Lisa Mann's NW Blues All-Stars + Terrie Odabi in Basel, Switzerland, 6-7-23
playing at the Groove Now Blues Weeks Basel 2023 festival
King Louie & Renato Caranto's 3rd Big Island visit was a huge hit!
Renato and I with drum legend Bernard Purdie @ Jimmy Mak's, 4/16/10
This was one of 3 sold out Hawaiian gigs in our Fall 2021 Hawaiian mini-tour
With Mel Brown & Renato Caranto @ the 2019 Montavilla Jazz Festival
Flyer for 3/13/20 gig at Gertrude's Jazz Bar in Kona, Hawaii
L to R: with Matt Zaffino, Micah Kassell, & Renato on KGW t.v.'s "Tonight With Cassidy"
The trio tearing it up at the Astoria Jazz Festival on 10/26/19 We were the headlining act at the festival.
King Louie & LaRhonda Steele in Cali, Colombia, 9-27-18 This was the final performance of our 9-day, 5-city Cali Blues & Folk Festival tour
King Louie & LaRhonda Steele with Cali Blues & Folk Festival organizer Michael Cadena in Bogota, Colombia. We had the honor of performing and engaging in educational activities in 5 cities over 9 days
With Lady Gaga keyboardist Alex Smith The occasion was an organ rental for a 2017 recording session with the pop star
With Five Blind Boys of Alabama organist Matthew Hopkins The occasion was an organ rental to the gospel legends for a 2-4-18 concert in Salem, OR
With my wife & manager, Tracy Turner-Pain, @ my Oregon Music Hall of Fame induction I thanked Tracy first, foremost, and longest, because I would not have been inducted without her tireless support
L to R: David K. Mathews, Dennis Chambers, myself I got to hear and meet the great Dennis Chambers at a Victor Wooten Trio performance
King Louie & LaRhonda Steele @ the 2017 Porretta Soul Festival We performed at this prestigious Italian festival accompanied by the Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
With Yellowjackets keyboardist Russell Ferrante @ Revolution Hall, 2-19-17 Russell is an old friend from our Bay Area days
"Live at Riverhouse Jazz" was released at the end of July, 2017. It received 4 stars in Downbeat. Finally: a CD featuring my dream band (vocalists Andy Stokes, LaRhonda Steele, & Lisa Mann (doubling on bass); Peter Dammann, guitar; Edwin Coleman III, drums; Renato Caranto, sax; Danny Armstrong, trombone; and myself on B-3)
With the amazing young Brooklyn organist Cory Henry Cory loved the B-3 I provided for his 2017 WBF main stage performance, as well as the Nord C2d for the Blues Cruise
Louis & LaRhonda with Memphis soul legend Carla Thomas @ Porretta It was a thrill to meet and hang out with the wonderful Carla Thomas!
With Fred Wesley & Bernard Purdie @ Porretta I've known and played with Bernard Purdie for years, but I'd never met Fred Wesley before. Funk royalty!
LaRhonda, me, and my wife & manager Tracy Turner-Pain @ Porretta Tracy helped with all the planning & logistics of our Italian trip, as well as documenting our performances and much more
King Louie's Blues Revue at the 2017 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival The crowd was blown away by the all-star line-up, including vocalists Andy Stokes, LaRhonda Steele, & Lisa Mann!
The Paul deLay Band's recently-discovered 1997 live performance at the Notodden Blues Festival The CD created a lot of buzz, including rave reviews world-wide and a Blues Music Award nomination!
King Louie & LaRhonda Steele with Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra in Fremont, CA We had a blast playing a series of tune-up gigs with the Porretta Soul Festival's house band
At the Highway 99 Blues Club with the Lloyd Jones Struggle on 4-15-17 In addition to playing with Lloyd, LaRhonda Steele and I teamed up for a pair of set-opening mini-sets
Ty Curtis, David Kahl, & Jerry Jacques @ Winter Music Festival in Eugene, OR Playing to a packed house, 2-18-17
Crowd at the Winter Music Festival in Eugene They love them some Ty Curtis in Eugene!
