Here's summer coming to an end and I feel like I missed a lot of it this year. I regret not visiting the Inner Harbour quite so often since I have missed some new artists and performers as well as not getting quite enough of my old favorites. Above is a young fellow whose guitar picking is worth listening to. I've captured a bit of it on the video below but I didn't have my good quality microphone with me so the sound doesn't do justice to his playing. This is the Inner Harbour's youngest busker, Landen Shaw, age 12. Click HERE to read a local news article about him.This is the first of a series of posts that will include videos. Visitors will please be patient with me while I learn how to edit video with some new software - Pinnacle Studio 15. Tomorrow we'll have a video of our local dulcimer player, Metro Semeniuk, and I have two more videos lined up for later in the week.
Here's a musician who's returning to the Inner Harbour after a 15 year hiatus, Shelly Vaags. Both her voice and her demeanor are reminiscent of Dolly Parton and she sings country and western with the same vivacity and sincerity. I never saw her back in the day but I'm glad she has returned. Below is a brief video sample of her music.
If you look carefully just left of center in the photo above you'll see one of my favorite Causeway Artists, singer/songwriter John McCallum. I've enjoyed John's music for years now both on the Inner Harbor Causeway and on Fisherman's Wharf where this photo was taken. As well as tuneful, his songs are thoughtful and often wryly humorous. If you get a chance to hear him, sit down and listen closely. You won't be disappointed. Below is a clip of John's version of Folsom Prison Blues. The audio doesn't do justice to John's sound, which is much better in person, but the video may give you some idea of what Fisherman's Wharf looks like from a busker's perspective.
A combination of inclement weather and transportation problems have contrived to keep me housebound for the last few days so that I have been forced to look into the archives. But it's an ill wind, as they say - I have recovered some photos that got passed over in the wealth of summer and recollected some people who should be mentioned. Today's photos are of Country Dave Ryerson, who brings good country music tunes to the causeway. Dave's been busking a long time and he also contributes one way or another to a lot of the other entertainment you see on the causeway. If you've ever wondered how those causeway performers all manage to spread themselves out and not be in constant competition for the best spots or times, you should talk to Dave, who facilitates the weekly schedule and posts it on the Causeway Artists Website, where he is also the webmaster. And, for those of you who wonder what it's like to be a busker, there is no better source of insider information than Dave's blog, Country Dave's Acoustic Routes, where you'll find fascinating in-depth interviews with many local buskers. While Dave usually performs solo, here's a very short clip of him in a duet with another great causeway performer, Dave Harris. They're singing Country Dave's version of Merle Haggard's Okie From Muskogee, entitled, Proud to be a Busker.
And, while I'm picking up loose ends, here's this year's picture of a kid leapfrogging over one of those distinctive causeway mushroom lamps.
It's not only athletes, dancers and children who are graceful, the practiced movements of musicians often display the same physical grace and a harmony in tune with the music they produce. Above is the violinist from the chamber music group called Satori Strings, and the cellist (lower right), while playing on the Inner Harbour Causeway.
Victoria's Inner Harbour Causeway on a summer evening is a delight. There's music in the air (that's one man band Dave Harris in the lower left), jugglers, mimes, artists, beautiful boats and lovely reflections, all lit by the dazzling Legislative Assembly Buildings in the background.
Lately I've been featuring artists and performers on the Inner Harbour Causeway. Today I'm going out to the Saanich Peninsula to pick some strawberries or, more accurately, to photograph other people picking strawberries. But before I leave the causeway I have to post some photos of the most enduring Causeway performer, one man band Dave Harris, whose music has enriched the Inner Harbour for thirty years.
Dave's a consummate musician in the long tradition of minstrel one man bands stretching back to the middle ages and before. It's a pleasure to listen to him play and sing and it's always interesting to see the variety of spectators that watch and listen spellbound.
It's interesting to consider how persistent is the idea of human/animal combinations. I am tempted to cite the "current" fad of vampires except that it is not really current so much as ongoing. In film, one only needs to look at Nosferatu (1922) and the dozens (if not hundreds) of vampire films that followed. Right now we have the Twilight series which features both vampires and werewolves. Humans may assume other animal forms in other cultures. In West Africa the leopard is often the chosen form of black magic or juju priests. The combination is not always dark and horrible - here on the Inner Harbour Causeway we have a charming mermaid. This is Hilarie Ann Higgins who performs with her accordian as the Mesmerizing Mermaid.
