Joanne Broh and the Love Bandits

Eugene’s premier blues band, The Broh-Taylor Band, will make a long overdue club appearance in Portland when they come to Duff’s Garage (1635 SE 7th) on Thursday, January 12th for a 9:00 pm show. The band made quite an impression on local fans in the Cascade Blues Association’s Journey To Memphis competition this last year as they made the final four appearing at the Waterfront Blues Festival.

Led by dynamic front-person and vocalist Joanne Broh, the band is made up of stellar musicians Terry Dean Taylor on guitar, Jim Badalich on bass, drummer Dan E. Miller and Ed Gunther on sax and flute. All band members assist Joanne with vocals.

Multiple winners of the Rainy Day Blues Society’s annual Rooster Awards, with a terrific album titled Whose Shoes, the band blends funk and soul into their Texas and Chicago styled blues sound.

This is a CBA co-sponsored event, so be sure to show your membership card at the door for a $1 discount on admission. - Cascade Blues Association

By Laurie Morrisey

One of the bands that recently competed in the Journey to Memphis finals at the Waterfront was the Broh Taylor Band out of Eugene. Although they didn’t win the competition, they put up a good fight. This dynamic band is made up of: Terry Dean Taylor on guitar and vocals; Joanne Broh on vocals; Jim Badalich on bass and vocals; Ed Gunther on sax; Dan E. Miller on drums and vocals; and Walter Herleman on harmonica and vocals

Broh Taylor Band has been together since 2007 with a revolving cast of characters and players. “This final, and finest, configuration has been together since 2009,” according to Joanne Broh.

“We would like to give a love shout out to the late Mack Singleton, Greg Carter (a fine bass player in his own right. Jim took his place in the band when he moved on), Craig Richter (long time drummer with the band), and Scotty Benfield (our former harp player),” all former members of the Broh Taylor Band.

brohtaylorThe music

“Upbeat blues with some rock for spice and a splash of funk,” is how they describe their music. “We try to stay in the blues format, varying rhythms to keep it interesting. Joanne will try anything so that makes it big fun,” according to Jim.

When asked how long they’d been performing, of course you get different answers from the bandmembers:

Terry: “Gigging since I was in my 20’s, took a break from playing for awhile, then resumed playing with several different bands and realized blues was my calling by the late 80’s.”

Joanne: “I’m the late bloomer of the group professionally. Began gigging in the 80’s, then had children, raised them up, with the assistance of my fine husband, and continued with my professional career in 2000.”

Jim: “I’ve been chasing gigs since 8th grade (a long time ago, but Jim’s not talking about that). Danny and I have played in various bands together for over 30 years.”

Ed: “I’ve been playing sax since 4th grade (another long time ago).”

Danny: “I’ve played since junior high school and will cop to this being 45 years ago.”

Walter : “I’ve been performing as a harp player since 1981.”

Did you always know you wanted to perform professionally?

Terry: “I knew what I wanted to be (a professional musician) the first time I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show.”

Joanne: “I used the coffee table in my parents’ house as a stage to belt out Broadway show tunes. I dreamed of being on stage and communicating through music.”

Jim: “Performing professionally seemed like the natural progression of being a musician.”

Walter: “I actually wanted to be a veterinarian when I was young.”

Each of them has day jobs which allow them to follow their musical passion. Terry has been a master carpenter for 31 years. Joanne has been a registered nurse for 34 years. She says, “Quite a bit of my practice is with developmentally delayed children and singing can be a great communication tool with children who have limited communication skills.”

Jim says “I did my 35 years in the private sector. Family, music, and living life is my passion these days. I would not be able to do this without the support and love of my high school sweetheart and wife, Marta.” Danny is retired and says he is. “living the dream!”

Ed’s day job is as a vascular technologist, and Walter has worked for the U.S. Forest Service for the last six years.

Who has influenced your music?

Terry: “Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, Richie Blackmore.”