L to R: Dan Faehnle, Chris Brown, Jay Collins, Dan Balmer, & me We had some very special guests sit in at JM's on Thursday, 8-15-16
Nike design legend Tinker Hatfield playing my B-3 in Netflix documentary Tinker is a Renaissance Man; I've given him some organ lessons and sold him a B-3
With Andy Stokes at our 1-30-17 gig in Lake Oswego, OR We played a stripped down (trio) gig with drummer Edwin Coleman III. Big fun!
The late Jimmy Makarounis & Sweet Baby James Benton sharing a laugh Jimmy Mak passed away on 1-1-17--just 25 hours after his historic music venue's final show. R.I.P. Jimmy!
Santa's Angels gig @ Jimmy Mak's, 12-17-16 L to R: Brian Foxworth, Teresa James, Lisa Mann, LP, LaRhonda Steele (missing: Lloyd Jones)
Soulfilled Christmas 2017, @ Unity Church, West Linn, OR The line-up of musicians for this concert included LaRhonda Steele & her daughter Sarah, plus Arietta Ward, Tyrone Hendricks, Rpb Shoemaker, Carl Falls, Norman Sylvester (not pictured) and Renato Caranto
United By Music, North American Band, in St Louis on 11-20-16 (selfie by Tracy, at left) I had the honor of performing at a series of shows in St. Louis with some musicians & vocalists who have overcome incredible obstacles in life
King Louie & LaRhonda Steele @ the 2016 Clackamas County Community Festival We've played the festival, hosted by poet Emmett Wheatfall, twice now
The King Louie & LaRhonda Steele debut CD, "Rock Me Baby," was honored as one of the "Best Albums of Unlike most other CDs honored in the issue, our album was self-produced and mainly recorded in two days!
Jeff Minniewether @ the Poor House Bistro, San Jose A highlight of my July, 2016 road trip with Lloyd Jones was getting to play with Jeff again
Vocalists Richard Arnold (hat) & Dennis Rowland (center) In July, 2016, former Count Basie vocalist Dennis Rowland sat in with the band
With drummer Edwin Coleman III & pianist James Mullen @ 2016 WBF Playing with James during our King Louie & LaRhonda Steele set was a special treat
With Christopher Colligan I had a tight connection between two of my WBF sets, but Chris made great time
With Ty Curtis @ 2016 WBF Ty was all smiles after our rocking set aboard the rocking Portland Spirit
With the lovely Tracy Pain Following my Blues Cruise set with Ty Curtis @ the 2016 WBF
Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group with guest guitarist Henry Johnson Part of the 2016 PDX Jazz Festival; 2-24-16
Louis & LaRhonda Steele on the set of KRCW t.v. We were helping promote our appearance at the 2016 Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts
The Return of the Portland All-Stars, 4-16-16 A wonderful time was had by all: 2 sold out shows, with the three star vocalists all killing it!
Jazz at Joe's curtain call, 12-26-15 Edwin Coleman, Renato Caranto, and I were all smiles following a memorable gig in Bend, OR
Jazz at Joe's, 12-26-15 My trio, featuring Renato Caranto, sax; and Edwin Coleman III, drums, really enjoyed playing for a warm Bend audience
Tracy and me with Soul legend Martha Reeves, 3-14-13--our 3rd gig together
Skype Live Studio with Ty Curtis Band, 12-22-15 I played a third time in the month of December, 2015, at this great venue. KINK fm sponsored the performance
Taping a KOIN t.v. special, "Blue Christmas," to air on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 2015 I used my Nord C2 Combo Organ with a vintage 147 Leslie Speaker
Taping KOIN t.v.'s "Blue Christmas" special--an Oregon Food Bank fundraiser--on 12-5-15 I had the honor of being Co-Musical Director of the program, which featured an all-star group of Portland musicians
Also with LaRhonda Steele and Renato Caranto in the Skype Live Studio, 11-17-15 We enjoyed playing songs from our CD, "Rock Me Baby." Video is posted at my website (along the left side)
Another hit show: "Andy Stokes Sings Love Songs," 11-7-15 @ Jimmy Mak's The band included Andy Stokes, vocals; Andy Warr, sax, Dave Iula, guitar; Leah Hinchcliff, bass; Brian Foxworth, drums
"Andy Stokes Sings Love Songs" at Jimmy Mak's, 11-7-15 The songs, learned especially for these shows, were by Peabo Bryson, Brian McKnight, Luther Vandross, Barry White, and more!
