Local rockers have grown from a quintet to a sextet

And yes, the change has been as fun as it sounds for The Swells

THE MUSKOKAN - It’s a quiet, early fall Friday evening in Port Carling. The moon covers the Indian River with ribbons of light. But just beyond the shoreline, one of Muskoka’s premiere party bands is rocking a weekly practice in their studio. The Swells’ upgrade from single lead guitar quintet to duo lead six-pack has kicked their classic rock, blues and country stylings into new creative territory.
“We always liked the idea of two lead guitars because we worked for a long time with just one in a trio,” explained Ken Stolzenberg, who founded The Swells in 2006 with wife Shirley Hudson. “That’s nice, but it sounds empty when that guitarist plays a solo.”
The pivotal sixth musician is Gravenhurst guitarist Jon O’Connor, a hospitality professional by day and riff man by night who claims lawn mower repair and grocery shopping fill his off hours.
It’s the combination of O’Connor’s licks and those of returned guitarist “Mr. Smooth” Mike Turk that have given the group its new fresh, full-bodied sound laced with intricate harmonies. Turk, who also composes for The Swells, and O’Connor learn their parts by ear through listening to recordings. Then they add their signature harmonies.
Turk heard the bluesy tune Boo Hoo Hoo by Vancouver’s indie group No Sinner on their YouTube video. Now it’s a showcase song for lead vocalist Hudson.
And how was the transition from quintet to sextet?
“It just fell into place,” said Hudson. ”We all clicked. It was very exciting.”
Hudson and Stolzenberg have also spiced the band’s sound with honky-tonk piano. The search for a suitable keyboard player went on for five years before Hudson met Steve Jones. The two were cast as fellow travelling salesmen in the musical The Music Man in Huntsville. Conversation ensued and the rest is Swells’ history.
“We wanted a pounder like Jerry Lee Lewis, and they’re hard to find because most piano players are classically trained,” said Stolzenberg, the band’s drummer.
“Steve is classically trained, but he never attended any classes,” added Hudson with a chuckle. “He does his own thing.”
Bass player Vic Nadrofsky met Stolzenberg about 20 years ago when they played a Brantford gig together. Fast forward to 2010 — Nadrofsky reads an ad for a bass player wanted by a Muskoka band.
“I thought the name sounded familiar when he contacted me, but I couldn’t place the face,” recalled Stolzenberg. “As soon as I met Vic, I remembered him. He has that Afro that you can’t miss.”
Public consensus so far favours the new group.
“People who have seen the new band and the old band always say the new is the best version,” said Stolzenberg.
What hasn’t changed is The Swells’ reputation for quickly organizing fundraising shows for Muskokans or community causes that need a hand. This past summer, you might have caught them at the Huntsville Hoot, the Band on the Run marathon and the Relay for Life. On Oct. 26, the band will play at a spaghetti dinner and dance for the Huntsville Legion’s Youth Education. In recognition of all the charity work done by The Swells, musicians Tina Turley, Wayne Hill, Viceroy Bill Hobman and Robin Hawkins, son of the famous Ronnie, will also perform.
On Oct. 19, the group is playing a fundraiser to support a local woman stricken with cancer, and another show will be held for Maria Simard who was injured and lost her baby in a Gravenhurst vehicle accident on Sept. 15. Until the accident, Simard worked with O’Connor at a Gravenhurst hotel.
“If it’s a cause we believe in, or a friend or someone who really needs help, we do what we can,” explained Stolzenberger.
Upcoming gigs include the Port Carling Legion’s Halloween Dance on Oct. 27, the MacTier Legion’s New Year’s Party, and the band’s traditional gig at the Bala Cranberry Festival on Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“Even if it rains at the festival, we have a lot of fun and everyone else does too,” said Hudson. “They grab their umbrellas and dance in front of the stage.”
The next change for The Swells will be to bring the party to local conferences and conventions.
“We really connect with our audiences,” said Hudson, whose energy-infused excursions into the crowds are a Swells’ hallmark. “We play songs they can sing along with including a punk version of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire. We rock it up a bit.”

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