Presto
Tango
1991-92
John Mosby -
keyboards, guitar, vocals
Greg Fairweather - bass
guitar
Esther Purvis-Smith -
keyboards, vocals
Marty Old - drums
Dar White - vocals,
tenor saxophone
Bob Deutscher - guitar,
vocals
Bob Dar
Greg John
Marty
Originally called The Dar White Band, this was a pretty good
group and should have been more successful.
Marty had played for a short while with the Winnipeg band Next in the 70's.
That was the predecessor to Harlequin, George
Belanger being the lead vocalist at the time. The band lost some snap and sizzle
when Esther Purvis-Smith, herself a stage and screen actress,
left to further pursue her acting career. She's a very talented lady and her
playing and vocals were missed. Part way through my tenure with this band they took on a
manager, Frank Middleton, whom I had issues with, so we mutually agreed to part ways. The darkest days were yet to come.
The next two bands I worked with, Ginger Street and
Crossroads
were, simply put, awful! The former of the two included a bass player I had
known for a very long time and who had for a period of time played with The
Andantes, Dinny Wilkie. The latter nice people, but at the time, very green. It was very painful for me but I just wanted to play.
In early January, 1995, I got a call from Dennis Davies, a drummer who had
formerly played with Calgary's Fosterchild, Winnipeg's Bootleg and The Stamps (second generation of The Stampeders). He and Rod
Partin, a keyboard/saxophone player, had a blues/R&B duo act called The
Steamers that on occasion added a guitar player to the line-up. A short while
later, after receiving a call from Greg, I gave Crossroads my notice, played my
first gig with The Steamers and started rehearsing with Hot Cargo.
By
Jerry Harrison, recorded
at Poncho's, Calgary, March 14, 1992