"Rock Me Baby" CD release, 9-14-15 L to R: me, LaRhonda Steele, Andy Stokes, & Edwin Coleman III
"Rock Me Baby" CD release, photo 2 LaRhonda Steele is simply amazing: a wonderfully soulful & musical artist
Esperanza Spalding with the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group, 12-31-14 Grammy-winner Esperanza Spalding sat in at our New Years gig @ Jimmy Mak's
With Esperanza Spalding @ Jimmy Mak's, 12-31-14 Esperanza is a Portland native who was mentored by Mel Brown, Thara Memory, et al
The Portland Soul All-Stars @ the 2015 Portland Classic VIP party A scaled-down version of the all-star band played the LPGA event for the 2nd year in a row
L to R: Danny Armstrong, Allan Toussaint, Jules Broussard, and me At the '15 Safeway Waterfront Festival with some wonderful musicians
Portrait by Diane Russell It was an honor to have Diane Russell create this portrait of me!
Ty Curtis Band @ Jimmy Mak's, 3-20-15 Another memorable night at Jimmy Mak's, this time with the Ty Curtis Band
Ty Curtis @ Jimmy Mak's, 3-20-15 Ty Curtis is a young artist to watch for: a triple threat as a blues guitarist, songwriter, & vocalist
Benefit for Bruce Conte @ Jimmy Mak's, 3-6-15 with Andy Stokes, vocals; Brian Foxworth, drums; Renato Caranto, sax
Bruce and I had a ball at his 3-6-15 benefit at Jimmy Mak's Bruce suffers from leukemia and diabetes, but he still plays fantastic guitar!
Barry Finnerty sits in on guitar at Bruce Conte's benefit, 3-6-15 Barry, an old Bay Area friend of Bruce and me, has recorded with many jazz legends
With the amazing Joe McBride @ Jimmy Mak's The Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group played with Joe on 2-26-15. Memorable gig!
The Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group with special guest Joe McBride The pair of sold out shows were part of the 2015 Portland Jazz Festival
The Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group @ the Oxford, 12-28-14 A pair of special Sunday shows, our Central Oregon CD release event, were oversold
Halloween 2014 gig with Trixie & the Nasties
Halloween 2014 gig with Trixie & the Nasties
From left: JD, Mel Brown, Chester Thompson, & me at Bruce Conte's benefit, 3-9-13
King Louie's Portland Blues Revue at the 2014 Jazz at the Oxford For an unprecedented third straight year, Louis' blues revue sold out its shows at JAO
Renato Caranto hit it off with Bay Area trombonist Danny Armstrong at JAO Back in the day, Louis & Danny worked together with Bay Area standouts Marvin Holmes and Jules Broussard
With Terell Stafford & Renato Caranto
With Benny Maupin at the 9-5-14 American Music Program's fundraiser @ the Winningstad Theater
The Portland Soul All-Stars' James Brown tribute, 5-3-14
The Portland Soul All-Stars' James Brown tribute, 5-3-14, 2
The Portland Soul All-Stars' James Brown tribute, 5-3-14, 3
The Portland Soul All-Stars' James Brown tribute, 5-3-14, 5
Appearing on "AM Northwest" with Hailey Niswanger, Thara Memory, and an all-star band
Recording a new, live CD, "Ticket To Ride," with the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group
Special guest Hailey Niswanger tearing it up with the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group, 4-3-13
King Louie's Portland Blues Revue sold out all three shows at the 2013 Jazz At the Oxford series
With Renato Caranto & Mel Brown @ Jimmy Mak's, 8-22-13 On this night, the B-3 wouldn't start. No worries: Nord to the rescue!
