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Film screening will close a circle

The Yorkton Film Festival will be a big event for Winnipeg bluesman Big Dave McLean.
Big Dave McLean

The Yorkton Film Festival will be a big event for Winnipeg bluesman Big Dave McLean.

McLean, who was actually born in Yorkton, the son of a serving minister, will be back for the festival which will showcase a documentary on the long-time blues singer; ‘Ain’t About the Money’.

“Big Dave McLean was seduced by the blues when he first heard the legendary John Hammond at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1969, he was blown away by his performance,” detailed a film synopsis on the Konofilm Productions website. “By chance he ran into John Hammond sitting under a tree after the show, Big Dave boldly asked him for a guitar lesson on his five dollar guitar, the rest is history.

“Big Dave’s raw and gravelly vocals speak to a hard life lived on the road. For the past 40 years, he’s performed in countless venues that dot the Canadian landscape and abroad. If you ask him about his influences, Big Dave’s heart firmly beats with the delta blues greats, especially the world’s foremost bluesman, Muddy Waters.

“Both John Hammond and Muddy Waters became Big Dave’s lifelong musical heroes and friends influencing his life and his music. He’s opened for both of these artists over the years and considers these opportunities as high points in his career.”

In an interview with Yorkton This Week McLean said the film draws on footage from some two years of his career, along with background material.

“They followed me for over two years,” he said. “They had over 100-hours of film, they edited down to 85-minutes.”

The finished film was interesting for McLean who said he knows what film ended up not being used, which gives him some added insights, even though he was not part of the final edit.

Still, McLean termed it “a wonderful film,” which captures the blues as much as the musician.

“It shows what it’s like to be a blues musician. The business, it can have its ups, but it can have its downs too,” he said.

“‘Ain’t About the Money’ is a film about Big Dave McLean’s passion for the music,” stated the Konofilm website. “But following that passion has come at a cost. As our central character, Big Dave McLean grounds the film and through his experiences, good and bad, we learn about the complex challenges and choices he has faced as a blues troubadour.

“The film is framed by a road trip with Big Dave McLean to the Mississippi Delta where he visits the birthplace of the blues. This has been a dream for him since he was first introduced to the Delta blues in the 60’s, its number one on his bucket list. His old friend Watermelon Slim who lives in Clarksdale, Mississippi has invited him down for a visit. Bill “Watermelon Slim” Homans has built a remarkable reputation as a blues artist, with his raw, impassioned intensity.

“‘Ain’t About the Money’ is a documentary celebrating the blues and its origins. Big Dave McLean and his associates take us into blues territory, capturing the passion in conversation and song. The film takes a look at the blues scene through the artists that live it and gives the audience a unique and personal perspective on the world of blues.”

As for having it screened at the Yorkton Film Festival McLean said it’s an honour.

“The Yorkton Film Festival is huge. It’s one of the oldest festivals we have,” he said, adding that being born in the city makes it like closing a circle in a fashion.

The visit will also see McLean pick up his guitar for a gig at Rayzer’s Pub this week which will be an opportunity to introduce listeners to his latest disc; ‘Faded But Not Gone’ from Black Hen Music.

The Black Hen Music website sheds more light on McLean and his career.

“Mention the blues and chances are that you’ll think of the Mississippi delta and imagine the sound of an acoustic guitar drifting through the hot night breeze over the cotton fields,” it relates.  “Or, you might picture a harp player stomping his feet and wailing for all he’s worth over an electric guitar in a sweaty Chicago nightclub.  

“But, you probably wouldn’t think of Winnipeg, Manitoba – right smack in the middle of the Canadian prairies – as a hot bed of blues music. Big Dave McLean, the heart and soul of the Winnipeg music scene, has been singing the blues better than anyone for decades now.

“It’s a journey that’s taken him hooting, hollering and testifying through every juke joint and dance hall across the country more times than he can remember. If there’s a blues club in Canada worth its salt, he’s played there. After all, how many other singers had their first guitar lesson from John Hammond and got to open up for Muddy Waters?”

McLean has been at it for decades now, with thousands of road miles chasing gigs, and hundreds of hours in the studio recording, including his new effort.

“If you’re an old fan, there’s no better place to catch up with Big Dave than with ‘Faded But Not Gone’, the seventh and – just maybe – best album of this Juno and Western Canadian Music Award winner’s long career,” suggests the Black Hen website. “Recorded while he was still trying to absorb the deaths of his mother and brother, ‘Faded But Not Gone’ is a vital, deeply heartfelt expression of loss and recovery and McLean’s most personal album to date.

“Standing at a personal crossroads with a new set of songs he was burning to record, Big Dave was ready to do something special and stretch out to explore areas he’d never ventured into before.”

McLean said the experience in Nashville was amazing, noting he was the first to record in the new Black Hen Studio there.

Walking into the studio he found veteran players waiting to work with him.

“They were amazing players,” said McLean.

“‘Everything about this project blew my mind – especially Steve Dawson. Spending a week down in Nashville with his family was an amazing experience. I visited an old slave plantation, went to the Grand Ol’ Opry and sat in on Colin Linden’s regular jam session. Later, Colin came by the studio and laid a beautiful slide down on ‘I best Choose to Sing the Blues.’” said McLean on the Black Hen site.

“Everything about that week went into the album and Steve took me out of my comfort zone a few times to get there.  I have always been into Delta blues and early Chicago blues, but it was nice to have to step it up and play in a more of a country blues style on songs like ‘Devil in the Jukebox’ and ‘One More Day.  Heck, we played a Tampa Red song, ‘Dead Cats on the Line’ and my old friend Colin James came in and played a beautiful mandolin solo.  The whole experience touched me deeply.”

McLean told Yorkton This Week it was a treat to hit the studio and just be able to start recording.

“We had some real ace hitters on this album,” he said, adding he just walked in said “Hi, I’m Dave and this is the key or ‘E’ and we headed right into the tune.”

While a pleasure given the musicians around him, McLean said he’s “always had a good time,” whenever he has been in the studio.

The latest album, with a more country element, is “a little outside the box,” said McLean, adding it was good to expand his music a bit.

“You should never be satisfied with what you’re doing. You’ve got to keep reinventing yourself,” he said.