On Thursday, Mel Brown and his B3 band will celebrate their 10-year anniversary at Jimmy Mak’s. Mak’s club was the birthplace of the band which has held a regular gig there since the club’s early days at the old location.
Since their inception, the band has recorded a number of CDs, all of which have been live performances.
Live at Jimmy Mak’s: Back when this album was made, the B3 band was a quintet, featuring Thara Memory and Renato Carranto in the horn section. Louis Pain and ex-Portlander
Dan Faehnle joined Mel in the rhythm section. This recording features some of the bands classics, including a number of covers such as “You are so Beautiful” and “What’s Goin’ On.”
Live at the Britt Festival: This record is a live recording (that the band didn’t know was being made) from the Britt Festival in Jacksonville, Oregon where the B3 band opened for George Benson (whom they dedicated one of their tunes). You can even hear Benson’s bass player cheering them on from offstage. The band on this album includes Dan Balmer on guitar, who took over Faehnle’s spot in the group. Also, Memory has left the horn section, leaving Carranto at the reins.
Smokin’ at Jimmy’s: On their most recent CD, the band is once again expanded to a quintet, this time with Curtis Craft on percussion. The album was recorded live at Jimmy Mak’s during the summer of 2006 and is just what the title says - Smokin’
Todd Strait is a fantastic drummer that spends most of his time on tour, but calls Portland his home. When he’s on the road, he’s usually playing with Karrin Allyson or Eldar Djangirov. Back in Portland, he’s a top-call player with the likes of Warren Rand, Dan Balmer, and Dan Schulte.
