The
      Cadre
      +
      19Jamuary
      1999
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Arts
      &
      Entertainment
      1
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Young
      And
      Old
      Favour
      Johnny
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Or:
      “Out
      of
      the
      Horns
      of
      Babes”
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      By
      STEPHEN
      MCQUAID
     
    
   
   
    
     
      On
      Friday,
      January
      8,
     
     
      The
      Johnny
      Favourite
      Swing
     
     
      Orchestra
      played
      at
      Myron’s.
     
     
      I’ve
      got
      to.
      say
      that
      this
      was
     
     
      just
      about
      the
      best
      concert
     
     
      crowd
      I’ve
      ever
      been
      a
      part
     
     
      of.
      The
      smoking
      wasn’t
      ap-
     
     
      preciated,
      but
      everyone
      was
     
     
      well
      behaved.
      The
      ages
      of
      the
     
     
      crowd
      members
      ranged
      from
     
     
      19
      up
      to
      people
      in
      their
      seven-
     
     
      ties,
      a
      healthy
      mix
      of
      young,
     
     
      middle-aged,
      and
      “old”.
      It
      was
     
     
      a
      great
      diversity.
      The
      sad
     
     
      thing
      is,
      all
      of
      the
      older
      folks
     
     
      showed
      up
      all
      of
      the
      younger,
     
     
      “hipper”
      folks
      there.
      The
      older
     
     
      ones
      could
      actually
      dance
      and
     
     
      swing
      to
      the
      music,
      which
      was
     
     
      the
      complete
      polar
      opposite
      of
     
     
      the
      gyrations
      that
      most
      clus-
     
     
      ters
      of
      young
      folks
      were
      do-
     
     
      ing.
     
    

    
     
      OK,
      let’s
      figure
      this
      out.
     
     
      A
      swing
      band
      from
      Eastern
     
     
      Canada
      hasa
      lead
      singer
      from
     
     
      Newfoundland,
      they
      do
      clas-
     
     
      sics
      (Cab
      Calloway’s
      “Minnie
     
     
      the
      Moocher”
      was
      a
      good
      one),
     
     
      their
      own
      tunes,
      and
      cover
      the
     
     
      likes
      of
      Led
      Zeppelin.
      Should
      it
     
     
      work?
      No.
      Does
      it?
      Yes.
      In
     
     
      the
      past
      decade,
      horns
      have
     
     
      experienced
      a
      resurgence
      in
     
     
      mainstream
      music.
      Then
      Ska
     
     
      came
      back,
      now
      Swing.
      I
      hope
     
     
      Swing
      sticks
      around
      for
      a
     
     
      while.
      It’s
      great
      music
      and
     
     
      good
      clean
      fun.
      And
      with
     
     
      groups
      like
      this,
      Big
      Bad
      Voo-
     
     
      doo
      Daddy,
      and
      Colin
      James,
      it
     
     
      looks
      like
      Swing
      may
      be
      here
     
     
      for
      a
      while.
      The
      band
      is
      very
     
     
      young,
      but
      they’re
      also
      very
     
     
      good.
      I’m
      not
      sure
      if
      any
      are
     
     
      ready
      to
      become
      musical
     
     
      Senseis
      for
      other
      budding
      mu-
     
     
      Sicians,
      but
      they’re
      all
      quite
     
     
      talented.
      My
      only
      hope
      for
     
     
      them
      is
      that
      someone
      or
      some
     
     
      of
      them
      step
      up
      and
      produce
     
     
      some
      new
      quality
      songs.
      Their
     
     
      Original
      guitar
      player,
      and
      co-
     
     
      founder,
      is
      now
      out
      of
      the
     
     
      group.
      The
      lem
      is,
      he
      wrote
     
     
      almostall
      of
      theirsongs.
      With-
     
     
      out
      him,
      they
      could
      be
      in
      trou-
     
     
      ble,
      butthat
      remains
      to
      be
      seen.
     
