2003 Fredericton Harvest Blues and Jazz Festival

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2003 Fredericton Harvest Blues and Jazz Festival

Written by Eric Thom

A visit to Fredericton, New Brunswick is, in itself, an enriching breath of fresh air. The city positively glows with a down-home warmth and an out-of-the-ordinary personality that is accented, visually, by its perch alongside the banks of the sleepy St. John River. A studied and tasteful marriage of new to old, this lush, historic setting is enhanced by paths and walkways through well-treed parks and wide-open spaces. Beautifully restored historical properties, circa 1785, are complemented by stately, Victorian-style houses and all the typically modern conveniences of a city that has come of age.

Fredericton also stands out for something that seems lacking in many other Canadian cities: its calm and reassuring sense of order and unabashed civic pride. Cars stop for pedestrians and halt for yellow lights; people greet you on sidewalks with sincere smiles and a friendly 'hello'; they throw their garbage into the garbage cans; they are polite and mannered. The pace is measured, not frantic.

And when it comes to running their beloved Harvest festival, every "i" is dotted because Frederictonians seem to take on a strong sense of responsibility to ensure it is one of the best events of its kind. This promise has been delivered on the backs of some 600 volunteers who enthusiastically turn themselves inside out each year to guarantee that the Harvest is the best experience that it can be. They sincerely care - as does the entire city - and bend themselves over backwards to turn these five rare days into something they can all beam with pride about for the next 360.

This year's Harvest Festival - the 13th - continued its proud tradition of excellence with a mind-boggling line-up of artists offering some 150 performances spread over 20 stages, within five city blocks - and all within five too-short days. Your first and most immediate reaction is an expectation of seeing everything and everybody. It is impossible but because it is all in such close proximity, you can't help but give it your best shot.

One of the secret ingredients to the Harvest's successful recipe lies in their broad definition of musical genres: blues and jazz doesn't begin to cover it. There is something for everyone as acoustic blues meets swing jazz; blues-rock meets cajun and zydeco; reggae meets Afro-Cuban jazz; rock meets folk. Nobody's tastes are excluded but the organizers' emphasis appears to be more on discovery than on trying to be everything to everybody. The Harvest team spends months auditioning CDs and comparing notes, talking to media and fellow promoters before arriving at the often eclectic mix which comprises the final artist roster. The Harvest fan will go to see who they want to see but will, because of the process, also stumble upon some great surprises. A true cross-pollination of local, national and international talent merges together in an informal setting all within the context of true Maritime hospitality. It's a great way to witness some great music and some unique chemistry.

Where do I begin? Headline acts like Corey Harris and Henry Butler shared main stage spotlights with Deborah Coleman, Anthony Gomes and L'il Ed & the Blues Imperials plus top Canadian crowd-pleasing acts like David Wilcox, Colin James and Nanette Workman. Louisiana native Michael Juan Nunez and New Orleans' son, Roddie Romero, hit the nerve of local Acadians with their spirited approach to cajun and zydeco soul while local heroes Glamour Puss flexed considerable muscle, demonstrating their rightful claim to the Dutch Mason Award for promoting Maritime blues.

At the same time, Festival favourites like Suzie Vinnick and Rick Fines performed alongside east-coast jewels, Isaac & Blewett, Hot Toddy, John Campbelljohn and Morgan Davis. A.J. & the Red Hots acted as unofficial house band to many exciting combinations of players in various jams, showcasing the stellar guitar skills of Carter Chaplin, David Bedford on harp and Barry Cook on keyboards. For a change of pace, Winnipeg's Rudimental introduced soulful funk and R & B to a crowd that didn't need much convincing to get up and dance.

New talent got a shot in the arm with their own Rising Stars competition, pitting the blues-rock of Slowtrain, the acoustic guitar prowess and rich vocals of Billy Knowles against the warped, alternative bent of Wheeler and three others. Moncton's Big Daddy Shad rose to top honours with their rich, deep-seasoned and professional sound that tipped the hat to how much phenomenal talent is hiding out in New Brunswick alone. Fresh talent from across the country enjoyed the opportunity to strut their stuff as hot commodities. David Rotundo and his Blue Canadians and Little Bobby and the Jumpstarts, both from Toronto, made many new fans, each band showcasing phenomenal talent in keyboard player Julian Fauth and guitarists Enrico Crivellaro and Pete Schmidt.

Dark horse Hobex, a North Carolinian jam-funk-band, took unsuspecting crowds by total surprise and sold many a record to newfound fans. The hot jazz takes of Jane Bunnett and Kevin Turcotte synched with the smooth, cool jazz of vocalist Carol Welsman and the Fair-Galloway Quartet.

A sea of talented players hovered at every opportunity to sit in and explore with exciting combinations of musicians: sax player Shirley Jackson, singer/harpist Raoul Bhaneja, fiddler supreme Gordon Tucker, tireless guitarist Enrico Crivellaro and the inimitable Fines and Vinnick. Guitar hot-shots (18-year old) JP LeBlanc, Garrett Mason and Mark Green served up impressive blues-rock fare while the Hallelujah Praise Choir held high court in the Brunswick Street Baptist Church.

Personal highlights included: John Campbelljohn in various configurations, but most notably those in which he wielded his pedal steel; Deborah Coleman who, as part of the CBC Year of the Blues simulcast, smoked the Fujitsu Mojo tent to the ground with extended jams and near-spiritual concentration; Nanette Workman who works a room better than anyone and delivers a combination of smooth moves and polished performance, further ignited by Steve Hill's guitar; the combination of drummer Geoff Arsenault and Morgan Davis, delivering on "Painkiller" to a captive audience; and the final jam meltdown on Saturday night at Boyce's when no less than Corey Harris, Henry Butler, Steve Hill, Roddie Romero, Enrico Crivellaro, Gordon Tucker and many more surprise guests spontaneously combusted on stage simultaneously. The absolute power wielded by seasoned performers like David Wilcox and L'il Ed was also ably demonstrated to rabidly receptive crowds on their showcase nights.

Even kids received special attention at the Harvest with the wildly successful all-day KidsFest that fuses kids and outdoor fun to music and crafts, forcing families to get out to partake of the Harvest's considerable bounty.

Conquering the Harvest is a total challenge. There is so much to see and do - it's tough to come to grips with the fact that you can't do it all. But the biggest challenge appears to be in having to come home when it's all over.

The good news is that, like the setting of the sun after a perfect day, you know it will be back. Which means you can do it all again next year.

Feature by Eric Thom.
Photos by Andie Maranda
Feature and photos © Copyright 2003

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