I
moseyed downtown to The Discovery Bar this past Saturday night
to take in a set of The Canadian Blues All-Stars. I arrived just
in time for quick introductions before the jam began.
These
guys were having fun tonight. Each of the three front men, Dave
Hoerl on harp, Pete Turland on upright bass and Brandon Isaak
on guitar took turns singing and choosing songs. They picked them
from all eras and areas of blues history. From Chicago to Texas
and around to rockabilly, from the 1940’s to modern originals
they covered a lot of stylistic ground.
Hoerl
was working his harp into such a honking frenzy during one solo
I thought my back fillings were going to melt. How anyone can
manipulate such a strange little instrument to make such sound
is well beyond my understanding of the laws of physics.
Isaak
was definitely having a good time with some interesting and exploratory
solo work. Turland an image of strength behind his instrument
slipped easily into various bass styles the all the while holding
down the backbeat with drummer Ed White.
After
we left The Discovery Bar we walked on down the road to The Town
and Mountain Hotel to check out the Swamp Donkeys. Outside Lizards
we encountered a line-up and upon enquiry found some sort of pageant
that involved men and dresses was in progress. While I have no
problem with this sort of behaviour at the best of times, I felt
my mood demanded a less jarring venue at that particular moment.
We
ended up at Mama’s Pub in the T & M for coffee and a
quiet end of evening with The Lilting Banshees. They were just
the tonic to take the edge off the evening and dip into some conversation
with friends. The Banshees are a great local Irish combo of guitar,
pennywhistle, fiddle and bodhrán. I admit I’m not
an aficionado of Celtic music but these guys can certainly “get
jiggy wit it”.
Upstairs
at the Yukon Inns’, Saddle Saloon, Cowboy Buck was playing
songs of country love shucking and jiving with a real good bass
accompaniment, while down stairs in the Boiler Room, B J MacLean
was holding down the open stage.
I stayed for a few songs before I left, an open stage being that
sort of informal setting. MacLean was asking for volunteers to
come up and perform, though none answered the call.
This caught me as strange because here in Whitehorse we have ample
opportunity through various venues for the public to exercise
it’s raw talent of any ability to a mostly appreciative
audience. Who’s to say who is a genius and who is only amusing?
You have nothing to lose but your pride.
After some reflection, the idea of men in dresses in The Yukon
shouldn’t seem so queer after the long winters we have.
One would tend to come out of the cabin as it were… Oh,
I’ve just been informed this was merely a run up to Rendezvous…
never mind. Bill
Polonsky
strangethingsdone@hotmail.com