JOHN ALLEN
For the Bulletin
Another evening of fine and varied music opened the 2017 – 2018 season with a large and happy audience. Don Davies was MC for the event.
Arissa Toffolo, a grade 11 student at Selkirk, accompanied herself on piano and strongly sang three tunes – Death Of A Bachelor, I Miss My Old Friends and A Million Reasons.
Next was Rod Wilson, with a beautiful guitar-like new 10 stringed wooden instrument similar to a Cittern, which he played very well. (Davies called it “a mandolin on steroids”.) First, in a Celtic traditional form, were several tunes strung together, including Ben’s Lament, a couple of jig like tunes from the 1600’s and a New South Wales one sung by The Clancy Brothers. Rod finished with a Canadian traditional song of the 1890-1930 annual migration of Maritimers to bring in the western harvest, The Prairie Harvester. “O listen to the whistle of the westbound harvest train….”
Sam Hornberger sang with depth and feeling and picked and strummed his guitar for three numbers. Quando Quando Quando (a latin rhythm), Dark River by Ron Hynes and John Denver’s This Old Guitar “Oh, what a friend to have on a cold and lonely night.”
Ashton Thebeault presented two songs for Halloween: Graveyard Near The House “We’re all going the same way down” and Carry The Fire “When all we have are rags and bones”. He finished with a very entertaining When I Get All Grown Up.
Intermission in the Gallery followed with treats and conversation and a chance to view the present lovely art exhibit. Following intermission, Don Davies requested that the audience, by applause, vote for the best of the several Halloween costume options he had in mind. Several scary faces later, it was agreed that his own was indeed the scariest!
The second act opened with another of Arne’s students. Jordan Touzin gave us three well played piano pieces, which zipped by all too quickly.
Old Spice featured a new member, singer Frankie Reekie. Grant Stewart and Bob Clarke played guitars and sang along. Struan, his banjo and harmonica have retired, at least for now, and Jack Beloin has moved. Frankie did play an instrument – a train whistle! The first tune was Sentimental Journey (Remember Les Brown and his Band of Renown?), then Crystal Gale’s I’ll Get Over You, led by Frankie in her lovely clear voice, with Grant and Bob joining in the chorus. Then Summer Wine (made famous by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood in 1967) with Bob leading the singing and Frankie on chorus and shakers. They finished with a Canadian song Biding My Time, led by Grant.
Craig Hillman was next with a tribute to Gord Downey and Bruce Cockburn. The Tragically Hip’s 38 Years Old (and never kissed a girl) was followed by Bruce Cockburn’s Child Of The Wind “I’ll be a child of the wind to the end of my days”. Then back to The Tragically Hip’s Wheat Kings “Sundown in the Paris of the prairies” (Winnipeg, believe it or not) re the case of David Milgaard. Craig finished with a comical tune “My Girl Don’t Like My Cowboy Hat.” He claimed he got away with wearing it because the wife was away!
Lennan Delaney was the last performer of the evening, energetically playing guitar, then fiddle. First was his own song This’ll Be, then Bruce Springsteen’s I’m On Fire. On the fiddle, he led off with a waltz, then the King George Medley, which is a Cape Breton fiddle set of Strathspeys and reels. (Both are dance tunes in 4/4 time, the first Scottish and the second Irish). Fast, frenetic, fantastic and fun!
The crowd went home happy and looking forward to the next Homegrown evening Saturday Dec 2.
