Organizers of the Northern Lights Festival Boreal (NLFB) will honour the late Jackie Washington, a jazz, folk and blues performer and long-time participant in the festival.
There will be a tribute to the musician July 5 at 8 p.m. The festival begins at 6 p.m. July 3 in Bell Park.
“Members of the community and participants of the festival roster will get up and sing some songs that were his his favourites,” said Paul Loewenberg, artistic director of the festival.
“There will be a couple of quick stories by some people, including Scott Merrifield (past NLFB artistic director), I believe.”
The Hamilton native died June 27 at St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton from heart complications. He was 89 years old. His repertoire of songs numbered 1,200. He was nominated for Juno best roots album in 1993 and appeared on recordings by Duke Ellington, Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot.
Washington was first booked to play the festival in 1977, said Loewenberg. He played most of the following NLFB festivals.
“He missed 2000 because he was out in Winnipeg. In 2002 he was quite ill. That was the heat wave year,” he noted.
“To spend time with Jackie meant you were always sharing him. There was always a lineup of people waiting to talk to him. He remembered everyone's names, their birth dates, the birth dates of their grandchildren, the kids names. He always smiled. He took pleasure in that he was able to live a life of music. That is a good example to set for the rest of us,” said Loewenberg, emotionally.
The festival initiated the Jackie Washington award in 1989 order to recognize those who made an outstanding artistic contribution to the festival and other endeavours, said NLFB founder and long time volunteer Bernie Melanson.
“The award is also for those who contribute to the music culture in Ontario,” he said.
Chuck Roberts and Charlie Angus are past winners of the award, said Melanson. So are Paul Dunn, Kevin Closs, Ken Whitely, Willie P. Bennett, Heather Topp, Valdy, and Ian Tamblyn among others, according to the festival program.
Melanson has fond memories of Washington.
“He was the best friend I ever had. When he came to the festival here he loved to meet people, and he loved to play with people. He used to stay up all night at the university lodgings and play with them.”
Members of the breakfast cooking crew always were ready for Washington at breakfast, said NLFB board member, Ross Kelly. He first volunteered with the kitchen crew before running the beer tent in later years.
“He was always the first one to breakfast. He had a joke or two to banter with the volunteers in the kitchen at University College residence. He talked about his experiences in music. He was very entertaining. That's how I first met Jackie,” said Kelly.
This weekend's festival has a number of hot headliner performers, said Loewenberg.
“Joel Plaskett, playing Friday night, is a big draw here. Best of all he has Peter Elkas, his friend. He is a singer songwriter and plays guitar and piano.”
Loewenberg said it was also a thrill to finally book Hawksley Workman, headlining Saturday night.
“He is one of the darlings of the Canadian Juno awards. He is nominated every year.”
Serena Ryder, 24, is the headliner for Sunday evening. The performer has a wide appeal, he noted.
“Serena is the youngest headliner we have booked for years. But she has a good following with the baby boomer generation. Her CD, Weak in the Knees, was really popular with the 50s and 60s aged crowd.”
Norman Foote, west coast children's entertainer, is popular too, said Loewenberg. He entertains Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. on the family stage.
“I am so happy to have him here. So will parents and their children.”
Kevin Breit and Folkalarm, playing at 8 p.m. Saturday on the main stage, is another star performer, he added.
“Kevin is from McKerrow, west of Sudbury. He was Nora Jones guitar player for five years. He is a guitarists' guitar player because of the weird connection he can make with his hands (with the instrument). He is Frank Zappa meets Jeff Beck. In the past, he played with Cory Hart.”
Ticket prices for NLFB are reduced from last year to give people a break during the recession. They cost $55 for the weekend, $20 for Friday night, $30 for Saturday and Sunday evenings and $10 for day passes, (noon to 6 p.m.)
Up to three children 10 and under are admitted free with each adult who purchases a ticket. Visit www.nlfbsudbury.com or call 674-5512 or 1-800-465-6655. Tickets are available on-site in the ticket booths at Bell Park entrances.
