Thursday, July 3, 2008

Fest line-up "All killer, no filler"

By Dan Hilborn
Published June 22, 2005


They may call it the second stage, but it'll be a'hopping and a'bopping as much as the main event.

The Coastal Jazz and Blues Society has confirmed the names of the three bands that will grace the Gateway Casino stage at the Aug. 13 Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival - Texas saxophonist Joe Houston, Nova Scotian slide guitar wizard John Campbelljohn and Vancouver's busiest R&B band, Brickhouse.

Houston's name may be unfamiliar to some, but his soulful saxophone playing is definitely not. This veteran has been touring for five decades with the likes of Ray Charles, Nat King Cole and John Coltrane.

"Since the 1940s, Joe Houston has been an historic R&B persona - a Southern player with a real soulfulness," said John Orysik of Coastal Jazz. "He covers everything from early rock to the classic crooners."

Campbelljohn, winner of the 2000 Canadian blues slide guitarist of the year award, was raised in the lively kitchen party culture of Cape Breton but found his inspiration in the guitar playing of B.B. King, Duane Allman and Mississippi Fred McDowell.

On a whirlwind tour of the world since last year, Campbelljohn has been through Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and Germany, where he recorded a new live album, The World is Crazy.

Some real local flavour will be added by Brickhouse, a mainstay of The Yale pub for a dozen years and the steadiest regular gig for many of the luminaries of Vancouver's blues scene. Fronted by vocalist Bob Bracken, Brickhouse features guitarist Tim Porter, drummer Darrell Mayes, bass Ray Keesh, saxophonist Oldrich Zitek and Darryl Havers on keyboards.

Add mainstage performers the Neville Brothers, Johnny Clegg, Lhasa, Mem Shannon and the Wailin' Jennys, and Orysik is confident that the 2005 Burnaby Blues and Roots Fest has the strongest lineup since the event started.

"This lineup is all killer, no filler. It's the top rung of the music world."

No comments: