Last evening, Collingwood's Spring Blue Series featured Canadian blues veteran Wayne Buttery and Canada's premier harmonica player Roly Platt. They performed to a capacity crowd during the second in a series of five concerts in Collingwood's "Blue Mountain Foundation For The Arts Centre". Last night was a real treat for those of us who suffer from an acute case of the February blues. This event is organized by local promoter, Frank McNulty and presented by TD Canada Trust, JBG Productions & the recently formed, Collingwood Jazz & Blues Society.
Right from the get-go it was evident that this show was going to be something very special. Buttery and Platt opened the show with an explosive instrumental featuring Platt's amazing talent as a harmonica player. Buttery's skill on all three of his guitars was only surpassed by his larger then life vocals. Together they performed renditions of classics by blues masters like Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Robert Johnson and many others. They even played some of there own originals penned by Buttery. Platt's solo performance of "Ruby", from the Ray Charles songbook was clearly one of the evening's highlights. His solo performance was played with such emotion that many found them selves misty or in some cases, tearful. At the end of the show the house erupted with applause and fans showed their appreciation by way of a standing ovation.
The legendary Electrofi recording artist, Curley Bridges kicked off the series with a great performance to an enthusiastic standing room only audience at the first concert January 21st.
"The series continues with Fredricton's Ross Neilsen on March 18, Bobby Dean Blackburn on April 15 and a special appearance by Michael Pickett on May 20th.
