October 4, 2007

BBQ and Bluegrass

Chirco entertains seniors

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Seniors eat barbecue while Briarwood, a bluegrass combo plays in the background. The event was the annual summer barbecue hosted by Councilmember Judy Chirco and the District 9 office. Photos by Carol Rosen

More than 140 seniors attended a barbecue hosted by District 9 Council-member Judy Chirco on Friday, Sept. 21 at the Kirk Community Center. It is one of two annual events Chirco does with the seniors, one early in the year around Valentine’s or St. Patrick’s Day and the summer barbecue.

This year’s barbecue featured a picnic atmosphere with tables set on the lawn. Although the day wasn’t too sunny, everyone lucked out because the rain didn’t bother to come until the following day. There was plenty for everyone and the retired fire and police officers cooked the meat just right. Bruce De Mers, Jerry Boyer, Dale O’Rourke and Jack Spinder were among those who helped cook, as they do each year for Chirco, Pete Constant and Nancy Pyle.

Each year Chirco selects a band to entertain the seniors during the barbecue. This year the band was Briarwood, which plays bluegrass-inflected Americana mixed with a lot of humor and has been together for about nine years.

Briarwood, in fact, includes two gentlemen from the Cambrian Park area—Briarwood Drive. Topher Gayle and Joe Buczek live next door to each other. The band started when Buczek was taking a class and met Chris Finn. Along with Craig Sutherland, the three played together for fun for about two or three years. Gayle moved into the home next to Buczek on Thanksgiving Day and he was invited to dinner at Buczek and they’ve been together ever since. Later they added Gail Reese and formed into a group.

Their bluegrass music keeps toes tapping, even Briarwood members have to move around to the beat. Pictured above are Chris Finn, Gail Reese, Craig Sutherland, Joe Buczek and Topher Gayle.

Besides the typical instruments, such as guitars, the band features a Dobro—a resonator guitar and a banjo—and also a string bass as well as a fiddle and mandolin, not all of which are played at the same time. All the band members sing. Buczek plays the Dobro and banjo while Finn plays the mandolin, string bass and Gayle plays the string bass, mandolin and guitar. Reese plays the fiddle and Sutherland the guitar.

The members don’t just play and sing though, they are great comedians and pull everyone’s legs whenever they can.

The band kept everyone well entertained and a good time was had by all!