Peanut Whitley ADD

A Day In The Life Of A Musician #89

07/12/2011 by Peanut

Greetings Brothers and Sisters.

Peanut here once again.
Well it's been a few days but i am back on the front line. Just getting back from a blessful and fruitful Canada trip with Corey Harris & The Rasta Blues Experience.

The setting was Vancouver Island Music Festival (7/8-9/2011) in Comox Island in Canada off the coast of Vancouver.

Well left for the airport early in the am on July 8 for a 7 am flight from BWI Airport in Baltimore Md. That's when the drama started. Bassie Jayson Morgan misunderstood the credentials with the passport card and was told he couldn't fly into Canada with only that. So right there as Road Mgr. and Band Leader i had to get the wheels of problem solving in action. I came up with changing his flight to Seattle and take a greyhound bus up to Vancouver to meet us. Sounded great but boy oh boy it didn't work out for us at all. Let's just say Homeland Security, Canadian Boarder Patrol didn't see it that way. Bless Brother Jayson for being the trooper and a getting a great learning experience.

Well we reached into Comox island after a 4 hour plane ride to Phoenix and then a 3 hour plane ride to Vancouver. The the last one from Vancouver to Comox was only a half hour on a very small plane. As we reached, they had a festival shuttle there to pick us up and drive us to the hotel. After reaching the hotel and checking everyone in, we all just went to rest after the long journey.

I was looking thru the event scheduled and noticed Alison Krauss & Union Station was playing that night so i got a shuttle arranged to take us down there to watch her. It was beautiful and the festival setting was beautiful as well. The vibe was very  Irie.

Our first show was Friday Night at 8:30 pm so that morning Corey and I got up with Canadian Session Bassist David Woodhead at his hotel room and went over our set for him to fill and for us. It went over well and better than i had expected. After that Corey and I went to eat and reason about the past few days events.

They came for us around 6pm to head to the festival. Reached down there and wow it was at capacity. They said 8 thousand inside the grounds and a few more thousand outside the grounds. I got up with the backstage crew about stage set up. Then i checked in the cds with the merchandise people and got our backstage trailer. We chilled out till 8pm when they came for us to set the stage real quick. I saw a Steinway Grand Piano onstage and i was so happy.

The crowd was so ready to hear Corey Harris & The Rasta Blues Experience. The set was Santoro, Esta Loco, E Blues, Mami Wata, Babylon Walls, Where All The Kings Gone, Bumble Bee and A Blues, mixed in with 3 Solo acoustic songs as well.

From first song in, the crowd was yelling and screaming and having a great time. The vibe in the house was very strong. Gordon Saxman Jones, Drummie Ken Joseph, Corey and myself was in full sync and guest bassie David Woodhead being the professional he is, was right there with us. Corey's soaring vocals held the people at every note. The people really appreciated the diversity of the music and enjoying it.

Ended the night with a standing ovation and the crowd wanting more but time didn't allow us too.

The next day was a busy day. Had 2 workshops and a concert scheduled. First up was a 12 noon concert workshop with Arrested Development and The Rasta Blues Experience.

I got to say this was one of those magical musical moments that all musicians dream for. The setting was set. A full house of people and a stage full of musical instruments. Corey, Speech of Arrested Development and myself got together real quick and made a quick musical guideline on what we was going to do and hit the stage. The vibe and energy from the people was incredible. Speech and Corey talked to the crowd and we just started the musical journey.

I was in awww as we took the crowd on a musical extravaganza. Versions of Corey's The Ark Of The Covenant, So Good To Me and A Blues was played with both bands together and each time when Speech would come in, we would remix it to there flavour and the crowd would go crazy and give up the love.

We also played versions of Arrested Development's  hit songs Tennessee, Mr. Wendal, Rainy Revolution, Every Day People and Fishing For Religion. Man i was having a ball as Speech was feeling the vibes of Saxman Jones, Corey and myself adding musical spices to those songs. He kept coming over to us and saying man you guys are wicked and we have to record together real soon. I love the vibes. So big up Speech for the Love. So look out in the future for a collaboration with the two groups.

Man we took musical improve to a all new high. I wish we had recorded the version of Redemption Song we did together. It was awesome.

Had to get back down to earth fast cause we had to get to the main stage for our concert. We headed over and the stage was already set up for us and the crowd was already giving up the love. We did the same set and the vibes was just as strong from the night before. The people was getting a real good dose of Corey Harris & The Rasta Blues Experience to there liking.

After that we had a few hours break and we got something to eat. Corey also did two quick interviews as we headed to the last workshop. It was a workshop we decided Corey to do solo since it was a all Blues one. Corey stood out and all the other artist followed in his vibrations. If you was there to witness it, you would understand why the blues world and fans love Corey Harris so much.

After the workshop we hung out for a bit as i tooked care of the band payment and merchandise checkout. Then we got a shuttle back to the hotel. We all was tired. Before i left i got to talk with David Crosby of Crosby, Stills and Nash and his band. It was nice.

I just want to say Big Up Vancouver Music Fest and to all the fans and new ones and all the great people i had the pleasure to meet. Thanks for the vibes.

Next up is more shows in a few days with The Rasta Blues Experience and Stable Roots at The Johnnie Johnson Blues Fest. So stay tuned for the blog and pics from that as well.

Until next time Bless. Peanut