A Worthy Musical Wednesday in Ottawa

Wednesday March 4 at The Schenkman Arts Centre, Ottawa…

Lance Anderson’s acclaimed tribute performance of The Last Waltz comes to The Schenkman Centre in Ottawa, Wednesday March 4
An all-star Canadian cast of award-winning blues and roots musicians will perform a celebration of The Last Waltz - The Music of The Band,
Under the direction of producer and musical director, Lance Anderson, the March 4th appearance will be the first in the Ottawa area of this crowd pleasing show which has previously sold out in Peterborough, Orillia, Collingwood, Cobourg and at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. In addition, the show topped the bill at The Southside Shuffle, The Wasaga Beach Blues Festival, and The Kitchener Blues Festival.
The performance features an all-star line-up including Chuck Jackson (lead singer of the Juno Award winning Downchild Blues Band) and Maple Blues Lifetime Achievement award winner Paul James. Jerome Levon Avis (Levon Helm’s godson) is on drums and vocals, the multi-talented Jimmy Bowskill and the always entertaining Johnny Max are guest singers. The performance will recreate the atmosphere of The Band’s final concert, which was captured in Martin Scorsese's award-winning concert film, “The Last Waltz”.

On the American Thanksgiving of 1976 at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, The Band performed what they called their “Last Waltz,” and invited many of their friends to join in the celebration. These friends included Bob Dylan, Ronnie Hawkins, Van Morrison, Neil Young and others who performed with The Band on this special night.
In this homage to “The Last Waltz”, Anderson’s special guests will perform the songs played and sung by these artists at the memorable 1976 concert.

Backed by a 9 piece band that includes Jerome Levon Avis on drums and vocals, Terry Blersh on guitar, Dennis Pinhorn (The Hawks) on bass, Rob Gusevs (Blood, Sweat and Tears) on organ and Anderson (Shakura S'Aida) on piano and vocals, this is an all star group of seasoned veterans who love the music. Anderson’s band also features a stellar four-piece horn section including David Dunlop (Boss Brass) on trumpet, Gord Meyers (Blood, Sweat and Tears) on trombone and tuba, Chris Murphy (Maple Blues Band) on Tenor sax, and Simon Wallis (Lighthouse) on Baritone sax.

Avis’ dad, Bill Avis was The Band's road manager from the early days with Ronnie Hawkins through the Bob Dylan years, right up until The Last Waltz. Bill was especially close to Levon Helm and he has a wealth of stories about times on the road with The Band. Dennis Pinhorn is an ex-Hawk, who joined Ronnie Hawkins some years after The Band left to tour with Dylan. And Anderson himself produced a piano and vocal recording, 'Live at the Wolf', with Garth Hudson, The Band’s mercurial genius on the organ.

“What makes this performance special is the connection 

these musicians have to the music,” says Anderson. “They

 love the music and perform these tunes from the heart.”