challenge, he made the finals in the solo/duo category and was awarded the St. Blues Guitarist award for best guitarist. His debut on the international stage in 2014, was a landmark step forward in his career from being a regional act playing primarily around the NW to a national and international touring artist. Captivating audiences and presenting himself as someone who has a lot of depth in the various soundscapes of American music, Ben is gaining fans all over the world who love his playing, singing, songs, and stage performance. His original music blends Soul, Delta-Blues, Rockabilly, Jazz, and Funk into a Roots Stew. Influenced heavily by his parents record collection, from Al Green to Alice Cooper, Teddy Pendergrass to Marshall Tucker, at a young age Ben began investigating Blues and it’s history. Starting with B.B. King and going through the various regions and time periods, he is inspired and influenced by historical figures like Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, and Skip James to name a few. Ben spent his college years studying Jazz Guitar at the University of Oregon as well as classical music while also playing in the Celtic Folk ensemble and Mariachi group on campus. He is well versed in a lot of musical styles that all contribute to the unique sound of his originals. As a performer Ben looks to the greats for inspiration and is always striving to connect with the audience through his music and stories. He also has an interesting arsenal of guitars playing resophonic guitars and homemade cigar box guitars. More important than the visual appeal Ben has an amazing way of making these guitars sound, often bringing audiences to tears with his slide playing. Ben Rice has been a growing talent in the NW, winning awards for his singing, guitar work, writing, and performing. He is stepping into the national and international scene using the vast influences of the American music to fuel his music and performance. MANAGEMENT Please report any questions to concerns to Dennis Myers. [email protected]