Jennifer Geens
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 16/04) - Take three talented blues performers from across Canada, add Yellowknife mistress of blues Tracy Riley, and mix them all up inside the Elk's Hall on a Saturday night.

The result will be recorded for broadcast on the CBC Radio program Saturday Night Blues later this year. The event also doubles as a fundraiser for the Recording Artists' Association of the NWT.

"The idea for the show came from sitting around saying, 'Wouldn't it be great if ...'" said Peter Skinner, CBC Radio's program manager for the NWT.

Once the daydream of an acoustic blues concert in Yellowknife became a reality, the hard part was deciding who to invite. George Leach, Michael Jerome Browne and Harrison Kennedy are the three out-of-towners.

Choosing George Leach was easy. Skinner chose the B.C.-born musician because he was impressed by his performances at CBC's 50th anniversary concert and at last year's Funkfest.

Leach was happy to make a return visit to Yellowknife, and was eager to meet Browne and Kennedy.

"I've heard they're amazing musicians," he said.

Leach is starting work on a new album soon and will try out a few new songs at the concert.

The winner of three Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards in 2000 (best rock album, best male artist and best songwriter for his album Just Where I'm At) juggles music and acting. He recently finished shooting an appearance on North of 60.

But when it comes to music, he counts Pink Floyd among his influences as well as legendary blues performers like B.B. King and John Lee Hooker.

Convoluted connection

Skinner's connection to Michael Jerome Browne proved more convoluted. Browne used to play with the Stephen Barry band, and that band's drummer was Skinner's wife's ex-boyfriend.

"He's like a walking old-timey juke box," said Skinner of Browne. "He can play everything."

Browne's new album, due out in the fall, is proof of that. On it he's part of a trio of fiddle and banjo players playing old Cajun string music.

"It's not really a blues record," said Browne.

Where a lot of people come to blues through rock, Browne found the blues through folk.

"The first blues I heard was acoustic," he said.

Browne has played in the Yukon and in Northern Quebec, but this will be his first time in the NWT.

The Montreal-based musician said his trip to Nunavik was an eye-opener.

"I felt like I was really far from home, more so than when I went to Brazil," he said.

After he had Leach and Browne on board, Skinner thought it would be great if Holger Peterson (the host of CBC Radio's Saturday Night Blues) would come up and emcee.

Peterson, after agreeing to host, suggested inviting Harrison Kennedy, a recent Juno nominee for Blues Album of the Year, and a member of the 1970s motown group Chairmen of the Board.

Then it was just a matter of finding the right venue, and for Skinner, the Elk's Hall fit the bill.

"It's a funky old place," he said. "It's -- what's the word for it -- well-used. It's got a great feel to it."

Though the exact schedule wasn't nailed down as of press time, the doors at the Elk's Hall would open at 8 p.m..

Skinner expected each of the four musicians would do a set starting at around 8:45 p.m. with perhaps a jam to follow.