At Talley's
Klobas &
Hines combine talents
by Patrice Raplee
Cool jade-colored walls adorned with photographs of mountain scenes
and waterfalls set the backdrop for musicians Tom Klobas and Bob Hines.
Clad in white T-shirts and blue jeans, Klobas and Hines, together with
guest performer Ken Fisher, sit quietly tuning up for an evening performance
at Talley's Neighborhood Grill.
Talley's, located at 11525 S.E. Durham Road in Tigard, is especially
suited to a warm summer's evening listening to mellow blues and soft
rock tunes from the '70s. Klobas on bass and Hines on acoustic guitar,
have spent the last ten years performing together (and jokingly add
they are now in counseling for it). Both musicians have played in various
bands over their careers and continue to evolve their musical styles.
While most of the tunes played by Klobas and Hines are the blues, 30
percent of the material they play is original.
A widely varied set list is important in the club circuit; Klobas and
Hines boast a list of over 400 songs that they share between them. From
Bob Dylan to Bruce Cockburn and the Beatles, Klobas and Hines deliver
a consistently good standard of crisp riffs and solid bass playing.
The group's volume level is also kept fairly low enabling the listener
to carry on a conversation without screaming over the music.
During the first set, the duo's bass and guitar seemed to dance together
with just the right touch of "Baby-don't-treat-me-right" kind
of blues that kept the audience humming. Flickering candlelight, accompanied
by a fresh breeze blowing through the lounge, inspired one couple to
get up and slow dance to James Taylor's I'm a Steamroller Baby.
As the night progressed, so did the style of music performed by Klobas
and Hines. Shifting from rock and blues, Hines gleefully sang an original
tune entitled Y2K, a cheerful-fatalist song that is folk-infused
with humor. Many of the pair's original songs are laced with clever
and humorous observations to which you can relate. There is no doubt
that Hines' original songs go over just as well, if not better than
the regular copy tunes with the audience.
Both Klobas and Hines can attribute their playing ability to the years
spent performing in various bands. Klobas claims his discipline resulted
from a gig with an old keyboard player on a cruise ship. The narrow
confines of the ship, coupled with the keyboard player's harsh determination
that Klobas quickly learn every standard that he knew, kept his attention
focused. Klobas states, "If you can play on a cruise ship circuit,
you can play anywhere."
Hines spent many years performing in a duo called Side Steppin' with
Portland musician Bruce Fife. The list of musicians that Klobas and
Hines have performed with is too numerous to mention; however, it clearly
accounts for their ability to play different styles of music equally
well. Branching out from their semi-acoustic evenings at Talley's, the
duo is in another band called Nobody's Business. This incarnation adds
Portland veteran drummer Larry Bard to the mix, as well as a much harder
edge to the music. Professing to be serious "Dead Heads,"
Klobas comments that the entire evening can be spent playing nothing
but Grateful Dead tunes.
While Talley's may not be the only venue to hear Klobas and Hines,
the restaurant and lounge is certainly worth a visit. Talley's lounge
accommodates many different tastes, from a sports corner to outdoor
seating and micro brews to mixed drinks. The food selection is moderately
priced with a few twists thrown in that will make you look twice and
salivate. For more information on Talley's, check ad this issue.
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