Posted by Years ago someone I worked with at the Ottawa Folklore Centre gave me a jazz festival pass. It seems the festival had dumped some free tickets on the OFC (probably because we sold tickets to all kinds of local shows including the jazz fest) and I happened to be standing in the right place at the right time.
It happened again the following year. Turned out the fest was giving the Folklore Centre tickets every year and they were doling them out in a first-come first-serve fashion. I quickly learned to lean my head into Lori’s office every Spring to put in my yearly request and I invariably succeeded in winning the first-come race.
In 2012 I remember feeling a bit guilty about this and I prodded my good friend Doug to join me for my annual lean-in. We tied for first and though there were no full festival passes to be had we each scored a few day passes, including VIP access for June 21st, 2012.
With The Barr Brothers, Robert Cray, and John Mayall on the bill it was clearly a very guitar-centric roster so it was a great night for two guitar teachers to go to the jazz fest together. I think this might mark the only time I had access to the VIP tent that I stand beside/behind every single year and to be honest that’s just fine with me. It’s boxy and stiff in there, with everyone sitting down and hardly any room to move. I don’t think we spent much time in there at all; I certainly remember watching Robert Cray from my usual spot under the tree.
I recall John Mayall being as great as ever. He’s an elder statesman of his genre and just one of the greatest British bluesmen of all time. Though my only consistent exposure to Mayall’s recording career is the “Featuring Eric Clapton” Bluesbreakers album, that single record is enough to make me a fan, and as expected John Mayall delivered.
I believe The Barr Brothers were in the late-night tent but I might be wrong about that. I also think this might have been my first time seeing the Barr brothers playing in their new band but I might be wrong about that too. If it was indeed my first time seeing this lineup I would have spent most of the set reconciling myself to the fact that Marc Friedman was no longer playing with the brothers, having been the sole member of The Slip not to have transitioned to the new band.
And while Marc was easy to miss – so great that he is – it was even easier to get sucked into the glorious new sound that Andrew and Brad Barr were developing with their new, Canadian-based ensemble.
And all that for free, just for the asking.
Todd Man Out 