By Dan Hilborn
Published May 25, 2005
One of the biggest blues bands in the world is coming to beautiful Deer Lake Park to headline the sixth annual Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival on Saturday, Aug. 13.
The Neville Brothers, who have been plying their homespun style of New Orleans rhythm and blues for more than 40 years, have confirmed that they will headline an all-star cast of internationally acclaimed bands at this year's festival.
"They are one of my favourite bands of all time," gushed Robert Kerr, executive director of the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, the official organizers of the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival.
"I've seen them play about four or five times," Kerr said. "They're such a great band, they cover the genre from soul to R and B to blues. They're all magical players with great voices.
"They're even bringing their children into the band, so it's a multi-generational thing."
And even though the band only officially came together in 1977, the Neville brothers themselves have been among the leading lights in the world of rhythm and blues for almost five decades - when Arthur Neville wrote Mardi Gras Mambo, a song that went on to become the unofficial theme music for the annual Louisiana carnival.
The band is made up of four brothers - Arthur, Charles, Aaron and Cyril - with a rotating cast of children, uncles, cousins, friends and acquaintances just to keep things interesting.
They first rose to international prominence in 1966 when Aaron Neville penned the smash R and B hit Tell It Like It Is - a song that has been remade dozens of times by artists in almost every different musical style imaginable.
News that the Neville Brothers will be coming to Burnaby put a huge smile on the face of Burnaby NOW publisher Brad Alden, who watched the band perform live in their hometown just four weeks ago.
"I've been a big fan of this band for at least 15 years," said Alden, who attended last month's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival after receiving the tickets as a birthday present from his wife.
"Having the Neville Brothers close the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is a New Orleans tradition," Alden said. "They are always one of the last acts on the last day. They're also unlike any band I've ever heard before. They're the tightest musicians, and they play an eclectic mix ranging from New Orleans soul to funk to music with a Creole and Cajun flavour.
"I will be front and centre when they play at Deer Lake," the Burnaby NOW publisher promised.
Kerr gave full credit to Coastal Jazz artistic director Ken Pickering for bringing the Neville Brothers to town, but he noted the beautiful outdoor venue of Deer Lake Park was an easy sell.
"When you describe the venue to performers, they are quite keen to see it, but the reality of the site really sinks in when they play there," Kerr said. "We've been getting some great feedback from the artists who have played Deer Lake over the past five years, and word is really starting to get out."
Other confirmed acts for this year's festival include:
- Johnny Clegg, the British-born, African fusion star who will perform the music of Juluka and Savuka, two of the biggest bands in the African fusion-pop music genre.
- Lhasa, a Montreal-born chanteuse who earned a Juno nomination for her first album, La Llorna, before disappearing to Europe where she joined the circus.
- Mem Shannon and The Membership are another group that hails from New Orleans, but with a funked-out, rock-and-roll flavour.
- The Wailin' Jennys are three of Winnipeg's best-known female singer/songwriters, who first came together two years ago for a one- time-only performance at a local record store.
Performers that will be featured on the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival second stage will be announced in the near future.
Alan Scales, event services coordinator for the Burnaby parks and cultural services division, said work on the natural outdoor amphitheatre has been ongoing ever since the first blues festival brought Robert Cray to the beautiful park setting in 2000.
"Certainly, all the work we did last year has led to us being able to bring additional concerts to the venue this year," Scales said, noting the Black Eyed Peas will perform on July 22 and Jack Johnson will be there on Aug. 14, one day after the Blues Fest.
"Last year we put in three terraces to really improve the sight lines, and we did some drainage and environmental work to help create a true bowl amphitheatre shape," Scales said.
With the addition of a hardened surface underneath the portable stage area and better east-west access across the site, Scales is confident Deer Lake Park will be able to comfortably fit 9,000 fans into the Blues Fest, making it the largest multi-use outdoor venue in the region.
"Deer Lake Park is truly unique in the region. There is no other venue that comes close to the gorgeous views and natural sightlines. There's just nothing more beautiful out there that can house this size of a show."
Tickets to the sixth annual Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival will go on sale tomorrow, May 26, through the website, www.burnabybluesfestival. com, or from Ticketmaster at 604-280- 4444.
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