features
the biues

BLUES and soul singer-key-
boardist Aaron McNeil is a
survivor,

Michael
Becker

music
review

The 56-year-old Little Rock,
Arkansas native has had a number
of false starts and numerous brush-
es with greatness, but this time it’s
his time.

‘Last month McNeil and 1-800-

Soul cohorts Jack Lavin (Powder

' Blues) and Lindsay. Mitchell

(Seeds of Time. Prism) reportedly

tore the roof off at Jack Lonsdale’s.

. The group retums to the North

Vancouver pub for 8:30 p.m.

shows on Friday and Saturday
night this week. ‘

There's no cover charge so ge
there early for a seat. :

Mitchel! hooked up profession-
ally with McNeil while on the hunt
for'a keyboard player to make

_ good on a New Year’s Eve lounge
gig. But he remembers hearing
McNeil play The Elegant Parlor in
Vancouver back in the 1960s.

Until recently McNei!.: was
based in Los Angeles,

The Rodney King riots and last

“ AARON MCNEIL. .
year’s earthquake soured him
about the, viability of continuing
his musical life in L.A. -

He has since moved to Maple
‘Ridge, where he lives with hi
Canadian wife.

‘He’s been blind since the age of
seven. His parents recognized his
‘singing ability early. His mother
packed him off to church to belt
out the gospel word, but his crue,
-passion lay in the blues, a style
‘favored by his father. — ,

Ss:

He’s' since worked with major .

players Stevie Wonder. Diana Ross
‘and the Supremes, Ray Charles.

*, Aretha Franklin, Billy Preston, the «

. Hollywood. Presbyterian . Choir,
. Righteous Brothers and the ike and
Tina Turner Review.

The following is taken trom an -
interview Monday with McNeil:
Michael:' It’ sounds like you've

“got the right chemistry of play-
“ers for some blue heat. .

Aaron: “The vibes are coming
together. | have been the victim of.
circumstances in many cases. i've
almost been there many times. For

‘ example | was with Capitol for two
years '(1963-64)., Johnny Otis.
signed’ me to Capitol.’ They
released three. records (singles).

““Qne almost hit the charts. Nobody

‘did a thing. about promoting it.
‘ “But Pve had some good breaks

1

See LA. page 33

THEATRE:

factor.

Conceived, written and per-
formed by Linda A. Carson. Jill
Daum, Alison Kelly. Robin
Nichol, Bar Pollard | and
Deborah Williams, the hilari-
ous and occasionally poignant
show has had several previous
outings thac P have always man-
aged to miss. You shouldn't.

For information or tickets
call 687-1644.

— Martin Millerchip

Quality

ACKERMAN

ven non-parents were laughing madly at the opening
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Forget any misgivings about the monologue format. Incisiv
ing and performance create an instant recognition and identification

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