Posted Jul 13th, 2012 Looking for an absolutely amazing Saturday Brunch? Now this is something worthy of your mom. Reggie Houston, Janice Scroggins, and Reinhardt Melz (and occasional guests) entertain for the fabulous new location from the folks that brought you Eat - eatoysterbar.com.- that oh so fine New Orleans inspired Oyster Bar in North Portland.
Located in the heart of the Pearl, The Parish - theparishpdx.com continues with the true tradition established at Eat. A raw oyster bar that boasts quality and variety and a menu of Cajun-Creole classic cuisine combined with respected musicians. New Orleans brunch all Portland-style deep in the Pearl. 11 am every Saturday. Always free. Always amazing!
Posted Mar 01st, 2012 Two Weekly gigs at two fantastic Creole/Cajun Restaurants!
TAPALAYA
Every Tuesday from 6-9pm
Join us for a free weekly gig at one of the most innovative Cajun/Creole restaurants in Portland! As the name implies, Tapalaya combines one of the world's most delicious cuisines with the small plate fare of a tapas restaurant-- meaning you can try several of their mouth watering options in one sitting. How mouth watering are Tapalaya's offerings? Read the Portland Restaurant review here, and we know we'll see you there!
There's no cover for this show and plenty of free and legal parking next door in The Whole Foods parking lot. And wait until you sample Tapalaya's fresh juice cocktails... in fact, if you show up early you'll be able to avail yourself of some of the best happy hour specials in the city.
Tapalaya is located at 28 NE 28th Avenue, just around the corner from Burnside.
EAT: An Oyster Bar
Every Sunday from 11am - 2pm
And if you know what it means to miss New Orleans, come on down to EAT: An Oyster Bar for a New Orleans-style jazz brunch. Sink your teeth into the authentic tastes of Louisiana like EAT's soft-shell crab po' boy as Reggie Houston's Box of Chocolates transports you to a French Quarter bistro jam... shoot, ain't no need to miss N'Awlins y'all, we got it right here at EAT!
Reggie, Tim Acott & Turtle Vandemarr (or sometimes Janice Scroggins subbing for Turtle) perform from 11am to 2pm. EAT is located at 3808 N. Williams, Suite 122 in Portland. For more information, call EAT at 503-281-1222, or visit their website: eatoysterbar.com.
Posted Mar 09th, 2010 Studio Recording Update
Reggie's heading to N'Awlins to finish his new CD with his absolute favorite record producer/engineer, Mark Bingham of Piety Street Recording.
Mark Bingam has produced/engineered/arranged for everyone from REM & John Scofield to New Orleans luminaries Dr. John, Kermit Ruffins & The Rebirth Brass Band... and when he's done applying his deft ears and studio voodoo to Reggie's new album, look out cause Reggie's hittin' the road to tour with some of his favorite musicians!
Stay tuned....
Posted Mar 19th, 2009 Recording Project In The Works Reggie has been hunkered down in The Secret Society Recording Studio with engineer Jordan Leff and some of the best musicians in the Northwest, including:
Janice Scroggins - who's been contributing not only her Grammy-nominated ivory-tickling, but her vast knowledge and skill in arranging as well
Stan Bock - acclaimed, Grammy-nominated Jazz Trombonist
Reinhardt Melz - who's drumming talents have been tapped by musicians like Buddy Guy and Gino Vannelli
Andre St. James - one of the Northwest's most versatile and respected bassists
Derrick Sims - on trumpet
Even Curtis Salgado lent his vocal and harmonica skills on a couple of tunes!
And of course the recording sessions wouldn't have been nearly as juicy without the generous catering provided by Wayne Cannon of Cannon's Rib Express (where you can catch a free show with Reggie every Sunday evening from June through September)!
Posted Oct 19th, 2008 Reggie Saxogram: The Perfect Valentine's Day Gift!
Impress your loved one this Valentine's Day with a Reggie Saxogram! Imagine the look on your sweetie's face when legendary New Orleans saxophonist Reggie Houston arrives at your home, or candle-lit restaurant dinner, with either a rose or chocolates in hand and serenades you with your own private concert!
Posted Jun 02nd, 2008 Introducing Reggie Houston and The Manimals! Reggie is more excited about this project than he was when Fats Domino offered him a chair in his band-- more excited about working with this hip young act than he was to play on stage with Ray Charles, the man whose sax playing inspired Reggie to take up the instrument when he was a kid-- and that's the truth. It's all we can do not to unleash it on you right now... but we're saving the official debut for Saturday, July 5th at The Waterfront Blues Festival! So start getting in shape now cause you ain't never shook your booty as hard as Reggie Houston and The Manimals gonna shake it! When they take the stage it's gonna be a nonstop onslaught of soul-quaking, hip-shaking, can I get a hell yeah funk and hip hop... that's right, I said hip hop! Don't believe me? Just click on play below to see what The Manimals are capable of all on their own!
