Jane Vasey
Encyclopedia
Jane Elizabeth Vasey was a Canadian
blues
piano
player, best known for her years playing with the Downchild Blues Band
. Vasey played with the band from 1973 until her death, from leukemia
, on July 7, 1982.
. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Art. One of the first blues artists she heard was Otis Spann
; one of her first recordings with the Downchild Blues Band was Otis Spann's "Must Have Been The Devil". Her song, "Trying To Keep Her 88s Straight" was considered to be a minor Canadian hit
in 1980. Vasey played on all of the singles released by the band.
One of Vasey's last engagements was in January 1982, supporting Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, playing three sets per night over the course of a week at Toronto's Albert's Hall (above the Brunswick House Tavern), despite being weakened by illness. Vinson later described her as "one of the good ones".
After her death, The Jane Vasey Memorial Scholarship was established at Brandon University
, to sponsor keyboard
students. The scholarship fund was established by Vasey's late parents, Ross and Dorothy Vasey, as well as The Downchild Blues Band, and each year distributes scholarships to students in piano performance. The initial benefit performance in support of the scholarship fund occurred at the Brunswick Tavern, within weeks of her death. In addition to the Downchild Blues Band, such artists as Sunnyland Slim
, John Hammond
and David Wilcox
appeared in support of the fund. The Downchild Blues Band continues to fund the scholarship through benefit performances.
Vasey is buried at Brookside Cemetery, in Winnipeg
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
player, best known for her years playing with the Downchild Blues Band
Downchild Blues Band
The Downchild Blues Band is a Canadian blues band, described by one reviewer as "the premier blues band in Canada". The band is still commonly known as the Downchild Blues Band, though the actual band name was shortened to "Downchild" as of the early 1980s....
. Vasey played with the band from 1973 until her death, from leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, on July 7, 1982.
Biography
Prior to joining the Downchild Blues Band, Vasey earned a Master's degree in Music from the University of ManitobaUniversity of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Art. One of the first blues artists she heard was Otis Spann
Otis Spann
Otis Spann was an American blues musician, who many consider the leading postwar Chicago blues pianist.-Career:Born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States, Spann became known for his distinct piano style....
; one of her first recordings with the Downchild Blues Band was Otis Spann's "Must Have Been The Devil". Her song, "Trying To Keep Her 88s Straight" was considered to be a minor Canadian hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in 1980. Vasey played on all of the singles released by the band.
One of Vasey's last engagements was in January 1982, supporting Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, playing three sets per night over the course of a week at Toronto's Albert's Hall (above the Brunswick House Tavern), despite being weakened by illness. Vinson later described her as "one of the good ones".
After her death, The Jane Vasey Memorial Scholarship was established at Brandon University
Brandon University
Brandon University is a Canadian university located in the city of Brandon, Manitoba, with an enrolment of 3383 full-time and part-time students. The current location was founded on July 13, 1899, as Brandon College as a Baptist institution. It was chartered as a university by then President Dr....
, to sponsor keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
students. The scholarship fund was established by Vasey's late parents, Ross and Dorothy Vasey, as well as The Downchild Blues Band, and each year distributes scholarships to students in piano performance. The initial benefit performance in support of the scholarship fund occurred at the Brunswick Tavern, within weeks of her death. In addition to the Downchild Blues Band, such artists as Sunnyland Slim
Sunnyland Slim
Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew was an American blues pianist, who was born in the Mississippi Delta, and later moved to Chicago, Illinois, to contribute to that city's post-war scene as a center for blues music...
, John Hammond
John P. Hammond
John Paul Hammond is an American blues singer and guitarist. The son of record producer John H. Hammond, he is sometimes referred to as "John Hammond, Jr.".-Background:...
and David Wilcox
David Wilcox (Canadian musician)
David Wilcox is a Canadian rock musician.-History:Montreal native, David Wilcox drew inspiration from musician Elvis Presley at the early age of six...
appeared in support of the fund. The Downchild Blues Band continues to fund the scholarship through benefit performances.
Vasey is buried at Brookside Cemetery, in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
.
Singles
- 1973 "Flip, Flop And Fly"
- 1974 "Flip, Flop And Fly" [re-issue] (Special)
- 1974 "I've Got Everything I Need" (Almost)
- 1974 "Tell Your Mother" (Special)
- 1975 "Goin' Dancin"
- 1976 "Old Ma Belle"
- 1980 "I've Been A Fool" (AtticAttic Records (Canada)Attic Records was a Canadian independent record label, founded in 1974 by Alexander Mair and Tom Williams. The label was known for developing Canadian talent, including Anvil, Lee Aaron, Maestro Fresh Wes, The Nylons, Teenage Head, and Triumph...
) - 1980 "Tryin' to Keep Her 88's Straight"/"Oh Oh" (Attic)
- 1981 "Hey Hey Little Girl"/"Drivin' Blues" (Attic)
- 1981 "Blood Run Hot"/"Coulda Had All Your Loving" (Attic)
Albums
- 1973 Straight Up (Special)
- 1974 Dancin (Special)
- 1975 Ready To Go (Special)
- 1977 So Far (Posterity)
- 1979 We Deliver (AtticAttic Records (Canada)Attic Records was a Canadian independent record label, founded in 1974 by Alexander Mair and Tom Williams. The label was known for developing Canadian talent, including Anvil, Lee Aaron, Maestro Fresh Wes, The Nylons, Teenage Head, and Triumph...
) - 1980 Road Fever (Attic)
- 1980 Double Header (Attic)
- 1981 Blood Run Hot (with Spencer DavisSpencer DavisSpencer David Nelson Davis is a British musician and multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of the 1960s rock band, the Spencer Davis Group.-Early life:...
) (Attic) - 1982 Dancin [re-issue] (Attic)
- 1982 Straight Up [re-issue](Attic)
- 1992 Dancin'/Road Fever [double album re-issue] (Attic)
- 1997 Ready To Go [re-issue, with It's Been So Long (1987)] (Stony Plain)
- 1998 A Case Of The Blues - The Best Of Downchild (Attic)
- 2000 A Matter Of Time - The Downchild Collection (Blue Wave - US)
- 2003 Body Of Work - The Downchild Collection Volume 2 (Blue Wave - US)
- 2004 Blood Run Hot [re-issue] (Unidisc)
- 2004 Road Fever [re-issue] (Unidisc)
- 2004 We Deliver [re-issue] (Unidisc)
- 2004 Straight Up [re-issue] (Unidisc)