Northwestern All-Stars
The Northwestern All-Stars. From L-R :: Jimi Bott, Jason ‘JT’ Thomas, Ben Rice, Terrie Odabi, Lisa Mann, and Louis Pain. Photo by Rapha El.
An electrifying tribute to legendary women in Blues music, recorded live for the Groove Now concert series in Basel Switzerland.
Blues Music Award winning bassist/vocalist Lisa Mann leads an All-Star band from the Pacific NW, with acclaimed drummer Jimi Bott, fiery guitarists Ben Rice & Jason JT Thomas, and B3 master Louis “King Louie” Pain, joined by Oakland’s own Blues goddess Terrie Odabi.
Since 2010, Patrick Kaiser has hand-selected premier Blues artists to perform at the world renown Groove Now concert series, held in Basel, Switzerland. He invited two-time Blues Music Award (BMA) winning bassist/ vocalist Lisa Mann and legendary BMA winning drummer Jimi Bott to put together a Pacific Northwest supergroup to perform in the 2023 series. Two brilliant guitarists with distinct musical voices, Ben Rice and Jason “JT” Thomas, were added to the mix, as well as Portland’s own “Boss of the B3”, organist Louis “King Louie” Pain. With the stellar team assembled, Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All-Stars was born.
Patrick asked for a tribute to the great women of Blues music to be among the three nights of shows booked at historic music hall Atlantis Basel. Hence, another voice would need to be added- a voice that represented the depth and history of the art form. When Lisa shared videos of Oakland-based Terrie Odabi, he fell in love with her authentic, unforgettable voice. With the multiple BMA-nominated, internationally acclaimed Odabi on board, the magic formula was complete.
The resulting live album presented here was painstakingly mixed by drummer Jimi Bott at his studio, Roseleaf Recording. He expertly navigated the perils of a live environment, while retaining the raw energy of these spectacular performances.
The album begins with Odabi’s a cappella “Wade in the Water,” a meaningful sermon about the origin of Blues music. It then launches into the Etta James classic “I Sing the Blues,” also delivered by Odabi, and featuring the gritty power of guitarists Rice and Thomas. Then Mann does an uncanny rendition of Dinah Washington’s take on “I Don’t Hurt Anymore,” featuring the masterful “King Louie” Pain on organ. The rest of the album features songs originally sung by Mavis Staples, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Koko Taylor, Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James and Big Maybelle. The entire album is undergirded with the undeniable strength of Jimi Bott on drums, bringing his 40 years of experience playing with artists such as Rod Piazza, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and The Proven Ones. Lisa Mann’s multiple award garnering bass playing rumbles throughout, seamlessly blending with Bott’s commanding style.
The final participant in this live adventure is the audience itself, engaging with an excitedness atypical of audiences on the Continent. The Great Women in Blues encapsulates this excitement and makes it available to listeners worldwide on May 23rd, 2025.
…a few photos from the live show by Nicolas Frey
TIP JAR!
