Lake Scugog Jazz Cruise

 This month's FREE mp3 download is  DREAM HARBOUR (part4)

•To save to computer, RIGHT-CLICK the link & select"Save Target As" 

•To listen to it right now LEFT-CLICK the link







Lake Scugog Jazz & B.B.Q. Cruise

This Friday evening, August 3,2012,  I'm headed for Port Perry, to do a B.B.Q. &  Jazz Cruise on Lake Scugog. Port Perry is located just north of Oshawa.

The bonus here is that Port Perry is just around the corner from The Great Blue Heron Casino!  Talk about tripling up on your fun, with a dinner & cruise followed by the thrilling chance to retire early with all the cash you could win at the casino ! 

You can reserve your table by calling Scugog Island Cruises at 905-982-1106 or visit them online.

Extra Bonus... for my newsletter recipients!

When you call to reserve your seat,  tell them that  I sent you & you'll get a special discount for the B.B.Q. & Cruise for you, and all of your friends. 

I haven't played on this cruise in years, and I know it's going to be a real blast. 
What a great way to start off the long weekend! 

The MV Woodman

The Woodman Story

This is the boat we'll be sailing on, The MV Woodman. 

It all started from Ed and Betty Penny entertaining friends on their small houseboat for many years and not knowing the history of the massive Lake Scugog that flowed into The Trent Severn Waterway System.  


 Their small houseboat had room for six people comfortably, which cruised on Lake Scugog for 10 years.

It was when Paul Arculus a local historian and author wrote a book about Steamship history in Scugog and the trade that existed in the community many years  before road transportation existed. With their love of history, this sparked the Penny's attention to revive some of this lost information to visitors as it was such a lovely town that had a lot of waterfront history.

Ed and Betty started looking at commercial tour boats to see if they could revive some of the fun and history that existed in Lake Scugog in the 1800's with boat party excursions with the steamers.  

   Original Crew of Woodman

The original Woodman was a wooden steamship that had its maiden voyage in 1851 and operated by George Crandell, it  was a successful operation during it's time. A picture of the steamship is shown below with the original crew members. There were many steamships that operated on Lake Scugog. When Ed and Betty decided to build the Woodman, they reclaimed the name to revive the lost Lake history. At one time Lake Scugog was bustling with commercial Lake trade with over 26 steamships, delivering logs and goods to Port Perry Railway through the Trent Severn Waterway.

                                                         

                        

Buying a Woodman version (A small Tour Boat)

 The original idea to revive Lake tourism started in 2002 with the purchase a small pontoon 14 passenger boat.  When it was inspected by Transport Canada, they found it could not be certified  to legally carry passengers, it did have a history of operating for several years on the Grand Bend River doing tours that were not legal. When the Penny's inquired about  the cost to retrofit to Transport Canada Standards it was considered was too costly, but the idea was too good to let go. The pontoons were sold and the idea of launching the 100 passenger vessel to bring back history on Lake Scugog was started. 

Building of the Woodman  (100 Passenger Ship)

Lower Deck

Ed and Betty  sat down with Bob Johnson to come up with a design that would be innovative, profitable and attractive to Lake Scugog.

A floating dance hall, where passengers could enjoy the sights and beauty of shorelines of Lake Scugog.  They wanted to showcase history with a commercial ship that the Lake had not experienced in since the early 1900's, as all crafts that ventured on Lake Scugog were pleasure boats only. The new Woodman II employed skilled tradesmen from Newfoundland and all around Canada to build the ship. A lot of hard work and passion was invested from the local tradesmen who worked day and night to get the vessel built. It was exciting for them to develop an idea from paper to create a vision that came to life, where people locally and from around the world could have a cruise experience again on Lake Scugog..

The MV Woodma

Planning Your Perfect Wedding (Music)

This month's download is from my piano instrumental CD DREAM/HARBOUR (PART 1/23)
•To save your mp3 onto your computer, please RIGHT-CLICK the link & select"Save Target As" 
•To listen to it right now please LEFT-CLICK the link 

Dream Harbour has become a surprising turning point in my career. It’s not because I've sold a million copies, or finally become a big music star. Rather, it’s because I've  discovered a whole new market that is literally searching for the type of music. READ MORE


Planning Your Perfect Wedding...
is the name of a book that has just been published by Cornerstone Publications. In fact they interviewed me to get information about what things a bride should look for when considering whether to use live music or a Dj service. 

