Tyler Hornby Trio at Centre 64

Posted on 2013-03-25 by Rod Wilson

The Tyler Hornby Trio at Centre 64, March 21, 2013, 7:30 pm

In the recording industry the big name Jazz labels are BlueNote (of course), Verve, Columbia , Impulse and others. Nominally these are North American labels and as such tend to reflect the jazz of North America. Outside the country and outside the box is ECM, a German label founded by producer Manfred Eicher in 1969. ECM, with a well defined musical and marketing philosophy, has to date issued more than 1200 albums spanning many idioms. The unifying “thing”, despite the multitude of projects, personalities and styles of music, for ECM is “the sound”. I can’t define it but each ECM recording has the “ECM sound”. On hearing the Tyler Hornby Trio (Tyler Hornby- drums, Piotr Lemanczyk – bass and Maciek Sikala – tenor and soprano saxes) the “ECM Sound” immediately came to mind. Described as a stripped down spacey sound with lots of room in the music for inventive improvisation. Almost by definition ECM is a European sound and it is fitting that with two polish musicians on board (Piotr and Maciek) the end product of Tyler Hornby’s collaboration is decidedly European in tone. Tyler may be from Calgary but the overall timbre of the band is from Europe. It is a step away from the usual standard jazz ensemble of bass, drums, piano and solo instruments. With only a bass to anchor the band (no chordal instruments), drums for rhythm and a solo instrument (either tenor sax or soprano sax) there is lots of room in the music and, while busy, it is not cluttered. The focus of their repertoire is mostly original material (Home Pictures, Hip Triplet, Able to Fly, Fast Fill-In Tyler, Big Mountain Bounce) a couple of standards and classic tunes, (Dave Brubeck’s In your Own Sweet Way, You Don’t Know what Love Is and John Coltrane’s classic harmonic tour de force Giant Steps) were included. You Don’t Know What love is had an interesting twist – they played it in “7’s”- I guess that means 7/8 (count 1,2 -1,2 – 1,2,3 or some variant there of). Jazz, and for that matter most music, does not belong on a concert stage. It belongs in a small intimate setting such as a club or a civilized bar. Failing that then Centre 64 is the next best thing. The sound was good, the lighting great, the setting perfect and the music superb. This was the first concert in a three concert series sponsored by the Kimberley Arts Council. Over the next couple of weeks there will be two more concerts in the series. The next one will feature Andrea Superstein and it will be at the Kimberley United Church on Tuesday March 26th, 2013 at 7pm. Oh, by the way, thanks should go to Laurel Ralston and the Kimberley Arts Council for also stepping outside the box and presenting such interesting music. Here are some more images from the evening – for a larger view click on the image.

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Live music at BJ’s Creekside Pub

Posted on 2013-03-20 by Rod Wilson

Jon Bisset hosting an Open Mic Session , Saturday March 2, 2013,7:30 pm at BJ’s Creekside Pub, Kimberley.

Dave Prinn and Friends , Saturday February 16, 2013, 7:30 pm at BJ’s Creekside Pub, Kimberley.