Posted May 18th, 2008 Saxophone, Sunshine & Barbecue Every Sunday this Summer!
Posted Apr 18th, 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2008!
Yes indeed! It's that time of year of again and Reggie has 3 very special gigs during this year's
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!
Saturday, May 3rd
Reggie will be performing with The Charmaine Neville Band from 12:50pm to 1:50pm on the Jazz Fest's Gentilly Stage.
Sunday, May 4th
For a real down-home taste of New Orleans, stop by Bullet's Sports Bar, located at 2441 AP Tureaud St. in New Orleans, to hear Reggie play with some of The Big Easy's finest: Amasa Miller on keys, Charmaine Neville Band drummer Gerald French and bassist Jessie Boyd will join Reggie along with Portland's own Peter Dammann on guitar... and being that it's New Orleans during jazzfest, you just never know what special guests might turn up to jam! The band will play from 7-10pm.
Monday, May 5th
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at New Orleans' premiere jazz club, Snug Harbor with The Charmaine Neville Band featuring Reggie Houston! Snug Harbor is located at 626 Frenchman St. For more info, call the club at 504.949.0656.
Posted Nov 04th, 2007 Reggie wins a Muddy Award and is inducted into CBA Hall of Fame
Each year The Cascade Blues Association honors those artists recognized for outstanding achievements over the past year with the presentation of the highly coveted Muddy Awards — named in memory of Muddy Waters. With special emphasis given to the local blues scene, artists, events and venues are nominated and then voted upon by the CBA membership, placing the selection of winners completely in the hands of local fans. This year, the CBA chose to honor Reggie with a Muddy in the horn category, and because it was his third consecutive win in that category, Reggie was also inducted into the CBA Hall of Fame.
Posted May 14th, 2007 Reggie Houston and The Ray Charles Tribute Big Band backed by The Oregon Symphony! The Ray Charles Tribute Big Band will be kicking off the 2007-08 Oregon Symphony Pops Season with a three night run on October 6, 7, and 8, 2007!
The Ray Charles Tribute Big Band was initially formed for one performance at the 2005 Waterfront Blues Festival. However, the show was such a success that the band was awarded a Muddy Award for "best performance" and has been called upon for subsequent engagements. Pulled together by saxophonist Patrick Lamb and trumpeter Thara Memory, the band uses as its model, 'O Genio – Live in Brazil', a recently discovered film of a Ray Charles concert and rehearsal televised in Sao Paolo in 1963 when Ray, then 33 years old, was in his prime and at the top of his game.
Posted Nov 25th, 2006 Instruments A-Comin': Seattle Joins Forces with the Tipitina's Foundation to Help New Orleans Music Students What began as a club gig for Charmaine Neville and Reggie Houston's Crescent City Connection at The Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattle on December 8th, has quickly turned into a full-fledged fundraiser for the Tipitina's Foundation.
Every year during The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival week, the famed Tipitina's Uptown club in New Orleans holds a huge benefit for the Tipitina's Foundation. The money goes to buy band instruments for school kids and other New Orleans musicians in need. Post-Katrina, the need has been overwhelming. So when Seattle musician, and accredited Jazz Fest photographer Jef Jaisun learned that Charmaine Neville, Reggie Houston and Amasa Miller were scheduled to perform in Seattle on Dec. 8, he made a few phone calls to several well-placed individuals, including Bill Taylor, Executive Director of the Tipitina's Foundation, and the result is that this show has become an officially sanctioned Instruments A Comin' gig, the first to ever occur outside the confines of Tipitina's.
With less than four weeks to plan, Jef managed to secure a number of co-sponsors. They include Seattle Piano Gallery, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Lee Oskar Harmonicas and more. Lee is donating, among other things, harmonicas signed by Dan Ackroyd and Charlie Musselwhite. Numerous goods and services have been donated by other area night clubs, restaurants and hotels, like a museum quality print of Diane Russell's painting of Reggie Houston entitled "Katrina Blues". We'll be having a live auction and raffles all night long.
Along with your much-appreciated cash donations, we're hoping for a carload of donated instruments. Old band instruments in whatever condition will be accepted, because we have people in New Orleans who will repair them and make them playable again. If you've got a flute or a sax or pair of drumsticks or anything that can be considered a musical instrument, and it's just sitting in the closet or under the bed, please consider donating it to the cause.