Playing with the T-Bone Walker Tribute Band @ Jimmy Mak's, 8-10-13
Playing with DK Stewart's group at the '13 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
The Mel Brown Quartet at Christos, 5-31-13. Sold out show!
Playing the Nord C2 at a Portland gig on 5-3-13
I helped organize and played at a 2-night benefit for Bruce Conte on 3-8 & 9, 2013
Chris Turner (seated) requests "Belinda" the B-3 each year for "Gospel Christmas" @ the Schnitz
The Portland Soul All-Stars' "Blue Christmas" show, 12-8-12, was another big hit!
With Lady A, Linda Hornbuckle, Amanda Gresham, & Janice Scroggins @ Love For Linda, 11-11-12
The Portland Blues Revue, featuring Curtis Salgado & LaRhonda Steele, @ Jazz At the Oxford, 10-20-12
Sharing a laugh with the great Joey deFrancesco @ Jimmy Mak's, 9-4-12
With drum legend--and good friend--Bernard "Pretty Purdie @ Jimmy Mak's, 8-18-12
Louis used his Nord C2 for two of his sets @ the 2012 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
The Etta James Tribute was a highlight of the 2012 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
Linda Hornbuckle augmented her band for Brian Grant's 3rd annual Parkinson's fundraiser
Backing Prince vocalist Liv Warfield at the Portland Soul All-Stars' 7-14-12 "Summer Soul" gig
Louis and Booker T Jones checking out "Belinda the B-3" @ the '12 WBF
The Portland Soul All-Stars' 5-18-12 Etta James tribute was a smash hit!
King Louie & Friends @ the Portland Center Stage's 2012 fundraiser's after party
The latest addition to Pain Organ Rental Service's fleet: "Cleo" the C-3!
Tracy and I checked out the prototype Nord C2-D combo organ at NAMM 2012. Nice!
With Tracy Pain and organist Larry Goldings @ NAMM '12
With organists David Mathews and Dr. Lonnie Smith at NAMM '12
My first band: Friendship ('70). I'm @ the left; Fantasy remaster engineer Joe Tarantino @ center
Young Laz Glickman sitting in with the Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group @ the Oxford Hotel, Bend, OR
Sitting in with David K. Mathews' Ray Charles Project @ Yoshi's Oakland, 1-11-12
King Louie & Friends @ the 2010 Oregon Sports Awards (photo: Sports One)
Getting to work with the legendary Martha Reeves on her Portland visits has been a real pleasure
New Years '11 @ Jimmy Maks with Soul Vaccination
With the Linda Hornbuckle Band on Studio 6, KOIN t.v.
With Soul Vaccination at an Oregon Ducks pregame event
Louis & Dave Mathews (Santana, Etta James) playing a B-3 duet @ Jimmy Mak's
With Bernard "Pretty" Purdie at an '03 NAMM showcase gig in Nashville
Hanging out with Buddy Guy organist Tony Z in mid-90's
With a band put together by Bernard Purdie (hidden), including Rob Paparozzi & Jason Taylor
Rob Paparozzi (Blues Bros, Blood Sweat & Tears) hanging out at Louis & Tracy's home
I use my Nord C2 whenever space or logistics call for it (here, backing Martha Reeves)
With noted Portland trumpeter & educator Thara Memory
The Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group @ the original Jimmy Mak's (photo: Wayne Aldridge)
Me with Sweet Baby James: buddies for life! (photo by "Sandwich Michael")
Diane Russell's painting of Jimmy Mak's musicians, staff, & customers (including Tracy Pain!)
