Buckman Coe at the Byng

Posted on 2013-02-16 by Rod Wilson

BUCKMAN COE at the Byng Roadhouse, Thursday February 14, 2013, 8pm. Opening with an environmental video and Heather Gemmell and the Peaks.

Well, Thursday night was a night of surprises. First of all, live music on a Thursday night in Cranbrook is enough to make one sit up and notice that the local music scene is in a state of transition. That the Byng Roadhouse would host a environmental awareness / surf movie in conjunction with live music is also little different. Heather Gemmell’s new edition of her Band ‘The Peaks” marks further growth in Heather’s musical development and the return of a well known guitar to the local fold certainly caught the original owner by surprise. Last but not least, the grove based ukelele of Buckman Coe demonstrated the pop/rock potential of an instrument usually associated with Hawaii and hula dancers. Whew! what a night.

There was time, not long past, that Santa Cruz and the San Francisco area were considered the northern outposts of the California surf scene. Not anymore. Given enough neoprene, determination and a willingness to only expose one’s eye lashes to the cold then anything is possible. If waves break on even the most cold and inhospitable shore there will be some hardy souls braving icebergs, bad tempered seals, sharks and killer wales while looking for the elusive perfect wave. Add the land risk of becoming lunch for a hungry grizzly bear then Northern BC surfing could be a hazardous past time. The video, Groundswell ( by international surfer Chris Malloy and Raincoast Conservation) was about surfing the northern coast of BC and made the additional point that this area is threatened by the proposed Enbridge pipeline.

This was the first time out of the gate for Heather’s new version of her band THE PEAKS. The new line up included Brian Noer on bass and Podier Atto on electronic drum kit. I like the electronic kit because it had that one essential ingredient missing from most rock drummers arsenal – the ability to turn down the volume. Hard rockers like the “in your face” volume and attitude of the traditional acoustic drum kit and tend to forget that the drummer is supposed to be driving the band from underneath rather than riding over the top. Heather was playing a slim bodied Ibanez electric guitar that has some local history. Dave Prinn was astonished to see a guitar that he had sold on consignment to a player in Calgary return to Cranbrook in the hands of a fellow musician. It turns out the Calgary musician ended up selling it on eBay where it was picked up by Brian Noer who in turn handed it over to Heather to put it through its paces. So the guitar has done the rounds only to end up back in its old home town where it belongs. Heather and the band stepped through original material that included Bluesville and The Heat and added some variety with the Eagles Hotel California and the Beatles Come Together. The meaning of the lyrics in Come Together completely eludes me but all is forgiven when Brian Noer launches into the classic bass line of the song. Who cares what the song is about when that singing bass line carries the whole tune.

Ukeleles and Dreadlocks? It’s either a conspiracy or a trend. For the second time in a week both have been a significant presence on the local musical scene. Last Sunday at the Stemwinder in Kimberley Shane Philip prominently featured a Ukelele in his one man band ensemble and supporting him in an off-the-cuff musical jam was the Dreadlocked Ty West. In the dance audience “Heidi” sported a massive amount of hair in dreadlocks. Now here on Thursday in the Byng we have more Ukeleles in the hands of the dreadlocked Buckman Coe and, not to be left out, Heather’s new drummer Podier Atto was also sporting a variation on the dreadlock theme. So, is it a trend or a conspiracy? Buckman has the same manager as Bocephus King, who also recently played at the Byng, so it is no surprise that they share some musical similarities. Both musicians give more than a nod to Bob Marley and it is amazing to see how audiences react to that reggae beat. Within seconds the dance floor is crowded with patrons. Because of the Ukelele thing Buckman’s music has some other world beat and Polynesian characteristics. This was most evident in the tune Malama Ka Ana. With a name like that could it be anything other than Polynesian? Also in the set list of mostly originals were Apocalypse, Stubborn Man, Devils’ in You, Rest, Paranoia and Love is Eternal, and as a matter of course, a Bob Marley inspired original Rise Up Jah People. Buckman was supported by fellow band mates Tim Parent on a massive five string electric bass and Adam Parent on drums. Adam was struggling with a ‘flu’ bug and had to take to his bed before the evening was over. Tim gave up his bass and stepped onto the drummer’s throne to keep the groove going. Here are some images from a great evening of original entertainment (click on the images to get a larger view).

I would like to thank Ferdy and Margie for the greatly improved stage back drop and lighting. The quality of the above images would not have been possible without their help.

