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Interview with Gerold Haukenfrauer, President, Nanaimo Blues Society, 2019

The Nanaimo Blues Society and the Summertime Blues Festival The Nanaimo Blues Society continued with their annual Blues Festival. I was not able to attend for 2017 or 2019 but did attend for part of 2018. And then of course 2020 was cancelled due to COVID. They are tentatively making plans for 2021 and we shall see what can be done. Meanwhile, in Nanaimo...  Before I leave the posts on the Summertime Blues Festival, I would like to share with you, excerpts from an interview with Gerold Haukenfrauer, President of the Nanaimo Blues Society from 2013 to 2019. He graciously invited me to his home where we sat in comfortable chairs while I proceeded to ask him a few questions. Johanna: Could you tell me a little bit about how you got involved with the Nanaimo Blues Society and the Summertime Blues Festival? Gerold: I saw some of the events at Diana Krall Square and it looked like fun. Then in 2011, I volunteered at the Summertime Blues Festival. I let the Society know I would be inter...
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2016 Summertime Blues Festival, Nanaimo, BC, Canada

  The Nanaimo Blues Society has been providing a festival experience for Blues fans since 2004. It was founded by Bill Lucas (aka Billieboy) and has become stronger than ever. The 2016 Festival featured Friday headliner, Tommy Castro, Saturday with Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown and closed Sunday with Rick Estrin & The Nightcaps. And a dynamic line-up of other Blues musicians including the best from our island. Summer of Summer & The Sinners Lazy Mike Mike Mallon and Brian Whitty of Lazy Mike & The Rockin' Recliners Carson Mallon of Lazy Mike & The Rockin' Recliners Tommy Castro of Tommy Castro and the Painkillers Renovation Blues Band Bill Johnson Sue Foley Neil Gregory Gunhold of Kirby Sewell Band So much fun! Shakura S'Aida Mark Crissinger Carlos Del Junco Brandon Isaak and his Saints of Swing David Gogo Rick Estrin and the Nightcats Guitars signed by Performing Musicians over the years David Vest Blue Moon Marquee
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2015 Summertime Blues Festival, Nanaimo, BC Canada

 As of 2015, I am one year into the Blues Scene in the Nanaimo area. I have started going to the Blues Jam on Sundays at the Queen's, a bar in Nanaimo (more on that later). For now, here are some photos and a short commentary on the 2015 Summertime Blues Festival held in August. The headliners for this year are Marcia Ball, Elvin Bishop and CJ Chenier. Marcia Ball Elvin Bishop CJ Chenier It was a powerful festival. Each band brought a completely different take on the Blues from other bands. Who knew that there were so many ways to create, play and present the Blues. It kept me immersed all weekend. With CJ Chenier, I was introduced to Zydeco for the first time. The local bands and bands from the mainland all were masters in their own right.  Frank Alexander of Alexander's Bluestime Band was full-on. He has passed on now, but he took the initiative to bring Blues alive on Vancouver Island, partly through starting the Sunday Blues Jam in Nanaimo. His wife has continued it. You w...
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Beginning the Blues Journey

Mike Mallon - Lazy Mike & the Rockin' Recliners  In 2014 I started taking photographs of musicians at Blues Festivals, Jams and other Blues events on Vancouver Island. Little did I know that it would turn into one of the most passionate endeavours of my life. Fast forward to 2021 and you will find that I have been working on a Blues book about the contemporary Blues scene of Vancouver Island with more than twenty interviews of prominent artists now transcribed. We are one year into Covid and much has changed in the live music industry. I have been wondering whether I should even continue working on the book. My energy for this project has ebbed and flowed, mostly ebbed. I was on the verge of shelving the entire project and when I consulted with my steady collaborator, Andrew Brown of Barely North Entertainment, he suggested that I consider posting small sections of what would be the book into a blog format for now. That felt less formidable and so here is my first post. My pers...
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