Reggie Houston & the Manimals
Waterfront Blues Festival
Portland, OR.
July 5, 2008

Recorded from KBOO FM. An all volunteer radio station in Portland. FM>HD>FLAC>Dime or at times FM>H2 ZOOM>HD>FLAC>Dime. As always there are some bumps in the road, but nothing that would stop me from down loading these shows. I've tried to fix all the drops and pauses in the music. Enjoy the festival, twofthrs

When Reggie Houston and The Manimals take the stage, it's a nonstop onlslaught of soul-quaking, hip-shaking N'Awlin's-style Funk.

From his first professional gig at age 12 with The Gladiators, one of the preeminent and pioneering bands of funk, to his 22 years spent playing saxophone in Fats Domino's band, to his time on the road with Charles & Charmaine Neville, and Harry Connick Jr. in The Survivors, to his extensive recording credits with luminaries such as Peter Gabriel, Dr. John, and The Neville Brothers, New Orleans musician Reggie Houston has earned recognition as one of the country's finest saxophone players. While he's enjoyed a career that many musicians only dream about, nothing in Reggie's illustrious past has excited him more than his current work with The Manimals.

Originally formed in 2005 as a trio, The Manimals' sound wouldn't crystallize until drummer Mark Blanding, a former New Orleans resident, took singer/songwriter Travis Hanson on a trip to the source: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Watching The Soul Rebels Brass Band perform amidst the heat, sounds and excitement of the cradle of American music, Mark and Travis had an epiphany. They would do everything in their power to bring the joyous, celebratory feeling and energy of New Orleans music to the Pacific Northwest. Along with their bassist Sesh Kanury, The Manimals enlisted the help of guitarist/vocalist Mike Schaadt, and keyboardist/vocalist Brody Lowe to create the soulful funk band that they envisioned. In the Spring of 2008 The Manimals added saxophonist Beth Poore and keyboardist Chris Phillips to the lineup. And the funk was good.

The funk was so good, that miles away Reggie Houston swore he smelled the Tuesday night special of stuffed chicken breast with oyster dressing, candied yams, and string beans being served up at Mandina's on Canal Street. Following his nose all the way to the Corvallis, Oregon home of Mark Blanding, Reggie walked into Mark's shrine to New Orleans music: Mardi Gras beads hung heavy on the dining room chandelier. A framed photo of Big Chief Monk Boudreaux hung beside a large hand-drawn sign from Jazz Fest that read, "Joseph 'Zigaboo' Modeliste." The latest issue of Offbeat lay, dog-eared on the coffee table while WWOZ streamed through the stereo. It was a match made in heaven, and Reggie Houston and The Manimals were born.

Set List
{Please help} I have no idea...twofthrs