Doors open at 4:00pm. Show time is 8:30pm, but we recommend arriving early for a good seat. We're anticipating a sell-out. The Highway 99 has recently revamped their menu to include some tasty and traditional Louisiana fare, which means you can have dinner there, too. If you haven't been to the 99 yet you're missing a very cool club. It's located at 1414 Alaskan Way, across from the Seattle Aquarium.
If you're unable to attend the Dec. 8 Highway 99 performance but would like to help the Tipitina's Foundation, visit their website www.tipitinasfoundation.org where you can make a donation online, or learn about their efforts and how you can help.
Posted Nov 13th, 2006 Katrina Blues Diane Russell's remarkably moving portrait of Reggie Houston (pictured at left) was inspired by a photograph she took at Portland's Blues For Katrina benefit in 2005. Reggie was accompanying Tom D’Antoni’s reading of his essay titled “Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans.” When Reggie, overcome by emotion halfway through the reading, began to cry, Diane caught the powerful moment on film and later translated it beautifully to canvas.
Click here to read Reggie's moving account of his experience during Hurricane Katrina, and what this painting means to him.
The painting will be on display during The Portland Art Museum's Dec. 6th After Hours Concert which features Charmaine Neville, Reggie, Amasa Miller, Peter Dammann, Reinhardt Melz and Damian Erskine. Click here for more information on this show.
Diane is also graciously donating proceeds from the sales of her museum quality prints of the painting (which retail for $150-$300) to those whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
We'll be taking one of the prints to The Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattle on December 8th, where Charmaine, Reggie, Amasa and the band have teamed up with Highway 99, the Tipitina's Foundation, photographer & musician Jeff Jaisun and others in Seattle to help raise money to bring much needed instruments to the youth of New Orleans.
Posted Jun 29th, 2006 Waterfront Blues Festival!
Reggie's really excited to be part of this year's Waterfront Blues Festival... and not only because it's a great way to help The Oregon Food Bank, or because he'll be performing 4 separate gigs! Because this year's festival celebrates the music of New Orleans and The Gulf Coast, lots of Reggie's hometown friends and folks he's been playing music with for years are here for the festival. Folks like world renowned percussionist Ken "Afro" Williams, who flew in not only to perform with Dr. John, but also to give a presentation for Mercy Corps, with whom he's been working since Katrina. Even though Ken (or "Fro" as Reggie calls him) lost his home to the flood last year, he's been working tirelessly and selflessly, leading Mercy Corps' campaign to preserve New Orleans cultural heritage and reinvigorate New Orleans matchless spirit through music. Click here to learn more about Fro's efforts!
July 1, 10:15pm - 1:15am - Midnight Mambo Cruise with Reggie Houston's Crescent City Connection on The Portland Spirit
July 3, 9-10:15pm - Blues Forum Playshop with Reggie's Box of Chocolates
And New Orleans Soul Queen, Irma Thomas, who's playing the fest on July 4th at 8:45pm, also happens to be Godmother to Reggie's youngest daughter who's also flying in from New Orleans... so not only is it going to be one grand festival, but it's going to be one grand family reunion as well!
See you at the waterfront!
Posted May 24th, 2006 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival through the eyes of a friend
Many of you know Reggie's friend, Tom D'Antoni, from his 6 years of producing and reporting for OPB's Oregon Art Beat. An accomplished writer as well, Tom always seems to capture any scene he's describing with just the right words.
"Bittersweet" was how Reggie described his first trip back to New Orleans since he moved to Portland nearly 2 years ago. And Tom D'Antoni captured that reality so well in his blog about his trip to Jazz Fest, that we wanted to direct your attention to it. So click here to read Tom's poignant observations about the first post-Katrina Jazz Fest.
And stay tuned, because later this month we'll be posting lots of photos that Reggie took while in New Orleans for Jazz Fest, along with some of Reggie's Jazz Fest stories!
Posted Feb 12th, 2006 Reggie Reunites with Fats Domino and Charmaine Neville at the 2006 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!!!
Reggie will be performing with The Charmaine Neville Band on the first day of Jazz Fest, and reuniting with The Fats Domino Band on the closing day of the fest... and being that the fest begins April 28th and ends May 8th... there's plenty of time for Reggie and his horns to make other appearances, so check Reggie's Calendar for details, because he keeps on adding more gigs!
