Remembering our Oscar night

Kerry and I were just talking today about an old campaign we did for the Hnatyshyn Foundation five years ago:



That's right, Oscar Peterson. Canada's greatest gift to the jazz world. We jumped at the opportunity to promote his charity event, and we knew exactly how we wanted to do it — by hearkening back to the golden age of concert posters.

The best part of it all is that I got to meet Oscar after the concert. Despite having one hand mostly paralyzed by stroke, he put on one hell of a performance. He came to the after-party in a wheelchair, and I got in the reception line.

My wife was with me, several months pregnant at the time, and our little guy had been kicking up a storm during the show. When we got to the front of the line, all I could think to say is "It's an honour to meet you, my kid loves your music." He put a hand on my wife's belly, and said "that's great!", smiling ear to ear.

He died three years later. Of all the people I've met in this job, he'll always be my favourite.

Happy weekend.