As a former wilderness tour guide, Luc Janssens has taken visitors over moss covered rock and past 1,000-plus-year-old trees of the Great Bear Rainforest and Chilcotin areas on the Central-North Coastal region of B.C.
The Vernon resident, who is originally from Belgium, considers it to be a sacred place; one that must be protected. Not only is the area home of the Kermode, or “spirit” bear, it is where cougars, wolves, grizzly and black bears as well as abundant marine life, including salmon, dwell.
So when Canadian company Enbridge proposed an oil pipeline, running from the Alberta tar sands through to a marine terminal at Kitimat, B.C., Janssens said he had to voice his concern.
Also a videographer, he lined up a number of musicians and artists to help him.
The resulting project, Jamming the Pipeline, includes a recording, website, as well as a concert coming up in Vernon Friday, with proceeds going to Pacific Wild, a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protecting the B.C. coast and the area’s wildlife.
“It was on wilderness trips there that I realized that I was living in paradise,” said Janssens, who moved to B.C. in 1995.
The idea behind the Jamming the Pipeline project is to let governments and the public know what the artists feel will be the adverse consequences of the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline.
“It’s not just about the pipeline. We are concerned for the tankers and their effect on the sea life. The engines will scare the wildlife and will disrupt the whales, who communicate by sound,” said Janssens,
Although most of the artists involved in the project come from Vernon, Janssens says people, wherever they live, can make a difference if they speak up.
“I was fed up with myself and frustrated with what was happening and I thought I should stop talking and take action,” he said. “You can’t say the West Coast is too far from Vernon. People here like to eat fresh salmon — if the salmon is gone, the wildlife disappears.”
The Jamming the Pipeline recording features 12 tracks, including two songs by local artist Peter McKillop.
Janssens first heard McKillop singing and playing his guitar under a tree at the Caetani Cultural Centre during one of the centre’s art markets last July.
“He was playing the beginning of The Jamming Song, which ended up being the last song on the CD,” said Janssens. “I got in touch with him in mid-September. That’s when I got the idea to make the CD and call it Jamming the Pipeline.”
As word about the project spread, Janssens gathered more local musicians, including McKillop’s sister Jayme, whose vocals can be heard on a number of the CD’s tracks.
“It had a snowball effect. We had lots of musicians who came to my house and played their beautiful music in my living room. They made some magical moments,” said Janssens, adding some of the artists’ music was pre-recorded and some was written specifically for the CD.
Local hip hop artist Immaculate (Julian Wolansky), who recently won the B.C.-wide Hip-Hop Album of the Year at the Vancouver Island Music Awards, wrote and recorded his own song entitled Home Again.
The song is the first track on the CD, and features vocals provided by Immaculate’s mom, Laryssa Wolansky.
Immaculate’s words can be heard on some of the other songs, as can contributions from percussionists Paul Langlois and Bruce Collis, cellist Bill Boyd, violinist Ben Beveridge, sarode player Daniel Stark, flamenco guitarist Lance Carr, pianist Hannah Jukes, drummer Tom Spencer and his rainstick wielding son Coda, vocalist Megan Hunter as well as Angela Roy and Moot from the Expression World Music Collective (now named Barefoot Caravan), while Henry Piovesan engineered and mixed most of the songs at his Piano Jam studio.
Also contributing songs to the project are Ontario-based harmonica master Carlos del Junco, whose Bailey’s Bounce was originally recorded for his Steady Movin’ album, and Kian Water, whose song ABC’s is from his album Deconstructing Maya.
With layout and design by Janssens, the CD cover and jacket also features the visual art of silk painter Catalina Thiers, wildlife photography by Pacific Wild’s Ian McAllister, logo design by Samantha Benesh, graphic design by Tricea Cooney, while the website has been designed by Elizabeth Heathcote.
“We are using multi-media to make our point,” said Janssens, adding he has contacts with the film industry and hopes to place a video of the concert on YouTube. “The musicians have all donated their time, and I have invested several thousands of dollars in this.”
Most of the musicians on the CD are also scheduled to perform at the Jamming the Pipeline concert.
A family affair, early childhood educator Angela Roy has offered a dance number featuring some of her young students, while Janssens’ son, Nolan, an actor in Vancouver, will perform a monologue. Local musician Mikkal Waters has also been lined up to perform. And the short film Oil in Eden, provided by Pacific Wild, will be shown before the music starts.
The concert will be emceed by local actor Matt Brown, owner of The Hub Arts Collective.
Not only is the show supporting Pacific Wild, it is also supporting The Hub Arts Collective and local artists, said Janssens.
“The result is, we hope, that Jamming the Pipeline will grow organically and show that artists are willing to do something to protect our future.”
Friday’s Jamming the Pipeline concert at Powerhouse Theatre starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $22, available at the Ticket Seller (549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca) and the Bean Scene coffee house. For more information, visit jammingthepipeline.com
