He’s a boogie woogie man bred in the South and at almost 75-years-of-age he ain’t slowing down anytime too soon. David Vest is a seasoned veteran of honky tonks and roadhouses, playing the piano, shouting the blues and entertaining folks all across North America.
David Vest has more kudos and awards for his boogie-woogie piano riffs that you can name and his list of rock and roll and blues performers he has played with reads like the who’s who of blues and jazz music.
David Vest and his band will be performing the music of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre on Friday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m.
“It’s labeled as a tribute, but it’s not a tribute. I just love their songs, we play their songs in our style,” said Vest.
Vest had been performing the music of such musical greats as Mose Allison, Jerry Lee Lewis as well as Dylan and Cohen at Hermann’s Jazz Club.
“People bugged me to do them again, and I’ve never played Oak Bay before,” he said. “It’s great to have a new venue in Oak Bay.”
He said Leonard Cohen’s death was blow and it surprised him how hard it hit him.
“Here you have a guy from Northern Alabama singing Cohen to Canadians. I love his music, he was a wonderful musicians. I passed him in doorways in Nashville in the 60’s, I was already in love with his music. As for Bob Dylan, Vest said he never heard of Dylan not showing up for a concert. He missed Cohen’s last concert in Victoria and he doesn’t want to miss Dylan’s this summer.
“It’s very clear how deeply he cares how it sounds and looks and he is not blowing you off.”
Vest is a regular at Hermann’s and he loves the sight lines, sound and ambiance of the place. He said “it’s precious” as many of the live music venues are closing across the country. He said many musicians are jealous of the places we still have to play in.
For the April 28 concert, Vest and the band (Davis Vest – piano and song; Damian Graham on drums, Ryan Tandy on stand up bass and Tom Bowler on guitar), will also perform some of their own songs off his most recent CD “Devastation’ Rhythm. This newest CD earned him a nomination for Record of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards in 2016.
Born in Alabama in 1943, Vest grew up on Birmingham near Tuxedo Junction. He played his first paying gig at the tender age of 14 and went on to tour with some of the biggest names in blues. He opened for Roy Orbison, jammed with the Jimmy Dorsey Band and wrote the first songs recorded by Tammy Wynette.
He came to Canada after he met and married a Canadian and hasn’t looked back.
“I thought I was up here to stay the moment I got here, I felt welcome and wanted,” he said.
The concert is tonight, April 28 in the Upstairs Lounge at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance at Ivy’s Bookstore or the Oak Bay Recreation Centre at 1975 Bee St. and at the door.