I hope it isn’t a well kept secret for it shouldn’t be. Since moving to the area about two years ago Shannon and Kirt Schiller have made a determine effort to provide a venue for the musicians of the area. So, for the winter months live music is on the agenda for most Saturday nights. Open Mic sessions are held on the first Saturday of each month and often on the remaining Saturdays any number of local musicians or bands can be heard doing their thing. The food is great, the venue is cosy, the atmosphere friendly and on any given performance night there can be some surprising performances. Both of the above evenings pretty well drew on the same core cadres of local musicians in what were both essentially nights of acoustic music. Jon Bisset is a well know local musician and he hosted an evening that included performances by Rod Wilson (cittern, 12 string guitar and mandolin), Beth Crawley (vocals and guitar), Dave Prinn (vocals and guitar )and Bill Renwick (blues harp, vocals and guitar). On the second Saturday evening Dave Prinn returned with some additional invited musicians that included, Paige Lennox (banjo and vocals), Heather Gemmell (vocals, guitar and dobro), Janice Nicli, (bass), Cosima Wells (vocals and guitar). Although classic folk/rock was the staple for the evening there was some fine blue grass from the ladies. The name of the all girl bluegrass band is still in flux – some suggestions included THE CONTRACTIONS or BOB (The Bells of Bluegrass) plus a few others that were bandied about throughout the evening. The venue proved to be a wonderful sonic environment for the ladies. Amplification was minimal the instruments and and the vocal harmonies came across pure and unsullied by extraneous noise. The band was solid with Heather Gemmell sounding wonderful on a borrowed vintage Regal Resophonic guitar. Dave Prinn was on top of his game with a selection of classic rock tunes that included No Souvenirs, Let it Rain, Broadway, Vincent Black Lightning, Wake Up Little Suzie, James Kellaghan’s classic Cold Missouri Waters, the folk song Springhill Mining Disaster and what must be the definitive version of Neil Young’s Old Man. When I got home I went back to the original Neil Young recording and to these ears Dave’s version is way better. Dave also threw his share of original songs into the evening’s performance with Circles and You Better Think Twice. He must have forgot his City in the Grass, another one of his fine originals. Heather Gemmell on vocals and Dobro joined Dave for Angels From Montgomery, Can’t Find My Way Home, Whiskey Lullabye, The Weight and a number of other songs. Bill Renwick (guitar, vocals and blues harp) stepped up to stage for some duets with Dave that included James Taylor’s SteamRoller Blues, Me and Bobbie McGee, On the Road Again, Ahead by a Century , Hollywood Nights and the ultimate rocking hot car song 455 Rocket. Bill stayed on stage to do some sol pieces that included Danny Boy (after all it was Saint Patrick`s Day). Now, I must say Danny Boy is one of my least favorite songs but Bill had the right vocal intonation and phrasing to breath new life into what can be an over sentimental over done song. All was forgiven when Bill breathed new life into that old war horse. The night was not only rock roll. The `BlueGrass Ladies` (Heather, Paige, Janice and Cosima) breathed some especially fine acoustic vibes into the evening with a selection that included I Have Endured, You are my Sunshine and an original tune from Cosima called Trying to get Blood from a Stone. Here are some images from both Saturday night`s of very special music.

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MISS QUINCY at the Byng

Posted on 2013-03-14 by Rod Wilson

MISS QUINCY at the Byng Roadhouse, Wednesday March 6, 2013, 8pm. Heather Gemmell and the Peaks opened for Miss Quincy.

I have an aversion to loud drummers and, for me, the drummer for Miss Quincy was too loud. As a result any review by me of Miss Quincy will lack objectivity. On the other hand Brian Noer of the The Peaks is into really, really loud music so he is right at home in reviewing Miss Quicy. To use his words – “I love hearing music that wouldn’t be out of place in a Tarantino or David Lynch film set in some sleazy, smoky bar in a small town in Mexico, with slow droning, reverb drenched guitars, a walking bass, sultry vocals and plenty of tequila shots. I thought Miss Quincy pulled off the vibe they were going for, and I bought one of their CDs. My barometer for what kind of music captures the attention of “normal” people (as opposed to opinionated musicians like me) is women and children. Once in a while, I’ll put on a CD and someone in my family will ask me who that is (it doesn’t happen too often given the heavier music that I prefer). I was playing the Miss Quincy CD in my studio the other day and my wife poked her head in and said, “Wow, I like that; who is it?” Maybe she was just happy I wasn’t playing Slayer. Never-the-less as a barometer I think it works”.