Though they're playing under an overcast sky, The Cooper Sisters manage to inject some sunshine into the environment with their sweet voices. Both girls (Jillian, left, and Brittany, right) have had considerable musical training and it shows in their polished performance. Their CD, entitled, "Inspirations," containing nine original songs is also a delightful listen. You can find out more about The Cooper Sisters on their website by clicking here. To catch them on the Inner Harbour Causeway this summer, check the Causeway Artists Schedule by clicking here.
On Sunday while Dean Lewis was drawing my caricature (see previous post) I was also able to listen to some musical artistry from a little further up the causeway, the superb guitar stylings of Jean Bedard. He's another example of an artist whose performances you should plan to catch if you're visiting (or living) in Victoria. Jean's a quiet performer but if you slow down, stop, sit down, tune out the traffic noises and listen, you will be amply rewarded by his immaculate technique and sensitive interpretations. Buy one of his CDs to remind you of summer when next winter comes. Jean's not always on the Inner Harbour Causeway - often he plays at Fisherman's Wharf. To find out when and where he (or any other Causeway Artist) is playing, check the playlist schedule on the Causeway Artists website by clicking here. Below are a couple of samples of Jean's playing and singing. "Lay Down by the Water" played by Jean Bedard
On the left is me, last Sunday, as seen by caricature artist, Dean Lewis, on the Inner Harbour Causeway. On the right is me 52 years ago as seen by an unknown artist at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver.
Although I'm a photographer I don't like photographs of myself because I always seem to have a gloomy, even grim, expression on my face and I don't generally feel like that inside. I like Dean's caricature because for once I actually look a little bit more like I usually feel.
Below is a shot of Dean at work on my physiognomy, always an interesting enough process to capture a few curious spectators. If you're down on the Inner Harbour in Victoria, stop and say Hello to Dean and if you want an interesting portrait, sit down and let him draw you. You won't regret it. Thanks, Dean.
You may find it hard to believe that the living statue Causeway Artist known as Plasterman evokes these reactions, but it is a tribute to his skills as a makeup artist and mime that he does. Visit his website to find out more about him.
As evening falls on a cloudy September day, chilly office workers hurry home sparing little more than a glance for the lone musician setting up to begin his day's work. The musician is Dave Harris, a causeway artist I have featured briefly in an earlier post. I have always been a bit timid about attempting a more detailed post on him for fear of not doing justice to his amazing artistry. Dave is a one man band. This may not seem like much now when, with sound loops and synthesizers, artists can easily accompany themselves on a variety of instruments. But Dave is a true one man band in the traditional sense that he plays a number of instruments simultaneously. At various times during his performances he sings and plays the violin, harmonica, banjo, guitar, mandolin, drum, cymbal and fotdella, usually two or three and sometimes four at a time. You begin to understand why I fear to run out superlatives when I add that he plays all of these instruments superbly.
It's easy to be mesmerized when he picks up his fiddle and accompanies himself on the harmonica, but the mind boggles when you hear the steady thumping bass line he's adding with his right foot on the fotdella and the crisp cymbal accents from the "high hat" cymbal he's playing with his left foot at the same time.
In this photo can be seen (from the left) the fotdella (looks like a bloated guitar and doubles as a cd rack), the suitcase bass drum (that black suitcase with a poster on it), high hat cymbal, tambourine and other percussion instruments, a banjo (in the back), two violins and two steel bodied guitars. Dave's playing a 12 string guitar and wearing a harmonica rack.
His wide range of musical skills enables him to express his respect for and profound knowledge of traditional American music, especially the blues. He's a true scholar of this musical form with a collection of aged recordings numbering in the thousands. Sit down and listen to him for an hour and it's like a short course in the history of the blues. He always gives credit to the artist who wrote or originally sang the song and may throw in some background information as well. It's a rich experience and a privilege to sit and listen to this musician. Below is a photo I took earlier this month that conveys a little of the warmth and humanity that mark his performances. If you're ever in Victoria, make sure you set aside some time to see him play. Skip the famous gardens and castles if you must, but don't miss Dave Harris, a matchless entertainer.
Below is a video of Dave performing Goin' to Chicago.
In yesterday's post about Fisherman's Wharf I mentioned entertainment. There's often a fortune teller and palm reader, and usually there's a musician. If you're lucky you'll catch a performance by singer/songwriter John McCallum. I've really enjoyed his music and the wry wit and wisdom that make his songs worth listening to.
It may seem that there are a lot of musicians playing on the Inner Harbor Causeway because so many are appearing on this blog. However, there are usually not more than three or four at any time and they are generally widely spaced enough so that they don't interfere with each other. This doesn't happen by chance. Entertainment on the causeway is controlled by the Harbours Board and the space is divided up into locations that artists can "book" for certain times of the day. This ensures that it is not necessary for artists to defend their "spot" and also that there is a reasonable distribution of artists in the space that is available. A musician can play in a certain spot for about two or three hours then must give up the space to another performer. This arrangement also means there is a good variety of music at any given time, including everything from a dulcimer to a didgiridoo.
