Alberta blues musician Charlie Jacobson is performing at the Osoyoos Elks Lodge on May 22. (Contributed photo)
By Dale Boyd
Osoyoos Times
Alberta blues musician Charlie Jacobson’s upcoming album was inspired by Canadian music from coast to coast, and influences picked up while travelling the rails.
Jacobson’s upcoming third album, The Long Haul, was written during his multiple trips across the nation as a CN Rail artist in residence.
“So there’s a lot of influence from the east coast, Halifax and New Brunswick, some Vancouver kind of style and a little bit more funk and a little more rock on this one than the last two (albums),” Jacobson said. “Still blues, but this one’s a little more east coast influence.”
He has taken the cross-country trip five times, playing three shows a day for passengers in the pub car.
“It’s really inspiring. There’s beautiful night skies, really cool people. I brush up on French, stuff like that,” Jacobson said.
Taking in not only gorgeous views but local wines, beers and food gives Jacobson a real taste of Canadian culture.
“There’s always a lot of interesting people on the train of course, you eat all your meals with different people every day,” Jacobson said. “You get to learn a lot about Canada seeing the whole country like you never get to see it on the highway.”
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The Long Haul, recorded in Sherwood Park, Alta., features his old Edmonton band who have been together off and on for the last five years. His debut album Alberta Flood featured a long list blues contacts he had made during his lifelong music career, his sophomore album Travelin’ was recorded solo and The Long Haul finds a happy medium.
“This album is live off the floor. It had a really good live sound to it,” Jacobson said.
“It’s a more cohesive, real experience on this next album coming out. The last (album) I had to overdub each part myself,” Jacobson said. “I’m always using different bands no matter where I am.”
He expects The Long Haul will be released in the next few months and is hoping to have some copies to sell when he plays Osoyoos May 22. He will be solo for the show at the Osoyoos Elks Lodge in homage to the one-man suitcase bands of the 1930s.
“They used their suitcases as drums and travelled alone. In the depression they couldn’t afford the big bands anymore so a lot of them started one-man bands. That’s kind of what happened to me a few years ago as well,” Jacobson said.
He still brings the band when he can, but can reach more shows with the mobility of the one-man act.
Tickets for the show are $25 available at Mills Office Productivity from Mondays to Fridays. Doors open at the Osoyoos Elks Hall May 22 at 7 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.