The opening act of the evening was Heather Gemmell and The Peaks (Heather – guitars and vocals , Podier Atto – drums and Brian Noer – bass) and they were at the top of their game on Wednesday night. So much so I think they upstaged the headliners (Miss Quincy). Heather’s choice of solid body guitars sounded great and the little bit of slide guitar towards the end of their set was the icing on the cake. Podier Atto abandoned his “rubber” electronic drum kit (Ferdy’s words) and made use of Miss Quincy’s acoustic set. He had the right amount of volume, sizzle and sparkle on the acoustic set and there is no doubt metal cymbals have a bit more “zing” than their electronic cousins. Brian Noer did not look as cute as the “dreaded” girl on the upright bass in Miss Quincy’s band but then again we were not there for his looks. Brian, in his own defence said “we have yet to see him in his little black dress” . Now that would be worth the price of admission.

– Rod Wilson and Brian Noer.

More images from the evening (click on the images for a larger view):

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Apre Ski at the Stemwinder

Posted on 2013-03-06 by Rod Wilson

Heather Gemmell (solo) at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill (Kimberley Ski Hill), Saturday & Sunday February 23/24th, 2013, 3-6 pm.

Hether Gemmell is well known on the local music scene for her solo work and performances with her band The Peaks. As always, it is a pleasure to hear her guitar and vocal explorations of original material and a selection of covers. She has a large set list and on Sunday she was worked through her list of favorites as well a long list of the not so familiar. Included were Heart of Gold, Driven, Angel From Montgomery, Sugar man, a very bluesy You are my Sunshine, Hotel California, Love me Do, and the outstanding one up experimental loop piece called Pawn Shop. She reached deep into the bag to pull out one of her very first originals called Slowdown. The song had a great bass line that flowed through out the tune. She continues to resist putting words to that beautiful Tapping Tune where by she explores the percussive potential of the guitar fretboard. As an instrumental it offers an interesting change of pace to her set list. Heather will be back at the Stemwinder later in the month in the continuing Apre Ski musical program at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill.

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Scott Pfeifer (solo) at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill (Kimberley Ski Hill), Saturday & Sunday February 23/24th, 2013, 3-6 pm.

Bruce Cockburn’s Lovers in a Dangerous Time always brings to my mind the marvelous Mel Gibson / Sigourney Weaver / Linda Hunt collaboration in the film The Year of Living Dangerously. Scott Pfeifer revisited The Bare Naked Ladies interpretation of Cockburn’s classic song and, for whatever reason, Scott’s great voice and interpretation took me straight into 1965 and the hot sweaty tropical world of Indonesia during the tumultuous years of President Sukarno’s repressive regime. With the snow outside on the ski hill and the temperature around freezing point that is quite a stretch of the imagination but never-the-less that’s how it worked for me. Although Scott writes his own material, on Sunday he stuck to covers such as Ahead by a Century, On My Own, Pure Narcotic, Caught by the River, Metal Airplanes, Last Dance and How to Disappear Completely (available on YouTube). Like most musicians he has “a real job”. He is an IT consultant in Calgary. He has friends here in Kimberly so it almost a sure thing that he will be back here for more performances in the future.

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60 Hertz at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill (Kimberley Ski Hill), Saturday & Sunday March 9/10th, 2013, 3-6 pm.

“The best band in the land”! There is no such thing of course but why would anybody even think that?. Maybe because 60 Hertz are so dam good. James Neve (guitar & vocals), Rob Young (lead guitar), Marty Musser (drums) and Dave Birch (bass) have played for together for more years than any of them would like to remember.

Some one once asked Vancouver Jazz Pianist Renee Rosnes how come she has done so well on the New York Jazz scene. Her answer was simple and straight forward ” I have the chops, I show up on time and I am a professional”. I guess that could be applied to 60 Hertz. In each of their little instrumental niches each band member has the chops. Added to that the superb writing skills of James Neve, the band’s attention to crafting fine arrangements plus the untold hours of rehearsals and practice and you have a band that is smooth, tight and professional. They are so good I don’t think the average audience misses the fact that the band only plays original material. In most performance environments ‘originality’ is usually a death sentence but not for this band.

