This past September saw the 9th Annual Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival take place. And once again, it was a roaring success . . . seems to just keep getting better and better. Since the second year, I have been volunteering for the Festival, in one capacity or another. . . helping Pete Stafford with the programs, working security at the Blues Tent, serving pizza at the Kid's Show and last year setting up and tearing down the Boyce Market. And in between that, taking in as many of the shows as I could and enjoying every moment of it. This year I was asked to host the Chris Whiteley Band, a swing/jump blues band from Toronto. Since this was my first time hosting, I was more than a little nervous as I waited for them at the airport on Thursday morning. What would they be like? Pompous asses? Or what if they hated me? Yikes! Well, I needn't have worried. Immediately upon introducing myself to them, I knew they were sweethearts. Thus began a tiring-but-more-fun-than-a-body-can-stand weekend.




The Chris Whiteley Band is comprised of Chris Whiteley on trumpet, guitar and harmonica, as well as vocals and is easily one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure to meet. On alto sax is John Deeham, an Irishman from Derry, who has kissed the blarney stone more than once in his life. On keyboards is John Sheard, a man with a very punny sense of humour. Victor Bateman on bass, the quietest member of the band but it is plain to see there is trouble lurking behind that benign smile. And last, but by no means least, is Bucky Berger on drums, an adventurer and traveller like me. He introduced me to Thai food and (in his words) a poor example of sushi and we had great talks of our travels.

Together, these five guys surely do know how to make music. At times one is whisked back to the days of smokey jazz clubs of New Orleans and at others to the big dance halls of the forties and fifties listening to the big bands play to the jitterbugging audience.




The guys' first show was at the Boyce Farmers' Market on Thursday night and, immediately following, they backed up Curley Bridges for his set. My friend Juanita Atkins, an old hand at this stuff, hosted Curley, so we were kind of partnering up. Curley is an amazing man. He influenced Elvis Presley and gave a lot to the music business back in the 50's and 60's. He had semi-retired to Barrie, Ontario and just recently went back into the recording studios and blew everyone away with his incredible voice and piano stylings. With a smile that would light Manhatten, he made the Festival crowds fall in love with him.

It wasn't long before the Market was a-hoppin' and was a great start to a weekend of shows that just kept getting better and better.














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