February 21, 2013. This just in – an article by Buckman in the Huffington Post. Click on the link Huffington Post Article

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Heather G’s Jam #4 – The Blue Grass Session

Posted on 2013-02-06 by Rod Wilson

Heather G’s Jam – The Blue Grass Session at Ric’s Grill (Prestige Inn, Cranbrook) Friday February 1, 2013 from 7:30pm to midnight. In a slight departure from previous sessions Heather opted for an acoustic session of mostly Blue Grass music. This was a significant sonic challenge. Blue Grass musicians are notoriously picky about plugging in their instruments. Their preferred mode of sound re-enforcement is to use condenser mics and for musicians to step up close enough to be heard. The idea is to to preserve the acoustic nature of the music. The dancing back and forth of the musicians to the microphones can be a little distracting but in certain circumstances it can work well. Unfortunately the sound characteristics of Ric’s and the crowded stage somewhat compromised the ideal. At the beginning of the evening the audience background noise was almost overwhelming and musicians had a hard time hearing each other on stage. As the evening wore on the musicians found an optimum, audience noise abated and the sound quality improved. Having said all that it was a night of marvelous music with a capacity crowd. The stage was populated by some of the finest Blue Grass musicians from up and down the valley. From as far away as Creston, Fernie and Invermere. Well know identities such as Mike and Annie Hepher, Elena Yeung, Steve Jones, Heather Gemmell, Shelagh Redecopp and Keith Larsen kicked off the night with some well known tunes. They were joined by other well known musicians such as Dave Carlson and Bud Decosse, Brian Noer and Heather Gemmell. On a quieter note Sheva (Shelagh and Van Redecopp), 11th Avenue Stopover (Beth Crawley and Rod Wilson) and Daze of Grace (Sharon and Jubal Routley), although not strictly Blue Grass, played acoustic sets that were consistent with the intent of the evening. The outstanding performers of the evening were Elena Yeung with her strong banjo playing, Heather Gemmel`s vocals on a minor key version of You are my Sunshine, Keith Larsen`s I am a Man of Constant Sorrow, Steve Lungal`s sing-along selections and Clayton Parsons` reworking of some old blues styles.

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Apre Ski with Heather Gemmell

Posted on 2013-01-22 by Rod Wilson

The Stemwinder Bar and Grill at the Kimberley Ski hill is well into their after ski music program. 60 Hertz and The Pursuits have already performed there and numerous local performers are scheduled over the coming months. This past weekend it was Heather Gemmel’s turn.

Apre ski with Heather Gemmell, The Stemwinder Bar and Grill, Kimberley Ski Hill, Saturday and Sunday, January 19th & 20th, 2013, 3-6pm.

Originally Heather was scheduled to perform with the second edition of her band THE PEAKS but due to unforeseen circumstances it tuned into a solo gig. Despite the need to fight off a cold, Heather was in fine form with a number of covers that included Heart of Gold (Neil Young), Learning to Fly (Tom Petty), Angel from Montgomery ( John Prine), Can’t Find my way Home, some blues, some BlueGrass (from her collaborations with THE MESSY WILLOWS) and a selection of her original material from her CD THE ROAD. Her finger picking guitar work on The Road was especially fine. Heather also shared her recent explorations into the fret board tapping styles with a tune she simply calls The Tapping Song. This is the only instrumental I can recall Heather playing and I hope it is the beginning of a trend. Very few, if any, singers will risk the challenges of performing instrumentals. That is a shame because a few instrumentals thrown into the mix adds variety and pacing to any musical set. As usual the vibe in the room was relaxed and laid back; a mood well in keeping with the afterglow of a day on the ski hill. Here are some images from Sunday’s performance:

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Local Live Music X3

Posted on 2013-01-10 by Rod Wilson

So ends a crack-a-jack weekend (Friday / Saturday/ Sunday Jan 4-6, 2013) of live music.

Heather G’s Jam at Ric’s Grill (Prestige Inn, Cranbrook) Friday January 4, 2013 from 7:30pm to midnight. featuring local performers. As usual there was a great turn out of performers and patrons and a significant amount of audience participation on percussion. Performers included a shakedown performance by Heather Gemmell, Brian Noer and their new drummer Podier Atto (“P.J.”), DAZE OF GRACE, Jon Bisset, EAST MEETS WEST (Tom Bungay and Gene), Dave Prinn, Mark Casey, Steve Lungal, Rod Wilson, James Neve, Connor Foote, Clayton Parsons and those fine ladies of BlueGrass fame (Cosima Wells, Shauna Plant and Heather Gemmell). Their performance of Stephen Foster’s You are My Sunshine in a minor key was absolutely stellar. Here are some images from the night.