The band played for a packed house on Saturday and for a sparser crowd on Sunday. Those Alberta skiers just have to hit the road early and get ready for the new work week. Those left behind had ample opportunity to kick back and enjoy some of the 60 Hertz repertoire that include Leave a Candle by the Window, Goodbye, I Will Cry for You, Desperate Train, Doors of Hope (with its nice rhythm change in the coda), Virtuality (one of my favorites), Too Old to Die Young, Don’t Get Me Wrong and Living in the Sun with some of Marty’s deft deft percussion work with mallets.

Here are some images from another rotten day in paradise (the East Kootenays).

$\\\\\\The Head Banger's cute friend$

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The Driftwood House Concert Series

Posted on 2013-02-23 by Rod Wilson

“LISTENING TO LIVE MUSIC IS SOMETHING THAT USED TO BE UBIQUITOUS IN OUR CULTURE. BEFORE RECORDED MUSIC WAS WIDESPREAD CONCERTS WERE ATTENDED, BALLS WERE HELD AND THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN EACH FAMILY WHO KNEW HOW TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT.” – Jenny Williams, blogger for Wired.

In the days before music became an “industry” that may have been the way it was, but not any more. An intimate musical event is one that most of us, but not all, no longer have the opportunity to experience. Generally speaking, musical performances are larger scaled events and music is some what confined to the concert hall or the bigger venues. The idea of a music as an intimate affair is almost, but not quite, unknown. The notable exceptions in this area are The Beannick Subscription series, The Homegrown Coffee House and Locals Coffee House series and the occasional House Concert. “House Concerts” are not new.The most notable historical example are the famous Harlem “House Rent parties” of the 1930s that were a hot bed of jazz piano. Piano giants like James P. Johnson, Lucky Roberts, and Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith would play in apartments in Harlem and the money collected went towards the owners rent. In more recent times there has been a resurgence of House Concerts. The idea is that a musician can play a concert in a private home, either for a nominal fee or donations, usually they then have a place to stay and something to eat. The owner of the house can invite interested patrons to attend for a nominal fee. Usually the performing groups are either solo acts or small groups that play acoustically or with minimal amplifications. The audience usually number less than 40. Over recent years Beth Crawley and Sharon Routley, on separate occasions, have hosted House Concerts. We can add Darin and Jen Welch to the list of music patrons willing to host House Concerts. They have just completed a winter series in their Driftwood Concert House in Kimberley. They are about to launch their Spring – March/April series that will include the following performers:

Thursday, March 28, 2013: Belle Plaine from Saskatchewan. Check her web site at Belle Plaine

Friday, April 19, 2013: David Newberry w/- The Nautical Miles from Vancouver. Check their websites at David Newberry Nautical Miles

Sunday, April 28, 2013: Christa Couture w/- Jess Hill from Vancouver. Check their websites at Chris Couture Jess Hill

There are 40 tickets per concert and at $12 they sell out fast. To reserve your ticket contact Darin at the following email address driftwoodconcerts@gmail.com

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Apre Ski with Oak Republic

Posted on 2013-02-20 by Rod Wilson

Oak Republic at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill (Kimberley Ski Hill), Saturday & Sunday February 16/17th, 2013, 3-6 pm.