Jazz Fest Producer/Director Quint Davis said, “We’re dedicating this year’s Festival to the people of New Orleans and inviting everybody who cares about this city to come to Jazz Fest and play a meaningful role in bringing back the city’s culture, which is the soul of America. Jazz Fest 2006 will be a homecoming party for thousands of New Orleans musicians, Festival chefs and craftspeople, and we want the world to join us in welcoming them back as we present the celebration of a lifetime.”
Posted Jan 07th, 2006 Reggie featured on Live Wire Radio Compilation CD Live Wire Radio has released their first Compilation CD, Live Wire! Live - Vol. 1 featuring the best musical performances from their first year of podcasting their live vaudevillian show. It's a wonderful collection of music, and Reggie's "Mood Indigo" is in good company with:
Posted Dec 19th, 2005 Positively Entertainment Thanks to Kurt Johnson of Positively Entertainment, for writing such a sweet article on Reggie in December's issue!
Positively Entertainment is a great resource for discovering the best in Portland entertainment and dining (two of the things closest to the heart of anyone born & raised in New Orleans!).
Posted Nov 03rd, 2005 REGGIE WINS TWO MUDDY AWARDS!
Each year The Cascade Blues Association honors those artists recognized for outstanding achievements over the past year with the presentation of the highly coveted Muddy Awards — named in memory of Muddy Waters. With special emphasis given to the local blues scene, artists, events and venues are nominated and then voted upon by the CBA membership, placing the selection of winners completely in the hands of local fans. This year, the CBA chose to honor Reggie with two of those awards, one in the horn category, and one in the performance category for his contribution to the Ray Charles Tribute Big Band performance.
Since moving to Portland little more than a year ago, Reggie has felt truly embraced by the local community-- and he is proud to receive these two awards that symbolize all the love, respect and support he's received from his adoptive home town!
Posted Sep 26th, 2005 Blues For Katrina Wrap Up
Blues For Katrina was a remarkable event-- Not only did it raise $110,000.00 for the hurricane relief effort, but it raised spirits and renewed hope.
Late in the festival, most of the musicians were on stage for The Ray Charles Tribute Big Band when Reggie was able to slip away for a moment.
Backstage, a woman called to Reggie. Her name was Faye, and like many of the musicians up on that stage, she had recently lost everything to Katrina.
"I thought the spirit of New Orleans had washed away in the flood," she said. "But it's right here in Portland, it's in the people."
Reggie ushered Faye backstage with a hug and whisked her off to meet Charmaine where Faye went on to describe how downhearted she had felt until she came down to the waterfront and felt that spirit. Faye explained that when she saw that a real connection had formed between the people of New Orleans and the people of Portland, she felt so hopeful for the first time since the tragedy.
And you really could feel that spirit rise, buoyed up by the strength of community support, and the uplifting and healing power of the music. And for that Reggie gives a heartfelt thanks to everyone who came together and donated their time, money, resources and talent to manifest such a beautiful and successful benefit.
Reggie extends his love and gratitude to:
The City of Portland for donating Waterfront Park for the event.
All the vendors who donated 100% of their profits to the cause
All of the corporate sponsors whose financial support made it possible to donate 100% of festival proceeds to the relief effort.
The people of Portland who came out and gave so generously of their money ($110,000 from 5,000 people!) and of their spirit!
The local musicians for embracing the spirit of New Orleans, and for donating their time and talent.
The New Orleans musicians: Charmaine Neville, Lance Ellis, Devin Phillips, Gerry "Flipper" Meldrum, and Chuck Barber who lost so much in the hurricane, yet came together to give their strength and support to the other victims.
And Reggie would also like to thank his adoptive community-- his Portland blues family, his Laurelthirst family, his Candlelight and Pshaw family, and all of his new friends who have made Portland feel like home.
another fine design by
corporate big, copyright 2005
Now this is something worthy of your mom. Reggie Houston, Janice Scroggins, and Reinhardt Melz (and occasional guests) entertain for the fabulous new location from the folks that brought you 
Impress your loved one this Valentine's Day with a Reggie Saxogram! Imagine the look on your sweetie's face when legendary New Orleans saxophonist Reggie Houston arrives at your home, or candle-lit restaurant dinner, with either a rose or chocolates in hand and serenades you with your own private concert!
Yes indeed! It's that time of year of again and Reggie has 3 very special gigs during this year's
Each year 
Many of you know Reggie's friend, Tom D'Antoni, from his 6 years of producing and reporting for OPB's Oregon Art Beat. An accomplished writer as well, Tom always seems to capture any scene he's describing with just the right words.
Reggie will be performing with 
