|
|
|
Press from Last Best West's 2005
Centennial Tour
|
|
The World Spectator
Moosomin Saskatchewan
Last Best West a Tribute to Province's Dance Hall Traditions
by Amanada Stephenson
Dale and Laura Budd's Last Best West Centennial Cabaret is a combination of old-time
music and modern technology, history lesson and dance hall party. People who take
in the show at the Moosmomin Community Hall on the evening of July 1 will probably
have never seen anything quite like it.
"I know its unique because I've never seen anything like it anywhere I've been,"
says Dale. He and his wife began working on what has developed into the Last Best
West Centennial Cabaret in the late 1990's, when they came up with the idea of exploring
the provinces roots through the power of multimedia. "We saw that the Centennial
was coming up, and we wanted to do something that said, 'This is our heritage,' "
he explains.
The Budd's own heritage has a lot to do with their decision to pursue this project.
Dale inherited a strong love of storytelling from his Scottish grandmother, and a
love of music from his grandfather, who brought a balalaika when he immigrated to
Canada from the Ukraine. He also learned to appreciate history from his father, who
loved taking his son to some of Saskatchewan's most historic sites. Laura grew up
with the polkas and dance music her family brought with them from Czechoslovakia
in the 1880's. "We wanted to find a way to put these traditions together and
pass them on," Dale says.
Dale says that as a young man he was inspired by the music of the Maritimes "Many
of those musicians were so into their culture - I wanted to do the same thing in
Saskatchewan," he says. "But it wasn't always obvious at the time what
that culture was." In search of Saskatchewan's musical culture, Dale sought
out old-time musicians. Eventually, he began to get a taste for the dance hall traditions
of the Prairies. "That's where our music was and is created," he says.
Dale and Laura also spent three years traveling around the province gathering film
footage - footage that was used to create their recently released DVD, 'Stories of
the Canadian West'. The DVD is a collection of music videos that combines stories
of the past with film footage and the sounds of Indian drums, old-time fiddle, ragtime
and other musical styles of the past.
"I came up with the idea of a multimedia DVD when I saw how often kids were
going to the computer for information," Dale says. "I realized that in
today's world, you have to be able to communicate that way."
The Last Best West Centennial Cabaret will begin with a screening of the DVD (which
will be handed out as a souvenir to everyone who attends and is also going out to
museums across Saskatchewan.) Then, the dance will begin, with each set taking people
back to a different period and musical style. Beginning in 1905, people will have
a chance to dance to the piano music, fiddle music, ragtime and fox-trots of the
day.
The second set will move ahead to the 1930's and 1940's, beginning with swing music
popular at the time and moving on to a 'cowboy ball theme featuring the western music
of the day.
The third and final set will take the crowd back to the 1950's and 1960's, as Dale
and Laura play everything from Johnny Cash and Hank Williams to Elvis Presley and
Roy Orbison. Throughout the night, while the Budds are playing, a big screen video
screen behind them will show a video montage that suits the style of music being
played. For example, during the Western segment, rodeo footage will play on the screen.
The Budds say they hope their show will help people learn to appreciate Saskatchewan
and its heritage. "I've always liked this place that I live in and I feel it's
highly underrated everywhere else," Dale says. "I really want to tell people
who live here. 'Look around. This province has incredible heritage, incredible music,
incredible history.'"
* * * * * * * * * * * *
|
|
Saturday, June 25, 2005
The Humboldt Regional Trader
Saskatchewan music tradition
highlight of show
by Pat Peckover
Journal staff writer
The city's Centennial celebrations start next week
and kicks off with a performance and dance with a Saskatchewan duo. Last Best West
hits the stage in Humboldt on June 29. Dale & Laura Budd will take people on
a tour of Saskatchewan's musical heritage beginning in the early part of the century.
The Budds are currently on tour with their Centennial Cabaret which they describe
as a tribute to the music traditions of the Canadian West. It features live dance
music and big screen videos. The Centennial Cabaret features ragtime, fiddle tunes,
swing, country and rock'n'roll music that has defined the century.
The Centennial Cabaret starts out in 1905 with a lively dance set of two-steps, fox-trots
and waltzes that spins the dance floor through the heady days of the new province
and into the roaring 20's. From there the decades spin by with early jazz and swing
standards, cowboy tunes, country and rock'n'roll while the big video screen provides
a flowing montage of prairie memorabilia including steam locomotives, vintage cars
and rodeos.
The show starts at 7 p.m. with a video presentation titles "Stories of the Canadian
West". This is a collection of music videos that highlight western heritage.
Each video is put into the context of the decade it's from. All of the videos are
shot in Saskatchewan.
"Most people don't realize how rich Saskatchewan's musical heritage is,"
said Dale Budd. "This is a way of sharing those traditions with the next generation."
Budd said that while older people will enjoy the show for its nostalgia, younger
people will find lots to enjoy as well.
Last Best West is in Humboltd on June 29. The show starts at 7 p.m. in the big tent
on the Uniplex grounds. Tickets, available at the door are $10.00 each and include
a free copy of the DVD 'Last Best West: Stories of the Canadian West'.
|
|
|
|
Couple brings centennial music
show to city
by Corey Atkinson
Moose Jaw Times Herald
A Spiritwood couple are taking people on a musical
trip through the province's first 100 years. Dale and Laura Budd, also known as Last
Best West, are performing a show at Timothy Eaton Gardens Saturday that took three
years to complete.
"It's all about Saskatchewan music traditions and it's something we've done
quite a bit of research on, mostly on old time musicians," said Dale. The show,
which features original music in older music styles, is the couple's Centennial Project.
It was partially funded by Canadian Heritage.
On a trip to the Maritimes a few years ago, Dale was struck by the region's rich
and proud musical history. He wanted to discover and share the musical heritage of
his own province. "Since then, I've been meeting a lot of old-time musicians,
old time fiddle and piano players," Budd said.
Before and during the Budds' performance, background pictures and video that illustrate
the history of Saskatchewan are shown on a large screen. The first part of the show
deals with music from around the inception of the province, and includes ragtime
and early jazz. The second part of the show is swing music.
"One of the songs we do in this (second) set is 'The Temple Garden Two Step'.
I wrote it about a farm boy going to Temple Garden to dance to a swing band,"
Budd said. Budd wrote the song in 1979 standing by the ruins of the Temple Garden
Dance Hall in Moose Jaw.
In their third set, the couple plays country music in the style of Hank Williams,
Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. They also try their hand at rockabilly. Some of the
background pictures used in the slide show were taken by Moose Jaw photographer Lewis
Rice, and were found in the archives at the Moose Jaw Public Library. The Budd's
also acquired their own footage from events and places including the Saskatchewan
Air Show and the Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum.
The Budd's show is on a DVD. which they will be distributing to museums in the province
and selling at their shows.
|
|
|