It's all good and I like the variety but I must confess to a special fondness for country and western music. On the Inner Harbor Causeway that means Country Dave Ryerson. From Hank Williams to Kris Kristofferson, Country Dave can play it so just sit yourself down and enjoy those sweet melodies and down home strumming. If you've got a favorite, feel free to make a request. If it's country, Dave probably knows it.
Country Dave's music is available on a CD entitled "Country Dave Ryerson: The Millgrove Sessions" produced by another causeway artist, Dave Harris, who also performs on the CD.
You can find out more about the CD and Country Dave Ryerson by clicking HERE.
A remarkable aspect of musicians on the causeway is the way that many of them can create a space around themselves where their music triumphs over all the many distractions, busyness and street noises (see photo below). Sarah Tradewell, pictured here, is a an excellent example of this and all the moreso because at sixteen she performs with skill and maturity that belies her years. She is a wonderful musician with a wide repertoire, though she specializes in "fiddle music." Her Celtic and Irish melodies are as delightful to the ear as she is to the eye.To hear and see her play, click HERE. You can also visit her YouTube Channel (many videos of Sarah performing) by clicking HERE. Sarah also has a MySpace page where there are some good recordings of her fiddle playing that you can download. Well worth a visit. Click here.
Squeezebox Serenade is trio that produces a unique and evocative sound. The first time I heard the silvery trumpet dueting with the accordian it reminded me of the Dalmation coast and long evenings in vine-trellised trattorias.
But then they segued into a very jazzy version of Route 66 with all three singing and I realized their versatility. This is a charming musical group that is a great counterpoint to the otherwise rather guitar oriented music prevalent on the causeway.Trio members are (from the left): Adam Weinmann, Tara Kannangara, and Georgia Johnson.
*****
(Here follows an aside to my fellow City Daily Photo Bloggers: The strange assortment of photos above illustrates a photographic difficulty. Most of the causeway is north/south oriented and musicians generally face east when performing, with the sun at their backs (see first photo above). Unfortunately, the best photos are also usually with the sun at the photographer's back and the best angle to shoot from produces a photo like the top one above. Sometimes one can get away with shooting directly into the sun as in the photo on the left above but one ends up with a bleached sky and too much contrast and other problems. Fill flash doesn't generally do it for me and I try to avoid flash generally since I like to remain inconspicuous. Shooting from the side can be good as in the photo on the right above but shooting a group of people from one side or the other often means some of them are obscured by others. In desperation I asked the group to turn towards me, which they very kindly did, and allowed me to take the photo directly above. Nice people and good musicians: Squeezebox Serenade)
Artist Ian Cooper works intently on his latest creation. But what looks like a peaceful studio is actually......the Inner Harbor Causeway after dark. Below, some strollers pause to view prints of Ian's work, incredibly detailed pen and ink drawings of fantastic multi-leveled landscapes.To see some of his unique and fascinating artwork, visit his website, TransientVisions.com. If you visit Victoria, don't think all the Causeway artists go home when the sun sets. There's lots to see on the causeway after dark, too. Below, you can see Ian's "studio" as the brightly lighted area in the lower left hand corner of the photo.
If I seemed a little negative about the big BC Day celebrations centered here in Victoria's Inner Harbor, it's only because I so much like the normally relaxed, uncrowded atmosphere. And, while BC Day celebrations brought some big-name talents to the Inner Harbor, there are some equally talented though less famous performers every day on the causeway. Here's another one of my favorites, Ian Bennetts of the BB Blues Band. If you're strolling on the Inner Harbor causeway, slow down, sit down, relax, and let Ian waft you away to "margaritaville" with his mellow voice and 12-string guitar stylings.
What is this man doing?He's playing one of mankind's most ancient instruments, the didgeridoo. With this aboriginal instrument from Australia and a variety of percussion instruments the BeatDoctor produces a wonderfully evocative soundscape, a little bubble of echoing night noises in the midst of the crowds and bustle of the Inner Harbor.
Here's summer coming to an end and I feel like I missed a lot of it this year. I regret not visiting the Inner Harbour quite so often since I have missed some new artists and performers as well as not getting quite enough of my old favorites. Above is a young fellow whose guitar picking is worth listening to. I've captured a bit of it on the video below but I didn't have my good quality microphone with me so the sound doesn't do justice to his playing. This is the Inner Harbour's youngest busker, Landen Shaw, age 12. Click HERE to read a local news article about him.