    

    
     
      They
      started
      fashionably
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (pun
      intended)
      late,
      and
      were
     
     
      ready
      to
      continue
      their
      per-
     
     
      sonal
      vendetta
      on
      the
      feet
      of
     
     
      helpless
      dancers
      everywhere.
     
     
      The
      band
      started
      up,
      then
     
     
      Johnny
      hit
      the
      stage.
     
    

    
     
      “Dance,
      Puppets!
     
     
      Dance!”
     
    

    
     
      He
      didn’t
      actually
      say
      it,
     
     
      but
      he
      didn’t
      have
      to.
      It
      was
     
     
      understood.
      If
      anyone
      there
     
     
      wasn’t
      moving
      at
      least
      one
      of
     
     
      their
      extremities,
      they
      must
     
     
      have
      been
      clinically
      dead.
      Their
     
     
      lone
      female
      performer,
      the
     
     
      baritone
      sax
      player,
      was
      miss-
     
     
      ing,
      sothey
      lacked
      a
      bit
      of
      their
     
     
      lower-end
      sound,
      but
      it
      still
     
     
      sounded
      great.
      She
      was
      sick,
     
     
      or
      so
      their
      clarinet
      player
     
     
      (David
      Christensen)
      told
      me.
     
     
      They
      did
      a
      short
      set,
      then
      took
     
     
      a
      break
      before
      the
      grand
      finale
     
     
      set.
     
    

    
     
      I
      got
      a
      hold
      of
      Johnny
     
     
      during
      the
      break,
      and
      we
      talked
     
     
      for
      a
      couple
      of
      minutes.
      After
     
     
      a
      minute
      or
      two,
      I
      mentioned
     
     
      that
      I
      did
      music
      reviews
      for
      the
     
     
      UPEI
      student
      paper.
      When
      he
     
     
      heard
      this,
      he
      gota
      look
      of
      fear
     
     
      or
      apology
      or
      remorse
      on
      his
     
     
      face,
      pulled
      his
      hair
      back
      over
     
     
      his
      head"as
      he
      said,
      “Oh
      shit!
     
     
      Man,
      we
      haven’t
      played
      since
     
     
      New
      Year’s
      Eve...”
      I
      quickly
     
     
      stopped
      his
      unnecessary
      apol-
     
     
      ogy
      and
      reassured
      him
      that
     
     
      they
      were
      puting
      on
      a
      good
     
     
      show.
      we
      arranged
      to
      meet
     
     
      afterwards
      and
      split.
      '
     
    

    
     
      My
      impression
      of
      him?
     
     
      A
      very
      friendly,
      accomodating,
     
     
      outgoing
      guy,
      withan
      unhealthy
     
     
      addiction
      tochain
      smoking,
      and
     
     
      a
      love
      for
      a
      drink
      here
      and
     
     
      there.
     
    

    
     
      The
      show
      was
      exceed-
     
     
      ingly
      fun.
      The
      band
      even
      leta
     
     
      couple
      of
      wackos
      up
      on
      stage
     
     
      to
      dance.
      That
      very
      short-
     
     
      haired
      guy
      in
      the
      striped
      shirt
     
     
      and
      his
      vertically
      challenged
     
    

    
     
      |
      he
      was
      with
      seemed
      nice
     
     
      enough,
      but
      were
      a
      bit
      odd.
     
     
      They
      were
      hanging
      off
      of
     
     
      Johnny
      all
      night,
      like
      he
      was
     
     
      momma
      kangaroo
      and
      they
     
     
      wanted
      back
      in
      the
      pouch.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Johnny
      left
      early
      after
      the
     
     
      show,
      partially
      due
      to
      them,
      in
     
     
      my
      opinion,
      but
      mostly
      because
     
     
      he
      found
      it
      too
      loud
      there.
      He
     
     
      offered
      to
      do
      an
      interview
      back
     
     
      at
      his
      hotel
      room,
      or
      maybe
     
     
      back
      at
      Myron’s
      later,
      but
      my
     
     
      driver
      was
      already
      in
      the
      car
     
     
      by
      then,
      and
      |
      didn’t
      want
      to
     
     
      abandon
      her
      or
      my
      girlfriend,
     
     
      so
      I
      decided
      to
      decline
      his
      gen-
     
     
      erous
      offer.
      We
      shook
      hands
     
     
      and
      parted,
      so
      |
      struck
      up
      a
     
     
      conversation
      with
      one
      of
      the
     
     
      other
      band
      members.
     
