BIG NORTH B1
BIG NORTH FREE PRESS - JANUARY 2013
Big North
Classifieds and Careers
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B Section
FREE PRESS
■ FEB. 9 IN PRINCE GEORGE
Blues Boss pays tribute to Fats Domino Kenny Wayne back in the city for a specially themed show TERESA MALLAM arts@pgfreepress.com
Piano player and blues artist Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne is well known for his awardwinning music, but fans also marvel at his fashion savvy. On his previous appearances in Prince George at Blues Underground dances, the “peacock at the piano” has worn avant-garde dinner jackets in bright colours like yellow, red and blue. However, when Wayne performs in the city at Kinsmen Place Feb. 9, the audience may be in for – stripes. “I may just bring along my zebra print jacket,” Wayne told the Free Press earlier this month. “People are always asking me to wear that one, it’s a little warm for performing on stage but maybe, maybe that will be the one to bring along.” Wayne recently moved to Kelowna from Vancouver and while he’s finding the weather a little colder, the crowds are still very warm. “Musicians, I think, were getting a little too comfortable staying in one place and playing their music [in Vancouver]. But now you see them, lots of home-grown music artists, starting to travel around more – like they did back in the old days.” Still, he’s grateful to the city that gave him his big start, says the five-time Piano Player of the Year (Maple Blues Awards) winner. “Vancouver did wonders for my music career. I played regularly at the Yale Hotel and other places but this is a new adventure. In Kelowna, there are so many people my own age who really enjoy the kind of music I play... it’s energetic but it also goes well with wine.” He laughs. And talking of the ‘old days,’ part of Wayne’s evening of entertainment Feb. 9 will include music of the fabulous Fats Domino. Now 84, famous singersongwriter Domino has been a guiding light in the piano blues, R & B and rock n’ roll genres for well over 60 years. Wayne considers him a big Photo submitted inspiration in his own career Will Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne be rocking this zebra look at his Feb. 9 concert in Prince George? along with the soulful Ray There’s only way for you to find out. Tickets are on sale now. Charles.
“My father was a minister and I grew up in the church gospel choir, so gospel blues music was what I heard most of. That’s why I started listening to Ray Charles because his music has a real gospel blues feel to it. I always wanted to be a [musical] genius like him. “I also listened to Fats Domino and I really got to like his music so that’s why I put his songs in my act – along with a few of my own original songs like Going Down South and It’s Raining, my ‘New Orleans’ sound.” Wayne took piano lessons from age eight to 11 – enough time to convince him he wanted to tickle the ivories for the rest of his life. Wayne says it takes passion and practise. “If you love it, you’ll do it – against all odds. If you just like it then you’ll make excuses not to do it. Now I want to learn to play the trumpet, so I’ll be doing that in my spare time.” Anyone who’s gone to a Kenny Wayne concert knows that during the evening he gets off his piano bench and wanders into the crowd with his “portable piano.” He feels it connects him with people. “I used to watch guitar and harmonica players get off the stage and go out into the audience to play. I wanted to do that too, I didn’t want to just sit at the piano. So I decided to do it with a melodica. [Also called a pianica, it has a musical keyboard on top and is played by blowing into a mouthpiece.] I adapted that into my act and I took a liking to it.” Wayne plans a music tour of Europe in the spring. He already has some of his appearances booked while others are still in the planning stages. “I’m flying to France in March and I’ll be performing in Switzerland in April along with some other European dates.” Dance to the music of Fats Domino and other artists with the award-winning boogie woogie piano player Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne Saturday, Feb. 9 at Kinsmen Community Complex, 777 Kinsmen Place. Tickets $30 at Books and Company. Open seating. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Dance starts at 8:30 p.m. This event is a fundraising dance for CFIS FM.