The London Beat London, Ontario’s stream of consciousness
Five stages, ten bands, 65 local musicians, one day. Wortley Village cordoned off both ends to traffic for the Wortley Village Jazz & Blues Festival, and Old South was transformed into a sea of music fans this past Sunday afternoon.
Hundreds of people filled Wortley Avenue from Elmwood Avenue where the TD Bank and Pharmasave are, all the way down to Tuckey’s Home Hardware and Black Walnut at Craig Street. People in lawn chairs, people with their children, people with their dogs, people from Old South, and people from all over the city – all there to enjoy a beautiful afternoon outdoors in the Forest City and a fantastic lineup of music.
One of the five stages was set up in front of the Wortley Roadhouse, with two great long-time London acts performing – Old Chicago Blues Band Reunion with Doug Varty and Chris Murphy, and Reverend Doug and the Old South Boys. Both bands performed two sets each, and both had the throngs in attendance bouncing and moving.
Reverend Doug and The Old South Boys get the crowd bumping with Tequila!! @WVJazzBlues pic.twitter.com/RZZqm748na
— The London Beat (@TheLondonBeat) August 19, 2018
Reverend Doug and The Old South Boys drew a huge crowd in front of @the_wortley at @WVJazzBlues #ldnont pic.twitter.com/zf2QLbHczI
— The London Beat (@TheLondonBeat) August 19, 2018
There was another stage set up in front of Curiosities, that featured two sets each from the Old South Jazz Quartet with Catherine McInnes, and the Hilary Welch Jazz Sextet.
The Hilary Welch Jazz Sextet performing in front of Curiosities for @WVJazzBlues in #ldnont pic.twitter.com/W9AY22Eai7
— The London Beat (@TheLondonBeat) August 20, 2018
The next stage down was set up in front of the Church Condo’s, where both the Sandy MacKay Jazz Quartet featuring Denise Pelley and the Peter Karle Combo performed twice each as well.
A little sampling of the Peter Karle Combo at @WVJazzBlues #ldnont pic.twitter.com/on8t2Z982s
— The London Beat (@TheLondonBeat) August 19, 2018
At the end of the barricaded street was another stage in front of Tuckey’s. That stage saw performances from Benoit and Soul Sausage with Cheryl Lescom.
Fantastic injection of people into Old South today thanks to the @WVJazzBlues and Gathering on the Green #ldnont pic.twitter.com/TWh6PX4LqH
— The London Beat (@TheLondonBeat) August 19, 2018
The fifth stage was at The Green, where Gathering On The Green II was running concurrently. The “big” stage featured a performance from the Moonliters Big Band wih Brian Ball, and then two performances later in the day from the fantastic Chuckee Zehr Blues Band.
The incomparable Chuckee Zehr hammering out Janis' Get it While You Can at GOG for @WVJazzBlues #ldnont pic.twitter.com/DXQGD1KGZa
— The London Beat (@TheLondonBeat) August 19, 2018
Chuckee Zehr drops a Ball and Chain on @WVJazzBlues #janis pic.twitter.com/iWolQH4J0z
— The London Beat (@TheLondonBeat) August 20, 2018
Add it all up… five stages… ten bands… full afternoon of music… a few thousand people in The Village, and it equals yet another sensational community event put on by the Old South Community Organization (OSCO) and the London Musicians’ Association.
Thanks to the sponsorship of the businesses within the Old South community, the event was a “pay what you can” event with donation boxes being carried around by volunteers. Hopefully everybody dropped a few dollars into the coffers. You were treated to a great afternoon of entertainment in one of London’s finest communities.
It was the eighth time that OSCO have put on the annual event.
Looking forward to number nine.
