FREEPORT CABARET APRIL 11, 2009THE ONE AND ONLY LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE
January 24-31, 2009..
New Years Eve 2009 - Happy New Year!!"Thanks so much again. I hope you all had fun and were treat well. I can’t say enough how awesome you were! You made it a special night for all. It was definitely one of the greatest days in the short life of the Frog and Turtle. Thank Don, Chris and Jack too. It is such a wonderful band to see play. The sound was perfect and we appreciate you professionalism with every detail. Thanks for Walk away, it been a favorite for a long time. Perfect for your band."Thanks again, God Bless and Happy New Year!!James, Heidi and staff at The Frog & Turtle. www.thefrogandturtle.com
Rehearsal - Keeping It Simple THE BLUES WON'T WAIT CD IS HERE!See us at one of our shows or call 1-888-387-8273 to order or:CLICK TO ORDER CD ONLINE
This is a secure website!!
THE CD IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT BULLMOOSE MUSIC IN PORTLAND, SCARBOROUGH AND NORTH WINDHAM, MAINE www.bullmoose.com for directions
The Blues Won't Wait (Baker)
Bakin' The Blues (Baker)
Baby What You Want Me To Do (Reed)
Cry Myself To Sleep (Bailey)
Treat Me Right (Baker)
What Good Can Drinkin' Do (Joplin)
I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water (Miller)
Hold My Heart (Baker)
Don't Be Wasting My Time (Baker)
My Country Man (Kirkland/Wyche)
Hootchie Cootchie Woman (Dixon)
He May Be Your Man (Humes)
Take Out Some Insurance (Singleton/Hall)
CD Review - Phil Whipple, Maine Blues Society - October 2008The latest recording from Portland's undisputed "Queen of the Blues" features 13 tracks of pure blues heaven. We open up with the title track "The Blues Won't Wait," a Baker original that rolls along nicely as she sings about goin' out for a good time. Track 2 is also the title of her last CD, "Bakin' The Blues," a song that could easily be my mantra for life. I think we all feel at some point that we've "paid our dues," but Baker has us all covered in the blues. This version puts Pam's strong-as-ever voice in the spotlight, followed by the fabulous guitar of Steve Bailey. Don't forget the rock-solid rhythm section of Don Reed (bass) and Chris Hartogh (drums) keeping it all rolling. Among the many highlights is "Cry Myself To Sleep," written by Bailey and sung perfectly by Baker. Steve's guitar work here is world-class, this is the kind of song that sticks in your head for days.Other highlights include "Treat Me Right," where Steve sounds a lot like Duke Robillard; and "Don't Be Wasting My Time," the last Baker original with the often-heard message we men hear from women. It's yet another solid tune on an album full of foot-tapping, boogie-in-your-chair music.I'm excited to see this CD entered in the Blues Foundation's Best Self-Produced CD Contest, because Pam Baker & The SGs are worthy of national attention. For these highly-skilled musicians, I can see why the blues won't wait. With "The Blues Won't Wait", Pam Baker and band deliver a solid Baker's dozen original tunes and well-chosen blues classics. Maine's Queen Of The Blues retains her crown with this long overdue effort, get it while it's hot! Dave Isaac ~ Nighttime Rocker and "Blues Director" ~ WKIT Bangor, ME
"Portland's favorite daughter of the blues, Pam Baker releases her latest CD, "The Blues Won't Wait." Pam Baker & The SGs -- Steve Bailey, Chris Hartogh and Don Reed -- play original blues that's both polished and untamed. From the don't-mess-with-me "Don't be Wasting My Time" to the ballad "Hold my Heart," Baker makes it happen with her born-to-sing-the-blues voice. Blow the roof off the joint, Pam."
Aimsel Ponti, Nightnotes, Portland Press Herald, July 17, 2008
"...for a evening of fire-breathing, soulful, passionate, rockin', sometimes tender, sometimes blazing blues, the Blues Queen of Portland, better known as Pam Baker, and her band, the SGs, will recharge your soul's batteries with a night of big-time blues fronted by Baker's potent pipes and a seasoned band of cool cats...." - Aimsel Ponti, Portland Press HeraldNamed "Portland's (ME) Queen of the Blues" in 1996, Pam Baker has 24 years of professional singing behind her. She knows how to work a crowd and captivates her audience with the intensity of her performance.Her band, The SG's, provide a sound that just won't quit!!! The band has decades of collaborative musical experience which creates a great night of sonic soundwaves that makes you wanna let your hair down! Put on your dancin' shoes and then drop in on Pam Baker & The SG's!
Pam Baker & The SG's at the Frog & Turtle, January 4, 2008:Pam Baker & The SG's, Maine's perpetual blues machine, were holding court in a fairly quiet room. Their achnowledgment of this was greatly appreciated by all: their volume was right on and enjoyable, and they engaged their obviously familiar audience. These are marks of a seasoned band, and their importance cannot be understated. Despite just playing through amps, the trio of bass (Don Reed), guitar (Steve Bailey), and drums (Chris Hartogh) sounded full and served as a great support for Pam's expectedly gritty testifying.
The SG's are not a band who would describe themselves as "bluesy." The "y" waters it down too much; they play blues, period. They approached shuffles, roadhouse blues, Texas swing, and boogie feels with an impressive ease. Mixing classics from Jimmy Reed and Janis Joplin with Pam's originals like "The Blues Won't Wait" and "Don't Be Wasting My Time" kept the intimate audience hooting and hollering. -
Todd Richard of the Portland Phoenix, January 11, 2008The following was written by Ben Monaghan in 2000:
I was introduced to Pam about four years ago after a performance at Gritty McDuff's. I had stopped in with a friend for what I thought would be a quiet beer when Baker suddenly set loose a party. An experience performer, Baker captivated the audience with a powerful voice that ran the blues gambit from gospel to jump blues to soulful ballads with equal poise and feel. I saw her do it again a few years later at the Free Street Taverna. She had stopped by to check out Berklee-trained Boston band, who, given the sparse crowd, began allowing audience members a turn at the mic. What easily could have been a complete disaster turned into one hell of a show when Baker took control. Few are as comfortable on a stage as is Pam Baker. Tearing through old blues standards, she delivered a blues 101 to a class of rock'n rollers who in no time were out of their chairs and dancing. The band fed off her energy, upping the stakes with every number. It seemed things were just getting going when the lights came up and shouts of "drink up and go home" filled the place. Closing time had come to soon. -
Ben Monaghan, 2000
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