A mighty breeze glows through festival
Local band to play Kennewick Nordic Fest Oct. 22, 23
MOSES LAKE — A gentle wind is blowing down Kennewick way next week.
Moses Lake musical group Nordic Breeze will be participating at Kennewick's Nordic Fest Oct. 22 and 23, and performing twice.
The group consists of Moses Lake resident Jerry Galahan on guitar and vocals; Moses Lake resident Myles Peterson and Royal City resident Warren Hansen on banjo; Chuck Porter of Othello on one-string bass; and Genie Wehling of Moses Lake on accordion.
The band formed about three months ago, when Wehling got the idea in the course of her involvement as music coordinator for the Edmonds Sons of Norway, a title she maintained even after moving to Moses Lake and taking up similar duties for the resident Sons of Norway organization.
It was Wehling's job to secure entertainment for the Edmonds Scandinavian Festival, held annually in May. Somehow, the Kennewick committee got hold of her name, and she provided a list of entertainers.
"Then I thought, 'Gee, I know so many of the songs because I do all of the Scandinavian dancing and I've played music with some of these entertainers,'" Wehling recalled.
She had played with the other players as part of the Old Time Fiddlers, and knew they could follow along and liked to play old-time music.
"I thought, 'You know what? They can play these polkas and schottisches and all this kind of Scandinavian music,' which they're doing, and they're doing a good job at it," Wehling said. "I love music, and I love being around people that love music, and here I have them right here."
She asked if they were willing to perform, and the committee if they were willing to allow the group to play.
The group plays at different functions, including weddings, retirement homes and service clubs.
"I think the satisfaction of learning new music and then when we play at nursing homes, to see how the people respond and appreciate (it)," Peterson said of what he enjoys about playing with the group. "The payback and appreciation of those people can make you feel really good about yourself, because we play music that they probably aren't going to hear on the radio."
Galahan said he was really glad to be asked to join the group, noting with a laugh that he is the lone Irishman in a group of Scandinavians. It gives him a break from some of the other things that he plays, like classic country and music from the 1930s and 1940s.
"It's a fun music to play," he said. "The Scandinavian music's got a little different twist to it, as far as a musician's point of view. Where most music is pretty patterned, when you start to play Scandinavian music, you've got to pay attention because it doesn't go where you think it should go. I like that, I like the change."
Hansen said he thought, "Why not?" when Wehling asked him to join.
"What have I got to lose?" he said.
Galahan started playing music when he was about 12, growing up around musicians. Hansen said he has played for about 70 years. Peterson began playing guitar in high school, and revisited his desires to learn to play the banjo in about 1980, after hearing a banjo band playing at the Edmonds Art Festival. Wehling estimated that she began playing the piano when she was about 12, also following in her family's footsteps, and took up the accordion about a decade ago when a Norwegian friend gave it to her.
"I just took to it, I just enjoyed it so much," she said, adding that she enjoys learning from one another and the fellowship of the group, with the ability to share and take constructive criticism. Indeed, there's a camaraderie amongst the players as they prepare to practice Wednesday afternoon, peppered with jokes and good-natured ribbing.
"I love these guys," Wehling said.
"That's why we love her," Hansen said, to much laughter. He relishes that ability to share constructive criticism. "If I'm doing something wrong, I want to know about it. I might not agree with it, but I want to know about it."