Anne-Marie Jennings
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 17/98) - Big Rude Jake says he's genuinely concerned about the health of the music industry -- particularly that of the Canadian music industry.

"I think that sometimes the goal of people who work in the record industry in Canada is to try and be as boring as possible," he says. "A lot of what is being played is designed to appeal to white, 16-year-old boys who are living in small towns."

"The idea that there is the possibility that a punk rocker and an 85-year-old grandmother could be listening to the same artists is something they don't want to even think about."

And as a young rocker in St. Catharines and later Toronto, Big Rude Jake (a.k.a. Jake Hiebert), was no fan of swing or jazz. He acquired his taste for the musical style from one-time guitar teacher Moe Scarlett.

"We didn't spend all our time during lessons playing guitar, but he made me listen to music. He would play jazz, jazz combos, and blues albums for me. At the time, I was the only person I knew who enjoyed that kind of music, but as I listened to more and more, I began to think that I could actually have a career in swing."

"And once I discovered that playing swing wasn't as difficult as I first thought, I knew I could do it."

Hiebert spent the latter part of 1997 making some big changes in his life and his career, one being parting company with his back-up band, The Gentlemen Players.

The second big career change was his move from Toronto to New York. Throw in a new manager, and Hiebert has clinched a triple crown of career changes in a very short time.

"That much change in that short a time wasn't planned, but after having talked to a number of other artists, I know that sometimes that's necessary. I just felt it was time to move away from dealing with my band and manager in a family way and work with a manager and a band in a more professional manner."

"It just had to be done."

For Hiebert, the move south was the only remaining option for him, having reached what he feels is the pinnacle of his success north of the 49th parallel.

"The swing movement is much bigger here," he says, speaking from a hotel room in Chicago. "When I left, it didn't seem like swing was going to catch on in Canada, but it was already going full steam in the States."

"But I think change is coming. I've been reading a number of magazines from both the United States and Europe, and I think we're going to see the conventional way of thinking shift to realize that listeners come from a lot of varying backgrounds."

But Hiebert is not saying that all is lost for aspiring swing artists in Canada, and sees hope for all artists which might be producing music which is not necessarily what the record companies are looking for at this moment.

"It's ironic, but I think CBC Radio seems to be more in touch with the listening audience than private radio. We tend to think that because they are a public institution, they don't have to care about what people want to hear, but private radio stations are only concerned with making money."

"It's like the banks. If they make a profit one year, their goal is to make a larger profit next year."

On playing in Yellowknife, Hiebert says he is looking forward to his trip North -- which will be his very first one.

"The furthest north I've been to date is Edmonton."

Big Rude Jake and the Grand Street Closers will play tonight at the Warm the Rocks dance at the Explorer Hotel and again during Folk on the Rocks.