Jackie Washington

Inducted into the Canadian Jazz & Blues Hall of Fame

Né en 1919 à Hamilton (Ontario), Jackie Washington fait partie de la scène musicale canadienne depuis l’âge de cinq ans, alors qu’il chantait avec The Four Washington Brothers.  Son répertoire s’étend des chants d’esclaves jusqu’aux chansons modernes et comprend plus de 1200 chansons.  Sa vie hors du commun a fait l’objet d’une biographie.  Le nombre d’artistes qu’il a connus et avec qui il a travaillé est stupéfiant.  Nommons, entre autres, les géants du jazz Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton et Clark Terry ; les auteurs-compositeurs Joni Mitchell et Gordon Lightfoot ; les bluesmen Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee et Lonnie Johnson.  Le Conseil des arts de l’Ontario a décerné à Jackie Washington un prix pour l’ensemble de sa carrière ; il a de plus été intronisé au Hamilton Gallery of Distinction.

Jackie Washington a deux albums sur étiquette Borealis : Keeping Out Of Mischief et Midnight Choo Choo, sorti au printemps 1998.  On le retrouve aussi, avec Mose Scarlet et Ken Whiteley, sur l’album Where Old Friends Meet.

Jackie Washington nous a quittés le 27 juin 2009.

Awards

Received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from McMaster University

Inducted into the Canadian Jazz & Blues Hall of Fame

Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Arts Council

Reviews

Midnight Choo Choo

Jackie Washington, born in 1919 and a lifelong resident of Hamilton, Ont., is especially partial to the tunes of Tin Pan Alley – from 1914 (the date of the Irving Berlin song When that Choo Choo Leaves For Alabam, which gives this set its title) through to the 1950s. Not for him such sophisticated Broadway lyricists as Cole Porter or Lorenz Hart. Instead, Washington revives the works of such now lesser-known lights as Harry Akst (Dinah) or; Buddy De Sylva (Alabamy Bound). Turkish Delight, written by British bandleader Ray Noble, is an example of the subgenre of song that might be called « Arab kitsch, » a form especially popular between the wars that included tunes such as Sheik of Araby or Dardenalla. Given a suitably raffish horn arrangement by Sarah McElcheran, Washington’s. warm,, good-humoured delivery is just right for this piece of nonsense. This could be said of much of the record, although Washington does have his serious side (Street of Dreams), « These songs may have been well~known once, but they sound fresh now. He also contributes a few originals, including Heilan’ Lassie, which is up to date enough to mention Ashley MacIsaac.

Chris Probert

The Globe & Mail, June 4, 1998

Rating: ***1/2

Just when you thought you couldn’t find a better Jackie Washing-ton recording than Keeping Out of Mischief, along comes the new Borealis recording .Midnight Choo Choo, which is simply the best Jackie Washington album in the catalogue. This album is the one that will stand as a monument to Washington as a Canadian legend. Capturing Washington’s infectious, mischievous voice and laughter the recording is a stroll through blues/jazz .standards. The mood is upbeat and light. and the musicianship is superb. Surrounded by players as diverse as Mose Scarlett on guitar. Ken Whiteley, on a variety of instruments, Graham Townsend and J.P. Cormier on fiddle, Colin Linden on guitar. and Chris Whiteley on trumpet, the album is a shining example of the right people coming together al the right time to record the right music.

Gene Wilburn

Folk Prints, Summer ‘98