Tim Ross hosting the Open Mic at BJ’s Creekside Pub in Kimberley,
Saturday, January 5, 7:30 pm.

On the local music scene BJ’s is a shining light of live music for local musicians and patrons. During the winter months there is live music nearly every Saturday evening. That includes an “open Mic” session on the first Saturday of the Month. Tim Ross, ably assisted by Colin Righton and Ferdy Belland (The Bison Brothers) managed attract a plethora of local talent. Musicians included two of the area’s premier singer / songwriters Garnet Waite and James Neve, fellow musicians Connor Foote, Brent Ross, Rod Wilson, DAZE OF GRACE, Bill St. Armand, Brian Morris and the absolutely stunning back up vocalist “Irene”. Kimberley residents are noted for a crash and burn approach to a night out and are usually home in bed ten o’clock. Not this night. This session, like Heather’s Jam at Ric’s the previous night, rolled right on past midnight.

Apre Ski with 60 Hertz at the Stemwinder Bar and Grill (Kimberley Ski Hill), Saturday and Sunday, January 5 & 6th, 2013, 3-6pm. This is one of an ongoing series of regular musical events held at the Stemwinder though out the ski season.

It has been said many times before that this is “The Band” of note in the East Kootenays. 60 Hertz is a well oiled musical machine that is way more than just four older guys try to relive their youth. A bygone era may have been their initial inspiration to play rock music but from there on in they are their own musical muses. 60 Hertz with Rob Young on lead guitar, Dave Birch on bass, Marty Musser on drums give substance, voice and punch to the original songs and tunes penned by James Neve. This is an innovative intelligent rock band with great songs, great arrangements that they play so incredibly tightly. So, after a day on the slopes it is a real treat to be able to kick back, enjoy some food and refreshment and hear the music of this fine band. And, as an added bonus, kids can mill around enjoy live music up front and personal in a family environment. How ofter do kids get to sit down with their parents, friends and others and listen to live music in a civilized setting? I suggest almost never. As usual the band delivered their repertoire of, by now well known, original songs such as Desperate Train, Don’t Get me Wrong and Time Stands Still , and also a healthy serving of new material. These guys continue to write and rehearse on an almost continuous basis and as an audience we gain the benefit.

Viva the Kimberley Ski Hill and the Stemwinder Bar and Grill.

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Heather G’s Jam #2

Posted on 2012-11-12 by Rod Wilson

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: Heather G’s Jam, co-hosted by Dave Prinn and Heather Gemmell at Ric’s Lounge in the Prestige Hotel in Cranbrook, November 9, 2012, 7-11pm.

Location isn’t everything but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Ever since Finnegans Wake closed down local musicians have been bereft of a place to informally perform. Bj’s Creekside Pub is still very much on the scene but that is in Kimberley. The management of Ric’s lounge has stepped up to the plate with a live music policy that, if the two first Heather G jam session are any indication, seem destined for success. If so it will be well deserved. The location is perfectly obvious, accessible, well appointed, lots of parking, pleasant staff and good food. Add in some opportune timing (once a month, 7-9 pm) and a huge reservoir of local talent then it looks like we are in for some good times. On this particular night Dave Prinn and Heather Gemmell kicked off the evening with a great duo of their speciality – rocky / blues with lots of musical interplay. That was just the beginning of an evening filled with music by Sheva (Shelagh and Van Redecopp), Sharon Routley, Rick Marasco and Rod Wilson, James Neve, Mark Casey and Jon Bissett. But undoubtedly the stars of the evening were the ladies of the all female Blue Grass band PIXS AND STIXS (Cosima Wells, Paige Lennox, Janice Nicili, Shelagh Gunn and Heather Gemmell). This was only the second live performance by the band and although handicapped by some technical sound problems and the absence of their mandolin player (Shauna Plant) they proceeded to delight a packed house. At one stage people were lining up at the door. Here are some images from the evening:

So, thanks to Heather Gemmell and Brian Noer for a great idea. Thanks to the management and staff of Ric’s for the venue. Thanks to the musicians and patrons for a wonderful evening and last, but not least thanks to Dave Prinn for his superb organizational skills and the masses of sound equipment he managed for the evening.