By Cassidy Muir
When people think of the Bulkley Valley, they often think of the thriving music scene, and anyone acquainted with the local musical community has probably at least hear of Way North of Dixie.
The jazz band is celebrating its 30-year anniversary with an album release party this Saturday. The album, That’s A Plenty, is a culmination of many years of giving the people of the North a taste of the American South.
However, it all began in Holland. Ron Burger is one of the band’s founders, and his lifelong connection to the Dixieland brand of jazz was instrumental in its formation. Burger has been playing this particular style of music since he was young, and brought it with him when he moved to Canada.
“None of the people in the band knew this Dixieland jazz except for myself,” Burger said, “because I was used to it. I played as a teenager, I played in Holland, so I was quite familiar with it. I played in Vancouver when I first got here in 1957, and then I moved up north.”
“He’s our patriarch,” said Mike Doogan-Smith, the band’s pianist. “He keeps us in line, he’s our manager, and he’s the biggest fan of this style of music.”
According to Burger, Dixieland is jazz music in its original form, having developed in New Orleans in the 1920s.
“It’s called classical jazz, it’s called traditional jazz, it’s called New Orleans jazz, it’s called Dixieland jazz,” Burger said. “We call it Dixieland jazz.”
“It was a music that came from the hymns that also evolved when there were burials,” Doogan-Smith explained, “and they were bands that would march the coffins through the city. And then they would break into something a bit more exciting and improvisational, and they would change the rhythms. Therefore, the Dixieland band style of music was born.”
“It’s upbeat, it’s happy, it’s lively,” said Burger. “It’s fantastic dance music because it’s got that one-two-three-four beat, so it’s very good for dancing. Foxtrots, and swing, and whatever.”
The band in its original incarnation started playing as far back as 1988, coming together at Driftwood Hall.
“There was a cabaret held at Valentino’s nightclub in the Driftwood Hall, and it was a big cabaret that went on for years and years,” said Burger. “That’s where I met [Andy Adema]. And then Andy and I, we had so much fun, we decided to start a Dixieland band, and we played several Valentino’s. Then we asked Michael Doogan-Smith to join us, so it was Andy, myself, and Michael that started the whole thing.”
The band has been rehearsing at least once a week since then and has played countless shows throughout the Bulkley Valley. Though members have come and gone, Burger remains, as does the music.
“[Lynnel Steinke] and her daughter, Molly, are on this CD. Lynnel was with us for over 10 years, but she retired about a year ago,” Burger said. “Many local people have played with us, sat in with us.”
Though the production of the album has been a fun experience, Burger will always prefer performing live.
“We always play better when there’s people in front of us,” he said, “especially when they’re dancing.”
The album release party is on May 26 at 7:30 p.m., and will take place at Studio 16 on Main Street in Smithers. The entry fee is $10, and a copy of the CD is included with each admission.