    

    
     
      The
      JFSOrchestra
      is
      a
     
     
      replica
      of
      Benny
      Goodman’s
     
     
      orchestra,
      and
      he
      played
      clari-
     
     
      net,
      so
      I
      decided
      I'd
      talk
      to
     
     
      their
      clarinet
      player,
      David
     
     
      Christensen.
      |
      wasn’t
      really
     
     
      expecting
      to
      interview
      any
      of
     
     
      them,
      sol
      didn’t
      have
      any
      ques-
     
     
      tions
      so
      we
      just
      talked
     
     
      about...
      stuff.
      We
      shot
      the
     
     
      breeze
      for
      a
      couple
      of
      minutes,
     
     
      both
      of
      us
      struggling
      to
      hear
     
     
      the
      other
      one.
      He
      like
      to
      listen
     
     
      to
      Radiohead,
      Johnny
      Cash,
     
     
      Stevie
      Wonder,
      all
      kinds
      of
     
     
      stuff,
      much
      like
      many
      of
      the
     
     
      other
      band
      members.
      In
      case
     
     
      anyone
      is
      curious,
      he
      uses
     
     
      VanDoren
      reeds.
     
    

    
     
      I
      asked
      him,”Now
      that
     
     
      you’
      re
      riding
      a
      renewed
      popu-
     
     
      larity
      of
      Swing
      music,
      are
      you
     
     
      trying
      to
      put
      any
      twists
      on
      it
     
     
      change
      it
      and
      do
      something
     
     
      new,
      trying
      to
      set
      yourselves
     
     
      apart
      from
      other
      bands?
      Like
     
     
      the
      cover
      of
      Led
      Zeppelin’s
     
     
      ‘Black
      Dog’,
      for
      example?”
     
     
      He
      replied,
      “No,
      we’re
      not
      try-
     
     
      ing
      todo
      anything
      really
      differ-
     
     
      ent,
      or
      change
      anything.
      And
     
     
      the
      Led
      Zeppelin
      cover
      just
     
     
      started
      out
      as
      a
      joke
      and
      it
      just
     
     
      ended
      up
      on
      the
      CD.”
      They’
      ve
     
     
      played
      with
      the
      likes
      of
      Colin
     
     
      James
      already,
      I’ve
      seen
      Jeff
     
     
      Healy
      as
      a
      soloist
      in
      their
      horn
     
     
      section
      before,
      and
      Robbie
     
     
      Robertson
      co-wrote
      a
      song
      for
     
     
      them.
     
    

    
     
      They’
      ve
      just
      been
      in
      Bos-
     
     
      ton,
      New
      York,
      and
      are
      soon
     
     
      on
      their
      way
      to
      Los
      Angeles
     
     
      and
      the
      Bahamas,
      just
      to
      name
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a
      couple
      of
      places,
      which
     
     
      Christensen
      seemed
      pretty
     
     
      excited
      about.
      If
      you
      missed
     
     
      them,
      too
      bad.
      It
      was
      a
      great
     
     
      time,
      and
      it
      only
      cost
      ten
      dol-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      —
     
    
   
   
    
     
      lars.
      They'll
      be
      back,
      though,
     
     
      sooner
      than
      later
      |
      imagine.
      As
     
     
      David
      said,
      “Watch
      out
      for
     
     
      us.”
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Books...
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
      The
      Cure
      for
      Death
      by
      Lightning
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      By
      Gail
      Anderson-Dargatz
     
    

    
     
      _
      (Vintage
      Canada)
     
