2003 Southcoast Blues Fest

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2003 Southcoast Blues Fest

Written by Baron Bedesky

The beauty of any blues festival is the fact each is defined by a unique personality.

Sometimes, that personality or sequence of virtues is subtle and more challenging to identify. Other times, it may be spotted easily. In the case of the newly christened Southcoast Bluesfest held in Dunnville, Ontario from August 1-3, the latter is certainly evident.

Just what is it that makes this event, "this little jewel of a fest" as organizer Mark Neveu describes it, so appealing? In a word, intimacy. Music is an intimate art form, blues particularly so. Yet, that intimacy is often compromised at larger festivals. Even smaller festivals can lack coziness if greater emphasis is placed on polished presentations, lucrative sponsorships, and corporate participation inspired by marketing slicksters.

You won't find much of that in Dunnville. First, this is a relatively sleepy town located about 45 minutes south of Hamilton on the Grand River near the north shore (or south coast) of Lake Erie. The aura of the community effectively repels most modern marketing strategies. The most ominous symbol of corporate Canada appears to be the Bick's Pickle plant on the outskirts of town.

Agriculture remains the backbone of this region. Canada may not have anything that directly compares to the small towns in the Mississippi delta, the region in which the blues was born as a music form, but dammit, Dunnville may come close. The mood of the area is sultry and full of character. And the festival takes place in the "dog days" of early August when the nights are warm and the humidity is thick.

Then there are the music venues. The Southcoast Bluesfest (known as the Mudcat Blues Festival in its first two years) is unlike many other events. It does not take place in a park or a cordoned-off outdoor zone. Surprisingly, most of the music takes place indoors. While that may not appear to make sense for a mid-summer event, the strategy is responsible for the aforementioned intimacy, the defining characteristic of the festival.

Home base is Readers Café, an establishment that also serves as a restaurant, book store, and gallery. Run by a group of six partners including Mark Neveu and his wife Lynne, Readers is located in what used to serve as the downtown hardware store. It's got creaky wooden floors, brick walls, and a majestic old staircase right across from the stage leading to the second floor. Readers has a well-earned reputation within the blues community as one of the best places to play. Why? Again, it comes back to the intimacy.

The layout of the room is designed to accommodate about 75 people, and that's including standing room. Not only that, but Neveu insists that all who attend the numerous live events held year round, actually pay attention and listen to the music. The result is a loyal and consistently attentive audience. Take a poll among Canadian blues musicians as to their favourite place to play. Guaranteed, Readers will rank near the top for most.

Then there's the Boathouse. It earned its name because… well, it's a boat house. It's about the size of your average garage and you'll find it on the banks of the Grand River by a small marina. This is the perfect venue for smaller acoustic-oriented performances. The décor is actually quite nice though it does get awfully warm inside sans air conditioning. Again, the heat and humidity adds to the atmosphere.

The Lalor Inn is actually a large, brick, Edwardian-style historic home sitting in the middle of a one-acre lawn about a five-minute walk from Readers. It now serves as an inn with three guest rooms. Another feature of the building is a large wraparound porch, and it is this porch that serves as a "stage" for various acts. Fans make themselves comfortable by sitting outside on the lawn near the porch. This is perfect on a warm sunny day.

The Sandbar Room at the Victoria Hotel serves as the fourth venue. It hosts the louder electric acts later in the evenings. More on that facility in a moment.

The musical lineup was outstanding. Neveu is plugged into the Canadian blues scene and he makes a concerted effort to provide plenty of variety. Variety, though, doesn't only refer to different musical styles. Variety also means bringing artists from different parts of the country, such as singer/songwriter Peter Narvaez from Newfoundland or guitarist extraordinaire George Leach, who is originally from British Columbia. Variety means bringing Toronto-based bluesologist and photographer Eddy B in to present his work and tell fascinating tales about his decades of interaction with dozens of blues greats.

Personal musical highlights? How about S'Women in Blues, a four-piece band consisting of (as the name implies) four women including Margaret Stowe on guitar, Carrie Chesnutt playing saxophone and flute, Suzie Vinnick on bass, and Michelle Josef on drums. These ladies really got the room worked up with their enthusiasm and sheer talent. They did a version of Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll… all I can say is I don't care if I hear the original ever again. The S'Women in Blues rendition was terrific!

