jazz news, obituaries, Canada

Jackie Washington
1919 – 2009

Washington One of Canada’s Most Beloved Jazz Figures

Hamilton, Ontario jazz guitarist and singer Jackie Washington has died at age 89. The esteemed musician died on Saturday, June 27th at Hamilton’s St. Joseph Hospital from complications resulting from a heart attack.

Washington last performed in public three weeks ago at McMaster’s Convocation Hall at an event held to thank him for donating a collection of his music, personal papers, photos and artwork to the university archives.

Born in Hamilton Nov. 12, 1919, Washington was one of 15 children born to Rose and John Washington; and the grandson of George, a runaway slave who found his way to Canada on the Underground Railroad.

Growing up in a musical home, Jackie made his first public appearances at the age of five, singing at the Bennetto School. He received his first guitar at age 13. During the depression, Jackie and three of his brothers formed the Washington Quartet, bringing extra money into the household by performing minstrel and popular songs in church halls.

Washington’s career took flight during the 1960’s when the thriving folk scene found him performing at the many coffee-houses in Southern Ontario. He shared the stage with the now legendary Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, David Clayton-Thomas, Lonnie Donegan, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, and became a mentor to artists such as Tom Wilson, Stan Rogers, Jude Johnson, Amos Garrett, Murray McLauchlan and Paul Langille. He also appeared at folk festivals across the nation, performing at Hamilton’s Festival of Friends more than 25 times.

Over the years Jackie became well-known for his encyclopedic knowledge of old-time music (he boasted approximately 1,300 songs in his repertoire). The self-taught guitarist specialized in the popular songs of the ’30s and ’40s and was one of the top scat vocalists in the country.

He was also one of Canada’s first black broadcasters, working as a disc jockey playing jazz during the ’40s and ’50s for two Hamilton radio stations.

Washington recorded three solo albums, Blues and Sentimental (1976), Keeping Out of Mischief (1995) and Midnight Choo Choo (1998), as well as collaborating with Mose Scarlett and Ken Whiteley to release four albums.

In recent years, arthritis prevented him from playing his beloved guitar but Washington continued singing wherever there was an audience and was a much-loved member of the music community in his hometown and well-beyond.

Jackie Washington is a member of the Canadian Jazz and Blues Hall of Fame and held an honorary doctorate from McMaster University.

He is survived by his wife, Eleanor, their son, Michael, grandson Michael and great-grandson Miles.

Jazz Is presents
Jazz on the Lake
Saturday, July 25
Heritage Park, Calgary

Calgary Jazz Group Performs Aboard Historic Sternwheeler

The Jazz Is Society of Alberta continues their annual tradition of jazz, cocktails and sunsets on board the S.S. Moyie, an historic sternwheeler that sails on Calgary’s Glenmore Reservoir at Heritage Park, on Saturday, July 25th.

Jazz on the Lake, a one-hour jazz cruise, features members of the Resident Artists Ensemble, Jazz Is Society (RAEJIS), with John Reid (saxophone), Allistair Elliott (trumpet), Gary Wolfe (guitar) and Kodi Hutchison (bass).

The evening’s presentation begins with funk, cool jazz and standard tunes on board the vessel while docked for cocktails and snacks, then continues through the entire cruise and afterward, on the observation deck for more music post-sailing music (weather permitting).

For more info email jcreid@ucalgary.ca or visit www.jazzissociety.ca

jazz concerts, Canada

Bob Erlendson Quintet
Fri & Sat, June 19 & 20
Beat Niq, Calgary

Rare Calgary Performance to Feature Jazz Piano Master in Quintet

Canadian jazz piano legend Bob Erlendson brings his musical brilliance to the stage this weekend in Calgary, performing with his quintet at Beat Niq Jazz & Social Club on Friday & Saturday, June 19 & 20. Erlendson will be joined for the performances by some of the city’s finest jazz musicians, with Eric Fridenberg (saxophone), Al Muirhead (trumpet), John Hyde (bass) and John de Waal (drums) sharing the stage.

Bob Erlendson was born in Winnipeg in 1931, the eldest of four children. He started out playing classical piano, going on to graduate from United College (now the University of Winnipeg) with a General Arts degree. This was followed by five years five years of intensive study with renowned theory and composition master, Gordon Delamont. It was during these years Bob discovered his passion for jazz.

Over the next 50-plus years, Erlendson, considered by many to be one of Canada’s finest pianists, has performed/recorded with many of the biggest names in Canadian jazz, including Lenny Breau, Ed Bickert, Tommy Banks, Rob McConnell, Reg Schwager, Moe Koffman, P.J. Perry, Pat LaBarbera, and dozens more.

Following work around the country, Bob, a widowed father of two, lived and performed in major Canadian cities including Winnipeg, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto, before returning to Calgary in 2008 to settle in with his youngest daughter and family.

Far from a household name yet highly esteemed in music circles, Bob has mentored many musicians and is considered a pioneer on the Canadian jazz scene. Among Bob’s students was the late, great jazz guitarist Lenny Breau. American born Breau had relocated with his family to Winnipeg, where he approached Bob for music lessons during the late 1950’s. Up to that point Breau had been a country music player, but he fascinated by the melody, harmony and progressions found in jazz music, Bob taught the young guitarist jazz theory and introduced him to the music of the masters, including pianists Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner. This inspired a whole new direction in Breau’s music. Erlendson’s impact on Breau’s career is well documented in the television documentary ‘The Genius of Lenny Breau’ and in the book, ‘One Long Tune’ by Ron Forbes-Roberts. As a result of his time with Breau, two of Bob Erlendson’s original compositions were featured in ‘Guitar Player Magazine’.

A prolific composer, Bob has created a large body of work including those for octet and trio, brass quintet and includes a whopping 67 Bebop originals, some dating back to the 1950’s. He’s released three critically acclaimed recordings, the self-titled Bob Erlendson Solo Piano (1987), Pardonnez Moi and his latest, the live octet recording, All About Jazz – Vol I (2008).

In recent years Bob remains active as a performer, recording artist and teacher. He’s headlined major concerts in Toronto and Calgary, leading his own ensembles as well as recording and touring with singers Shirley Eickhard and Georgia Ambrose.

for more info visit www.boberlendson.com