     
      I
      came
      across
      this
      exquisite
      |
      comes
      completely
      blended
      ©
     
     
      novel
      as
      |
      browsed
      throu
      with
      myth,
      monsters
      and
      |
     
     
      the
      library
      stacks
      of
      supernatural
      elements.
      At
      |
     
     
      rong
      hse
      bene
      Ee
      teres
      the
      narrative
      is
     
     
      ing
      for
      to
      recipe/scrapbook
      k
     
     
      become
      absorbed
      with
      over
      iy
      Beth
      valor,
      where
      the
     
     
      the
      holidays.
      Iconsiderthe
      —
      temptingrecipes
      and
      quirky
     
     
      discover
      a
      stroke
      of
      luck,as
      home
      remedies
      are
      used
      to
     
     
      the
      book
      has
      slipped
      intomy
      mark
      the
      difficult
      passage
      |
     
     
      shifting
      list
      of
      absolute
      fa-
      _of
      time
      (if
      you’re
      wonder-
     
    

    
     
      _
      vourite
      reads.
      —
      ing,
      the
      cure
      for
      death
      by
      |
     
    

    
     
      In
      describing
      the
      frame
      eelaatesbeakin
      vinnget
     
    

    
     
      of
      the
      plot,
      it
      might
      sound
      —_
      and
      water).
      In
      the
      process
      _
     
     
      like
      atypical
      f-age:
      of
      defeating
      human
      and
      in-
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
      a
      fifteen
      year
      old
      girl
      exists
     
     
      |
      on
      an
      isolated
      farm
      in
      rural
     
     
      |
      B.C.
      during
      the
      turbulent
     
     
      )
      years
      of
      World
      War
      Il.
      Over
     
     
      _
      the
      fourseasons
      of
      one
      year,
     
     
      |
      Beth
      Weeks
      struggles
      to
     
     
      |
      protect
      herself
      in
      a
      world
     
     
      _
      full
      of
      cruel
      neighbours
      and
     
     
      _
      odd
      peers,
      disturbed
      and
      vio-
     
     
      lent
      father,
      a
      mother
      who
     
     
      talks
      out-loud
      to
      her
      dead
     
     
      mother,
      and
      the
      usual
      some-
     
     
      times-scariness
      of
      love
      and
     
     
      _
      the
      opposite
      sex.
      However,
     
     
      |
      the
      trick
      to
      the
      novel
      is
      that
     
     
      it
      transforms
      the
      ordinary
     
     
      into
      the
      extraordinary.
      Dai
     
     
      farm
      chores
      take
      ona
     
    

    
     
      and
      magic
      all
      theirown,
      ani-
     
     
      mals,
      humans
      and
      spirits
     
     
      become
      blurred
      classifica-
     
     
      tions,
      and
      the
      harsh
      realism
     
     
      of
      human
      behaviour
      be-
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      human
      forces,
      these
      little
      |
     
     
      elements
      of
      life
      become
      a_
     
     
      guide
      and
      recipe-book
      to
      |
     
     
      navigating
      life
      without
      be-
     
     
      coming
      a
      victim.
      .
     
    

    
     
      Anderson-Dargatz
      |
     
     
      was
      short-listed
      forthe
      Giller
     
     
      Prize
      on
      the
      merit
      of
      this
      |
     
     
      first
      novel,
      and
      has
      used
      an
      |
     
     
      incredibly
      poetic
      and
      multi-
      |
     
     
      faced
      language
      to
      craft
      her
     
     
      mysterious
      story.
      Itisone
      of
      |
     
     
      those
      novels
      which
      tran-
      |
     
     
      scends
      many
      metaphorical
      .
     
     
      layers
      of
      meaning
      and
      sym-
      |
     
     
      bolism,
      yet
      all
      with
      a
      grace-
      |
     
     
      ful
      simplicity
      which
      ts
      |
     
     
      readibility
      and
      credibility.
      |
     
     
      While
      there
      are
      a
      few
      slow
      |
     
     
      and
      awkward
      points
      in
      the
      |
     
     
      ys
      it
      a
      oses
      itself.
      I
     
     
      on
      ve
      been
      able
     
     
      to
      describ
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ribe
      it
      deservedly.
     
     
      ;
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ee
      ae