Paul Tessier
Special to The Morning Star
There seems to be one in every class. Thatsa国际传媒檚 the kid whosa国际传媒檚 like a sponge when it comes to music. Jack Semple was one of those kids. At the age of 10, he started taking guitar lessons. By the time he was 15, he was teaching guitar at the local music store and playing live at the Folk Guild in Regina.
Since then, Semple has won the Much Music Guitar Wars contest and a Juno award in 1991 for best roots recording. He has also won two Western Canadian Music awards and hesa国际传媒檚 currently nominated for the Maple Blues awards for best blues guitarist.
Semple will be performing his brand of blues for the Vernon Folk-Roots Music Society on Friday, Jan. 18 at the Vernon Prestige Lodge and Conference Centre.
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Like so many kids in the sa国际传媒�60s, seeing the Beatles on television had a lasting impact.
sa国际传媒淚 was about 10, when I saw them play on the Ed Sullivan show,sa国际传媒� Semple recalls. sa国际传媒淭hen later that year, I saw B.B. King play the blues on TV. Music has been my passion ever since I was 10 years old.sa国际传媒�
Early on, Semple played all sorts of styles on guitar. sa国际传媒淎t first, I studied classical guitar. Then I got into Flamenco guitar. But I always loved Blues music,sa国际传媒� he explains. sa国际传媒淏ut I never got an electric guitar till I was 18. At the time, I got asked to join a party band around town- it was a good way to make money. So I started reexamining blues music and rock sa国际传媒榥 roll guitar.sa国际传媒�
His delving into past music helped form his view of music and the blues. sa国际传媒淏lues music is the essential germ of rock sa国际传媒榥 roll, jazz, country, hip-hop and even heavy metal. Itsa国际传媒檚 the root and the source of that feeling in music.sa国际传媒� Semple goes on to say, sa国际传媒淏.B. Kingsa国际传媒檚 music always spoke to because itsa国际传媒檚 so easily understood- yet incredibly difficult to pull off. Recently, I started doing a B.B. King tribute where I play a full evening of his songs. So I practiced his licks and studied his guitar style. I soon discovered that technically itsa国际传媒檚 very hard to do but itsa国际传媒檚 so lyrical and beautiful. So, Isa国际传媒檝e discovered that blues music has always truly been at the centre of my gravity.sa国际传媒�
In the late 80sa国际传媒檚, his Regina-based band opened a show for the Lincolns: sa国际传媒淚 had seen the Lincolns a few times and they were basically the very best Toronto musicians playing classic soul and R&B music,sa国际传媒� he remembers. sa国际传媒淭heir music really spoke to me because it was sophisticated, slick, well-played with a great stage presentation. So we opened for them and after the show, their leader asked me if i would join their band. And I said, sa国际传媒榃hat? You want me to join my favourite band?sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� he says with a laugh. sa国际传媒淚t was a great opportunity. My wife and I had a two year old at the time so we decided to move to Toronto and give it a shot.sa国际传媒�
He spent a couple of years in Toronto and kept himself very busy. sa国际传媒淚 played on movie soundtracks, worked on albums and played all over Ontario and Western-Canada. It was great because I made so many connections in Toronto with folks I continue to play with to this day.sa国际传媒� The move to Toronto also bolstered his confidence. sa国际传媒淛ust going there and seeing the level of talent- I came to realize I could compete on that level.sa国际传媒�
The show on Jan. 18 will be very special because Semple will be reunited with Dave Chabot on bass.
sa国际传媒淒ave and I played together for 30 years,sa国际传媒� Semple says. sa国际传媒淒ave just moved to the Vernon area a few months ago. I miss him terribly because he and I are partners, basically. Itsa国际传媒檒l be absolutely great to play with him again.sa国际传媒�
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Semple is also looking forward to doing some tunes from his new album, Cansa国际传媒檛 Stop This Love!, released in September of last year. sa国际传媒淏ack in October of 2017, I spent two full months writing tunes for a new recording and I wrote 60 tunes in 60 days. I wrote a song every day. I just put the pedal to the metal and I came up with the best writing that Isa国际传媒檝e ever done. Then I picked 10 of the songs and thatsa国际传媒檚 the new album. Itsa国际传媒檚 going over well and people are really enjoying it.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檒l be stuff yousa国际传媒檒l be able to dance to for sure, Semple says, looking forward to the Vernon show. sa国际传媒� Isa国际传媒檒l also be doing some instrumental, solo-guitar stuff and lots of tunes with bluesy vocals.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淧erforming live is very exhilarating because i want to connect with the audience and give them something that they can feel good about,sa国际传媒� Semple says. sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 the whole point- to make the audience feel good. I love taking the audience on a range of emotions- from happy, blues-shuffle music that makes you wanna dance to more thoughtful music that makes you want to reflect on your life and the world around you.When I can create that kind of journey for the audience, I feel Isa国际传媒檝e given them something to remember.sa国际传媒�
Tickets to the show are $30, $25 for Vernon Folk Roots Society members. Available through ticketseller.ca (250-549-7469), Expressions Of Time bookstore (2901- 30 Avenue) or at the door (if available and cash only.) Doors open at 6:30. Show at 7:30. Food (beef brisket sliders), beer and wine available at the show.
Memberships to our Society sell for $20. Society members receive a $5 rebate when attending a show and are eligible to attend our Annual General Meeting. More information on all shows for the upcoming season is available through vernonfolkroots.com and on Facebook (vernonfolkroots). For further information, please contact: info@vernonfolkroots.com.
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