Now that the dust of the festive season has finally settled and I’m far removed from scurrying gig to gig, I can declare a winner in the “Most Memorable Moment” category- American Thanksgiving Dinner and Concert at Stewart Memorial Church.
Stewart Memorial was founded by former slaves who had made their way to Hamilton and freedom via the Underground Railroad.
www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=exhibit_home&fl=0&lg=English&ex=00000236
I had been to Stewart Memorial once before when I was scouting for a gospel choir to sing background vocals on the music track for an ad campaign I was working on. The track needed a large, full-voiced vocal ensemble to pull off the part. Someone mentioned “a black church in downtown Hamilton” so I went to check it out one Sunday morning. Well, of course there was a choir; a totally respectable group of 11 or 12. A few enthusiastic teens, the usual 2 or 3 mumblers, and a core of older women, the unbreakable backbone of every church choir, I think. They were all gamely working their way through a pretty traditional hymn arrangement. It sounded really good but not at all what I had in mind. I mean, what was I expecting?
ca.youtube.com/watch?v=etGrFu6dyAE
I swear, sometimes the depths of my shallowness can be breathtaking.
Anyway, fast forward to October 2008. Jesse O’Brien (a great pianist who floors me every time I hear him) emailed to ask if I was interested in a freebie gig backing up a singer for a church. It didn’t sound too promising but you never know where things might lead. A woman named Evie called and explained that Stewart Memorial had been holding an American Thanksgiving Dinner and Concert every year since the Emancipation Proclamation. Thanksgiving was chosen because it offered the best opportunity for the reunion of family and friends who were once separated by slavery. Evie explained that this year, in honour of Barack Obama’s election 3 weeks prior, they were planning extra music performances and meal seatings.
She said I would be fed Thanksgiving dinner. Now, usually when someone says they’ll feed me in lieu of proper pay I get a mental image of myself wearing a clapboard sign, circa 1933, that says “Will work for food”. At that point in the negotiations I usually get pretty snarky. But having retained my American citizenship, and having always made a point of celebrating American Thanksgiving, the evening sounded kind of fun. And knowing that it was Abraham Lincoln who proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday, I started getting pretty excited about playing at Stewart Memorial Church. I’ve been fascinated with Lincoln since the first grade, and the fascination continues. Even after my kids made me take down the framed portraits of “that creepy looking guy”, aka Lincoln, that had hung in our family room throughout their early childhood. I’m not kidding.
www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/al16.html
Now a little bit of background. The United States had been celebrating Thanksgiving since the pilgrims landed, but it was Abraham Lincoln who proclaimed it a national holiday in 1863, the height of the American Civil War. Here are excerpts from that proclamation-
“I do therefore invite my fellow citizens…those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving… And I recommend…humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers…to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it…to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.”
These are the words of a tall, gangly lawyer, former state legislator and member of congress for Illinois who was elected president, Abraham Lincoln. 145 years later we have… a tall, gangly lawyer, former state legislator and member of congress for Illinois who was elected president, Barack Obama. Like most Canadians (Yes, I am Canadian too, but only the good half) I was happy to see Obama win and, may I crow, I’m still collecting on bets made on the “point spread”. If I had only said 350 or more electoral votes, I could have retired a wealthy man.
Now for the cherry on top. I asked Evie, the woman from the church, who I’d be accompanying on piano that evening. She said her niece, Colina Phillips. I told Evie that, coincidentally, I knew Colina. She’s a great singer and a fine person. Colina is a veteran of the Toronto jingle factories and recording industry and we had often talked about getting together to blow through some jazz tunes. Here was the ideal opportunity. Colina and I had a quick phone conversation about what tunes we’d do. Then she said those words that are music to a jazzer’s ears. “I don’t want to rehearse. I’d like to just hit it that night, if you’re okay with that”. Yes I am. And Thanksgiving night Colina was amazing. In the sanctuary of Stewart Memorial Church Colina glided and soared through up tempo swing tunes, gently restrained ballads, and generously shared her love of music with me and a very appreciative audience. Standing ovation.
A church in Hamilton, founded by former African-American slaves, celebrating Thanksgiving just days after Obama, the first African- American elected to the office of Lincoln, author of the Thanksgiving Day and Emancipation proclamations.
After the show I picked up my dinner in the packed social hall downstairs, said my goodbyes and headed home thankful for being allowed to play a tiny part in a very, very big moment.