Joanne: “Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Humes, Bessie Smith, Duffy Bishop, Kathy Walker, Etta James, Dianne Reeves, Tracy Nelson, Memphis Minnie, Mollie O’Brien, Ann Peebles, Bonnie Raitt,,,oh, I’ll stop now…I could fill this page.”

Jim: “The Ventures, Jimmy (Nutman) Desanto and his band, Our Kind of People, was by biggest influence. Jimi Hendrix, the British Blues invasion. My friend and harp player, Walter Herleman brought my attention to blues roots music.”

Ed: “Tom Scott, John Coltrane, and Clarence Clemons.”

Danny: “James Brown, the Beatles, and Muddy Waters.”

Walter: “Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Paul Butterfield, Louis Jorden, Wynonie Harris, Charlie Musselwhite, Kim Wilson, Mark Wenner…..a cast of thousands!”

When talking about their musical training, Joanne says she had music lessons in childhood. “I also had a vocal teacher and coach, Cathleen Wilder, when I returned to the biz, who changed my singing life.”

Jim took guitar lessons and Ed minored in music in college. While Terry, Danny, and Walter were all self-taught.

If you’re looking to hear the sound of the Broh Taylor Band, check out their self produced CD Whose Shoes from 2010. They are working on their second CD and are focusing on original tunes.

“We all would like to thank the Cascade Blues Association for their friendship; the opportunity to compete in the Journey to Memphis finals (thanks to the judges, as well); the Rainy Day Blues Society of Eugene for their support and friendship; all of our families; and to the excellent musicians and humans we have met, and continue to meet, while sharing the music,” said Joanne.

For information about upcoming shows, visit the band website at www.broh-taylorblues.com. - bluesnotes

Broh-Taylor Blues have been nominated for Rainy Day Blues Society's Rooster Awards 2009 in 3 categories!!!! Best new Blues Band; Joanne Broh--Best Female Blues Vocalist; Terry Dean Taylor--Best Instrumentalist.

Known for her powerful, soulful voice and the passion of her performance, Joanne Broh is considered one of the best singers of Blues, jazz, and Motown as both a solo artist and front woman of some of the best bands around. Along with Terry Dean Taylor on guitar and a very strong and talented rhythm section backing them up, the Broh-Taylor band churns out some very powerful, soul-sounding blues. - www.experienceeugene.com

Broh-Taylor pitches themselves as “Blues with a Pulse” – a promise they deliver on as they compete in the Journey to Memphis Finals. Joanne Broh is a column of energy, matched by the enthusiasm of the band. Even if these bands don’t get to Memphis, the competition is pushing them to deliver the best performances of their careers.
“It’s all about friendship,” mentions Broh. “Sharing the music, making great connections. Supporting the music.”
Supporting the music with Broh is Ed Gunther on Sax, Danny Miller on drums, Jim Badalach on bass, Walter Herleman on harmonica and Terry Dean Taylor on Guitar.
“I was nervous,” says Taylor, the ‘Taylor’ of ‘Broh-Taylor’. “It’s the first time I’ve been on a Waterfront Blues Stage.”
“We’ve still got a lot of hard work ahead of us,” mentions Taylor. “We’re not looking past possibly being in Memphis.”

OMN is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2011 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival and to help support the Oregon Food Bank.
- Oregon Music News

"Cascade Blues Association's 2011 Journey to Memphis competition at the Blitz Ladd over the weekend of June 3rd & 4th. The top two highest scoring acts of each night advance to the finals at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival on July 4th. This year's line-up is incredible, perhaps the best ever!
The two winners from Friday night were Portland's Robbie Laws Band and Eugene's Broh-Taylor Band. All the performances this night were stellar and any one of the acts could've easily made some big-time noise in Memphis. Congrats to Robbie and Broh-Taylor."
Greg Johnson, President Cascade Blues Association
- Cascade Blues Association Blues Notes