With trombonist Danny Armstrong, my Jules Broussard bandmate
Playing "Jenny Craig" the cut-down B-3 at a recording session
Tracy Pain with blues legend B.B. King
Playing with Bernard "Pretty" Purdie on KMHD's "Homegrown Live"
With my friend the late, great Paul deLay
Playing with the Paul deLay Band (Mike Klobas, drums; John Mazzocco, bs)
Playing with legendary soul singer Solomon Burke
A Nike in-house CD from a creativity workshop the Mel group participated in
My wife Tracy and I look forward to the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival every year
Joey deFrancesco with my young student Ben Turner--holding a photo from the FIRST time they met
Vocalists just don't get more soulful & entertaining than Sweet Baby James! (photo: P. McDougal)
Check out this 1974 Marvin Holmes & Justice album cover!
@ 10-14-11 James Brown Tribute (photo by Kaylee Harrison)
The crowd at a '97 Paul deLay Band performance in Notodden, Norway
With the Motown legend Martha Reeves
With the Curtis Salgado Band on the Legendary Blues Cruise out of Tampa, FL
With the legendary Solomon Burke and his daughter after our set at the Waterfront Blues fest
In the mid- '70s, I led an SF organ group called "Common Ground."
With the late, great soul singer, Howard Tate
I kicked bass in this edition of the Paul deLay Band (w/ Kelly Dunn, Dan Fincher, & Peter Dammann)
With Hot Street, led by former Tower of Power guitarist Bruce Conte
Sitting in with Lucky Peterson @ the Waterfront Blues Fest
With my brothers, Duncan (l) and Lincoln(r). Duncan is a platinum-selling songwriter
Sweet Baby James is a one-man "Amen Corner" when you're soloing
With my old friend, Santana keyboardist David K. Mathews
Yes, there is a "Jimmy Mak"! Here, Jimmy and his wife Stephanie hang out at the '09 WFBF
With "Blue," the fine blues pianist
Playing with the late Phillip Walker's band at the Waterfront Blues Fest
Playing with Bernard "Pretty" Purdie @ the '03 Waterfront Blues Fest
My mom and stepdad (both poets). They always encouraged my music career
With the late blues piano legend, Pinetop Perkins
During Paul deLay's incarceration, the No Delay Band launched the blues career of Linda Hornbuckle
With one of my favorite organists: the amazing Chester Thompson
With Mel Brown and Joe Provost, who played drums with my older brother and with Maze
Backstage at the Britt Festival with Motown royalty: Mel Brown and the Funk Bros' Uriel Jones
Playing with the oh-so-funky Dirty Dozen Brass Band
With the Paul deLay Band at Fillmore Auditorium
The walls of Sweet Baby James' home are covered with photos, and he has a story for each one
Tracy Pain getting the tour of Sweet Baby James' place
Clowning around with Curtis Salgado
At Jimmy Mak's with Soul Vaccination and special guest Bruce Conte
With The Rhythm Masters, featuring Helen Baylor (then Helen Lowe)
With my friend, the late saxophonist Cornelius Bumpus
Paul deLay Band in Belgium, with guest drummer Tom Royer and our hosts
Playing with the legendary Phil Upchurch in '03
Upchurch and Sweet Baby James really hit it off
With Brian Auger, the great English jazz organist
With organ tech Matt Miles and the great Jimmy McGriff
Ala Carte, late '70s
With my first jazz bandleader: Jules Broussard
With my wife/manager, the lovely Tracy Pain
As funky as it gets: Bernard "Pretty" Purdie & Bruce Conte
Drummer Carlton Jackson and myself had the honor of playing with Bo Diddley
With Robben Ford, who I gigged with in Reno, NV in 2001
The Three Amigos--aka, me, JD Stubenberg, and the incredible Joey deFrancesco
At a Trailblazer community outreach gig: me, Jerome Kersey, James, Sarah Mensah, & Larry Miller
With the late Janice Scroggins at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival in the 1990's I always loved playing with the NW's late, great "Piano Lady," Janice Scroggins
The Paul deLay Band, backstage at the '93 Mt Hood Jazz Festival
with Lucky Peterson @ the '10 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival (photo: Ross Hamliton)
The Paul deLay Band logged a lot of road miles and had a lot of fun together
With Linda Hornbuckle & No Delay, 1992