OAK REPUBLIC?? Where did that name come from? As it turns out the band’s Bouzouki player Shawn Robertson is a big admirer of the great Canadian guitarist Don Ross. Don is famous for his aggressive finger style playing that has been labelled “Heavy Wood”. Considering the nature of the band’s music “Heavy Wood” would seem an appropriate name for the band but, in deference to Don, the band moved on looking for another name. “What’s a significant heavy wood. Let’s see; say what about Oak? Now that’s a step in the right direction. What’s a name for a collection of citizens? How about a Republic? By George Jay, you’ve got it. The OAK REPUBLIC is what we are.” Under that name Jay Toner (guitar, vocals), Allyson Blake (fiddle and vocals), Shawn Robertson (guitars, mandolin, vocals and Irish Bouzouki), Murph Martin (electric 5-string bass) and Paris Parisean (drums) performed at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill at the Kimberley Ski Hill on Saturday and Sunday. Their music is a mix of the old, new and not so new Irish, country, classic rock, folk and anything in between. They kicked off their Sunday set with Ewan McColl’s classic Dirty Old Town. This is a song that was given a new lease of life when the Irish Punk/Rock band The Pogues recorded it a few years back. Then it was onto some Ben Harper, U2, Johnny Cash, an original Typsy Gypsy (written by Jay and Allyson when Allie first came over from Ireland), Whiskey in the Jar (an Irish traditional song that has been given a new lease of life by a number of Heavy Metal bands in recent years). Also included where the ever popular Wagon Wheels and CCR’s Bad Moon Rising and a song that was new to me, John Lennon’s Working Class Hero.The crowd obviously showed their appreciation by dancing, an activity that was fraught with danger if you were not wearing ski boots.

Click on the above images for a larger view

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Buckman Coe at the Byng

Posted on 2013-02-16 by Rod Wilson

BUCKMAN COE at the Byng Roadhouse, Thursday February 14, 2013, 8pm. Opening with an environmental video and Heather Gemmell and the Peaks.

Well, Thursday night was a night of surprises. First of all, live music on a Thursday night in Cranbrook is enough to make one sit up and notice that the local music scene is in a state of transition. That the Byng Roadhouse would host a environmental awareness / surf movie in conjunction with live music is also little different. Heather Gemmell’s new edition of her Band ‘The Peaks” marks further growth in Heather’s musical development and the return of a well known guitar to the local fold certainly caught the original owner by surprise. Last but not least, the grove based ukelele of Buckman Coe demonstrated the pop/rock potential of an instrument usually associated with Hawaii and hula dancers. Whew! what a night.

There was time, not long past, that Santa Cruz and the San Francisco area were considered the northern outposts of the California surf scene. Not anymore. Given enough neoprene, determination and a willingness to only expose one’s eye lashes to the cold then anything is possible. If waves break on even the most cold and inhospitable shore there will be some hardy souls braving icebergs, bad tempered seals, sharks and killer wales while looking for the elusive perfect wave. Add the land risk of becoming lunch for a hungry grizzly bear then Northern BC surfing could be a hazardous past time. The video, Groundswell ( by international surfer Chris Malloy and Raincoast Conservation) was about surfing the northern coast of BC and made the additional point that this area is threatened by the proposed Enbridge pipeline.

This was the first time out of the gate for Heather’s new version of her band THE PEAKS. The new line up included Brian Noer on bass and Podier Atto on electronic drum kit. I like the electronic kit because it had that one essential ingredient missing from most rock drummers arsenal – the ability to turn down the volume. Hard rockers like the “in your face” volume and attitude of the traditional acoustic drum kit and tend to forget that the drummer is supposed to be driving the band from underneath rather than riding over the top. Heather was playing a slim bodied Ibanez electric guitar that has some local history. Dave Prinn was astonished to see a guitar that he had sold on consignment to a player in Calgary return to Cranbrook in the hands of a fellow musician. It turns out the Calgary musician ended up selling it on eBay where it was picked up by Brian Noer who in turn handed it over to Heather to put it through its paces. So the guitar has done the rounds only to end up back in its old home town where it belongs. Heather and the band stepped through original material that included Bluesville and The Heat and added some variety with the Eagles Hotel California and the Beatles Come Together. The meaning of the lyrics in Come Together completely eludes me but all is forgiven when Brian Noer launches into the classic bass line of the song. Who cares what the song is about when that singing bass line carries the whole tune.

