JACK'S RAGTIME AWARD

JACK RECEIVED AN INTERNATIONAL RAGTIME AWARD AT ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y.

Wayne Pauli presenting award to Jack.

One year ago Jack had a great surprise at the Grand International Ragtime/Jasstime Festival at Alexandria Bay, N.Y., where he was invited to perform for the 18th time. He was presented May 28, 2006, with the Pel and Betty Bell-Smith "Ragtime" Bob Darch Memorial Award for his "continuing contributions to the preservation of traditional jazz and ragtime".

The prestigious award meant a great deal to Jack because he was on the board of directors of the Ragtime Society with Pel and Betty Bell-Smith from 1979 to 1985. Pel and Betty were the founding co-ordinators of the Alexandria Bay Festival in the early 1990s and ran it until just a few years ago. Jack first met "Ragtime" Bob Darch in the mid-70s and brought him to the Gravenhurst Opera House to perform together three times (Mimi Blais was with them the first time; Colm O'Brien was there for the next two). Jack played with Bob many times at Alexandria Bay and decades before that at the Ragtime Society in Toronto.

The award was presented at the beginning of the festival’s Sunday ragtime gospel service by Wayne Pauli, who has co-ordinated the last nine Grand International festivals with his wife, Nancy. Wayne said Jack is well-known throughout the world of ragtime as a performer, composer, historian, author, the playing host of a long-time cable TV ragtime show, and as someone who goes out of his way to encourage other performers.

Wayne noted that Jack has often invites other performers to perform with him at the Gravenhurst Opera House after hearing them at Alexandria Bay. The list includes "Ragtime" Bob Darch, Colm O’Brien, Mimi Blais, Don Burns, Gabriel Bourqe and Gilles Poirier. Over the years, Jack has also been the MC for concert evenings in Gravenhurst for John Arpin, Bob Milne and Sue Keller.

Last year’s award was a total surprise to Jack, but not to his wife, Linda, who was told about it in confidence on Friday evening. Jack said later he couldn’t figure out why Linda insisted that they sit near the front with their digital camera, and why Linda forced him to put on his best ragtime shirt that morning. The light came on when Wayne Pauli made his announcement.

POSTSCRIPT: Jack received the Pauline McGibbon Life Time Achievement in the Arts Award in 1997 at Roy Thomson Hall. The award was presented at the Royal Bank of Canada Seniors' Jubilee concert. Jack will be performing there again this August for his11th year in a row.