Jimmy Bowskill! Man, it's been tough to miss this kid because he has been playing all over Ontario and Quebec this past summer. I'm sure you've all heard about this 13-year-old prodigy. His voice is astounding! His guitar work is impressive. His instincts on stage and with the other members of his band are uncanny. This show was an automatic crowd-pleaser.

It seems every time we see David Rotundo (and the Blue Canadians), he gets better and better. Rotundo knows how to work a crowd, bringing everyone's emotions up and down on a musical roller coaster. Pete Schmidt has to be one of the best blues guitarists anywhere. You'll get the feeling he can solo for 60 seconds or 60 minutes if he has to, and all his work is polished and tasteful.

George Leach was another star of the weekend. Originally from BC, but now based in Six Nations, Ontario, he is a talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Leach is also an artist and an actor.

We got a chance to watch him perform twice. The first was a solo effort on the Saturday afternoon in which he played both acoustic and electric guitar. Wanna try and categorize his work? Good luck, you can't. There are a dozen different influences that filter in and out of his play list, everything from blues, jazz, folk, pop, aboriginal, country… you name it. You can't compare Leach to someone like Harry Manx, but you can compare the relationship each has with his instrument. Both transcend conventional and technical boundaries.

Leach's second performance was in an electric three-piece unit featuring bass and drums later that evening at the Sandbar Room. Again, the style is impossible to categorize - adventurous, eclectic, tender, maniacal, traditional, powerful and experimental - all evident within a few songs.

He played two long sets, the first of which never seemed to find a groove. A broken guitar string certainly didn't help the cause. But, am I ever glad we stayed for his second set, because Leach took me on a musical journey I've never been on before. It was anything but traditional 12-bar blues but I was on a ride before I knew it. That night, he was not only a musician, but a conjuror.

Peter Narvaez was also very impressive with his guitar and harmonica rack. Not only was his original work unique (and at times, even haunting), his skills as a songwriter ranged from poignant to intelligent to whimsical. To hear the inspiration behind each tune was fascinating and added depth and texture to the performance.

The whole weekend was capped by the impeccable work of Jack de Keyzer and his band including Richard Thornton on saxophone and congas. He's a lot of fun to watch and puts everything into an energetic stage presence. Al Duffy is always boppin' on bass, having a blast but at the same time, staying cool. Between him and drummer Tony Ajo, de Keyzer has just the right amount of framework to build a diverse playlist that ranges from traditional blues to soul to funk.

Now, back to the Sandbar Room for a moment. When it comes to presenting the upbeat acts in the later hours, the number of options in a town like Dunnville is limited. Every town across Canada probably has their own version of the Sandbar, you know, the dark bar that time forgot with ultra-cheesy 1970s décor and a healthy sprinkling of loyal local clientele. Still, the blues contingent seems to tolerate the regulars, and vice-versa, at least for a weekend. It's not the type of place many of us would normally set foot in but the Southcoast Blues Festival is not your normal event.

Other acts that helped make this such an enjoyable festival included the Cameo Blues Band, Frank Cosentino, Georgette Fry and the B-Sides, Rick and the Biscuits, and Mark Stafford. All presented excellent shows and impressed the fans.

Unfortunately, the weather came into play. Festival goers must purchase passes for access to all shows, but Neveu was planning on offering no fewer than six free shows throughout the weekend - four at the Lalor Estate and two outside the Boat House. With the morning and early afternoon skies looming ominous and gray on both Saturday and Sunday, an alternate schedule was implemented and all the free concerts were moved indoors and, unfortunately, away from the general public.

Any way you slice it, though, this is a festival that is well worth the effort of attending simply because of the level of interaction between the musicians and festival goers. It is the norm for musicians to walk around Readers after a show, signing autographs, posing for pictures or simply chatting with the fans. At times you will see some of the artists who have finished their sets, in one of the other venues, come down to see others perform at another. By the time the event is over, you will not only be satisfied by the caliber of entertainment, but you will be enriched with a number of new friendships. Not many festivals of any kind can offer that.

Feature by Baron Bedesky.
Photos by Andie Maranda and Baron Bedesky
Feature and photos © Copyright 2003

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