Ukeleles and Dreadlocks? It’s either a conspiracy or a trend. For the second time in a week both have been a significant presence on the local musical scene. Last Sunday at the Stemwinder in Kimberley Shane Philip prominently featured a Ukelele in his one man band ensemble and supporting him in an off-the-cuff musical jam was the Dreadlocked Ty West. In the dance audience “Heidi” sported a massive amount of hair in dreadlocks. Now here on Thursday in the Byng we have more Ukeleles in the hands of the dreadlocked Buckman Coe and, not to be left out, Heather’s new drummer Podier Atto was also sporting a variation on the dreadlock theme. So, is it a trend or a conspiracy? Buckman has the same manager as Bocephus King, who also recently played at the Byng, so it is no surprise that they share some musical similarities. Both musicians give more than a nod to Bob Marley and it is amazing to see how audiences react to that reggae beat. Within seconds the dance floor is crowded with patrons. Because of the Ukelele thing Buckman’s music has some other world beat and Polynesian characteristics. This was most evident in the tune Malama Ka Ana. With a name like that could it be anything other than Polynesian? Also in the set list of mostly originals were Apocalypse, Stubborn Man, Devils’ in You, Rest, Paranoia and Love is Eternal, and as a matter of course, a Bob Marley inspired original Rise Up Jah People. Buckman was supported by fellow band mates Tim Parent on a massive five string electric bass and Adam Parent on drums. Adam was struggling with a ‘flu’ bug and had to take to his bed before the evening was over. Tim gave up his bass and stepped onto the drummer’s throne to keep the groove going. Here are some images from a great evening of original entertainment (click on the images to get a larger view).

I would like to thank Ferdy and Margie for the greatly improved stage back drop and lighting. The quality of the above images would not have been possible without their help.

February 21, 2013. This just in – an article by Buckman in the Huffington Post. Click on the link Huffington Post Article

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Apre Ski with Shane Philip

Posted on 2013-02-13 by Rod Wilson

Shane Philip at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill (Kimberley Ski Hill), Sunday February 10th, 2013, 3-6 pm. The opening act Ty West and Jesse Lee

Shane Philip is no stranger to Kimberley audiences. I have lost count of the number of times he has visited the area. Certainly one of his favorite locales is the Kimberley Ski Hill and once again he packed in a crowd in that was anxious to dance. For the uninitiated Shane is a one man band whose music can only be described as “grove based” . He makes full use of an array of percussion, didgeridoos and guitar to lay down the grove on his original songs and tunes and then add vocals and melody on top with harmonica, ukelele and that peculiar Weissenborn slack-key guitar. The opening act for Shane was a couple of like minded musicians. This duo of young musicians came over from Nelson to prime the audience for Shane. Ty West on guitar and vocals with Jesse Lee on upright bass played a set of mostly originals. They would only admit to playing two covers. I did recognize Bob Marley I Shot the Sheriff some where in the mix. Their solid rhythmic take on the simple guitar / bass duo really had the audience ready to dance. Here are some images from probably one of the liveliest Apre Ski session this winter.

At each session I like to get at least one shot that captures the interplay of light and performer. I call it “The Money Shot”. Here is Sunday’s money shot

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Apre Ski with Blue Crush

Posted on 2013-02-09 by Rod Wilson

Blue Crush at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill (Kimberley Ski Hill), Saturday and Sunday, 2 & 3 February 2013, 3-6 pm.

It is the Grammy Awards time of year. The time when the lunatic fringe of the entertainment industry masquerades as musicians and old timers lament the good old days of classic rock. Of course we forget that during the classic era there was as much nonsense then as there is now. Tiny Tim, Kiss, Madonna are just few that indulged in the entertainment hoopla of the day. Who can forget the spandex and mountains of hair? Time is a great filter and gives truth to the sentiment “if it is any good it will stick around”.

