SOO'S Saturday night jam on April 14 was well attended, hosted by Bill and Sue-On Hillman, with many years of touring and recording behind them, are well-seasoned musicians that fit easily into most styles of music. An old friend of mine, Ken Jarvin, was in town visiting from Victoria, B.C. so I thought I would take him out to the jam since it had been many years from the last time we had toured together. At first he refused to get up, stating he had not played in ten years, but after a little prodding (very little) he was up on the keyboard and within minutes began to put to shame some of us who have to practice every day to keep our chops up. I did not know all the musicians there that night but some I did know were G.B. Peech and the Sidebanders, Vaughn Thorsteinson the house bass player and when he gets a chance, guitarist, Joe Ksiazek, John from Boomtown Music, a very young and good-looking guitarist, Kristi Ghidoni, who we might have to keep an eye out for in the blues world, and new to me, Sandy Gibson, who had recently been playing out of Montreal, brought down his dobro. I hope to see him perform again soon. You just never know whom you might run into at SOO'S. Just the week before Winnipeg's own Ron Robinson of CBC fame and Morning Show producer, Jan Harding, showed up and graciously performed for the crowd.

The Brandon blues community has found a friend and supporter of live blues music in The Brandon and District Labour Council with newly elected president Jan Chaboyer. (Congratulations Jan) First there was the Better Off With The Blues Social, with two Winnipeg acts. Then came The Blues Overtook Me Social, held at Soo's Restaurant with acts like (surprise it's me) Poor Boy Rodger, G.B. Peech and the Sidebanders, The Soo's Blues Wokkers, and just back from Bosnia, Guns and Hoses, a band consisting of soldiers from CFB Shilo (don't mess with these blues soldiers). It was a well attended event and, sad to say, the last of an era in Brandon as Soo's Chinese Restaurant has been eaten up with the expansion of the Credit Union next door. Soo's had the best Chinese food in town and had been in Brandon forever, or at least as long as I can remember. In the last few years it was also the best and friendliest jammin' place for musicians of all ages and styles. I think I can speak for all musicians  in and around Brandon and wish Bill and Sue-On Hillman all the best in the future. Check out their Webpage at: www.hillmanweb.com