 (P.S. If you're a wedding planner who would like to use PLANNING YOUR PERFECT WEDDING (which contains my interview)as a gift/promo for your clients,you can get wholesale copies from the publisher here  Username:AUTHID678 Password:PYPW678)

Here's my interview with Cornerstone

What should a couple consider when choosing between a live band and a DJ? 

 Scientific research has proven that LIVE MUSIC is the leading cause of these
TOP 10 TRAGIC RESULTS !
1. It makes your guests so happy they DANCE like no one's watching
2. The singer performs such a moving rendition of your wedding song that
everyone is moved to TEARS
3. A PROFESSIONAL entertainer interacts with your guests all night
4. As a result of # 3 above, your guests who may have been former
strangers are now FRIENDS
5. Your guests & family will shower you with COMPLIMENTS like" such a
beautiful wedding day!"
6. Man! That Jazz trio playing at the reception makes you look way to COOL
7.The beautiful piano music floating through the air during dinner is so
calming & RELAXING
8.Because of #7 above your HAPPY guests easily engage in
conversation....ouch, that's a bad one
9. The visual of entertainers dressed in tuxes, the stage lights, P.A.
system, music equipment, etc.
tells everyone that your wedding is indeed a very SPECIAL occasion
10. The band leader will act as MC, so you can relax, STRESS-FREE, & enjoy
your own wedding
 
With live bands, does a couple have the ability to request specific songs?

Not only can you request specific songs, if you can't seem to find just
the right song,I  can compose a custom-made song for you. How cool is that?

How far in advance should the couple notify the band of specific song requests?
If your songs are unusual/obsucure , it's better inform the band leader
when you sign the contract for his/her services ,so that they can get
right on it. This always avoids disappointment for the wedding couple.
 
Do live bands generally take breaks throughout the event?  If so, how many?
Playing music is as physical as any aerobic exercise you do at the gym.
Musicians need to be refreshed at least 10 minutes out of every hour & fed
at some time during the wedding,because chances are they most likely didn't 
their lunches or dinners with them.

What is the typical price range for a live band?
Here, size does matter.
The bigger the band, the the bigger the fee.
Many brides use a pianist who can also sing.
Often musicians like myself can mix  & match the band size, according to
the function.
Eg. A pianist plays for ceremony & adds a bass & drummer for
reception/dinner , then a guitar & bass player are added for the dance.
So what you have is a sliding scale that allows the wedding couple to get
a real bang for their entertainment dollar.

What are some factors that generally determine the cost of hiring a live band?
There are several things that will effect your budget
The size of the venue (large parties need large bands)
Does the band have to travel a greta distance
Length of time music is needed ( time is money)
Time of year (Xmas season is expensive)
You usually get what you pay for !

What should a couple consider when deciding which band to hire?
The professional experience of the musicians (pro's charge for their experience )
The quality of musicianship (beginners always charge less, because they are trying to get known)
Service in helping you prepare your wedding music 
- the best bands always do this free as part of their client service
Do you get a sense that the band is reliable?
Do you get extras such as:
- free DJ service while band is taking  a break
- will leader act a MC
- referrals
- check out their YOUTUBE videos etc.
- visit their website to get a feel of how professional they are

How far in advance should a couple book a specific date with a live band?
As soon as you book your venue, you'd best start looking at the music provider, if you want to avoid disappointment

What is the customary deposit that a couple normally places with the band?
Most bands ask for 10% non-refundable deposit

If an event needs to be re-scheduled or is cancelled, what is the latest
that a couple should notify the band, in order to get their deposit back?
See response  above

Are there ways to see or hear a band before making a decision to hire them?
- go to their YOUTUBE videos
- visit their website
- if allowed ,visit a live performance
- ask for referrals

Can a couple usually decide how large the band will be?
A discussion with the band leader will help the couple decide on the best format
I've often performed as a  one-man-band, in place of a trio or quartet.
My 25 years plus, of experience as a pro has given me the skill to do this, but,
not all pianists/vocalists have this talent

What are some other factors that should go into a decision about hiring a band?
A personal meeting with a band leader will always give you a lot of information, you would 
not otherwise have gotten nor asked for.
Musicians like myself have a many contacts in the entertainment & event planning industry
For example, I recently hired to perform at an event with my trio.
The organizer also needed a comedian but  had absolutely no idea of where to find one.
Because of my contacts, I was able to secure a very well know comedian for the event as well.


~Kory