When I heard that BLUE CRUSH was to play at the Stemwinder I was expecting a “surfer chick” band (remember the movie Blue Crush?) so it was a pleasant surprise to be treated to an afternoon of classic rock and country by this power house trio from Trail. And, although time is a filter, good musicians like BLUE CRUSH enhance the process by stripping away the garbage and getting to the meat of the meal. This trio with Terry Alton (‘Stash) on guitar, Jason Thomas (“The Country Junkie) on bass and Jim Fike on drums do exactly that and then some. The classic stuff was all there. Dance, Dance, Dance, Listen to the Music, David Wilcox’s Riverboat Fantasy, Mark Knopfler’s Sultans of Swing, Mama Don’t Dance, Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman (oh Julia Roberts I wish you were here), Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing and Voodoo Child, Stuck in the Middle With You, and my favorite the old jazzy Mel Torme tune Coming Home Babe (Terry prefers the David Sanborn version). There is nothing new about a cover band. With every over-40 musician trying to re-live their youth they are a dime a dozen. However this trio takes it a notch above the average and most of this is due to Terry Alton’s guitar playing. This guy, who looks like a mild mannered school teacher or bank teller, literally blazes away on guitar. He has the ability, in common with of all great players, to make it look sooooo easy. All the guitar gymnastics, slide and pedal power are there in spades but he never breaks a sweat. He is one of the cleanest players I have seen in a long time. My only regret is that I would have liked to hear him explore more jazz based material. It is also unfortunate that he takes the focus away from his very capable band mates. They well deserve more than a mention. But what can I say? I’m a guitar player and that is my automatic focus. Sorry guys.

The Band will be back in the Stemwinder for the last weekend in March

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Open Mic Session at BJ’s

Posted on 2013-02-07 by Rod Wilson

Bill St.Amand hosting an Open Mic Session , Saturday February 2, 2013, 7:30 pm at BJ’s Creekside Pub, Kimberley.

It says a lot about the number and depth of talent in the area when two open mic sessions, back to back (Friday and Saturday), can attract an almost completely different crew of musicians and an audience to boot. On the first Saturday of every month during the winter BJ’s Creekside pub is the home stage for a open mic session. It was Bill St. Amand’s turn to be the host and it must be remembered that this commitment requires a significant amount of time and energy to haul equipment and round up potential performers. Bill always manages to put together an interesting line-up. He was first out of the gate a selection of his unique blend of chord/melody guitar work and some familiar, but not too familiar, songs and tunes. For original material that is starting to become well known by local audiences it is pretty hard to overlook the work of Tim Ross and the able bass player Ferdy Belland, from the band The Bison Brothers. Since Ferdy got back to town this collaboration of musicians is getting smoother, tighter and so polished in performance that they almost shimmer with good vibes. Tim stepped through his originals Work Time, The Lucky Star, My Sister’s Friends, My Baby Won’t ride in My Truck No More, Fish God and added in a few covers that included That’s All Right Mama, Lola (of Kinks fame) and the classic Pancho and Lefty. Daze of Grace (Sharon and Jubal Routley) along with yours truly Rod Wilson, on Irish Whistle and Percussion performed Dougie Maclean’s Ready for the Storm and Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower. BJ’s mellow ambience prompted me to haul out an acoustic 12-string guitar. This instrument does not have a pickup and an attentive audience is always helpful when performing live. I have had the instrument for a couple of years but I rarely play it in public.For this wonderful venue and audience I played a medley of two instrumentals, Paxton’s Parody ( a rip-off of a popular Tom Paxton song) an an original tune called Tomorrow is a Better Day (always the optimist). The only other piece I performed was a ballad from the Aussie Rock band REDGUM. The song The Dusty Diamentina was written some 20 odd years ago and has managed to slip into the traditional folk music realm. With its classic line “the rain never falls on the Dusty Diamentina” the song had a touch of unintended irony. This week on the news the Diamentina river is in flood as torrential cyclone weather drenches north eastern Queensland. Other performers during the evening included solo performers Garry Jacklin, Bill Renwick (with a little blues harp) and the duo The Quimby’s (Ferdy Belland and Erin Dalton). Ferdy was everybody’s favorite bass player by joining a number of performers on stage throughout the evening. Once again BJ’s proved it is the venue of choice for discerning musicians and audiences.